In This Chapter
- Making your house safe for your cat
- Bringing your cat home
- Introducing a new cat to your other pets
- Choosing a purrfect name
- Capturing your kitty on film
Bringing home a new pet is one of life’s most exciting
experiences, no matter whether you’re an 8-year-old girl whose parents have
finally given in to your begging for a kitten or an 80-year-old man looking
forward to enjoying the quiet companionship of an older cat. The moment that
cat or kitten comes home is the time when you and your cat are perfectly poised
between two worlds: one of promise and one of reality.
For the reality to be the happy one you dreamed of when you
first selected your cat or kitten, you need to work to make sure that your new
pet gets off on the right paw in your household. You need to ensure your house
is safe for your new cat or kitten. Your children need to be aware of how
fragile a pet can be and know how to handle their new companion appropriately.
If you have other pets in the household, no matter the species, you need to set
up introductions so all your pets feel comfortable and are kept safe as they settle
into their routines and learn to enjoy — or at least tolerate — each other’s
company.
Just as important, you’re going to be spending the first few
weeks — months, in the case of kittens — working to lay the groundwork for a lifetime
of good behavior. If you want your new pet to use the litter box, choose the
scratching post over your sofa, and never consider your hand a biteable
plaything, you need to set the rules from the beginning and stick to them,
gently but firmly. Cats love routine, and after you settle yours into one that’s
good for both of you, you’ll both be much happier.
Cat Tracks
If you’ve adopted an adult cat with behavior problems, don’t give up! Instead, turn to Chapter Solving Behavior Problems for help with coping with the most common problems, such as scratching furniture, or to Chapter Getting Good Litter Box Behavior for working with cats who avoid the litter box or spray urine.
Please don’t be too put off by the prospect of work in learning to live with your new
pet. All worthwhile relationships require patience and good humor to succeed.
Although the first few weeks with a new kitten or cat can sometimes be a trial
for all involved, the same period can also be a very special time for you and
your pet. You’re learning to appreciate the unique beauty and personality of
your cat, and your cat is learning to trust and to love you.
Before you know it, you’re looking back fondly on those
first few crazy weeks when love was new.
Tip
If you’re bringing home your first kitten, consider going back for a littermate or another kitten. If you want two cats, the easiest method is to adopt two kittens at the same time, preferably from the same litter. Kittens don’t have the sense of territory that grown cats have, so they settle down together into a new home nicely. If you have a cat already, don’t worry: We give you tips for managing the introductions later in this chapter, in “Hello, Kitty!” As for more help with managing a multicat household, you’ll find everything you need in Chapter One Is Never Enough: The Multicat Household.
Pre-Cat Preparations
“Curiosity killed the cat” is a saying that has been around
nearly as long as cats themselves. And the fact that cats, even indoor ones,
can get in some real jams is quite true. Kittens, small, active, and endlessly
curious, are even more at risk.
If trouble’s to be found, a kitten’s sure to find it. For
that reason, you need to look at your home closely and make some adjustments
before bringing your new pet home — not only for safety, but to make the
transition easier for everyone.
Eliminating household hazards
Four words apply when preparing your house for a feline
invasion: Think like a cat. Look at
your home in a new way: as a big place full of exciting new things for a kitten
or cat. Look low at nooks and crannies your new pet can get into. Look high at
objects or furnishings your pet can get on top of. Look at household belongings
that a cat can knock over, because if he can, he will. And mostly, look at
things your cat can get into that can hurt him — those are the ones you really
need to change.
Plaything problems
If you like to sew, knit, or do any kind of needlework,
invest in a container to keep your materials completely hidden whenever you’re
not working on your projects. That’s because cats and kittens love any kind of
string, yarn, thread, or ribbon, without regard to the grave dangers such
playthings pose if swallowed. And if the idea of your kitten swallowing thread
doesn’t give you the shivers, think about that needle going down the same pipe.
