ADDING A NEW PET TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD (Part 1)

ADDING A NEW PET TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD? (Part 1)
It is time to adopt a new member into the family, but how do I help everyone adjust to the addition?? The answer to this question greatly depends on the species. Below are some ideas to help with the transition for adding a new cat into a current cat household. We will tackle other new pet combinations in future posts. For more individualized ideas, give our office a call. (319-277-1883)

Adding a new cat to a current cat household:

* Separate the new cat from other cats in the house in different rooms of the house for 2-4 weeks.
* Use a hand towel to pet each cat. Then place each towel in the other cat's area so it can become used to their smell.
* FAP - feline appeasing pheromone. This is a product that can be purchased and it helps to decrease stress. https://www.feliway.com/us
* After the initial 2-4 weeks, either allow the new cat to roam in the house or place the new cat in a carrier in the shared living space.
* Once the cats are in the same living space, ensure that there are multiple beds/hiding spots that can be used if tensions rise.
* It helps to have multiple waters throughout the house.
* Maintain a good number of litterboxes in the house for multiple cats. The general rule for litterboxes = have 1 more litterbox than cats in the house - (ex. 2 cats in the house = 3 litterboxes)