Animal lovers who bring a second cat into their lives must slowly introduce their first pet to the new resident.
A new, four-legged family member in the form of a cat triggers enthusiasm in many people.
However, if there is already a cat in the family, the new addition can cause trouble.
Cats are creatures of habit, which is why owners should get used to their new animal inhabitants step by step.
Separate litter boxes are a must.
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Cats need to get used to each other slowly.
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Second cat moves in: animals slowly get used to each other
The most important rule when bringing a new and an old cat together is: Don't let go of each other directly.
It is best for pet owners to do this carefully.
You can do this by moving the new cat into its own locked room for the first time.
There she should find her own litter box and her own food bowl.
For now, it's enough if animal fans take a blanket that the new cat slept on and present it to the old cat.
This allows the animal to slowly get used to the new smell and understand that the newcomer is not a threat.
It is problematic, for example, if the old cat immediately urinates on the blanket.
This is usually a sign that accepting the new pet might be difficult.
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Second cat moves in: Hissing is normal
In the next step, the two animals can see each other, but not yet be alone in the room.
The best way for pet owners to do this is to get a baby gate and use it to block off part of the room.
In this way, the two animals can sniff each other, but do nothing to each other if they behave aggressively.
There should always be a supervisor in the room to be able to intervene in the event of conspicuously irritable behavior.
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A good sign is when the cats greet each other by touching their noses or wagging their tails.
If the animals have gotten used to each other with a fence in between for a few days, they can also be together without a fence.
In the beginning, however, a supervisor should always be present.
If the slow merging is successful, the two cats should still have separate litter boxes and food bowls.
So every animal can withdraw from time to time and there is no food envy at all.
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