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Introducing Your New cat to your Resident cat (s)
Cats are territorial and need to be introduced to other animals very
slowly in order to give them time to get used to each other before
there is a face-to-face confrontation. Slow introductions help
prevent fearful and aggressive problems from developing. When
you introduce any new pets to each other, one of them may send play
signals which can be misinterpreted by the other pet. If those signals are interpreted as aggression by one animal,
then you should handle the situation as aggressive.
Preparations
Before the actual introductions take place. Take the following steps
to make the first meeting a little bit less stressful for both pets.
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Swap scents. Grab a rag or towel and gently give your new pet a body
massage using it, his smell will cling to the material, then place
it near your resident cat's food dish. Use a second towel and
massage your resident cat, placing this cloth near your new cat's
bowl. This will
allow them to smell each other without endangering either pet. Do
this for every animal in the house.
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Swap living areas. Keep your new cat in just one room during the
introduction period. After a day or two, when he's adjusted to his
new home, allow him to have free time in the house while confining
your other pets in the newcomer's designated room.
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Feed your resident pets and the newcomer on each side of the door to
this room. This will help all of them to associate something good
with each other's smells. Don't put the food so close to the door
however, that the animals are too upset by each other’s presence to
eat. Gradually move the dishes closer to the door until your pets
can eat calmly, directly on either side of the door. Next, use two
doorstops to prop open the door just enough to allow the animals to
see each other, and repeat the whole process.
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Avoid any interactions between your pets that result in either
fearful or aggressive behavior. If these responses are allowed to
become a habit, they can be difficult to change. It's better to
introduce your pets to each other so gradually that neither animal
becomes afraid or aggressive. You can expect mild forms of these
behaviors, but don't give them the opportunity to intensify.
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If one of your pets has a medical problem or is injured, this could
stall the introduction process. Check with your veterinarian to be
sure that all of your pets are healthy. Try to keep your resident
pets’ schedule as close as possible to what it was before the
newcomer’s appearance. If introductions go bad, always give both
pets a chance to calm down before re-introducing them to each other.
The Introduction
Once both cats are interacting calmly through the door, you are
ready to try supervised visits. Talk soothingly
to both animals, and give lots of praise and treats during
the initial introduction. If either
becomes overly excited it would be best to end the visit and try
again later. Repeat this process in the
form of several short visits a day, gradually allowing them more
time together in reward for good behavior. If problems occur,
go back to keeping your new pet it his own room, and start the
introduction process over again.
When it Doesn't Work Out
If introductions don’t go smoothly, don't push it! Animals can be
severely injured in fights, and the longer the problem continues,
the harder it can be to resolve. Conflicts between pets in the same
family may be resolved with professional help, but you may have to
accept the fact that neither animal is ever going to accept the
other. Sometimes the only
humane thing to do is to send your new pet back where he came from
or find another good home for him.
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