Introduce Your New Cat to Other Family Pets - Hawaiian Humane ...

Introduce Your New Catto Other Family PetsCall the ‘Adopters Only’ Hotline at 942-7297 or visit www.hawaiianhumane.org for more advice & Information.Some cats are more social than others. An 8-yearoldcat that has never been around other animalsmay never learn to happily share her territory (andher people) with other pets. However, an eightweek-oldkitten separated from her mom and littermates,might prefer to have a companion.Cats are territorial and need to be introduced toother animals very slowly in order to give them timeto get used to each other before there is a face-tofaceconfrontation. Slow introductions help preventfearful and aggressive problems.When you introduce pets to each other, one ofthem may send “play” signals which can be misinterpretedby the other pet. If those signals are interpretedas aggression by one animal, then youshould handle the situation as “aggressive.”ConfinementConfine your new cat to a room with her litter box,food, water and a bed. Feed your resident petsand the newcomer on each side of the door to thisroom. This will help all of them to associate somethingenjoyable with each other's smells.Don't put the food so close to the door that theanimals are too upset by each other’s presence toeat. Gradually move the dishes closer to the dooruntil your pets can eat calmly, directly on eitherside of the door. Next, use two doorstops to propopen the door just enough to allow the animals tosee each other, and repeat the whole process.Next use a baby gate in the doorway and repeatthe whole process.Swap ScentsSwitch sleeping blankets or beds between yournew cat and your resident animals. Rub a towel onone animal and put it underneath the food dish ofanother animal. You should do this with each animalin the house.Switch Living AreasOnce your new cat is using her litter box and eatingregularly while confined, let her have free time inthe house while confining your other animals to thenew cat’s room. This switch provides another wayfor the animals to experience each other's scentswithout a face-to-face meeting. It also allows thenewcomer to become familiar with her new surroundingswithout being frightened by the otheranimals.Avoid Fearful & Aggressive MeetingsAvoid any interactions between your pets that resultin fear or aggression. If these responses are allowedto become a habit, they can be difficult tochange.It's better to introduce your pets to each other sogradually that neither animal becomes afraid oraggressive. You can expect mild forms of thesebehaviors, but don't give them the opportunity tointensify. If either animal becomes fearful or aggressive,separate them, and start over with the introductionprocess in a series of very gradual steps.PrecautionsIf 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 petsare healthy. You'll also want to have at least onelitter box per cat and clean all of the litter boxesmore frequently. Make sure that none of the cats isbeing "ambushed" by another while trying to usethe litter box.Cats can make lots of noise, pull each other's hair,and roll around quite dramatically without eithercat being injured. If small spats do occur betweenyour cats make a loud noise, throw a pillow, or usea squirt bottle with water to separate the cats.Give them a chance to calm down before reintroducingthem to each other. Be sure each cathas a safe hiding place.Never try to separate the cats with your hands.

Cat-Dog IntroductionsDogs can kill a cat very easily, even in play. All ittakes is one shake and the cat’s neck can break.Some dogs have such a high prey drive they shouldnever be left alone with a cat. Dogs usually wantto chase and play with cats, and cats usually becomeafraid and defensive. Use the techniquesdescribed above to begin introducing your newcat to your resident dog.Practice ObedienceIf your dog doesn’t already know the commands"sit," “down," "come" and "stay," you should beginworking on them. Small pieces of food will increaseyour dog’s motivation to perform, which will benecessary in the presence of such a strong distractionas a new cat. Even if your dog already knowsthese commands, have him regularly obey commandsin return for a treat.Controlled MeetingAfter your new cat and resident dog have becomecomfortable eating on opposite sides of the door,you can attempt a face-to-face introduction in acontrolled manner. Put your dog's leash on, andusing treats, have him either sit or lie down and stay.Have another family member or friend enter theroom with your new cat and have this person offeryour cat some special pieces of food or catnip. Atfirst, the cat and the dog should be on oppositesides of the room. Lots of short visits are better thana few long visits. Don’t drag out the visit so longthat the dog becomes uncontrollable. Repeat thisstep several times until both the cat and dog aretolerating each other’s presence without fear, aggressionor other undesirable behavior.Let Your Cat GoNext, allow your cat freedom to explore your dogat her own pace, with the dog still on-leash and ina “down-stay.” Meanwhile, keep giving your dogtreats and praise for his calm behavior. If your doggets up from his "stay" position, he should be repositionedwith a treat lure, and praised and rewardedfor obeying the "stay" command. If your cat runsaway or becomes aggressive, you’re progressingtoo fast. Go back to the previous introductionsteps.Positive ReinforcementAlthough your dog must be taught that chasing orbeing rough with your cat is unacceptable, he mustalso be taught how to behave appropriately, suchas sitting, coming when called, or lying down in returnfor a treat. If your dog is always punished whenyour cat is around, and never has "good things"happen in the cat's presence, your dog may redirectaggression toward the cat.Directly Supervise All Cat-Dog InteractionsYou may want to keep your dog on-leash wheneveryour cat is free in the house during the introductionprocess. Be sure that your cat has an escaperoute and a place to hide. Keep your dogand cat separated when you aren't home untilyou’re certain your cat will be safe.PrecautionsDogs like to eat cat food sokeep the cat food out of yourdog's reach (in a closet or ona high shelf). Eating cat fecesis also a relatively commonbehavior in dogs, but it’sprobably something you won’t want to tolerate.It’s also upsetting to your cats to have their litterbox “invaded.”Place the litter box where your dog can’t access it,for example, behind a baby gate; in a closet withthe door anchored open from both sides and justwide enough for your cat; or inside a tall, toplesscardboard box with easy access for your cat.About Kittens & PuppiesKittens are in more danger of being injured or killedby a young energetic dog, or by a predatory dog.A kitten should be kept separate from an especiallyenergetic dog until she is fully-grown, and eventhen she should never be left alone with the dog.Usually, a well-socialized cat will be able to keep apuppy in its place, but if you have an especially shycat, you might need to keep her separated fromyour puppy until he has more self-control. Conversely,an over-confident or aggressive cat canseriously injure a small dog. Cat scratches candamage a dog’s eyes or lead to infections and abscesseson the body.When To Get HelpIf introductions don’t go smoothly, seek professionalhelp immediately. Talk to your veterinarian or askyour vet for a referral to a behavior consultant whospecializes in cat behavior. Animals can be severelyinjured in fights, and the longer the problemcontinues, the harder it can be to resolve. Do notuse punishment, it could make things worse.__________________________________________________This information is provided as a public serviceby the Hawaiian Humane Society, and ismade possible by community donations.Mahalo to Denver Dumb Friends League fortheir contributions to these materials.