Three mistakes (almost) everyone makes introducing cats! 🤯

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Introducing cats is way more difficult that it first seems. And we want to make it as stress free as possible for cats, while still getting them to the point where they can live happily together. Here are three mistakes I often see that have thrown a spanner in the works and have caused things to fall apart.

Remember all cats are different and what works for one, may not work for another. When I work with clients and thier cats, I am always trying to keep risk to a minimum and setting them up for success as much as possible.

Here are my thoughts!

- Avoid throwing them together and seeing how it goes. And lets lump this in with sticking one in a carrier and letting them other approach. It can work in some situations, but there is a high risk of it going pear shaped and can be a super stressful experience for the kitties involved. Starting a gradual introduction with a barrier is much more successful and a lot less stressful!

- Avoid moving their food bowls closer together to get them to make friends. Cats prefer to eat alone so eating can become a stressful experience for both. It can cause competition to rise between cats and can do more harm than good in lots of situations. Use treats instead, and let them stay a good distance apart.

- Once the barrier is open, avoid sitting back and watching what happens. Spending time together without a barrier in between is still part of the introduction process, and we need to be there to supervised and manage their behaviour throughout. Use treats and toys as rewards and distractions to diffuse any tension and help them be around each other in a really low pressure way. Encourage them to be apart rather than together, get them sleeping on your lap or up a cat tree (separately if they want to) and learning to be together in the same territory.

Did you introduce your cats? How did it go? Or are you introducing cats at the moment? Let me know in the comments!

Lucy x

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