Likewise, find a secure storage place for ribbon, balled
twine, or anything similar. Don’t forget the string on your blinds! Wad the
cord up into a short bundle and tuck it behind the blinds, out of your kitten’s
view. It doesn’t have to stay there forever, but it’s best hidden for now.
Tip
Covered wastebaskets are a must in dealing with curious kittens and cats. The kind with lids that pop up after you step on them and close after you remove your foot are great for keeping your cat out of what he shouldn’t be into — such as food waste in the kitchen and tissues and dental floss in the bathroom. Sure, you can try to teach your pet to stay out of wastebaskets, but sometimes the path of least resistance is the way to go. Covered wastebaskets aren’t that expensive, and they pay for themselves in cleanup time and aggravation. Another alternative: Put wastebaskets out of reach under the sink or in a cabinet or broom closet.
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| Figure 6-1: Kittens and cats love to play with yarn, thread, and ribbon, but these items can pose a serious danger to your pet. Don’t let him play with them unsupervised. |
Speaking of the bathroom, make sure you hang your toilet
paper in a way that makes it less entertaining — read, “nearly impossible” — to
unwind. Stop this delightful sport by putting the paper on the spool so that it
unwinds from underneath. That way
your pet’s efforts to bat from the top get him nowhere. If the folks in your
family can’t remember this advice when changing rolls — or your cat’s more into
shredding than unrolling — check out a pet-supply store, catalog or Website for
plastic shields that fit over the roll.
Caution
Another bathroom hazard is the toilet. Cats are fascinated by fresh water, and unless you want your kitten to take a bath — or worse, drown — remember to keep the lid down. If your home has a sump pump, make sure that’s covered, too.
Cat Tracks
For plenty of ideas for cat-safe playthings — including many that don’t cost you a dime — see Chapter All the Right Stuff.
Hiding places
Cats like to find dark, quiet places, especially if they’re
stressed. As long as those places are safe ones, you shouldn’t discourage your
cat from seeking them out. But kittens don’t have as much common sense as cats
and can get themselves into places they can’t figure their way out of — and you
may have a hard time getting them out of some of those places, too. Which is
why, where kittens are concerned, you need to decide which places they should
stay out of and work to discourage them from exploring those areas.
If you’ve already been through the get-into-everything stage
with a human baby, you probably already have those nifty little devices on your
cupboard that prevent anyone but human adults from opening them. If not, take a
look at your cupboards. Do they close securely, or do they fit together so
poorly that a little paw can tease them open? If the latter’s the case, think
about kitten-proof latches — magnets, hooks and eyes, or other types. Check
your local hardware store for a selection.
Tip
Your new pet may also find the area behind your refrigerator, sofa, or bookcase appealing. You may be able to block off access with cardboard while your kitten is small or put down two-sided tape at the entrance — cats hate to walk across sticky surfaces!
Caution
Another place to look out for — chests of drawers. Although your kitten or cat may find your sweater drawer perfect for naptime, he won’t like being trapped if you accidentally close the drawer with him in it. Even more dangerous: the kitten who likes to explore behind an open drawer who may get slammed against the back of the chest as you close the drawer. Remember to close your drawers immediately after you open them, and you can avoid both problems (although double-checking for your kitten whenever you close a drawer anyway certainly couldn’t hurt). Be careful, too, about other areas your cat or kitten can get locked into, including closets and basements. More than a few cats have died of dehydration after being trapped, and others have died from heat after being caught in small areas and exposed to the sun. Know where your cat or kitten is: If he’s not in a safe room when you leave and he’s not looking at you as if to ask “Where are you going, pal?” find out where he is before you leave.
Higher and higher
Although the more relaxed breeds, such as Persians, may
eventually prefer a more leisurely life on the ground, active breeds such as
Abyssinians and Siamese — as well as every kitten ever born — are going to do
their share of climbing. It’s natural behavior, which means the best you can do
is to direct it in an acceptable way — praise your cat for climbing a cat tree instead
of your expensive drapes.
