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How to Avoid Aggression Between Cats
Your older cat is easy going and
slow. She still has a lot of life in her but you'd like
to get another cat as well. You know your existing cat
is tolerant of children and other pets, but what will
happen when you bring the new cat home?
It may surprise you, but even cats who have been housemates
for many years - even siblings - can become aggressive
and territorial if one of them is gone for even a few
days. So if you have two cats and take one to the vet
overnight you may be starting at square one when bringing
the cat home. It is important to have some techniques
in your 'bag of tricks' to deal with this situation
should it occur.
Cats are VERY territorial. They will
easily adopt an entire house whether it's 700 square
feet or 3000.
The first and most basic step to take
is to give the new, or returning cat, a secluded area
within the home along with it's own litter box and feeding
dishes. This allows the original cat to have 'ownership'
of most of the home while allowing both cats to become
familiar with each other's scent.
If the secluded area can be viewed through
a glass door (such as a sunroom) the cats will also
have opportunity to view each other without physical
contact.
It is important to avoid ANY aggressive
acts on the part of either cat.
Start introducing them into the same
physical space by using feeding or playing times together.
This will keep their attention on the task and not each
other. It will also cause them to associate good things
with the other cat's presence. This is the ONLY time
the cats should be in the same area.
At first you may wish to have them feed
at a good distance from each other with some barrier
such as cages or harnesses. This will prevent any attacks
or retreating.
The activity MUST engage them. If they
are not eating then they are still having too much anxiety.
Try more distance or possibly use a spray like Feliway
which is a synthetic pheromone spray. Although not proven,
it replicates the natural cat pheromone that is friendly
and may calm anxiety when sprayed around the home.
Once the cats are willing to eat or
play separately and at a protected distance, than you
might try rubbing the cats with the same towel and mixing
their scents - or alternating the cages so they become
accustomed to each others smell during feeding.
It requires a lot of patience to introduce
cats. Very slowly decrease the distance from each other.
When they are able to eat fairly close and confined
then increase the distance again and allow them to eat
with no confinement. Slowly decrease the distance and
never allow unsupervised contact until you are confident
in their behavior.
If serious problems still persist you
may wish to contact your vet or may have to consider
one cat being removed from the home or keeping them
in separate areas indefinitely.
1howto.com
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