Ki jan yo fè zanmi yon chat ak yon chat?

Simple Steps to Strong Friendship

• We operate smoothly.

Haste is our main enemy. If you brought a kitten home and immediately brought it to the cat, do not be surprised by the aggressive reaction of the latter. For us, a kitten is a cute fluffy lump. But for a cat, he is a source of unfamiliar smells, a stranger and a competitor. It will take her time to get used to it. Forcing events is a path to failure.

• We share territory.

A new pet for a cat is a competitor. Our task is to change its perception. The cat must understand that no one claims its territory, that it does not need to fight for it. To do this, keep the kitten in a different room for the first few days. It is better if at first he does not intersect with the cat at all. The baby should have its own bowls, its own bed and, most importantly, its own tray. Many cats refuse to use their usual place and start playing pranks in the apartment if another animal “marked” their tray. 

• The first acquaintance is through smells.

Even if the kitten lives in another room and does not intersect with the cat, she feels it perfectly. The beginner is given out by smells which the cat sharply catches. She may come to the door of the room, sniff it and ask to enter. Do not succumb to provocations and do not let the cat to the kitten. It is more likely that this will turn into the first quarrel. But if in the first few days the cat simply smells the new family member, she herself will not notice how she starts to get used to him. Personal acquaintance in a few days will be calmer.

• First meetings under supervision!

Personal acquaintance of a kitten and a cat should take place under the strict supervision of the owners. Each animal has its own temperament. You can’t predict how your cat will react to a baby. Some show curiosity and quickly change it to friendliness. But for most, the first reaction to a stranger is indifference or aggression. Make sure that the indignant “old-timer” does not harm the kitten and does not frighten him.

If a cat hisses warningly at a kitten, this is normal. Let the pets observe each other from a safe distance. But if she goes on the offensive, seek to scratch or bite the baby, interrupt the acquaintance. The meeting will need to be repeated the next day and so on until the relationship improves.

It’s funny, but in some cases, the “old-timer” himself needs help. A hyperactive and fearless kitten can besiege a new friend and literally not give him a pass. Try to maintain balance between pets.

• Aggression is normal!

When an adult cat hurts a kitten, we want to protect him. But punishing a hostile attitude is pointless and cruel. The cat is stressed, she is frightened by the appearance of a stranger and her behavior is guided by instincts: cats are not social animals by nature. Instead of punishing, treat the cat with a treat, play with it. This will help her calm down and become friendlier.

• Attention is the same.

Jealousy is a feeling peculiar not only to people, but also to animals. Just as older children are jealous of their parents for a newborn, so are adult pets jealous of “newbies”. Of course, a kitten requires more attention and you will want to spend more time with him, but this does not mean that you can forget about other pets. If, after the appearance of the kitten, you begin to pay insufficient attention to the cat, she quite rightly associates your indifference with the fluffy baby and her hostility will only intensify.   

• Together more fun!

The opposite of paragraph 6 is the tactic – to pay attention to pets equally, lure them with a game, treat them with treats. After the kitten and the cat get used to each other a little, involve them in joint games, get toys that several cats can play at once. Our goal at this stage is to instill in our pets pleasant associations from spending time together. You will not have time to come to your senses, as a cat with a kitten will become like water and will share everything with each other, even a tray!

• Smell trick.

The main thing in the cat world is smells. The cat does not react well to the newcomer because he has a strange, unfamiliar smell. “Replacing” smells, you can shorten the lapping period between the cat and the kitten. Here are some ways:

– Change beds. The bed retains the smell of the pet. By replacing the beds, you will mix the smells of a cat and a kitten. 

– Wipe the kitten with a slightly damp towel, then wipe the cat with the same towel. This harmless deception will make the cat smell someone else’s smell, and she will quickly adapt to it. 

• We are sterilizing an elevation.

With a cat, everything is more or less clear. But how to make friends a cat with a kitten? The methods are the same. However, before bringing a new pet into the house, it is better to castrate the cat. Unneutered cats have a pronounced territorial instinct, and they are even less inclined to make friends than cats.

In conclusion, I would like to say that friendship is a matter of time. Sometimes pets do not accept each other for several months, and then they are very sad even from a short-term separation!