Our pets have very similar feelings to ours – we don’t like everyone nor do we want everyone as friends. Our cats also don’t always like another cat added to their home.
Cats can be perfectly happy being the “one and only.” They are not usually social creatures unless they’ve grown up together.
When cats are forced to live together, one or both can become stressed and exhibit physical and/or behavioral changes. This is especially true if they each don’t have their own space. Even relationships with cats who have been friends for years can change.
Every cat in a household should have its own food bowl, litter box, bed, toys and so on. Chronic stress can cause illness so it’s important to try to relieve any tension.
If you are introducing a new cat to the present one there are ways to ease the meeting.
Keep the newcomer in a separate room for a few days with a food and water bowl, bed, litter box, a few toys. Hopefully, when they become accustomed to each other’s scent, it will be time to meet.
Using remedies such as Bach Flower Essences or diffused Feliway may help to reduce stress and tension between the cats.
Give each cat its own scratching pad or post to mark it as their own territory.
Make sure each cat has its own area to escape to in case of need.
Your cats can learn to live together peacefully, so be patient. And who knows, they may even become best friends.
