As long as the human scent is strong, it will help the cat establish a sense of home by comingling scents. (It could be anywhere from a few hours to a few days.). One of the first warning signs that a cat is sick is lack of appetite. Bring in the Other Cat: Casually have your partner bring the other cat into the room and immediately engage him. On the other hand, the less dominant between the two will prepare to defend himself by lying on his back. Urinating outside the litter box; This indicates a behavioral problem or potentially something more serious medically. If either cat becomes aggressive, start the introduction process over by separating the cats. This will help jumpstart the introduction process even before your pets actually meet each other. Certain factors of a cat can contribute to even greater anxiety. Seizures : In the wild, this instinct can protect them from predators or other cats that might be a threat. Experts also recommend installing Feliway diffusers to help keep your pets calm and secure during this transition phase. Introducing your new cat to your resident cat. More importantly, noticing these signs allows you to evaluate the progress of the introduction process. Regular check-ups are important for your cat’s health. 10 Warning Signs Your Cat Needs To Go To The Veterinarian Signs Your Cat Needs To Go To The Veterinarian. And yet, when the subject of introducing two cats has come up through the years, I would constantly hear people advise, “Just put them in a room together and they’ll work it out.” Does it work sometimes? Before you bring your new cat home, there are some fundamental steps to accomplish that will give you a significant leg up on the process: A. To make your introductions successful, you have to leverage the power of scents. For even more detail on this Cat-to-Cat Introduction process—an entire chapter, in fact—check out my latest book, Total Cat Mojo. Keep the cats separate at first. The curtain allows you to start with the absolute bare minimum of visual access. But sometimes, even if you follow the steps recommended by experts, one of the cats might act aggressively around the other. Your resident cat may act aggressively because of fear. If one cat appears to be freezing, staring, or fixating on the other cat, have some treats or fun toys nearby to direct them away from each other. “Use your own judgment, but don’t ignore any warning signs.” Treating cat bites is a serious matter. But if you do it the right way, the more likely it will be that your cats will get along fine and keep unnecessary altercations at bay. It's really important to look out for signs that cats aren't getting on. Keep the “Rhythm” Going: The most important component when you bring the cats together is establishing and maintaining a rhythm of play once they hit the room. An air horn is a … So, let’s first address the signs your cat may display when stressed or suffering from anxiety. Introducing cats to each other depends on their individual temperaments and personalities. Introducing Pets - Warning Signs That The Introduction Is Going Awry While some cats and dogs don’t have any problems living under the same roof, some are just not receptive to co-existing peacefully. If your cats feel that there is no other option but to fight, the aggressive one will launch an assault. Foods That Are Toxic to Cats: From Deadly to Upset Stomachs. "Signs of stress include poor appetite, inappropriate urination or defecation or excessive hiding." End the Session: The session will end in one of two ways: either the cats will end it, or the humans will. Subtle or not, cats are susceptible to just as many symptoms of aging as the rest of us. But apart from introducing your pets properly, there are a few tricks that you can use to increase the chances of making your cats get along fine. Eating food quickly and then vomiting, excessive grooming, sleeping and/or drinking are signs that someone is not happy. When you pick up your new cat, be sure to bring an item that contains your resident cat’s scent like bedding. Excessive Vocalizations: Some cats meow Once you get home, you should start letting your two cats swap scents by exchanging the bedding of your pets. Although this behavior is natural and to be expected, you should be ready to step in once things begin to escalate. In my experience, the better option is to introduce the cats by either using a pet gate or a screen door. They might even swat at each other or chase each other through the house. These posture changes are warning signs that a fight is about to ensue if you do not separate the cats. No free-feeding – Make sure you have switched your existing cat over to a routine of meal feeding, rather than free feeding her. Site swapping: This is where each cat gets to explore the other’s territor Today's house cat has the same tendency to avoid vulnerability, even if the only potential threat is a housemate. It is also a good idea to install perches and buy cat trees that your pets can use to run away from each other. This helps both animals become familiar with one another. You might even have to start with the introductions all over again. Make sure she is engaged, and keep her moving… either with treats or a toy. The strange cat may get integrated into the group but that can take a considerably long time. Philosophically, this is an extension of the “other side of the door” exercise. However, your resident cat is most likely to exhibit this warning sign because he sees the other cat as an intruder to his territory. Instead, begin at the beginning and reset the Challenge Line; take the feeding line back all the way to where they can see one another and eat with little or no disruption. The “Raising the Curtain” technique – Drape a blanket over that gate or use clothespins to hang it from the screen (or, perhaps less effectively, a cracked door). They may keep growling and hissing at each other from opposite sides of the screen, meaning you have to separate the cats for longer than expected. For one, he might fear that the new cat is trying to take away the resources in your home, from his cat food to his litter box. 2. If she has anorexia, this is another sign of old age. Lethargy -- Ill cats may spend most of the time hiding and does not have enough energy to engage in his usual daily activities. When you introduce a new cat to your current cat, you should always make sure that you give your current cat plenty of love and attention, and in fact, extra whenever you can, … If you already own two or more cats that all get along fine, the addition of another cat can throw off that balance. Take every interaction between your pets as an opportunity to observe their behavior. By providing a slow and steady introduction, the result can be rewarding for both your feline companions. Not every cancer is the same, Your pet can go from healthy to ill in no