Cat or kitten?
Cat or kitten?
Many people arrive at
shelters wanting to adopt a cute, playful
kitten, and though kittens can make
great companions, they often require
more time and patience than older cats.
It is important that you consider your
lifestyle before adopting a kitten. If you’re
going to be a one-pet family, reconsider
adopting a kitten. Kittens need constant
stimulation, and a single, bored kitten
will often entertain herself by scratching
furniture, digging in or eating plants or
climbing curtains. This behavior is not
only destructive but can be dangerous
as well. Rather than inflicting twice the
damage, two kittens usually take their
energy out on each other, thus saving
your belongings. You also should reconsider
adopting a kitten if you have young
children. Young animals and children
are usually a dangerous combination.
Neither children nor kittens know how to
behave appropriately with one another—
kittens don’t yet know not to climb up
legs or bite fingers, and children don’t
yet know their own strength when they’re
playing with pets. Older, calmer cats are
generally a better match for children. If
your schedule already is packed and you
have little time to spend at home with a
pet, you should not adopt a kitten. If you
do not have several hours a day to devote
to a kitten, your friendly, affectionate kitten
may grow up to become a shy, distant
cat who recognizes you only as a food
source. Consider adopting an older cat if
a kitten does not fit your lifestyle.
Is a special-needs cat right for you?
Shelters throughout the country are filled
with loving, wonderful cats who just
need a little extra care. If you have the
time and money to devote to one of these
special-needs cats, consider adopting a
cat who is older, Feline Immunodeficiency
Virus (FIV) positive or suffering from
a non-life threatening condition, such as
deafness, blindness, etc. Special-needs
cats are often known to develop incredibly
strong bonds with their adoptive
families.
Preparing to adopt Before visiting
your local shelter, be sure to call or visit
its website to familiarize yourself with
the adoption procedures. Some shelters
may require proof of address, references
or a copy of your rental lease to prove
that pets are allowed in the building.
Also, keep in mind that all members
of the household should be included in
the adoption process—adopting a pet
is a life-long commitment and these
important decisions need to be mutually
agreed upon. Now you’re ready to adopt.
Congratulations on bringing home a new
family member!
Bringing a new cat home Here are a
few things you should know to ensure the
experience goes as smoothly as possible!
First, prepare your house for the new arrival.
Remove toxic plants (for a complete
list of poisonous plants, visit treehouseanimals.org),
put away small objects
which may be ingested by your new cat
(yarn, paper clips, rubber bands, etc.),
put away any breakables, so there’s no
chance that your new cat might knock
them off shelves or tables and close
all cabinets and closets where your cat
might hide.
Next, set up a single room as a home
base for your cat. Cats are territorial
animals, and for a new cat, too large a
territory can be overwhelming. By keeping
your new cat in a small area you will
be providing a less stressful introduction
to your home. For most cats a bathroom
or a bedroom is an ideal location to get
accustomed to the home.
Remind everyone to make the initial
homecoming peaceful and quiet, without
excited squeals and hugs. The secret to
success is to allow your new friend to
come to you. It is important not to force
affection upon your new cat; soft talk and
treats can be more reassuring in the early
stages than petting. When your new cat
seems comfortable with you being in the
room, hold out your hand, palm down
in a relaxed manner, and let her smell
you. If your cat backs away, you have
gotten too close. If your cat approaches,
hold your position and continue to speak
softly. At this point, begin petting your
new cat by softly stroking the top of your
cat’s head and cheeks, and slowly work
down the cat’s body, if she allows it.
Once your cat is thoroughly at ease
with you, begin to allow her to explore
the rest of the house. The first few times
your cat is allowed to roam, supervise
the exploration. This will prevent her
from finding a hiding place. When your
new cat has explored her new environment
and seems comfortable, position
food, water and the litter box(es) in their
permanent places. Be sure to show the
cat where you have moved them.
Be patient. Remember that each step
must be taken at your cat’s pace.
Introducing a new cat to resident
cats As described above, set up a
room as a home base for your new cat,
allowing for a gradual introduction to the
family.
For the first 72 hours, do nothing. It is
important to allow your new cat to become
accustomed to her surroundings. Your new
cat is not only acclimating to home base,
she also is using her fine-tuned senses to
discover what is beyond the closed door
of her home base, including resident cats.
