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Enjoy a sample of the expert cat advice you can read about in the free eBook:
Introducing a new cat to the household
We think of cats and dogs as difficult to mix, and it is usually far
easier to introduce a dog to a resident cat than it is to bring a new
cat into the household, especially if it is an adult. Generally it is
easier to introduce a young kitten as it seems to be much less of a
threat to an adult cat and you can also manage it much more easily.
The most difficult scenario is bringing a new adult cat into the home
of a totally indoor cat whose whole territory is bounded by the four
walls of the house. With cats there is no guarantee that they will ever
get on, however you can give them the best chance by recognising a few
things which are very important to our feline friends.
Smell is more important to cats than sight. If the smell fits, they
will relax and this is a tool you can use when introducing a new cat.
Keep them apart initially (a few days to a week) in different rooms but
pat one and then the other to mix their scents and even use a cloth to
wipe around the cat’s face to collect some of the scents to dab around
the house.
What you are trying to do is integrate the new smells with the old so
that there is a new ‘group’ smell which the resident cat is happy with,
and the new cat can fit in to.
If you have access to a kittening pen or dog pen (otherwise a cat
carrier will do), then use this as a ‘safe house’ for the new cat (which
will feel protected inside) while the resident can come and look, have a
hiss and a spit and get to know the smell. Supervise some short
introductions and gradually increase access. Then, when you feel the
time is right, you can let them out together but give them high places
to get away from each other.
Use food to get them to share space. In the winter the allure of a
warm fire can overcome the most suspicious of cats and get them sitting
in the same room together. It can take a long time to integrate a new
cat and while many may never be on grooming terms, you have succeeded if
they merely manage to live tolerantly alongside one another!
Poisons in the home
While dogs are prone to eating just about anything (especially if
they are labradors), cats are usually much more sensible about not
ingesting anything toxic just for the sake of eating it. However, they
can be poisoned indirectly through ingesting rodents which have eaten
poisoned bait. They also take in poisons via grooming. If they have a
toxic substance on the coat, they will groom it off and ingest it that
way. Cats can also absorb substances through their feet if they tread in
them, eg creosote.
Poisoning in cats can be compounded further because cats have a
peculiar physiology and lack certain liver enzymes, which means they
cannot break down some chemicals and may be even more susceptible to
some poisons. Dangerous substances include antifreeze and fuels, bleach,
disinfectants and wood preservatives. Occasionally cats are given human
medicines by accident – aspirin, paracetamol and antidepressants are
very dangerous.
Garden hazards to avoid include rodent poisons such as warfarin, and
strychnine; herbicides such as paraquat and sodium chlorate; some
fungicides; insecticides such as pyrethrins, pyrethroids and
organophosphates, organochlorides and slug bait, metaldehyde. All
chemicals should be stored carefully and any spillages mopped up
immediately.
There are also plants which can be poisonous to cats, although they
do not usually eat these unless they are bored or are indoor cats
looking for a substitute for the grass they nibble outside. The Feline
Advisory Bureau has a leaflet listing poisonous plants both indoor and
out.
For more helpful advice on cats, you can
download or request a copy by post of the
Pat’s guide to Cats by clicking here
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