ANSWER:
Good Question! We kitties at the shelter
have learned a thing or two about getting
along with others! New cats come in all the
time, and our friends, the CAN volunteers,
are always very considerate about the
feelings of us “old-timers” when they do
kitty introductions. Cats LOVE familiarity
and routine so our human friends know that
the best way to get us to accept a new
bunkmate is to go SLOWLY and CAREFULLY.
On DAY ONE, the new kitty
is whisked into a sheet-covered cage (in
your home you can use a separate small room,
like a bathroom). This way, we can SMELL
that there’s a new cat in our territory, but
we don’t have to see or interact with him
yet. The volunteers treat us to a lot of the
things we like such as special goodies,
interactive toys, brushing, etc. Pretty soon
we begin thinking, “Ever since we started
noticing that strange new cat smell, our
lives have been GREAT!” Positive
associations work wonders with us cats! At
your home be sure to spend lots of quality
time with Cleo doing all HER favorite things
while the new cat is in the bathroom. In
addition, you can rub the new cat down with
a small towel and put this towel under
Cleo’s food bowl (if extra-special suppers
begin to appear in that food bowl, so much
the better)! Likewise, rub Cleo down with a
towel and put that under the NEW kitty’s
food bowl. That way, when they eventually
meet and sniff each other, the smell will be
familiar and have a positive association.
Starting on DAY TWO, the
sheet is gradually moved to the side of the
cage so the new cat can begin to see how
handsome I am (just kidding). When we
resident cats begin to visit near the new
cat’s cage, and the newcomer is relaxed
about it, the volunteers give the new cat
some supervised visits outside the cage. At
your house, you will know it’s “THE DAY” to
introduce the cats when the new cat has been
eating, drinking, using the litterbox and
scratching post consistently, and seems calm
and affectionate with you. Attempts to get
out the bathroom door when you are leaving
after a visit are also a sign that new kitty
is ready! Then put kitty in a cat carrier
and set it down nonchalantly in the kitchen,
family room, etc. Bring out the interactive
toys and treats and engage Cleo in a play
session about ten feet away from the
carrier. Move the play session closer and
closer to new kitty’s carrier until you have
Cleo playing a few feet from her future
friend. At this point the cats tend to be
more focused on each other than on the toys.
Hissing is a very mild kitty reaction that
means “I don’t know you well enough yet—back
off!”
Growling is a sign that a
cat is feeling a bit threatened. Wait until
you see that both cats are relatively calm
and curious before opening up the carrier
door. You may need to wait until another day
to try again if one or both cats seem
stressed. After you’ve opened the carrier
door, supervise the introduction,
distracting the cats with food, toys, etc.
if there are some anxious moments. Resist
the temptation to interfere too much. You
don’t want a chase scene or one kitty backed
into a corner, but a puffed tail or hissing
are normal aspects of the meeting and
greeting ritual. Put new kitty in his/her
own room after the initial meeting. Continue
these meeting “dates” every day until the
cats are comfortable around each other.
Do NOT despair if your cat
Cleo acts upset with you or changes her
behavior toward you during the first few
weeks of cat introductions! We cats are
REALLY good at pouting and acting offended
when our owners try to introduce change. We
can try to lay a guilt trip on you for
daring to share our piece of kitty heaven,
i.e. your home, with another cat. Hang in
there and relax, knowing that things almost
always go back to normal and then get better
and better within three weeks.
Sometimes the new kitty
gets SO comfortable with his new home that
he begins to slowly “take over” the resident
kitty’s favorite bed, window seat, toys, and
EVEN OUR FAVORITE PERSON’S LAP! This annoys
us!
Watch for signs of
competition or jealousy and make sure you
supply extra beds, toys, litterboxes, etc.,
so that everyone feels there is plenty for
all and there’s no need to compete over
limited resources. If Cleo has special times
with you, make sure that these continue. New
kitties understand “First Kitty Rights” and
will not be offended if they get shooed away
from first kitty’s favorite spot on the bed.
Within a few short weeks,
your Cleo will begin to know and feel
comfortable with her new friend’s habits.
That’s when you can start to record those
“Kodak Moments” – the first time you catch
them playing together, eating next to each
other, and even curled up together in the
same bed! Friendship…it’s a beautiful thing!