After 72 hours, begin introducing the cats
to each others’ scents. First, leave a blanket
or towel in the home base for the new cat
and another on your resident cat’s favorite
sleeping spot. After they each have spent
time sleeping on the blanket or towel, exchange
the linens. This scent introduction
will help your cats get used to each other
and will help improve the eventual face-to
face-meeting.
While the cats are becoming used
to each others’ scents, create positive
experiences for them while they are still
safely separated. Feed the cats on either
side of the closed home base door. Get a
feather toy and encourage play under the
door. By creating positive experiences,
you send the message that another cat is
a good, fun friend to have in the house.
After a week of allowing your new cat
to acclimate to home base, it is time to
switch the cats’ living areas. Let your new
cat explore the rest of the house while
your resident cat stays in home base. Be
sure to not let the cats meet while you
are swapping rooms. After a few hours
of exploration, you can return the cats to
their original spaces.
After about two weeks, it is time to
start introducing the cats. Clip both cats’
nails to lessen the chance of injury (see
how to clip nails on page 8). Place a treat
(a plate of wet food or some fresh deli
meat) outside of the home base door and
place another treat down the hall from
the door, but still in sight of home base.
Lure your resident cat to the treat down
the hall and while she is enjoying the
treat, open the door to home base and
allow the new cat to enjoy her treat. By
allowing the cats to see each other while
enjoying good food, you are helping
them associate rewards with the other
cat. After they have finished their treat,
place the new cat back in home base.
The next day, repeat the above step, but
this time place the plates a couple of feet
closer together. Continue this process
until the cats get close enough to meet
face-to-face. It is important not to interfere
when they meet. It is normal for cats
to hiss, howl, posture and swat when
they first meet. In the unlikely event that
they do begin to fight, do not pick up
either cat. Put a towel or blanket between
them to block their view of each other
and try to corral one to a safe place. You
will need to spend more time creating
positive experiences before introducing
them face-to-face again. After the
cats have spent time together without
conflict, gradually increase the amount
of time the cats are out together. After
they have spent several hours harmoniously
sharing the same territory, several
times in a row, you can leave them alone
together.
Remember to be patient as the process
of introducing cats can take time, but
in most cases, cats will learn to coexist
peacefully. And in many cases, cats can
become life-long friends.
Many people arrive at
shelters wanting to adopt a cute, playful
kitten, and though kittens can make
great companions, they often require
more time and patience than older cats.
It is important that you consider your
lifestyle before adopting a kitten. If you’re
going to be a one-pet family, reconsider
adopting a kitten. Kittens need constant
stimulation, and a single, bored kitten
will often entertain herself by scratching
furniture, digging in or eating plants or
climbing curtains. This behavior is not
only destructive but can be dangerous
as well. Rather than inflicting twice the
damage, two kittens usually take their
energy out on each other, thus saving
your belongings. You also should reconsider
adopting a kitten if you have young
children. Young animals and children
are usually a dangerous combination.
Neither children nor kittens know how to
behave appropriately with one another—
kittens don’t yet know not to climb up
legs or bite fingers, and children don’t
yet know their own strength when they’re
playing with pets. Older, calmer cats are
generally a better match for children. If
your schedule already is packed and you
have little time to spend at home with a
pet, you should not adopt a kitten. If you
do not have several hours a day to devote
to a kitten, your friendly, affectionate kitten
may grow up to become a shy, distant
cat who recognizes you only as a food
source. Consider adopting an older cat if
a kitten does not fit your lifestyle.
Is a special-needs cat right for you?
Shelters throughout the country are filled
with loving, wonderful cats who just
need a little extra care. If you have the
time and money to devote to one of these
special-needs cats, consider adopting a
cat who is older, Feline Immunodeficiency
Virus (FIV) positive or suffering from
a non-life threatening condition, such as
deafness, blindness, etc. Special-needs
cats are often known to develop incredibly
strong bonds with their adoptive
families.
Preparing to adopt Before visiting
your local shelter, be sure to call or visit
its website to familiarize yourself with
the adoption procedures. Some shelters
may require proof of address, references
or a copy of your rental lease to prove
that pets are allowed in the building.
Also, keep in mind that all members
of the household should be included in
the adoption process—adopting a pet
is a life-long commitment and these
important decisions need to be mutually
agreed upon. Now you’re ready to adopt.
Congratulations on bringing home a new
family member!
Bringing a new cat home Here are a
few things you should know to ensure the
experience goes as smoothly as possible!