time since it depends on the type of cancer and it’s the stage. I have chosen to share my life with a number of cats. Although the two cats can get along well in the future, this bad encounter will linger in their minds for a long time, making the introduction process longer than it should actually be. Warning Signs When Introducing Cats look out for warning signs when introducing cats – hissing, then grumbling and growling, followed by a flattening of ears and bulking up of appearance are the early signs of aggression before hostilities fully break out. So, do yourself and your cats a favor, and follow this time-tested, step-by-step recipe to a T: It will give you your best chance for a smooth integration. This is because some cats, particularly male ones, kill kittens. There is no magic formula that will tell you when a cat is ready to be fully integrated into the household; you must be able to observe them and judge their progress on an individual basis. Normal language would be sniffing, pawing, and even growling. Just because they are not physically fighting does not mean that they are happy together. According to PetMD.com the following 9 signs are indicative of anxiety and/or stress in cats. Getting a second cat is a major decision that should not be taken lightly. 2. Recent entries about Warning signs when introducing cats. This gives you a much greater sense of control over the degree of visual access because you can “raise the curtain” gradually over a period of time. From shop SignMission. Cats might also bite you or hiss at you if they aren't your biggest fan. Living with a cat is so fascinating that many of us think about introducing a … Unexplained Bleeding : If you find your cat bleeding from the nose, mouth, grums or genitals which is not due to any kind of trauma, then your cat must be examined. Change can be upsetting for either of your cats. When introducing your dog to a cat, pay attention to the body language of both animals. Choosing a “buffer barrier” – Do you simply crack the base camp door, or set up a pet gate or screen door? ... Continue to provide supervised encounters with both cats, watching closely for signs of tension or aggression. Once you’ve decided on your method, consider…. The idea here is to get both cats in a room together, sans any sort of barrier, and keep things as harmonious as possible for increasing segments of time. 3. Sure, but it’s cat Russian Roulette; Just as often, they might work out who loses an eyeball, but they will not magically work out how to be friends. Once the two cats have smelled each other’s scents, you can then allow the two cats to meet each other while physically separated. If you experience such a thing, understand that your kitty is going to die. When one of your cats is ready to slug it out with the other one, you will notice a marked change in his posture. It goes without saying that you would prefer the latter every time. No matter how capricious your Tabby is, no cat will go on a hunger strike or a diet. Although the intent of the strange cat may be to simply join the group, the members of the group may be wary of his presence and act aggressively out of fear. Gently inserting a wooden chair between them will break them up. Ideally, your new cat should have a separate space for himself. Cats can be loveable, friendly pets — but sometimes they might not like you very much. But, if it’s not starting to heal after 24 hours, a trip to the doctor or hospital is best. With age the muscles become weak and a point comes when the cat loses control over its bladder. And on the converse side, you should also take into account these factors in your resident cat. If you do not know what these warning signs mean or if you deliberately ignore these, a full-on fight between your cats can ensue. Both cats can hiss at one another. These cats band together and form alliances. ... To introduce an older cat to a new dog, start by keeping them in separate spaces in your home so they don't have direct contact. Although this behavior is natural and to be expected, you should be ready to step in once things begin to escalate. In turn, this can result in a physical confrontation if you do not know how to recognize aggression. Aside from potentially having two hurt cats, you might also sabotage the introduction process. If your cat was abused or has been moved to several homes, they are more likely to suffer from anxiety than a cat that hasn’t been exposed to those elements. Why Does Your Cat Pee Out of the Litter Box? From hissing, the conflict between your pets can escalate to grumbling and growling. As the title suggests, this is but an overview. How it Works – The gist of Eat, Play, Love (EPL) is pretty simple: You’re bringing one cat into a room where there’s another cat who is already engaged in a high-value, fully engrossing activity. Before introducing cats, make sure they are healthy. There were snags along the way as my home and heart opened to more cats. Check in with the vet. But the truth is, domestic cats are social creatures. Watch for warning signs that this is not a safe match. By nature, cats are exceptional at hiding signs of sickness, which can make it difficult for their human carers to know something is wrong. Do not leave the cats alone together until you are sure they get along. In that ill-advised scenario, the other cat becomes their “something to do,” and you’ll likely find that the “staredown” soon turns into a “throwdown.”. He may also make his body appear larger by arching his back and making his back hairs stand. 3. However, introducing a new cat to … In addition, here are a few other important elements associated with successful base camp protocol: Once your new cat demonstrates a notable comfort level in has base camp, it’s time for…. If your cat shows this behaviour, it’s important to make sure they have somewhere to hide or to get up high. Now, as you arrange to have both cats co-exist in a room together, you are going for the whole enchilada as a way of facilitating the ultimate positive association: you are looking to create the highest of high-value experiences we humans bring to our cats in the course of a day, in these three things—eat, play, love. Introducing cats requires patience and sensitivity, so you should prepare for it to take some time for two cats to accept one another. 1. Now from time to time you’ll have to end this session early and that’s ok. Last Updated on January 11, 2021 by Julia Wilson. Take little steps and evaluate how your cats react. Start with One Cat: Begin by playing with only one cat in the room at first. Here are the warning signs when introducing cats: 1. They don’t want to attract attention to their weakness. And now, do the move-bowls-closer-to-the-door process all over again, but this time, add the element of increased visual access. 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