After your kitten first comes home, move your drapes out of
harm’s way while he’s growing up: Tie your drapes up out of reach or fold them
over their rods to get them off the floor. Encourage him to use the cat tree by
staging games there and by offering praise and treats.
Cat Tricks
For tips on how to pick out a cat tree, see Chapter All the Right Stuff. For help with scratching problems, see Chapter Solving Behavior Problems.
Don’t forget the trouble your kitten can cause while up high
on shelves or tables. Put your most delicate knickknacks in the closet until
the kitten-crazy days are past. Plants do better not on shelves but hanging
from the ceiling. Don’t expect miracles: If you live with cats (or any pets or children),
things are going to get broken.
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| Figure 6-2: Cats and kittens love to curl up in small, dark places, but not all of them are as safe as this cat-tree cubbyhole. |
Tip
Bob Walker and Frances Mooney have completely remodeled their house to keep their cats happy. Bob’s wonderful books, The Cat’s House and Cats Into Everything (Andrews and McMeel), show how. But living with cats hasn’t kept the couple from displaying their collection of artwork. They bolt down larger objects, such as lamps and sculptures, and use a product called Quake Hold to keep smaller things secure. Quake Hold is a putty that seals objects to their display surface. It may be hard to find outside of earthquake-prone California (where Walker and Mooney live); if so, try double-sided tape or Velcro, or ask at your hardware store whether Quake Hold can be ordered for you. Check out the Mooney’s house on the Web, too, at www.thecatshouse.com
Other things to look out for
Never question the ingenuity of kittens to get into trouble
— and never forget to take precautions to keep them out of it. Here are a few
more potential dangers to be aware of:
- Electric and phone cords: Bundle up the extra cord and tuck it out of sight — and spray anything that remains within reach of your kitten with something that tastes nasty, such as the commercial chew-stopper Bitter Apple, available at most pet-supply stores. Be especially careful if using small appliances such as irons — one good tug on the cord and your cat could get smashed. For the tangle of cords connecting your home computer to its printer, monitor, modem, or what-have-you, check at your hardware or computer store for cord containers. Gina uses one that looks like the exhaust hose from a clothes dryer, only narrower, with a slit along its length in which you tuck the cords.
- Windows: Make sure your windows have screens that fit and are securely attached, especially on upper-story windows. Screens keep your indoor cat from becoming an outdoor cat and protect any cat from a nasty fall.
Cat Tracks
Before you decide your house is as close to cat-safe as possible, double-check it against our list of ten common household dangers in Chapter Ten Common Household Dangers to Your Cat.
Organizing a “safe room”
With so many tempting troubles, you probably aren’t
surprised at our recommendation that you prepare a small place for your new
kitten or cat to hang out whenever you’re not around to watch her. An adult cat
needs such a room, too, but for the adult cat, the idea’s more about easing her
into your home than protecting her from hazards.
Buy the equipment your cat needs before you bring him home. For information on how to pick out appropriate bowls, litter boxes, and toys, see Chapter All the Right Stuff.
The other reason for a safe room is training. Keeping your cat or kitten in a small area in the early
stages of your relationship limits his options. He learns to scratch on a
scratching post or cat tree and comes to understand that his litter box is the
best place to relieve himself.
Cat Tracks
For more on preventing and curing behavior problems, see Chapters Solving Behavior Problems and Getting Good Litter Box Behavior.
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| Figure 6-3: Kittens and irons don’t mix. A playful kitten can pull an iron over by chewing on a dangling cord. |
A kitten’s place
A bathroom is the ideal place to keep your kitten whenever
you’re away — it’s easily kitten-proofed and just as easily cleaned. Pick up
bathmats and toilet covers and put them away. Take the towels off the rack and
make sure everything else, including soap, razors, shampoo bottles, and
medications — especially medications
— is safely put away. Someday you may be able to leave toilet paper on the
spool by placing it so that the paper unrolls from below — as described in the
section “Plaything problems,” earlier in this chapter. But for now, you may
want to take the paper out completely if your kitten’s little, especially if
the room’s a spare bath, or just put the whole thing in a cabinet or under the
sink to keep the roll from getting shredded. And don’t forget to close the
toilet lid — a curious little kitten could drown in the bowl.
