Pet Cats Care: Cat Socialization

Cat Care Tips - Cat Socialization

Adding a new cat as a member of your family is often more exciting than tending to the one you already have. Most will accept new additions as they are basically solitary by instinct. You should exercise special care when introducing a new feline to your home as cats tend to be territorial. Ten to fifteen days is the normal time required for a successful introduction of your new addition.

This time may vary due to their individual personality and temperament. Be sure that you give your present pet plenty of love and affection during this introduction process. This will allow your present pet to feel that happy, secure, and that he is not in competition with your new pet for your affections.

It is advised that you keep you new family member in a separate space until the introduction process has been fully completed. Recommended locations for new cats could be areas such as a bathroom, a spare room or any small space away from where your current pet sleeps.

Be sure to leave toys, food and water dishes and a litter box in the room for your new feline. Your current cat may howl and hiss at the new one. This behavior is natural as your current cat is trying to send the new cat a message that he doesn't belong. If you find this situation happening, simply ignore it. If you punish it for this type of behavior, it will most certainly lead to more serious problems later on.

At the start, your current cat and your new cat should eat from separate dishes in separate areas. In time, you can begin the socializing process by allowing them to eat from the same dish but at different times. This will allow the scent of each to be present at the food dish.

In time, each will get used to the different scents on the food dish. You can begin to bring their feeding times closer and closer together until eventually you can feed them together at the same time from the same dish. In time, and with much patience, they will soon adjust and enjoy their meals without hissing or growling at each other. Once this step has been achieved, you can begin introducing the new cat to the areas of the house where your present cat is accustomed to.

Allow them to smell and greet each other in their own way. There may be occasional growling or hissing. When this occurs, simply break them up and re introduce them to each other at a later time.