SLOW INTRODUCTIONS MAKE FOR HAPPY CAT COUPLES
People who have dogs are more likely to have just one. Cat lovers, on the other hand, tend to go for the multiples.
But in a lot of those multi-feline families, relations between cats are a bit strained. And when cats aren't happy, nobody's happy. The noise of cats grumbling threats at each other or engaging in frequent rumbles can get on one's nerves and even mean trips to the veterinarian. And the litter-box problems that can be a part of such turf wars can turn an entire house into a toilet.
Living with more than one cat doesn't have to be so contentious. The trick to domestic harmony for cohabiting felines is to introduce -- or reintroduce -- them slowly and carefully.
If you don't have a cat yet and know you'll eventually want two, it's easiest to adopt two adult siblings or two kittens at the same time. Adult siblings who have grown up together are already used to each other, and unrelated or sibling kittens don't have the sense of territory that grown cats have and will settle down together into a new home nicely.
But even a solitary adult cat can learn to enjoy living with another adult. Since the worst territorial spats are between cats who aren't spayed or neutered, your chances for peaceful co-existence are many times greater if the cats are both altered before any introductions are planned.
Prepare a room for your new cat, with food and water bowls, and a litter box and scratching post that needn't be shared. This room will be your new pet's home turf while the two cats get used to each other's existence.
Take your new cat to your veterinarian first, to be checked for parasites such as ear mites and contagious diseases such as feline leukemia. When you're sure your new pet is healthy, the introductions can begin.
Bring the cat home in a carrier and set him in the room you've prepared. Let your resident cat discover the caged animal, and don't be discouraged by any initial hisses. When the new cat is alone in the room, close the door and let him out of the carrier. If he doesn't want to leave the carrier at first, let him be. Just leave the carrier door open and the cat alone.
Maintain each cat separately for a week or so -- with lots of love and play for both -- and then on a day when you're around to observe, leave the door to the new cat's room open. Above all: Don't force them together. Territory negotiations between cats can be drawn-out and delicate, and you must let them work it out on their own, ignoring the hisses and glares.
Eventually you can encourage them both to play with you, using a cat "fishing pole" or a toy on a string. And slowly feed them in ever-closer proximity.
If you already have two cats who don't get along, treat them as if they've both just arrived. Give each cat his own space and let them slowly work out their territorial disputes. But remember: Some cats will never get along. For these, separate quarters -- such as one upstairs, one downstairs -- may need to become a permanent arrangement.
SIDEBAR
The more boxes, the merrier
One of the most common points of conflict in multi-cat households is the litter box. Some cats don't like to share, and that may force other cats to avoid the litter box altogether.
The rule of thumb behaviorists use: one box per cat, plus one.
Place the litter boxes in different parts of the house, and arrange each so a cat can feel secure but also keep an eye on his surroundings. No one likes to be ambushed while on the john! And don't forget the first rule of litter-box management: Keep 'em clean.
If it sounds like a lot of trouble, consider this: The one sure loser in any litter-box war is the person who cleans up the messes.
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