Creature Comforts Pet Services, LLC

Compassionate care for your friend

Archives for October 2024

Proper Introductions

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You have a loving relationship with your sweet kitty, why not increase the love and offer home to another cat or kitten?  Then they could have a friend to play and cuddle with! Suddenly your sweet and relaxed kitty is angry, hissing, and chasing the new cat and possibly even not using the litter box!  What happened there?  Is it possible to add another cat to your household peacefully so everyone gets along?  And what about when two cats who previously did get along suddenly don’t?

With time and proper introductions, or reintroductions (for the former companions), cats can learn to peacefully get along.  Domestic cats are social and do benefit from companions, but it does require a delicate process to help them start off on the right paw.  Cats do not work things out on their own, as can be a common belief.

In the case of cats who used to like each other, but suddenly changed, it may take some detective work to discover the cause of the rift.  It could be a matter of something that scared one or both of them and that fear was displaced onto the other cat.  It could be an internal difficulty, emotional or physical, with one cat causing her to not feel good and just needing more space.  It could be a need to change the environment to accommodate the changing social needs of younger cats as they grow.  Maybe one cat had to leave the house for a while and now that she is back, they don’t seem to recognize each other.  There are lots of scenarios that might cause cats to go from companions to combatants.  In order to have a successful reintroduction it may take a veterinary visit and some work to discover, if possible, the cause of the difficulties.  Without removing the problem a reintroduction will not change anything.

Successful introductions require patience and plenty of time.  Rushing it could cause things to go backwards and become more difficult.  Here are some tips for introducing cats to each other in a safe and happy way.

What we are going to do here is desensitization, gradually exposing each cat to the other starting with scent.   And counterconditioning, which is pairing something positive such as play or treats with the other cat creating a positive association between them.

  1. Start before bringing the new cat home, or to separate companions who are having a difficult time.  Set up a safe room with all the things a cat needs to keep him comfortable; 2 litter boxes, food and water, a place to hide, a place to climb or play, and new toys.   The litter boxes, food, and water should be placed as far apart from each other as possible. 
  2. Cat’s inhabit a very olfactory world, so first introductions should be through scent.  Use a soft sock (a clean one of yours will have your scent also) on your hand and gently rub one cat, particularly the cheeks and head where his calming pheromones are, just like you are petting him.   Place that sock in the area of the other cat and place some treats near the sock. Do this process again in reverse with another sock for the other cat.  Repeat the process of adding fresh scent for a few days to make sure no one is reacting to the socks.
  3. Create a group scent through allogrooming and allorubbing, or hugging and kissing for cats.  Allogrooming and allorubbing are how cats share scent with each other to create a group scent.  Only here you are going to be using a soft brush or sock to share scent between cats.  Again add in the treats to keep the positive connection to the other cat’s scent. Be cautious and slow here, if anyone reacts to the other’s scent, back up a little and give them more time.
  4. Once they are used to each other’s scent, trade places with them for a little time, giving them each a chance to explore the other cat’s “territory”.
  5. Gradually introduce them through sight next.  Start by feeding them on opposite sides of the door.  Once they are relaxed, add in feeding them on opposite sides of a barrier they can see through, such as a baby gate.  You may have to start with them quite a ways away from the barrier at first and then gradually move them closer until they are eating in a relaxed way in close proximity.  Again, if there is any stress by either cat, there is no harm in backing up a few steps and giving them more time.  Eventually, you can remove the barrier and let the cats eat near each other with supervision.
  6. From here it is a good idea to always supervise interactions for a time, but allow the cats to be loose together.  While you are not able to supervise, I would suggest keeping them separate until you are confident they are able to manage together.

While this seems like a lengthy process, and it really is, it is worth the peace in the household you will have.  Some cats will never become best friends, but they can learn to live comfortably together without conflict.

Feline Enrichment and Routine

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Let’s face it, cats are control freaks.

They like to know what’s coming and when.  You can help your cat to live his best life by making things predictable and stable for him.  Have you noticed how your cat knows exactly what time dinner is supposed to be?  We all have our internal timers and rhythms. Cats do best when they know what to expect in their world.  Having a basic routine for things like playtime and mealtime and even cuddle time can make them feel comfortable and relaxed.  

There are some things that you can also add to your cat’s routine for extra enrichment.  Think about how a wild cat’s day might go.  She wakes up and goes on the hunt first thing in the morning (hmm – morning zoomies)  looking for her first meal of the day.  Once she catches that first mouse, eats well, grooms, and then what?  You guessed it! Time for that first nap.  And on her day goes. Predictable and ordered in it’s own way.  And in that order we can find a particular pattern that is excellent enrichment for a cat.  Hunt (play), catch it and eat, groom, nap.  By following a rythym that is natural for a cat you are adding to her wellbeing and health.  Slow feeder toys are a great way to add this enrichment to your cat’s feeding time. And play enhances your bond with them.  Regular play sessions twice a day for  at least 15 minutes before morning and evening meals can go a long way in your cat’s wellbeing and also add to your cat’s physical health because it includes regular exercise.

Sometimes these patterns can help alleviate other problems.   For example, if your cat regularly wakes you up at night, establish a pattern of rowdy play, food, cuddle time, and then time for everyone to go to bed.  Thought there is another piece to that puzzle. It involves not interaction with your cat during the night at all, not to push them off, not to roll away, just don’t move.  Which, I will warn you ahead of time,  means you may have to ride out a period of time of, sometimes increasing, attempts to get you to interact in the night.  This is  called an extinction burst, where an established behavior will get worse just before it goes away.  We all do this.  If that soda machine doesn’t work this time, we tap, bang, shake until we decide it just isn’t going to work.

Here are some kitty play tips to help you on your way:

Any cat, any age can benefit from play and can learn to play.

If using a wand toy, move the toy in an erratic manner across the floor and over cat trees. Lots of fast movements will catch their eye while periods of slow movement will give your cat a chance to stalk and get ready for the pounce.  Moving the toy around the room away from them can help.  In reality a prey item will rarely come towards a cat.

Experiment with different types of wand toys.  Some cats prefer feathers, some strips of  material that wiggle like snakes, some like little stuffed toys to grab onto.  Some prefer the wands where the toy is at the tip with a bell, some prefer a wand with a string then the toy.  There are lots of things out there to temp your kitty into play.

Lot’s of kitties love lazers.  If you have a cat that goes crazy for these, be sure to toss a treat or a favorite toy into the beam now and then so they have a chance to “catch it”, otherwise these can become frustrating to some.

Try the interactive cat  toys that move on their own.  Some cats love these, but be cautious with your introduction, some are afraid of the noises or movements.

Some cat’s will play fetch or hide and seek under a blanket.  One for mine likes when I pull her around the wood floor on a banket while she attacks the wrinkles.  You may even come with others all your own.

And lastly,  never play with your cat with your hands.  This might seem cute and harmless with a kitten, but can cause bigger scratches later on.  It also teaches your cat that attacking you is an acceptable way to play.