We all love cats. We love all kinds of cats - big ones, little ones, stripey ones, spotty ones, fluffy longhairs, sleek shorthairs. As a result, once you introduce a cat into your home, you find it IMPOSSIBLE to stop at just one. The more cats the better, right?
Right! So it can be heartbreaking when you expand your feline family only to find that your adopted cats don’t get along – forcing you to divide your attention between them.
Plus, sharing a home can be difficult for cats and can result in stress-related behaviours (such as urine marking) and/or inter-cat aggression.
No one wins when a cat fight breaks out, so here are our 5 top tips to calm a kitty conflict.
1. KITTENS THAT STAY TOGETHER PLAY TOGETHER
Sometimes cats are born to be best friends. They groom each other, rub against each other and will even happily cuddle up for a cat nap together.
We all wish that all cats could be like this, but just like humans, cats have their own ideas and don’t always get along. Evidence suggests that siblings are more likely to be BFFs, so adopt within the same litter for the best chance of furry friendships!
2. BE PATIENT WITH INTRODUCTIONS
We wish it was as simple as introducing your cats and watching them walk paw-in-paw into the sunset, but just like humans, cats don’t always fall in love at first sight.
To help ease the introduction, plug in a FELIWAY CLASSIC diffuser as soon as you bring home your new cat and ideally 24 hours before letting your cats meet. The “happy messages” released in the home will help ALL cats in the home feel safe and secure and will also help reduce the chances they will view each other as a potential threat.
Keep the diffuser plugged in continuously for the first month to help your new kitty settle in quickly and encourage acceptance between all feline housemates.
3. PAWS OFF
Did you know your cat craves alone time?
Don’t take it personally, your little fluff ball’s ancestors were solitary hunters – they're programmed to need time alone.
Cats love their own company - and their own set of essentials - so having to share food bowls, litter trays or comfy corners can cause trouble.
Avoid unnecessary competition between kitties by providing plenty of toys, cozy corners, multiple litter boxes, separate feeding stations and, most importantly, equal amounts of love and attention from you.
4. A HIDDEN KITTEN?
Your cat loves to be cuddled and played with... by you. They aren’t always so welcoming of other felines.
Have you ever had to avoid that loud colleague at work? Cats will do the same with the rowdy kitty in the family. If they're intimidated, they'll find a snug hideaway where they can enjoy some space and quiet.
Just as you have a favourite spot on the sofa, make sure your cat has somewhere to call their own like a cardboard box or a kitty condo.
5. CLAWS OUT
We all lose our temper sometimes and cats are no different. They won’t be subtle about it either. If a full-on cat fight is breaking out, you’ll see them circling each other like boxers in a ring (in the fluffy lightweight division, of course).
They might hiss or bat each other with their paws, but don’t shout or try to intervene - this will only agitate them further. Give your cats space to calm down on their own.
If conflict has already begun, plugging in a FELIWAY FRIENDS diffuser will help to resolve any kitty conflict, by sending “harmony messages” to all of your feline housemates.