Earlier in this chapter, in the section “Higher and higher,”
we suggest you raise your drapes out of the way. Do the same for your shower
curtain, too, tying it up, flipping it over the rod, or — better yet — removing
it entirely in the beginning. If you have a shower enclosure, keep the door to
it shut.
After you’re done, you have a pretty sterile place, which is
surely no fun for your kitten. But don’t worry: We’re going to tell you how to
liven it up again.
Set up the room for your kitten by putting her litter box in
one corner and her food and water dishes in another spot. (Put the dishes too
close to the box, and your cat may be offended and may choose not to eat — or
may decide to “go” elsewhere.) You also need to add a sturdy, nontippable scratching
post, a bed, and some toys.
You can easily understand how a safe room can keep your
kitten out of trouble, but in fact, it’s doing a little more than that. By
keeping your kitten’s options to a minimum, you teach her how to direct her
natural behaviors in ways you can approve. If she has a scratching post but no
couch, for example, she learns where scratching is acceptable.
Cat Tracks
So how does your cat or kitten learn where scratching isn’t acceptable? See Chapter Solving Behavior Problems.
Indoor kitty: The conversion |
|
If your new cat or kitten has had access to the outdoors,
the best time to convert him to an indoors-only kitty is the moment you bring
him home. The change requires resolve on your part and a determination to
provide your new companion with everything he needs to be happy indoors — good
food and fresh water, a clean litter box, a scratching post, toys, and, most
important, your companionship. What if you’ve had your pet for a while and are thinking
of making such a change? It’s still possible to do so. Pick a day — and
that’s that. Does such a change come easily? Not immediately, we must admit. Cats are highly territorial, and the day you reduce your
cat’s territory by cutting him off from the outdoor part that he has been
enjoying is the day you’re going to start hearing about it — lots. Your cat
is amazed at your stupidity at first: “Hey, you! I can’t believe you’re so
dumb that you forgot how to open the door!” Later, he’s positively astonished
at your failure to respond: “The door! Pay attention! I want something.” Don’t give in.
If you allow the insistent meows and pointed stares to wear you down to the
point of opening the door, you’ve taught your cat a lesson you’d rather he
didn’t know: “All I need to do is put up a fuss, and I get what I want.” If
you try to keep him inside again, he’s going to be even more obnoxious. Be patient but firm. Dissuade him from the door with a
shot from a spray bottle and keep him occupied with games and attention. If
he likes catnip, get a fresh supply to rub on his toys and scratching post. Within a couple weeks, your cat starts to settle in to his
new routines, and you’ll no longer need to worry about the dangers he faces
outdoors. |
A cat’s room
Although you can use the exact same setup for a newly
adopted adult cat that you use for a kitten, you may choose a spare bedroom
instead. The number-one reason for confining a kitten is to keep her out of
trouble; the number-one reason for confining an adult cat, however, is to give
her a place where she can feel secure while adjusting to her new home. She
isn’t going to get into as much mischief as a little one — although you still
need to look at the room with an eye to eliminating the most obvious hazards.
Tip
Look at the traffic patterns of your house and choose the quietest, least- trafficked room for your new adult cat. If it’s a little-used spare bathroom, choose that. A spare bedroom? A den? The decision you make depends on your own home.
No matter which room you choose, you still need the same
accoutrements: bowls for food and water, a litter box, a place to sleep, a
scratching post, and some toys.
Remember
Kitten or cat, the first few days go more smoothly and safely if you prepare for your new pet in advance — and if your new pet eases into the household by spending quiet time alone.
Bringing Your New Pet Home
The day your pet comes home is a big step for both of you.
If she’s a kitten, she’s leaving her littermates and her mom and throwing her
lot in with you, an incredibly large and, to her mind, ungainly and
unpredictable creature. If she’s a grown cat, she’s dealing with the
uncertainties of her recent life and is unsure of what the future may hold. As
you would for a child visiting your home, be there for your cat but don’t force
yourself upon her.
