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January 31, 2006
Notes from Ferdy - How to Live with Multiple Cats
Yesterday a woman named Kara asked a question in the comment section of my article on Cat Evolution. Kara is the pet of a Himalayan, and said Himalayan is upset at being in a new home with another cat plus a dog.
Cats are solitary hunters, and we have a whole bunch of rules to keep other cats out of our territory. One of them is we mark things with scent-glands in our forehead and paws. An adult cat brought into another cat's house will be assaulted immediately by a bunch of chemical markers screaming NOT YOURS! MINE! This is never pleasant.
If you rub a cat's forehead with a small dry washcloth and present it to the other cat as a toy, it will help the other cat to understand that the first cat is not dangerous. When the Interloper moved in, Bruce did the washcloth thing with me, and it worked perfectly: I was completely surprised the first time she tried to kill me.
Another thing that helps is to give each cat a territory. Just remember that each territory needs to include a litter box and a feeding area! Initially, you'll have to keep the doors closed so that the cats feel safe in their own place. After a few weeks of this, the Himalayan will stop hissing at you. After a couple of more weeks you can start carrying the Himalayan into the other cat's territory, and eventually you can start leaving the doors open.
There's a fairness issue involved in this plan. Only one of the cats will be able to be in the same territory as the refrigerator, which means the other cat gets cheated out of snacks. You can solve that problem by mailing all the snacks to me. (Don't thank me! It's enough that I know how you must feel.)
Cats are much more rational than humans. Our first instinct is to fear the unknown. For example, you will never see a cat pick up a snake and then ask a friend if it's poisonous. When we see a snake, we hide. Similarly, when we move into a new place, we hide.
The point is, don't worry about the hiding phase. It can last a long time, but eventually the desire to eat will overcome the natural caution.
Finally, if you feel happy instead of worried, the cat will pick up on it and the general stress level of the room will drop. One technique for increasing your happiness is to send me money. I'm a very worthy cause, and unlike some people I accept food stamps.
Kara, I hope this helps.
Respectfully submitted,
Ferdinand T. Cat
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