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Cat Wars No More!! Keeping the Peace in
Multi-Cat Households
Click here for a printable version
It’s
important to have realistic expectations when introducing a new pet to a
resident pet. Some cats are more social than other cats. For example,
an eight-year-old cat that has never been around other animals may never
learn to share her territory (and her people) with other pets in the
household. However, an eight-week-old kitten separated from her mom
and littermates for the first time, might prefer to have a cat or dog
companion. 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. PLEASE NOTE: When you introduce 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."
Confinement
Confine your new cat to one medium-sized room with her litter box, food,
water and a bed. 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 enjoyable (eating!) with each other's smells. Don't put the
food so close to the door 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.
Swap Scents
Switch sleeping blankets or beds
between your new cat and your resident animals so they have a chance to
become accustomed to each other's scent. Rub a towel on one animal and
put it underneath the food dish of another animal. You should do this
with each animal in the house.
Switch Living Areas
Once
your new cat is using her litter box and eating regularly while
confined, let her have free time in the house while confining your other
animals to the new cat’s room. This switch provides another way for the
animals to experience each other's scents without a face-to-face
meeting. It also allows the newcomer to become familiar with her new
surroundings without being frightened by the other animals.
Avoid Fearful And Aggressive Meetings
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. If either animal becomes fearful or
aggressive, separate them, and start over with the introduction process
in a series of very small, gradual steps, as outlined above.
Precautions
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. You'll also want to have at least one litter
box per cat, and you’ll probably need to clean all of the litter boxes
more frequently. Make sure that none of the cats are being "ambushed" by
another while trying to use the litter box. Try to keep your resident
pets’ schedule as close as possible to what it was before the newcomer’s
appearance.
Cats can make lots of noise, pull each
other's hair, and roll around quite dramatically without either cat
being injured. If small spats do occur between your cats, you shouldn’t
attempt to intervene directly to separate the cats. Instead, make a loud
noise, throw a pillow, or use a squirt bottle with water and vinegar to
separate the cats. Give them a chance to calm down before re-introducing
them to each other. Be sure each cat has a safe hiding
place.
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Lewis Clark Animal Shelter
