New Cat

Gone are the good old days when we just threw a new cat in with the rest, and waited for the dust to settle. Unfortunately, the dust didn't always settle, and two or more cats became enemies, rather than friends for life.

Although sometimes cats will get along swimmingly in just a couple of hours, you should not be surprised to have a battle on your hands if you try to introduce your new cat too quickly. The time you spend on this all-important process will be saved exponentially by not having to break up conflicts every day. Also, the first couple of weeks can set the tone for the relationship for a long time to come, so "getting it right" the first time will save a lot of hassles later on.

Although Pat did all the right things in introducing Calypso to her resident cat, Coco, their combined tortitude quickly took over. Considerably younger, Calypso was a girl just wanting some fun, but Coco wanted no part of it. Part of the problem may have been that senior Coco had recently lost her longtime companion, Raleigh, and wasn't quite ready to meet and greet another, younger cat.

Amy Shojai, CABC pointed out that some cat introductions can take several months, and gave Pat a step-by-step blueprint for reintroducing them.

Toddlers and cats are not always a good mix. However, you may occasionally have grandkids and other young visitors, so it's a good idea to be prepared to introduce them safely.

Being around young children can be stressful especially for fearful cats, but even confident cats may not recognize a young child as "human." Once the child begins walking and talking, yelling and squealing (in delight at sight of kitty!), the cat can feel threatened or turn defensive. Toddlers are closer to your cat's level, and move erratically, sound weird, smell funny (not like adults) so cats may think they're aliens! Proper introductions help keep your cat safe and happy, and can be the beginning of a wonderful lifetime of kitty love for the child as well.