Expert: Karen Craft - 8/5/2007

Question
Ms. Craft,

I have a cat, who is approximately 3 years old, spayed, and has been an only cat since I adopted her. Yesterday, I got the bright idea to adopt another cat. She is a three month old kitten. Upon introduction, the old cat hissed, pounced, and attempted to kill the kitten. We have tried to introduce them through a crack in the door, the old cat hissed some more and wandered off. We separated them for several hours and tried to introduce them again, this time, the kitten hissed, which prompted the old cat to hiss. Any suggestions?

Let me give you some demographics about my living space...I live in a one bedroom apartment by myself.

Thank you so much for your advice. It is truly priceless in my time of need.

Monica

Answer
Hi Monica, I am attaching a great article on how to introduce the cats together. It just takes time. Give this way a try. Also get a product called Feliway. Get the whole house atomizer. It acts as a kitty tranquilizer and will calm down the cats. Good luck.

Ciao, Karen



PROTOCOL FOR
CAT TO CAT
INTRODUCTIONS
·  Help settle the new cat in a small room with litterbox, food, water, toys, and a safe
place to hide (such as a cat carrier with a towel inside).
·  Let the new kitty become comfortable there for 3 or 4 days. Do not allow the cats
to interact during this time. It is fine for the resident cat to be sniffing under the
door and investigating.
·  Switch bedding and other items that have the scent of each of the cats on them.
This way each cat can become used to the scent of the other without meeting
face to face.
·  Spend quality time with each cat on either side of the door - petting, playing,
relaxing. Again, they will be aware of each other, in a non-stressful situation. This is
often reassuring to both of them.
·  If at any point the hissing is intense, or either cat is growling, continue to keep
them separate for as long as it takes the upset cat(s) to settle down. Other signs of
stress are: not eating, not using the litterbox appropriately, overgrooming, etc. (If
these symptoms are apparent in your resident cat, please call your veterinarian. )
This may mean that
the separation needs to last a week or more.
·  If there is no intense hissing from either cat (i.e. loud hissing with wide open mouth
and teeth showing, or multiple hisses), prop the door open just about an inch to
allow the cats to view each other without being able to make contact. Leave
the door like this for a few days. Watch their interactions; if no serious hissing or
aggression is noted, then it’s time for the next step. EXTRA STEPS FOR A SHY KITTY: If
the new cat is shy, the introduction must be taken more slowly. He will need extra
time to “settle” into his new environment, and to feel comfortable in his “safe”
room. It may be necessary to repeat the introduction and separation program
several times. This separation time is also an excellent time for you to spend time
bonding with each cat, one at a time, so that they do not over-bond to each
other.

·  Open the door and allow the cats to interact on their own time. Do not force
either cat to go from one space to another.
·  Supervise their interactions. Only let them interact for short sessions: 10 to 15
minutes at a time. Then separate them again. Do this several times a day until you
are sure they are tolerating the presence of the other cat, and not fighting,
chasing, or watching the other cat intensely. Do not leave them alone together
until you are reasonably certain that they will not hurt one another.
·  Sometimes it helps to distract the cats with several toys but keep the toys four or
more feet apart when playing. Sometimes cats play so hard, that they forget to be
upset about the other cat and start to become accustomed to the other cat’s
presence. There may be rivalry for toys, so this may not always work. Treats may
help alleviate this situation-give them treats in the presence of the other cats, to
distract and reward them—when they are not hissing.
·  Some cat to cat introductions go very smoothly, while others may take weeks or
months before the cats learn to tolerate each other. The best thing to do is to go
as slowly as necessary - don’t rush the introduction. We all want our cats to get
along well, and quickly. But, please remember that you are hoping and working
for a very long term relationship; being patient at first will pay off! Rushing the
introduction will often cause serious problems which may take longer to solve – or
in some cases, may never be solved.
·  Finally: most cats will adjust to living within a multi cat household. Like people,
some will enjoy it more than others. Patience on the part of all concerned w ill be
more likely to produce an enduring peace than anything else. Enjoy your kitties!