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From: fetrow@entropy.UUCP (David Fetrow)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Kitty Introductions: Poll results
Message-ID: <120@entropy.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-Jan-85 21:13:22 EST
Article-I.D.: entropy.120
Posted: Thu Jan 17 21:13:22 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 18-Jan-85 10:18:51 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: UW MathStat, Seattle
Lines: 48

There 
 
 How to introduce cats:
There was unamonous consensus that any old cats had best be nutered long
before the cats meet (by old I mean near or past sexual maturity). They
hardly ever get along at first, in fact they typically sound like they 
will kill each other. This stage lasts from an hour to 3 weeks. All the
books say it's easier to introduce a kitten to an older cat than two
older cats. The animals seem to sense the difference between a 'guest'
cat  and a new add-
ition to the family, which is trickier.

Some really nice ideas submited were:
1] Spoil the original cat silly. The new kittem may be cute but it really
   doesn't know what to expect of humans-a little affection goes a long
   way with the kitten .
2] Get a closed cardboard box and cut a hole just big enough for the kitten.
   Even if the kitten is more of a bully than the original cat the big cat
   is more likely to do physical damage to the kitten.
3] NOBODY EVER REPORTED ANY SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE CATS.

It was occassionally (very rare) necessary to get rid of one of the
animals. One poor soul had his cats suddenly hate each other after a full
year. Nobody else reported such a problem. In any case have an alternate
home for the new cat lined up, just in case.

It usually took a couple of weeks before the animals begin acting affect-
ionate toward each other, sometimes it takes even longer.

Essentially the key ideas are 1> The cats will work it out, 2> The original
cat will be incredibly jealous for awhile , 3> It sounds worse than it is.

It also gets easier the more you do it, although it is possible to push
an animal so far it runs away.

One last point: The original cat may change and not all the changes are
temporary. My guy is no longer as affectionate, he now has company while
I'm gone (The kitten). For several weeks he refused to sleep with the
kitten and I but now that the kitten is less hyper he has returned to
his place in the bed. I take the original guy out for walks (without the
kitten) and he enjoys that very much. It may have helped.

 - Bastguy, Darkstar, and Dave Fetrow

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