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Cat Tip #6: Integrating The New Kitty by Darlene Arden

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:01:07 +0000

by Darlene Arden

Shout out to Muggie – Out Impact reader and supporter, Kd’s cat!

With Spring approaching there’s no doubt that there will be more and more kittens being born. If you’re thinking about bringing home another feline, kitten or adult, you’re going to have to learn a few new tricks in order to integrate the new kitty into your home.

Before bringing the newcomer into your home, understand that this is your first cat’s territory and she may not want an interloper because life as she knows it has been going along quite nicely. Even if you’ve lost another cat with whom she was bonded, it doesn’t mean that she wants to accept a total stranger.

Set up a separate room for the new kitty. Be sure you have a litterbox, food, water, scratching post, toys, etc. in there. The new kitty should be able to put her own scent on these items. Show her the literbox right away. And be prepared for the entire integration process to take a full month.

New kitty only needs one room – too much space would be frightening for the newcomer. And your resident cat needs time to adjust to having a new family member. Be sure you spend quality time in the room with your new kitty as well as quality time with your resident cat. Each should have playtime with interactive toys, games, petting, grooming sessions daily. If your newcomer has chosen to hide under the furniture when you walk into the room, sit down and quietly read. Talk softly to her so she’ll get used to your voice. And you may want to bring her a little treat. Give her time. As long as she’s eating, drinking and using the litterbox she will begin to adjust in due course. Some new cats adjust to a new home in very little time; others take longer. Adjusting to another cat is a different matter.

Your resident cat is going to smell and hear the newcomer. They may begin by stretching a paw under the door. Slow and easy does it. Don’t rush this process or it will end up taking even longer.

After a couple of weeks let each one sleep with a towel, or rub the towel on the cat, then after a day with the towel, exchange the towels so each cat will have the towel with the other cat’s smell on it. This should continue for about a week. Let them sniff each other under the door.

When you finally arrange for them to meet, after a month has passed, do it slowly. The newcomer may integrate quickly or not. Expect some hissing. Be prepared to supervise, to play interactive games while they’re together. And always have at least once cat tree available and other high areas so the cats have a place where they can go up if feeling threatened.

And the rule of thumb for litterboxes is to have one for each cat and one for the house. The boxes should be open so the cat who is using it will have an escape route if the other one comes along and wants to use it at the same time.

If your older cat is a senior and you’ve brought in a kitten, she may not want to be pestered by a lively kitty who wants to play.

Be aware that if your older cat is lying in a certain area, she or he may be guarding that area from the newcomer. That might be where you can consider plugging in a cat pheromone dispenser, which should help to keep them calm. Another trick to use, especially useful if one has gone to the veterinarian and come home smelling “different” is to put a dab of vanilla extract at the base of each cat’s tail so they will smell the same to each other.

The extra effort of introducing the two slowly will pay off in the end so relax and enjoy your cats while they, hopefully, learn to enjoy each other.

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Darlene Arden is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant, a member of The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, The American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians (even though she is not a veterinarian), a World Canine Freestyle Organization Judge, Referee and Executive Advisory Board Member, as well as a member of the Dog Writer’s Association of America, Inc., and the World Dog Press Association, Cat Writers Association and Boston Authors Club. She is a learning facilitator at Kutztown University’s Canine Training & Management Program. An internationally recognized expert on behavior, training, and the wellness of dogs. She is the author of Rover, Get Off Her Leg!, The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventive Care for Dogs, The Irrepressible Toy Dog, and Small Dogs, Big Hearts. You can find her on the web at: http://www.darlenearden.com.

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Out Impact is your gay online magazine for gay men and women in the LGBTQ community and our allies, encouraging readers to create a positive impact in the gay community. Our content focuses on activism/philanthropy; expert advice for your professional life; pet care by leading experts; a yoga/wellness column in health, spirituality and wellness; as well as columns in food, comics, fashion, an expert travel specialist; engaging features in the arts and more. We have movie, music and book reviews, as well as the latest interviews. Out Impact also produces events benefiting various non-profits around the country, as well as comprehensive media campaigns to raise awareness for various philanthropic causes while bridging the non-profit, activism, artistic and gay communities. OutImpact.com – Making a positive impact in the gay community. Make yours.

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Cat Tip # 5 by Darlene Arden

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:22:40 +0000

by Darlene Arden

Cat Tip #5

Winter is here and with the cold weather, all of us feel more sluggish. We want to hunker down in our warm homes and curl up with a good book, watch television or a rented movie. Take a look at your feline friend. I’ll bet she’s either curled up with you or is napping in another warm spot. And, if you pay attention, she’s probably napping more now than in warmer weather.

