Meeting new people can sometimes be stressful and nerve-wracking for us. So imagine how it feels for our pets when a new animal arrives in their home!
Before you bring in a new pet, try and put yourself in your current pet’s place: Whilst we may think that our cat would love some company, that’s human social behaviour talking. Cats are typically loners who are very defensive of their territory. Some may not take kindly to an interloper! Likewise, if you already have an older dog, think very hard before getting a new puppy. It may give your dog a whole new zest for life...or they may find themselves endlessly badgered! However, generally speaking, it IS easier to introduce a puppy or kitten if you already have an adult pet. This is because they will generally find a baby much less threatening than a full-grown newbie.
The key issue for pets in a multi-pet household is resources.
This includes, of course, food and water, but also litter trays, toys and ‘favourite places’. Make sure that each pet has his/her own ‘safe’ area and keep feeding stations, litter trays, etc a good distance apart. Where possible try and feed them at the same time so there’s no opportunity for one to steal the other’s food. Be aware that YOU are a resource too and existing pets will feel unloved and annoyed if they see the newbie taking all the attention!
Once the new pet has arrived, keep routines for your existing pet as they were previously. Animals thrive on routine and will be upset and stressed if you mess them around. If you know that the routine will have to change, then make these changes prior to the new pet’s arrival. This will mean that your pet won’t associate the changes with the new pet.
Before you even let your new pets see each other, try stroking one and then the other and vice versa. This will transfer the scent from one to the other and help them get used to each other. You can also try doing this with blankets, etc.
The next step is to show the pets each other through a barrier. This could be a puppy crate or a cat basket. Remember that this might result in a good deal of noise, hissing and raised hackles! However, use your best judgement to decide whether the meeting is going badly. If it all seems to be going wrong then separate the pets and go back to just transferring scents through stroking.
When the meetings through a barrier seem to be progressing well, it’s probably time for a proper face to face meeting! Make sure that neither pet feels too contained– animals hate nothing more than being confronted by something unfamiliar and threatening AND feeling trapped. Once again, use your best judgement to decide if it’s going well. If it’s not, go back to barrier meetings until you are satisfied that things will go smoothly.
Once the initial meeting has taken place, bear in mind that you still need to watch your pets together closely- they may behave very differently when you’re not there to keep an eye on them! Pets should sort out their differences in their own way, even though this may look rather rough to us! Be prepared to intervene though if biffing/ wrestling seems to be getting a bit TOO violent! Don’t be too disheartened if things seem to go badly to start with. After the initial shock, things should hopefully improve, although it may take up to a few months. Bear in mind that your pets may never become the firm friends you’d hoped. This is particularly the case with cats, who, at best, may accept and tolerate each other’s presence.
Social diseases:
Introducing a new pet increases the necessity for your pets to be vaccinated, de-fleaed and de-wormed. Otherwise one pet could pass on health issues to another.
Remember that, just like us, pets have their own personalities. Some pets may never find common ground, some may tolerate each other whilst some may get on like a house on fire! If you introduce a puppy/kitten with an adult pet, the adult may initially find their young, bouncy companion rather irritating!
It is regularly recommend neutering your pet at six months of age and this cannot be recommend enough in multi-pet households!
Additional resources to help with the stressful transition
If you would like any advice or information on bringing a new pet into your house or have any other pet queries, remember you can always speak to your local veterinary practice.
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