"Someone asked earlier how to introduce new kitties to an established cat horde. So I thought I would pass along my
mom's method to everycat in case anyone else is planning to
adopt another furfriend (and all of you should if you can!!)."
One of the best ways I've found to introduce cats is to put a fragrance, one that I use myself, on each cat's head or between
their shoulder blades. This makes them all smell the same. Cats identify prides by scent. Another thing that I do is to sleep with a couple of towels or wear two shirts so they get my scent on them
and then have the cats sleep on them as well (or rub them all over their faces where the scent glands are). Then I switch up which
cat(s) has which towel/clothing. This gets them used to the
scent. Once they've done this, I begin having them in the same
room with me. Whenever they get near each other without
hissing or striking out I praise, pet & give treats. Once they stop growling I do the same. If they misbehave, I pick up the offending cat and toss them gently away and then immediately praise, pet & treat the cat who was hissed, struck or growled at. Rinse & repeat!! It can take some time but I have rarely had failures with this method.
Posts
Hi!!! (waving paw frantically) We were skimming through some kitty blogs & I just HAD to stop & say hello to my twin brother from another mother - Zaphoid!! (admittedly, there's a few years between us- but the resemblance is uncanny!! MOL!
ReplyDeleteI'm Nico - with my brothers Simon & JayJay. Our Mom likes your pointers for bringing new kitties into a new home. She used a few of your methods when she brought Simon to live with us last June - I'm still not crazy about him, but Jay likes him.
Hope to see you around!!
~Nico, Simon & JayJay :)
OMB!! It's not just uncanny... the amazing part is that Zaphy is starting to look like one of his predecessors, the late Nicodemus the Evile Anti-Koala aka Thief Cat. Wowser!! Oh, and while I was typing this, Zaphoid came up to see what was going on so we had to go look at your pictures. He said, "That does not look like my butt!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. We keep them apart for a few days, then introduce while double petting.
ReplyDeleteHi Kat! We've tracked yoo down at last! Yoo've visited us many times.
ReplyDeleteWe just read that yoo are adopting Sparles ~ and we wanted to sat a warm thank yoo from the bottom of our hearts. She so needed a lovely forever home ~ and we are so grateful it's yoors.
You have a lot of great ideas for introducing new kitties. I am guessing that you will soon be using them. Congratulations on adopting Sparkles. I hope that she fits in very quickly.
ReplyDeleteI tried exchanging cat scents with Annie and Nicki, when I first adopted Nicki. I tried Feliway. I tried this and that and Annie was determined to hate him...and so it has gone for almost 4 years. LOL. I'm sure you'll have much better luck with Sparkles!
ReplyDeleteWhat Milo and Alfie said!
ReplyDeleteI like your thoughts on growling, Squashies growls at TK sometimes, out of the clear-blue. I think I'll give it a go.
I love the advice. I probably won't traumatize the Admiral at her age and condition with a sister or brother BUT one day I may adopt two cats and this will be great of I have another to go with them, on down the line.
ReplyDeleteI am still just beside myself with relief that you are giving precious Sparkles a home. OH I am just so happy. That baby went straight to my heart.
xox
It all makes perfect sense! We're looking forward to seeing Sparkles settle in!
ReplyDeleteKeeping cats apart when you aren't with them is a Good Idea. That way they can get used to each other's scent through the door. You can also switch them out to do the same. But you also want to start having them together while you are with them so they can start interacting together.
ReplyDeleteSTAR! Of COURSE you're my love (too) ♥♥♥♥♥♥ Don't hide that beautiful..handsome face! You are a man cat about town!
ReplyDeleteHi! A big purr and head bonk to all of you in Kat's heaven! I saw you'd been by my little page and thank you SO much. Sam and I have been around for a long time but we never knew how to type or how to make our very own page before. Now we can type because we learned how to get our furs out of the keyboard! We love your page and hope you don't mind if we return your lovely favor by following YOU, too :D
ReplyDeleteWelcome Lucy!! We're glad to meet you!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a good plan in place for inroducing Sparkles, I'm sure everything will go smoothly!
ReplyDelete