What Are the “Guidelines” for Pairing Cats in Your Residence? My Favourite Suggestions & Methods!
When you’ve jumped into proudly owning a cat, it’s straightforward to need one other furry good friend to maintain them firm—or just since you adore cats. We’ve all seen lovely photos of cats cuddled up with one another, however introducing pets to new arrivals isn’t at all times straightforward.
You may assume there are set guidelines for pairing cats. Females with different females, or males with males, or maybe a feminine with a male. Gender doesn’t play as huge a component as you may assume although. Listed below are some “guidelines” that I’ve developed for pairing your present cat with the lovely kitten you’re planning to undertake.
My High 4 Guidelines for Pairing Cats at Residence:
1. Comparable Age
It may be difficult to introduce a cat to your family at the perfect of instances however a cat that’s an analogous age to your resident feline will likely be extra prone to go well with their temperament. Matching an grownup with one other grownup, for instance, may assist forestall an over-excited kitten from getting on an older cat’s nerves.
Nevertheless, you do have to think about that the older the cats are, the extra possible they’re to have established territory in your house to struggle over.
Kittens With Kittens
The best approach to pair cats in your house is by adopting two kittens from the identical litter. Kittens are essentially the most adaptable to new conditions—together with assembly new buddies should you occur to undertake two kittens from separate litters. Adopting two kittens from the identical litter additionally ensures they’ll be conversant in one another already, saving you from having to introduce them.
Two kittens can even be higher in a position to handle one another’s excessive vitality ranges than should you pair a kitten with a senior cat. Kittens usually tend to play with one another slightly than desire to chill out.
Youthful Cats
Much like kittens, younger grownup cats are normally extra prone to tolerate a brand new feline good friend. They is likely to be much less inquisitive than kittens—or much less fast to befriend cats that aren’t their litter mates—however they’re usually extra accepting of recent cats. This isn’t at all times the case, so you continue to must make the right introductions to verify your cats are appropriate earlier than you formally welcome them dwelling.
If you happen to do need to introduce a brand new kitten to your cat, the youthful your resident cat is the extra possible it’s that the preliminary assembly will go properly.
Grownup Cats
Generally, the older the cat is, the much less possible they’re to just accept a brand new arrival. Grownup and senior cats have had way more time to settle into themselves and carve out their territory. They’re additionally extra prone to desire stress-free over enjoying with an brisk kitten.
There’s additionally the likelihood that grownup cats have had extra unfavorable experiences with different felines. On this case, it’s unlikely they’ll take properly to having one other cat of their dwelling. This goes for the grownup cat you need to undertake as properly.
Whereas this doesn’t imply you may’t introduce a kitten or an grownup cat to your present cat, you must take further steps to make sure the preliminary assembly goes properly. Needless to say some grownup cats may by no means be proud of a brand new arrival and you must take their preferences into consideration too.
2. Persona Sorts
In the case of pairing cats, their temperament is simply as necessary as their age. That is the place adopting an grownup cat can generally be higher than adopting a kitten. An grownup cat can have already settled into their character and also you’ll be higher in a position to see in the event that they’re energetic, laid-back, or aggressive towards different cats.
It’s much like how two kittens are sometimes extra suited to one another’s vitality ranges than a kitten and a senior cat are. In case your resident cat is happier napping all day as a substitute of enjoying, they’ll be much less prone to get pleasure from having an odd kitten pounce on them each time they cross paths. Equally, a timid cat is likely to be too cautious of a extra assured cat to type a bond.
3. Male or Feminine?
No one really is aware of whether or not it’s higher to associate feminine cats with different females, males with males, or pair a male with a feminine. When all is alleged and achieved, it’s the age and personalities of the cats you’re introducing that play the largest half in a budding friendship or catastrophe.
Feminine cats will be simply as aggressive as males, whereas Pussycats will be surprisingly timid. In the case of their character, neutering doesn’t at all times change each aspect of their temperament. Whereas it’ll interrupt the extra hormone-driven conduct and it may be mentioned that neutered males are friendlier usually, neutering may not make them friendlier towards different cats.
Ultimately, the selection between female and male cats is a part of your private desire greater than a desire cats have for one another.