First, prepare your house for the new arrival.
Remove toxic plants (for a complete
list of poisonous plants, visit treehouseanimals.org),
put away small objects
which may be ingested by your new cat
(yarn, paper clips, rubber bands, etc.),
put away any breakables, so there’s no
chance that your new cat might knock
them off shelves or tables and close
all cabinets and closets where your cat
might hide.
Next, set up a single room as a home
base for your cat. Cats are territorial
animals, and for a new cat, too large a
territory can be overwhelming. By keeping
your new cat in a small area you will
be providing a less stressful introduction
to your home. For most cats a bathroom
or a bedroom is an ideal location to get
accustomed to the home.
Remind everyone to make the initial
homecoming peaceful and quiet, without
excited squeals and hugs. The secret to
success is to allow your new friend to
come to you. It is important not to force
affection upon your new cat; soft talk and
treats can be more reassuring in the early
stages than petting. When your new cat
seems comfortable with you being in the
room, hold out your hand, palm down
in a relaxed manner, and let her smell
you. If your cat backs away, you have
gotten too close. If your cat approaches,
hold your position and continue to speak
softly. At this point, begin petting your
new cat by softly stroking the top of your
cat’s head and cheeks, and slowly work
down the cat’s body, if she allows it.
Once your cat is thoroughly at ease
with you, begin to allow her to explore
the rest of the house. The first few times
your cat is allowed to roam, supervise
the exploration. This will prevent her
from finding a hiding place. When your
new cat has explored her new environment
and seems comfortable, position
food, water and the litter box(es) in their
permanent places. Be sure to show the
cat where you have moved them.
Be patient. Remember that each step
must be taken at your cat’s pace.
Introducing a new cat to resident
cats As described above, set up a
room as a home base for your new cat,
allowing for a gradual introduction to the
family.
For the first 72 hours, do nothing. It is
important to allow your new cat to become
accustomed to her surroundings. Your new
cat is not only acclimating to home base,
she also is using her fine-tuned senses to
discover what is beyond the closed door
of her home base, including resident cats.
After 72 hours, begin introducing the cats
to each others’ scents. First, leave a blanket
or towel in the home base for the new cat
and another on your resident cat’s favorite
sleeping spot. After they each have spent
time sleeping on the blanket or towel, exchange
the linens. This scent introduction
will help your cats get used to each other
and will help improve the eventual face-to
face-meeting.
While the cats are becoming used
to each others’ scents, create positive
experiences for them while they are still
safely separated. Feed the cats on either
side of the closed home base door. Get a
feather toy and encourage play under the
door. By creating positive experiences,
you send the message that another cat is
a good, fun friend to have in the house.
After a week of allowing your new cat
to acclimate to home base, it is time to
switch the cats’ living areas. Let your new
cat explore the rest of the house while
your resident cat stays in home base. Be
sure to not let the cats meet while you
are swapping rooms. After a few hours
of exploration, you can return the cats to
their original spaces.
After about two weeks, it is time to
start introducing the cats. Clip both cats’
nails to lessen the chance of injury (see
how to clip nails on page 8). Place a treat
(a plate of wet food or some fresh deli
meat) outside of the home base door and
place another treat down the hall from
the door, but still in sight of home base.
Lure your resident cat to the treat down
the hall and while she is enjoying the
treat, open the door to home base and
allow the new cat to enjoy her treat. By
allowing the cats to see each other while
enjoying good food, you are helping
them associate rewards with the other
cat. After they have finished their treat,
place the new cat back in home base.
The next day, repeat the above step, but
this time place the plates a couple of feet
closer together. Continue this process
until the cats get close enough to meet
face-to-face. It is important not to interfere
when they meet. It is normal for cats
to hiss, howl, posture and swat when
they first meet. In the unlikely event that
they do begin to fight, do not pick up
either cat. Put a towel or blanket between
them to block their view of each other
and try to corral one to a safe place. You
will need to spend more time creating
positive experiences before introducing
them face-to-face again. After the
cats have spent time together without
conflict, gradually increase the amount
of time the cats are out together. After
they have spent several hours harmoniously
sharing the same territory, several
times in a row, you can leave them alone
together.
Remember to be patient as the process
of introducing cats can take time, but
in most cases, cats will learn to coexist
peacefully. And in many cases, cats can
become life-long friends.
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