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Behaviour
- How can I introduce my new cat to my existing cat?
- How can I integrate a cat into a dog household?
- Why do cats sleep all the time?
- Can a cat be trained?
- My cat is acting out of character, is something wrong?
- Why is my cat Spraying?
- My cat is extremely frightened of a new cat in the neighbourhood. Is there anything I can do?
Did you know that...
Cats can spend much of their time on their own. Although cats can form close social bonds with people and other cats, they are a species that is also happy to be on their own: unlike more obligatorily social species, like the dog, they do not need to have social contact.
The reason for this is that they developed from a species that is largely solitary and highly territorial.
Social contact tends to occur between cats that regard each other as part of a 'social group' - other cats tend to be avoided or chased away as they are seen as a threat to a resident cat's territory.
Please note: If you have any concerns about your cat’s health or behaviour please contact your vet as soon as possible.
How can I introduce my new cat to my existing cat?
Because of the nature of the cat, introducing a new cat into a household is often stressful for both the resident cat and the new cat, so this process has to be done slowly and carefully. Although cats can obviously be very sociable with other cats, these close relationships only occur when cats recognize each other as part of an established 'social group': cats that are unfamiliar are usually seen as a big threat. This is because the ancestors of our modern cats evolved over millions of years as territorial and largely solitary animals, which needed to defend their territory from other cats in order to catch sufficient prey to survive.
Cats are most likely to form close relationships with other cats where they 'grow up' together, or where the relationship has developed over a long time. Resident cats will be very stressed by the sudden introduction of an unfamiliar cat, and may react by being aggressive towards it, hiding away and avoiding the new cat, or showing other signs of stress, such as urine spraying or over-grooming. In fact, problems arising from the stress of introducing the new cat to existing cats, are some of the commonest reasons for cats being returned to Cats Protection adoption centres after homing. We therefore have to be very careful in the way that we introduce new cats into homes where there are already one or more resident cats.
The important aspect of the process of integration is that it should be slow and gradual. The newcomer should initially be introduced into a room that is not one of the main 'core' areas for the existing cat. This separate room should be set up with a litter tray, food, water bowl, comfy bed, toys and a scratching post. This room is a safe space for your new cat to get used to, and to establish as the 'core' part of their territory. It is important for your new cat to relax into his surroundings and get to know you before facing the challenge of meeting your other cat.
Cats rely on scent for communication and identification much more then we do. Because of this, the introduction process starts with the 'swapping' of scent between the cats, for example by exchanging food bowls, toys and bedding. Only when the cats tolerate the scent of the other cat can we gradually progress so that they can see each other. Right through this process, the presence of the other cat is associated with something positive, such as attention, play, or a food treat.
Be prepared, integration can take anything from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the age, personality, and previous experiences of your cats. Taking your time will make it worthwhile in the end.
How can I integrate a cat into a dog household?
The success of introducing a cat to a dog, or vice versa, will depend on the personality, and previous experiences of both animals. Cats that have previously happily lived with a dog are likely to learn to accept a new dog more easily than are those that have either not seen dogs before, or been chased by them. Equally dogs that have previously lived calmly with a cat are generally easier to introduce to a new cat than would those that have never seen cats or who have learnt to chase them. The process of integration needs to be slow and careful to ensure that both animals are not stressed, and that chasing and running responses do not become established.
The easiest time to integrate dogs and cats is during their 'socialisation period' (up to eight weeks of age in cats and 12 weeks of age in dogs), during which time puppies and kittens will accept the presence of the other individual as 'normal'.
Why do cats sleep all the time?
In their wild or feral state, cats need to spend a good proportion of their time hunting in order to catch enough food. Because the cat hunts alone, it only has itself to rely on to find enough food to survive, so has to keep going until it is successful. Hunting tends to take place when the natural prey species of the cat (small rodents) are active, which is mostly late in the evening and early in the morning. Because hunting is hard work for cats, they will tend to rest and sleep for much of the rest of the day to conserve energy. It often seems to us that our cats sleep a lot because they sleep during the day when we are up!
There are also differences in sleeping habits between individual cats: some cats are very inactive and will rest for a large proportion of the day and night. This particularly occurs when their activity patterns are inhibited in some way: for example indoor cats that do not have an adequately enriched environment may become very inactive.
Can a cat be trained?
Yes, cats can be trained. They can, for example, be taught to come when called, 'sit', or do tricks such as 'give a paw', and many cats will enjoy training sessions. Cats are, however, generally not as easy to train as dogs. One reason for this is that dogs are more likely to find their toys, their owner's attention, and food treats 'rewarding', and will learn to do asks in order to be given these things. When training cats, it is important to find something that they really like, such as a prawn or piece of chicken, to reward them, so that they can learn new behaviours. Cats also tend to concentrate on training for a shorter period of time than dogs. Training sessions with cats, therefore, need to be kept short and sweet!
Cats, just like dogs, can be trained very successfully using 'clicker training'.
Cats are generally very easily house-trained. In most cases kittens learn to toilet in the appropriate place when they are very tiny kittens, when they are taken to the litter tray by their mother.
My cat is acting out of character, is something wrong?
Yes there could well be something wrong. Changes of behaviour are often an external indication of physical or psychological issues. Changes in eating or drinking, changes in activity levels, changes in social interaction, the development of aggression or hiding away could all be signs that something is amiss. You should first consult your vet to check that there are no physical problems: he or she should be able to refer you to a qualified behaviourist if the change appears to have a psychological origin.
Why is my cat Spraying?
Although we find urine spraying unacceptable, spraying is actually a normal scent marking behaviour in cats. Cats use scent signals a great deal to orientate themselves and communicate with others. Facial and flank rubbing and scratching are all behaviours that also leave scent marks. Urine spraying is used more in unneutered male and female cats, especially toms, as it is used to indicate sexual activity. However, spraying will also occur in neutered cats. Spray marks tend to be used in those areas of a cat's territory where a cat feels insecure or threatened, such as where other cats are around. Most often this occurs outside, but can also occur indoors if a cat is stressed inside. Download our Veterinary Guide to Spraying and Scrathing now!
My cat is extremely frightened of a new cat in the neighbourhood. Is there anything I can do?
You are not alone this is a very common problem. Cats are naturally very territorial, and where there are lots of cats in a small area, there can often be conflict. Conflict between cats in a neighbourhood can result in behaviours that are obviously related to conflict, such as wounds from fighting, or urine spraying in areas where territories overlap. However, some cats respond to the close proximity of other cats by becoming very nervous or frightened. This may result in them being unwilling to venture outside. Being stuck inside can have other effects on their behaviour, such as toileting indoors, being more clingy, or showing more aggression. Cats that are frightened in this way may also develop abnormal behaviours such as overgrooming or over-eating.
It is very difficult to discourage another cat from coming into your garden: cats territories do not necessarily conform to our garden or house boundaries, and a cat will want to patrol round areas that it perceives as its own territory. If you know the owner of the other cat, it may be possible to arrange a 'time-share' system whereby your cats are allowed out at different times of day and hence do not meet each other.
Sometimes cats are wary of going out through a cat flap because it is very open and exposed on the outside and they feel vulnerable to attack. Providing your cat with some 'cover' such as some plant pots, just outside the door may be enough to help him or her to get outside safely.
If your cat is very fearful, and the other cat is coming into the house, it may be best to temporarily close off your cat-flap to prevent it coming in. This will make your cat feel much more secure within the house. In this case, you will need to make sure that your cat has lots to do inside - enriching the environment with toys, climbing frames, hiding places and puzzle feeders will make staying inside more fun.
