INTRODUCING ANOTHER PET TO A FELINE HOUSEHOLD:

Cats are intensely territorial animals, and unlike the other popular pet species – the dog – they tend to be solitary creatures, generally preferring their own company or that of their owner to that of their own kind.

That’s not to say, were you to own a cat, it should be out of the question your getting another pet, be it another feline or another species entirely. It is simply to say that if you’re thinking of doing it to provide kitty with some company or distraction, it is unnecessary. Generally speaking, your cat is perfectly happy living on her own.

And yet you still may want to get another pet.

That’s fine, but it is vital that you make proper preparations and ensure that the point of introduction is with the minimal amount of conflict or stress, for the worst that can happen is having to reconsider keeping your new family addition or, in fact, having your current cat decide it was time to find a new home.

Quick Links to Page Contents:

• Best Practices
• Bringing Home Another Cat
• Cats & Dogs
• Cats & Other Species
• Co-Habitation vs Separation

BEST PRACTICES:

Before you even contemplate bringing home another pet, be it another cat or another species entirely – it is worth knowing how your current cat might feel about it. How does kitty react or relate to other cats or dogs in the neighbourhood or while sat in the reception area of your local vet surgery? That’s not to say you should expect him to approach and greet every strange cat or dog that comes into his space, but you can generally tell by whether he growls, hisses, and spits, or whether he ignores the other animal, what kind of a reaction a new pet might provoke in your kitty.

An intensely negative reaction, especially from a distance, would imply that your cat would not condone another member of that species encroaching on its territory. Avoidance or signs of stress may equally be a cause for concern, as your cat may be perpetually unsettled or decide to up sticks and leave for good. The best you can hope for at this stage is that your cat shows only a mild curiosity or even disinterest in the other animal.

Once you’ve ascertained that your cat may be prepared to condone the presence of another in its life and on its territory, it is time to prepare for the other’s arrival. Prepare a separate space for the other animal where kitty will not be able to see it. If it is a puppy or another cat, then it may be that you will be able to keep it enclosed in a single room, but were it an adult dog you may need to consider a slightly larger separate space.

Most animals are far more scent-oriented than us humans. In fact, their awareness of another tends to be first determined through their nose, when the other animal is still at a great distance. Allowing the respective animals to smell each other’s scent prior to meeting can often help when it finally comes to the more immediate introduction, and is a great way for you, the owner, to judge how best to handle that meeting based upon their respective reactions to each other’s scent.

Stroke each animal with separate pieces of cloth – there are scent glands for most animals around their head, ears, and under their chin – and then rub the scent of the newcomer in an area of your home (not near to your existing pet’s bedding or food area) while introducing the scent of your existing pet to the newcomer. If getting a rubbing proves too difficult, use some of each animal’s bedding as a means to switch their respective scents, but please don’t simply switch beds. The scent should always be placed somewhere that each animal does not feel encroaches upon their immediate territory.

Having allowed for each animal to become familiar with the other’s scent and noted their respective reactions, it is now time for the visual introduction. Ideally this should be where there is some form of barrier so that the smaller, more vulnerable of the two is able to retreat to a place of security. The larger or more predatorial animal – in terms of cats and dogs it would be the latter, while between rabbits and cats it would be the former – should be controlled while the other should be free to come and go as it pleases.

Choose a time when both animals have been exercised or are in a state of low energy, but provide ample distractions for both, be it in the form of toys to play with or treats to eat. This will help both animals not to enter into a staring contest, which can trigger both predator and prey responses.

Animals should be kept separate until you are completely satisfied that both are comfortable and confident in each other’s company, and even then, with certain mixed species, they should not be allowed unsupervised interaction.

Most animals tend to be territorial, especially with regard to their food, water, bedding, and toys, so watch out for any signs of possessiveness or potential confrontation. You may want to consider microchip food bowls – especially for mixed-species homes – so that each pet does not gain access to the other’s food. Be especially vigilant where certain foodstuffs for one species could be toxic to the other. In these instances, it may in fact be best to have completely separate eating areas.

BRINGING HOME ANOTHER CAT:

When introducing another cat into your home, it is best to follow the advice as provided above. Be sure to include in the separate space everything that your new kitty will need, including bowls for food and water, bedding, and a litter tray. But, as with the cat carrier you bring him home in, ensure that these are not simply borrowed from your existing cat’s supply, for they will no doubt carry his scent, which you will want to introduce slowly. It is best that you purchase new items for your new arrival or alternatively to wash each item thoroughly to remove any scent.

Let your new cat come out of his carrier in his own time. In fact, you may wish to leave the carrier for him to use as a sleeping spot and convenient hideaway. After a couple of days, once he has settled in, you can begin transferring scents from each of the cats into the other’s area, avoiding such territorial hotspots as food bowls, litter trays, and sleeping area. As each cat shows signs of accepting the other’s smell, you may begin to rub the respective scents nearer to each one’s bed, until finally mixing the scents by rubbing their blankets together.

The next step will be a visual introduction. While you may not feel the need to have a barrier, such as a baby gate, it is worth letting each cat see the other while feeling secure in their respective space, hence why some form of see-through barrier is advised. Be sure to play with and treat both cats, giving each an opportunity to watch the other while not trading stares. It will also give each the chance to see the other’s playful side, expressing a positive body language as opposed to displaying any fear-threat signals.