Cool Cat Facts
For four days after joining Paul’s family, his cat, PC, lived in a tiled sunroom, refusing to partake in any social behavior. In fact, she would jump four feet in the air every time Paul tried to coax her to interact during his cleaning and feeding time in her room. But slowly and surely, she acclimated to his presence and her new surroundings, and her need for social interaction drew her out — on her own terms. She’s now the friendliest cat you would ever hope to meet.
Tip
Try to arrange some time off work after your cat first comes home, or at the very least, pick her up the first morning of a weekend. You want to spend some extra time with her, and a little extra attention here helps with the bonding.
You want the transition to be as smooth as possible, and a
safe trip home is an important step. The first rule of transporting a cat: Use
a carrier! The second rule: Use a carrier! You may also want to bring towels,
both the paper and old bathroom variety, and a bottle of pet-mess cleanup
solution in case of an accident — although don’t try to clean up any mess inside the carrier until you and your
new pet are safely home.
Caution
Did we mention that you should use a carrier to bring your pet home? Although you should never transport any cat without this important safety device, you’re really engaging in risky behavior whenever you try it with a cat you don’t know. We don’t care how much your children want to hold their new pet — it takes only one scratch or bite for a frightened cat to get loose in your car if he’s not in a carrier. After that, he could go out the window, so please keep the windows up if you insist on not using one. But really, you should use one! A loose cat could also crawl under your feet while you’re driving. Even if all he does is get up under the seats, you’re going to have a heck of a time removing him from your car after you get home. Dragging him out by any piece of him you can reach, by the way, won’t convince him that you’re a swell person. But, even worse, you could end up with some nasty scratches. A simple carrier will avoid all these problems. So get one!
Caution
If you have another cat in your home, the first place you should take your new cat or kitten is the veterinary hospital. You could risk your resident cat’s life if you don’t. Your new cat or kitten needs to be checked for infectious viruses such as feline leukemia and other contagious health hazards such as ear mites and upper respiratory infections. Don’t risk your resident cat’s health in your enthusiasm over your new pet. Make sure your new pet is vet-checked before attempting any introductions. If that’s not possible — you save a stray on a Sunday, for example — make sure you keep the new cat completely isolated until you can get him to your veterinarian. See Chapter Preventive Health Care for Your Cat for important preventive-care information, and Chapter One Is Never Enough: The Multicat Household on living with more than one cat.
Cat Tracks
The place where you adopt your cat, such as a shelter, may provide you with a cardboard carrier for the ride home. And that’s fine for this first trip, but you want something sturdier for the long haul. Carriers made of high-impact plastic are not expensive; they last a lifetime, and they give your cat a feeling of security whenever he travels. For tips on picking out a good carrier, see Chapter All the Right Stuff.
The Cat’s Meow
The name game |
|
Naming a cat is great fun, because you have no limits
whatsoever to the name you can choose. Most cats probably end up with a
couple of names — a longer, more formal name such as Evangeline, and a
shorter, come-to-dinner name such as Evie, or Kitty-Butt, or Baby-Evie-Face. Because your cat doesn’t pay all that much attention to
what you call him anyway — unless you happen to be talking about something he
wants, such as dinner — you can really let your imagination go wild. Look in atlases for interesting place names and turn to
literary references for great character names or the names of authors. Or
think of names that are related to your profession or great loves, such as in
the case of the friend of Gina’s, an amateur hockey player, who named his
cats Slapshot and Puck. Although plenty of name-your-pet books are out there
— and they’re all fun reading — we find that a name-your-baby book is just as
useful. Make naming your cat a family project and use this
opportunity to interest your children in a trip to the library. You don’t
have that many opportunities in your life to name a family member, so make
the most of it! |
Tip
Watch the birdie, kitty! |
|
Don’t forget to have the camera ready to record the
special day your new pet comes home. If you’re adopting a kitten, keep the
camera close by with fresh batteries because over the next couple months,
you’re going to kick yourself for missing some great shots if you don’t — and
hate yourself later for not having pictures of your wonderful cat as a baby. They
grow up awfully fast! Here are a few tips for taking great cat pictures:
Make sure that your kitten or cat is out of harm’s reach
when taking photos in natural light. Use a screened porch or sunroom if you
have one available. An alternative is photographing your pet as she naps
lazily in a sunny spot.
|
Hello, Kitty!
