A Tail of Two Kitties

Katy: Our team knows all too well how crucial careful introductions are to successful transitions. Can you please tell us about Amy Schrepfer-Tarter’s recent bonded pair reintroduction process?  

Rachel: Amy had adopted two cats from Baypath. For some unknown reason, their once blissful relationship had devolved into a destructive cycle of fear and aggression. Once this happens, the best course of action is to go through a complete reintroduction process, going through every step as if the cats have never met each other before.

A proper reintroduction is necessary to lay the foundation for how your cats will see each other and the associations they have with each other in the future. If the cats start out calmly, safely and securely with this reintroduction process, this will carry them into a tolerant relationship. Cats are territorial, so it is important to understand their need to feel secure in their own territory. The right reintroduction will accomplish this and with a proper reintroduction and going at the cat’s pace, fears can be kept to a minimum.

The reintroduction must be gradual and positive to meet the needs of both of your cats. 

Amy stayed in touch with me every step of the way as I guided her through the process. I told Amy I preferred she reach out if she had any questions or concerns or just wanted to be reassured, rather than guessing or feeling unsure.

Katy: What should every adopter know about introducing a new kitten or cat into their home?

Rachel: You always want to start your new cat off in her own room, preferably a small one, because too much new territory too soon will be overwhelming.

Once you’ve selected your sanctuary room, you’ll want to make sure the space is cat-proofed and ready for your new arrival. Make sure there are no hiding places in the room. If there is a bed, bureau or other furniture in the room that a cat could hide under, put luggage, boxes or storage containers underneath. You don’t want your new cat to spend her days hiding from you. Your cat will want to hide as a way to cope with all of the changes in her life, so we want to block off under the bed and bureau but give her places to hide that are accessible to you, such as a cat tunnel, covered cat bed or even a box on its side.

Make sure there are no little cracks or holes in the walls. Cats have moveable collar bones, so if a cat can get her head into a space, she can get her entire body in there.

Make sure there is food and water on one side, and a scratching post and litter box on the other side. Cats love the warmth of the sun and/or a radiator, so place a cat bed in an area where there is a “sun puddle” or a few feet away from a radiator. Place the toys on the floor away from the walls so the cat can easily engage with and move the toy.

When you think your cat is ready to see the rest of the home, do it in incremental stages. Don’t force your new cat to try to establish her territory in your entire house all at once. This will be way too scary and overwhelming for her. Before you open the door to the sanctuary room, close the doors to some of your other rooms. You can shut bedroom doors, and if you have more than one floor, you can use a tall baby gate or garden lattice so that you can have your new cat start with one level of the home first.

Katy: Can you share some tips on how to ensure the most seamless feline transitions possible from shelter to home? 

Rachel: On that special day that you bring home your new cat, go directly to the room you have set up as the sanctuary room. Close the door gently behind you and place the carrier on the floor. Open the carrier door, but don’t force the cat out. Don’t reach in and pull her out. Let the cat come out at her own pace. You can take the door off the carrier, or tie the door back with a pipe cleaner or baggie tie. This way, your new cat still has the safety and security of her carrier for as long as she needs it. At the beginning, this is the only place that has her familiar scents.

Spray a synthetic pheromone product in the sanctuary room and also on the door frames. Cats deposit their own pheromones on objects as a signal that this is a friendly, feel-good place. Synthetic pheromones will trick the cat into thinking she has already designated her sanctuary room as her own territory.

Anytime she is in her safe spot, a good thing to do would be to just sit next to her on the floor and read, do work, or talk on the phone. Find that spot where your new cat will accept you, and be near her as often as possible. Sit on the floor and do your own thing – call some friends, relatives, update your Facebook, work on your laptop – you get the idea. A good rule is to have something in your hands, and be looking at that item in your hands. Don’t make any overtures toward her so that – from her point of view – you come off as non-threatening. She will eventually feel that it is safe to come closer and investigate you. It helps to get down to the cat’s level when interacting with her instead of towering over her, so try to sit on the floor as much as possible. If you can’t sit on the floor, maybe use a pillow or a low chair.

Be sure to hang out with her as much as possible, but don’t reach for her or make the first move. Follow her lead. Let the cat set the pace of the interaction. In these matters, it is always best to go at the cat’s pace. Be calm, encouraging and supportive with your voice. The cat will understand.

Lavish love and attention on your cat with your voice. Tell her how much you love her. Keep earning her trust with daily care, playtime and routine.

You want to keep your cat in the sanctuary room until she seems comfortable and unafraid. Depending on your cat, this could be several days to a couple of weeks. Let your cat set the pace. If she is hiding, then she is not ready to come out to the rest of the house yet. If she is greeting you at the door when you come in, following you when you leave or even trying to get out of the room, those are signs that she is getting ready to explore the territory on the other side of the door. Let your new cat learn to feel confident in her new territory first, and this will also help her to bond with you.

Katy: What makes behaviorists like yourself so vitally important to both adopters and shelter staff?

Rachel: Many cat owners do not realize that most cat behavior problems are fixable, and this leads to people surrendering their cats to already overcrowded shelters. They decide to surrender their cat due to barriers such as finances and access to cat behavior help. In these cases, the cat is already in a loving home, so my goal as a cat behaviorist is surrender prevention. I want to make sure that the cat remains in her home by working with the owner to resolve the behavior issue. 

Cat behavior help is an important resource to adopters and shelter staff. When cat behavior intervention leads to surrender prevention, we save two lives – the cat who was going to be surrendered stays in her home, and this frees up a spot in the shelter for a cat who is truly homeless. Surrender prevention reduces shelter intakes that are due to behavior so we can focus on the cats who truly need shelter and rescue, thus saving more cats. A side benefit is that this program builds positive connections between shelters, rescues and people within our communities. 

 Katy: Do you have any advice for someone considering reaching out for behavioral support for their furry family member?

Rachel: Go for it! I provide my services completely free of charge and it is always best to err on the side of caution. Most cat behavior problems can be fixed!