4. Well being
Introducing a brand new cat to your resident feline is at all times tense, even when your present cat is easy-going and younger sufficient to adapt simply. Cats like routine greater than anything and a brand new arrival will trigger stress by interrupting their common day-to-day actions, it’s inevitable.
Most wholesome cats will adapt to their new companion, particularly should you be certain that the cats are appropriate and introduce them correctly. Nevertheless, in case your cat is older, injured, or sick, the stress may make their well being worse. In case your cat is getting on in years or has a medical downside, it’s finest should you forgo adopting a brand new cat till they’ve recovered or handed on.
Find out how to Introduce a New Cat to Your Current Cat
There aren’t any set “guidelines” on how you must pair cats should you plan on adopting a couple of. Nevertheless, with so many cat lovers round, there are tried and true strategies of tips on how to correctly introduce your new arrival to your present feline resident.
The primary introductions are at all times the toughest and don’t at all times find yourself together with your cats being finest buddies. Utilizing the correct technique may help to extend the percentages of one other cat becoming into your house but it surely additionally depends on the cats themselves. Listed below are my favourite strategies:
1. Bear in mind Age and Temperament
As we talked about earlier, age and character are the 2 greatest components in relation to introducing a brand new cat. You’ll must fastidiously contemplate if the kitten you’re planning on adopting will likely be welcomed by your ageing feline or whether or not they’ll be too energetic on your older cat’s laid-back temperament.
2. Begin Introducing Scent
Everyone knows canines are the champions in relation to good noses however cats depend on scents too. They’ll use their scent to mark you and their favourite sleeping spot as theirs and don’t take kindly to unusual smells—like that of the brand new kitten—invading their territory.
Earlier than your outdated and new cats come shut to one another, you must introduce their scents first. You are able to do this by introducing a blanket utilized by the kitten to your present cat—and vice versa—to get each animals used to the odor of the opposite.
As you introduce your new cat to your house, proceed to alternate objects they’ve used together with your present cat’s possessions.
3. Separate Rooms
It’s thrilling to carry a brand new cat dwelling. To make the transition as clean as attainable although, it’s finest should you begin with the cats in two separate rooms slightly than bounce straight into the primary assembly. It’s really helpful to make use of a bed room or toilet with a door you may shut so you may preserve a barrier between your present cat and their new roommate.
4. Feeding Collectively
Regardless of your cats being in separate rooms, you may nonetheless encourage them to eat meals collectively by inserting their bowls on both aspect of the door. This works finest if the door to the room you’re protecting your kitten in has a niche beneath so each cats can nonetheless odor one another whereas they eat. They’ll be capable to inform the opposite is there even when they will’t see one another. It’ll additionally make it easier to decide whether or not your cat is able to meet the brand new arrival or wants just a few extra days.
5. First Assembly
As soon as each cats are comfortable sufficient interacting with one another on their sides of the door, the next step is correctly introducing them. You can begin through the use of a gate of some variety that your cat can’t squeeze by means of or bounce over. This fashion your cats can see one another however received’t be capable to attain one another. As soon as they will tolerate the sight of one another, you may take away the gate.
Don’t go away your cats alone collectively till you’re certain they’ll get alongside. Not all first conferences go properly. Whereas cats usually work out their issues themselves, they will trigger one another critical accidents if issues go unsuitable. Within the worst-case situation, you’ll have to be available to securely intervene.
Conclusion
Pairing your cat with a brand new feline good friend principally depends on their temperament and age. Figuring out whether or not they’ll get together with a brand new cat means fastidiously contemplating whether or not they have earlier experiences with different cats or are too outdated to welcome such a drastic change of their routine.
Typically, two kittens from the identical litter stand the perfect probability of getting alongside from the get-go whereas introducing an odd cat can take some extra work. Once you’re trying to undertake, discover a cat with an analogous temperament to your present feline and introduce them slowly for the perfect outcomes.
Featured Picture Credit score: xixicatphotos, Shutterstock
Cat mother to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that’s her one and solely little one. For now! All through her life, she has been launched to the particular love that may be discovered within the bond with a cat. Having owned a number of felines, she is greater than sure that their love is unmatched, unconditional and in contrast to every other. With a ardour to teach the general public about every thing, there may be to find out about felines, their conduct, and their distinctive personalities, Crystal is devoted to creating certain that each one cats and their house owners know the significance of acutely aware dwelling – and loving!