Everyone wants a fairy tail ending when bringing a new cat or kitten home. Preparing your house and cat proofing the kitty’s new digs are a must before bringing your new kitty home. This includes choosing a neutral and quiet room to set up as an introduction room for your new kitty. Making sure the cats start out on neutral territory is key. This means not placing the new kitty in a favorite area of your current kitty. This will help prevent jealousy or hostility towards the new kitty.
Also it’s important to make sure your new addition has been checked out by a veterinarian. New kitties may have fleas or other parasites that could be harmful to your resident kitty. After your new kitty is healthy the next step is exchanging blankets or toys between the kitties so they can get used to each others scents.
It’s key to let the kitties meet between the doors and sniff each other out and engage in forms of play underneath the doors. Cats use hissing and meows as a way of greeting and communication. Hissing is a part of cats expressing their feelings and is typical behavior between cats just meeting each other.
The next step is reinforcing positive behaviors and interactions between the cats with their favorite treats or wet food. Feed the cats together in a neutral area as an introduction to one another. For the introduction the new cat can be placed in a cat carrier or a dog crate during the initial introduction period.
Once the foundation has been set it’s time to introduce the kitties. It’s key to introduce the cats slowly and watch their reactions to one another. Make sure to reward positive behavior with treats and play time. It may take upwards of a month before your cats are comfortable with each other. It’s key to be patient when introducing a new cat into your home and with patience comes the reward of a lifetime of love.
Interested in reading more? Check out this article!
Jess