Kitty needs the same thing we need: exercise. You can help your cat get more exercise and add some interest to her days and yours if you play together.

You should be playing with your cat every day and making life more interesting but during winter not only is environmental enrichment essential for your cat’s mind but for your feline friend’s body as well.

A number of cats enjoy playing fetch. What they fetch is personal preference. Some are happy with a rolled up piece of paper while others like to fetch a small toy. Many cats are perfectly fine with a pipecleaner toy while others are in danger of swallowing the pipecleaner, leading to an obstruction. This can be lethal. Also, you have to remember to tuck in any sharp edges. Always supervise your cat when introducing a new toy.

An interactive toy provides great exercise. Nearly every cat loves a fishing pole toy. Find out how your cat enjoys playing with it. Some cats like to see the toy dangling above them while some prefer the toy dragged across the floor, or “flying” through the air. This is a prey instinct and the toy becomes prey. Don’t frustrate your cat, allow him to catch his prey and then begin the game again. Always put these toys away because your cat can get injured with the string or swallow feathers if allowed to play with the toy unsupervised. When kitty sees you heading for the place where you keep the fishing pole toy she’s going to be very happy and excited. She knows the game is about to begin.

You can hide treats in different places so your kitty has to exercise to get them.. The different levels of the cat tree works quite well.

Some cats like balls, most cats like toy mice and will make up their own games.

The one toy I don’t like is a laser, you can use a flashlight instead. Having had laser eye surgery I have a healthy respect for what a laser can do. Cats move so fast that it’s just about impossible to think that the laser beam won’t accidentally enter the cat’s eye. If you’re going to play a game with a flashlight, be sure your cat sees the beam of light coming from one place and, when the game ends, goes back to that place. The place could be your shoe or a piece of furniture but there should be a clear signal of the game’s beginning and end.

There are many games you can play with your cat that are quiet but more active ones will give your cat important exercise.

You can clicker train your cat to do a variety of tricks, including running an agility course set up in your house. Then, if you and your cat want to take that further, you can enter a cat agility trial. iCAT is devoted to cat agility. You can find the organization online at: http://catagility.com/

Snuggling on a Winter’s day is wonderful but keeping your cat in shape and healthy is also wonderful. And a necessity.

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Cat Tip # 4 by Darlene Arden

admin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:48:11 +0000

by Darlene Arden

Cat Tip # 4

The holidays are upon us, and what loving pet owner isn’t thinking about including their cat in the festivities? Gift-giving isn’t limited to humans. There are wonderful gifts available for your feline friend but while you’re choosing, remember that you have to buy with safety in mind. There’s no governing body overseeing pet toy safety so it’s your responsibility to look at everything very carefully.

You should know by now that interactive wand toys need to be put away between play sessions so your kitty doesn’t get tangled up in the string. Wand toys with shiny mylar strips are to be avoided. Sure they look good but this isn’t the time to be fashion-forward. Mylar strips can sometimes catch on the cat’s mouth and cause the equivalent of tiny paper cuts. OUCH!

Tinsel, string and thread can be lethal. Remember that once a cat begins to swallow, he can’t stop and you can end up with a very big veterinary bill or worse: a dead cat. A friend’s cat recently swallowed something that nearly killed him. After several expensive days in the emergency hospital he finally passed a bracelet that didn’t look familiar. And why should it? She had her own things out of reach. A neighbor’s child had been visiting and lost it. Sadly, the cat found it and it cut up his intestines pretty badly. Thankfully, he survived but it was touch and go for awhile.

Be certain that there are no removable parts in any toy you select.

If you’re planning to get your kitty a cat tree remember to get one with a heavy, solid base. This is no time to scrimp. You are buying a piece of furniture and you don’t want this piece of furniture to tip over while your cat is on it or using the scratching post part of it. And speaking of scratching posts, be sure the one you buy for your cat is tall enough for kitty to stretch full-length, as she would against a tree. And that, too, should be solidly based so it won’t tip.

Always supervise your kitty the first time he plays with a new toy, just to be on the safe side.

With a little thought and some care, you can find exactly the right gifts for your kitty this holiday season. Happy Holidays to you and your four-legged friends!

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Cat Tip #3 by Darlene Arden

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:32:55 +0000

Check out Darlene Arden’s latest Cat Tip!:

Before you bring your cat home, be sure to kitty-proof your house. Remove all plants that might be hazardous to kitty’s health (or downright fatal!). Here’s a link to an online list of harmful plants: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/owners-corner/toxic-plant-listing/toxic-plants-to-cats/.
Pick up little toys that could be swallowed, paperclips, etc. and keep them out of kitty’s reach above ground as well. Cats can climb so any space is fair game.

To read more: Cat Tip #3

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