When you do eventually allow both cats to engage with each other in all areas of your home, be sure to allow for multiple sources of access, whether it is to food and water bowls, the toilet area, or to the outside, in order to ensure that one cat does not guard any of these resources from the other. It would be advisable that at least initially feeding and toilet areas be kept farther apart, with that gap being gradually reduced overtime.

CATS & DOGS:

Generally speaking, the more laid back and confident your cat the better chance it will have at handling a dog in its life. Some cats are naturally skittish, tending to freeze and stare at an unknown quantity before darting off. Unfortunately, this very behaviour tends to instil in the dog a chase response, thereby creating the situation that both you and your cat would wish to avoid. Hence skittish cats are not good with dogs!

Nor are hunting dogs good with cats! Avoid any breed of dog whose original function was to hunt, unless you are introducing it as a puppy or have strong evidence that from a young age it has had positive prior associations with cats. Young, malleable puppies and older, calmer dogs tend to fare better toward positive integration with cats than unruly adolescents or untrained adult dogs.

We would recommend by beginning with the scent-introduction method, as outlined above, ensuring that the cat retains the space that has access to the cat flap. While working through the scent introduction, and in preparation for the visual introduction, begin to train the dog in the basic commands of: Sit, stay, settle, and leave. These will come in handy later when you make the first visual introduction.

Once you have successfully introduced each animal to the other’s scent, it is time for that first visual meeting. The best time to do this is after a long walk with the dog in order to tire it out. At first you may wish to erect a barrier, such as a baby gate between rooms, allowing for your cat to approach or retreat as it wishes. It is fine if your dog shows an interest in the cat, but try to keep it calm so that it doesn’t bark or become frustrated. Reward good behaviour with treats.

It might help for you to distract your cat with some interactive play, as well. The less your cat focuses his attention on the dog and breaks eye contact, discovering that there are no negative consequences for doing so, the sooner both animals will learn to relax in each other’s company. For the dog, it would also be good to learn that not all cat play behaviour is necessarily a solicitation for him to join in, as indications of play often are for dogs.

If at any point either animal becomes anxious, or if the dog becomes to exuberant or boisterous, then separate and begin again later.

Once successful introductions have been made, continue to ensure that the cat has sole access to the room with the cat flap. If both animals begin to share the garden, then consider having a second cat flap installed higher up, such as in a kitchen window, so as to give the cat a vantage point through which to view the garden before exiting. Multiple access points also means the cat flap becomes less of a target for potential ambushes from an ever eager pooch looking to play with his strangely aloof new friend.

Be sure to keep separate your cat and dog’s sleeping areas, food and water bowls, and toys. Your cat’s litter tray should also be kept well out of paw-reach of your dog, lest its contents be taken as a dog-friendly buffet served on a blanket of pellets or granules.

CATS & OTHER SPECIES:

With respect to ferrets and rabbits, as with dogs, we would recommend first introductions be undertaken through the scent-introduction method as outlined above. However, it is more important that the cat’s scent not be rubbed anywhere in or around that animal’s cage or hutch. If you decide to give your rabbit or ferret opportunities to roam within your house (as we would most certainly recommend), then let them explore your cat’s scent well away from their nest.

We would recommend you not to introduce your cat’s scent to any hamster, gerbil, or caged bird that you bring home, for these are your cat’s natural prey, and while your cat may not show any direct interest in them, the very whiff of a predator in close proximity will cause undue stress that could be detrimental to your rodent or bird’s health.

Be aware that ferrets are carnivorous, as well, and so it is best that you not introduce an adult ferret to a tiny kitten. Nor should you introduce a baby, or dwarf, rabbit to an adult cat. Instead, it would be best to introduce on an equal size basis or, in the latter case, while the cat was still young. Larger breeds of rabbits may fare better with a cat, although you should still never leave them together unsupervised, for rabbits are prone to serious injury if scratched, being that they have relatively thin skin, exposed eyes, and ears that contain large blood vessels.

CO-HABITATION VS SEPARATION:

We all would hope and wish for our family members to get along, but often in spite of our best efforts this proves to be impossible. There are varying degrees of separation: from complete co-habitation (most often achievable only between same-species), partial co-habitation (in which interactions are always monitored or where there is a shared space alongside secure areas for both parties), to complete separation.

At the end of the day, whatever choices are made should be for the welfare of the respective animals. One should think not only of your pet’s physical safety but also of their emotional security. Long-term stress can be just as detrimental to an animal’s health as a short-term wound. Knowing what signs to look for in a stressed animal is part and parcel of your responsibility as their owner.

Sometimes it may mean making small changes to your pet’s living conditions – giving your cat a few additional safe perches within the home or moving your hamster cage upstairs and away from prying paws. But sometimes it may also require more radical changes, such as installing baby gates across certain doorways to create cat-only spaces.

These are just some of the considerations you need to make when considering bringing a new pet into your cat-friendly home. Whether it is a dog, a bird, a rabbit, or a rodent, read up on our housing requirements for that species and seriously reflect on the home that you have, kitty included. Are you able to offer that animal both the security and freedom you would want for it to enjoy? And should things not work out, do you have both the space and the will to create separate areas, so that your furry family members may thrive, under the same roof and yet apart?