To say that cats don’t like change is an understatement —
and being introduced to a new home is big change. Some cats hide under the bed.
Some stop using the litter box. Efforts to soothe others may be greeted with a
hiss or a growl — or even a swipe with claws bared.
Although these are all normal feline reactions to stress,
the bad habits that cats may develop while coming to terms with something new
could become a permanent part of their routine. Which is why, for your new
cat’s sake and your own, you need to remember one word when introducing a new
pet to your household: slowly.
Although a healthy, curious, and outgoing kitten may handle
changes a little better, don’t press your luck with a baby cat either. Be
patient as your new pet learns to be comfortable in his surroundings and
settles into the routine of your household.
Remember
The trick to introductions is the “safe room” you’ve (we hope) already set up, as described in the section “Organizing a ‘safe room,’” earlier in this chapter. Kitten or cat, this room is a place where your new pet can feel safe — and be safe — while adjusting to his new home. How you use this room depends on the circumstances of your household, as we explain in the following sections — a frightened cat or kitten needs it more, and often longer, than does a well-socialized and correctly trained older cat.
Children
Children and cats are natural together, but you need to lay
some ground rules for the safety of both from the moment your new pet comes
home. Kittens can be injured by the loving attention of children, especially
young ones who haven’t learned how delicate a young pet can be. And with more than
600,000 cat bites reported every year in the United States, you can clearly see
that some cats give as good as they get.
Cautions
Does the number of cat bites surprise you? Compared to dogs — 3 million reported bites a year in the United States (and often more severe ones to boot!) — cats are a distant second in the bite department. But you must still take precautions for your human family members. Make sure your pet is vaccinated for rabies — more on that in Chapter Preventive Health Care for Your Cat— and make sure you treat any bite seriously. If your cat’s the biter, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and contact your doctor immediately if the skin is broken. Cats harbor some pretty nasty bacteria in their mouths, and a disease called cat scratch fever can even be deadly for people with suppressed immune systems. Don’t take any hint of infection associated with a cat bite lightly. If you don’t know the biter, contact your local animal control and public health officials — the cat could be rabid!
The key to keeping children and cats together safely is to
make sure their interactions are supervised and to teach children how to handle
and respect cats. Here are some tips, by age group:
- Infants: Under no circumstances should a cat (or any pet) be left unsupervised with an infant. Although the idea that your cat poses a risk to your baby has been debunked — see Chapter Ten Cat Myths Debunked for more information, as well as precautions for pregnant women — keeping your cat away from your baby while you’re not present is just common sense. Some people have even gone so far as to put a screen door on the room to the nursery, and to be honest, this precaution isn’t a bad idea.
- Toddlers: Children at this age can really try a cat’s patience, even though they aren’t being anything but normal toddlers. Young children can’t understand that poking, squeezing, or patting roughly aren’t appreciated. Although most cats figure out quickly that children this age are best avoided, your child could be bitten or scratched if your cat is cornered or startled. Keep an eye on all interactions and consider putting a baby gate across the entry to your cat’s safe room so that he can have a place where he isn’t pestered.
- Young children: From the time a child’s in school, he can start learning to care for a pet and take an increasing amount of responsibility — under supervision, of course. One way to teach younger school-aged children to play carefully is to play the “copycat game.” If your child pets the cat gently, stroke his arm gently to show how nice it feels. If he pokes the cat, poke him — gently! — to help him make the connection.
Teach all children to hold a cat correctly, with support
under his chest and his legs not dangling. A cat who feels secure is less
likely to wriggle free with a claw or a bite.
Tip
Anyone who lives with a cat should know that a cat’s tummy is the place most likely to draw an angry response if you touch it. Even cats who at first seem to like being petted there can get revved up and grab on with claws and teeth. Teach your children to avoid this sensitive area and to pet in a spot most cats enjoy, such as behind the ears. For more on cat body language, see Chapter Learning Feline Body Language.
Other cats
Introducing a second cat to the household is one time when
patience is never more important. Despite your resident pet’s initial
misgivings, adding a companion can be a wonderful idea, especially for an
indoor cat who spends a lot of time alone.
Cat Tracks
For more on the advantages of living with more than one cat — and tips on how to cope — see Chapter One Is Never Enough: The Multicat Household.
A kitten is usually an easier introduction, because most
older cats accept a baby more readily than they do another adult. But even with
a kitten, keep a close watch on the situation and be prepared to separate the two
as described in the following paragraphs.
Tip
Territorial conflicts are greatly reduced if both cats are altered. Unneutered males, especially, don’t take intruders lightly and will probably start spraying urine to mark their territory. For more information on altering, see Chapter Littering: Should Your Cat Become a Parent?.
Prepare your safe room for the new cat or kitten with a
second set of bowls for food and water, a litter box, a scratching post or cat
tree, and some toys. (Separate gear may be a temporary arrangement, or it may
be lifelong, depending on the cats involved.) This separate room is your new
pet’s home turf while the two cats get used to each other’s existence.
Remember
Don’t forget to take your new cat or kitten to your veterinarian first. After you’re sure your new pet is healthy, the introductions can begin.
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| Figure 6-4: Children should learn how to hold a cat correctly, with support for the cat’s legs and a reassuring hand over his body. |
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| Figure 6-5: Bring a second cat home in a carrier and let your first cat discover the newcomer. The cats need to be kept apart during the early stages of introduction. |
Bring the cat home in a carrier, and set the carrier in the
room you’ve prepared. Let your resident cat discover the caged animal and don’t
be discouraged by initial hisses. Let your resident cat explore, and after the new
cat is alone in the room, close the door and let him out of the carrier. If he
doesn’t want to leave the carrier at first, let him be. Just leave the carrier door
open and the cat alone. He’ll come out when he’s ready.
Maintain each cat separately for a week or so — with lots of
love and play for both — and then on a day when you’re around to observe, leave
the door to the new cat’s room open. Don’t force them together. Territory negotiations
between cats can be drawn out and delicate, and you must let them work it out
on their own, ignoring the hisses and glares.
Eventually, you can encourage them both to play with you,
using a cat “fishing pole” or a toy on a string. And slowly — that word again —
feed them in ever-closer proximity.
Remember
Most cats — but not all — eventually learn to live together happily. After you see your two sleeping together, playing, or grooming each other tenderly, you’ll know the effort was worth it.
Dogs
Before you bring home a cat or kitten, make sure your dog
knows two basic commands: “Leave It” and “Stay.” You’re going to be saying
those words a lot in the first couple weeks, so the time to practice making
sure your dog knows them is before
you bring home your cat or kitten. Here’s how to teach your dog these useful
commands:
- Stay. Start with the “Sit,” with the dog at your side, holding the leash in a straight line up from his head with all the slack out. Flash an open palm in front of your dog’s nose and then say, “Stay.” Step out in front of your dog so that you can block his forward motion. If he moves, snap the leash to correct him, flash your hand, and repeat the “Stay” command. If he stays, return to your position alongside him after a second or two, tell him “Okay,” and praise him. From there, it’s a matter of building up time and distances in slow increments. If you’re working at the end of the 6-foot leash and your dog is staying reliably, tug on the leash a little without making a sound. If he moves, go back and correct him with the leash, repeat the command sequence, and try again. If he resists the tug, return to your position alongside him and release him with an “Okay” and praise.
- Leave It. With your dog in a Sit-Stay and your hand in a fist, flat surface up, offer your dog a biscuit with the other. As she reaches for it, say “Leave It” and bop her under the chin, enough to close her jaw but not lift her off her feet. Offer the biscuit again, repeating the “Leave It” command, and if she hesitates or turns away, praise her. Few dogs need this demonstrated more than twice.
The Cat’s Meow
For more on dog training or anything else concerning living with a dog, you ought to buy the companion book to this one, Dogs For Dummies . The book was named the best general reference book by the Dog Writers Association of America as well as the best entry in the DWAA writing contest — topping more than 1,000 entries in 50 categories. We are a little proud of it, especially Gina, since Dogs For Dummies was her very first book.
Bring your new cat or kitten home in his carrier, and as
with the cat-to-cat introductions, put the carrier in the safe room. Bring your
dog in on a leash, with the cat still safely housed, and let the two get a look
at each other. Let your dog sniff, but if he’s getting a little overly excited,
use the “Leave It” command and praise him for minding.
Then take your dog out, close the door to the safe room, and
let the cat come out of the carrier when he’s ready. Allow the animals to get
used to each other’s scent for a couple weeks and then put a baby gate across
the door to the safe room to keep the dog out. Let the cat choose the level of
interaction.
Never tolerate aggressive behavior from your dog. Keep a
leash on him until everyone’s settled and use the “Stay” and “Leave It”
commands to keep him under control.
Although some cats and dogs maintain an armed truce, at
best, others become the best of companions. These things take time, however, so
be patient.
New dog, old cat |
|
Of course, sometimes a cat’s not the new kid on the block
— a dog is! If you’re planning to add a dog to your cat’s world, take some
time beforehand to prepare her. Take a look at your cat’s food and water dishes. Are they
in a location where a dog could get to them? Because cat food is higher in
protein than dog food, many dogs think it’s a wonderful treat. But cat food
isn’t good for your dog, and your cat isn’t going to be interested in
sharing. So move the dishes up to a place where your cat can eat without
being pestered. How about your cat’s litter box? Again, make sure that
it’s in a “dog-free” zone, both for your cat’s peace of mind and to keep your
dog from indulging in a dreadful canine vice: eating cat feces. A hooded
litter box may do the trick, but a better idea is to set up the area so that
the dog can’t get near the box. The method you use depends on the size of
your dog. Putting a cat door in the door to a spare room keeps a big dog out;
putting the litter box in the unused guest bathtub keeps most little dogs at bay.
(For instructions on how to teach your cat to use a cat door, see Chapter All the
Right Stuff;
Chapter Getting
Good Litter Box Behavior offers more tips on keeping dogs out of the litter box.) Make these changes a couple weeks before bringing home a
puppy or dog so your cat can get used to them. Don’t allow your new dog to chase your cat — keep a leash
on him so that you can correct him in the early stages. Don’t force your cat
to interact — let him deal with the interloper in his own way and in his own time. Although doing so may not seem fair, because your cat was
there first, if your cat reacts badly to the stress — not using the litter
box, for example — you may need to resort to the introduction methods for a
new cat we discuss in this chapter and keep him sequestered in a room with
his food and water, litter box, scratching post, and toys during the
acclimation process. |
Other pets
If you have birds, reptiles, fish, rabbits, or rodents, no
introductions are necessary. Keep your
cat away! Never forget that, although your cat may be a loving companion to
you, he’s still hard-wired with the instincts of a hunter, and your smaller
pets are his natural prey.
Don’t take chances. Make sure that, whenever you’re not
around to look out for them, your other pets are kept safe from your cat. Close
the door to the room where they stay, and correct your cat with a squirt bottle
if you see him expressing an interest.
Remember
Many people live in homes with all kinds of pets coexisting quite peaceably. But don’t ever take for granted the natural instincts of your animals. Some are predators, and some are prey. (Cats are actually both, depending on the circumstances.) Be vigilant and never give one pet the opportunity to hurt another.
 |
| Figure 6-6: Keep your cat away from those pets that are her natural prey, such as fish, rodents, and birds. |
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