AAP Migration Database

Can you modify cat behavior with other cats so they become friends? Cats are wonderfully complex creatures. If you’re reading this article, it may be because you adopted a new cat or are thinking about adopting a new cat, and you have another cat or cats and are looking for tips to help all your cats get along. We’re here to help!

First things first: Before you can socialize a new cat with your cat or cats, you need to introduce them properly: Click here for how to introduce cats Hey, no cheating! Be sure to finish all the steps.

After you’ve finished the cat introduction steps, you now have new cat and resident cat who are spending time together. Just like with humans, cats aren’t usually BFF immediately. Remember…

Cat socialization takes time.

During the getting-to-know-you-better time, here are some tips for things you can do to help your cat to cat socialization go as smoothly as possible:

• Give cats their own spaces. If you had one well-loved giant cat tree, can you fit another equally as awesome (or at least as tall) cat tree somewhere in your home? If you had two super sun napping spots used by your first cat, can you move furniture around or fold up new towels on the floor to make two more new super sun nap spots? Do you have at least one litter box per cat, in separate spaces? Scent is super important to cats. So sharing spaces that smell like the other cat can be stressful at first.
  .
  Say your cat likes to: Eat, nap, play, potty. Figure out how to make new eat, nap, play, and potty spaces for your new cat, so he’s not infringing on original cat’s spaces. Your cats might have a slightly different ‘spaces’ like hide, climb, hunt, and so on, so tailor the spaces for your cats.
  .
  Tip: Consider how your cat moves through your home. Hallways or doorways are often-used smaller spaces where cats can run in to each other with no where to escape. A chair or cat play tube allows one cat to pass by the other without getting too close. That secondary space can be a huge superhighway stress reliever.
  .
• Positive reinforcement. What is going well between your new cats? Are they peacefully sitting on the couch with you while you read or watch TV? If yes, how much reading on the couch can you do together? Do birds outside the window so captivate their attention that they’d forget about each other? Consider installing a bird feeder — or playing YouTube bird videos for cats on your TV or computer. Watch your cats and build on what is going well between them, positively reinforcing that time together is enjoyable.

No punishment.
.

• No negativity or punishment. You might be thinking, “of course not!” but if resident cat growls or swats at new cat walking by, it can be really hard for us humans not to say “No!” in a sharp tone. You don’t want to feed the stress levels. Harsh words will feed the stress, the opposite of what you want.
  .
• Playtime! Exercise releases stress in cats, just like it does in humans. Be sure to get out any frustration that’s built up with plenty of daily playtime. In the earlier stages of cat to cat socialization, separate playtime is safer. Young cats can get really wound up chasing a toy and forget they are not supposed to body bash into the other cat. Understandably that can be upsetting! That’s the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve with playtime.
  .
• Be patient: Give your cats time. It is not uncommon for cats to take weeks to months to build their relationship. Also, young cats are often figuring themselves out, so that dynamic causes cat-to-cat relationships to change until they mature into a more stable adult cat personality.
  .

As our friend Jackson Galaxy says: “Ultimately, you’ve got to be okay with how well (or not well) your cats get along. If there’s no blood being shed, no real violence, and nobody going to the vet, then they are, in fact, working it out… even if “their way” doesn’t look like “your way.” Cats have their own version of diplomacy and dialogue, and at some point, we have to allow them to coexist in ways they can live with. And just as with human bridge-building, trust takes time. Relationships, as we all know, are a process; a road sometimes smooth, and sometimes built on shifting sands. In other words, your cats are not going to become best friends again overnight. Give it time.”

Cat behavior

While cat behavior can be hard for most mortals to predict, the good news is that cat behavior can be decoded. Not all cats can get along or be snuggle buddies, but with these tips, patience, and time your cats can hopefully peacefully co-exist together. Maybe finally become “BFF” best friends furever!

Did you find this article helpful? Check out our some of our other cat articles.

By Dr. Dan Carey, Bayer Veterinarian

Be it a road trip, a cross-country move, or even just a short trip to see friends or the vet, it’s almost inevitable that your cat or dog will need to be in a car at some point. Follow these tips as you prepare for and set off on your journey to help ensure a safe and comfortable ride for your pet.

Continue reading “Pet Travel 101: In the Car”

Adopting a dog or cat is one of the most rewarding things you will ever experience but being a pet parent is also a big responsibility!

Your new furry, family member will provide you with endless amounts of love, but they are 100% reliant on you as their pet parent.

Being a good pet parent includes providing your dog or cat with a healthy diet, exercise, regular veterinary visits and plenty of love! Those are obvious when thinking about taking care of a pet. However, what many pet parents fail to consider is what happens when your pet gets sick or injured?

Sadly, many new pet parents fail to consider the cost of veterinary care if their dog or cat gets sick or injured. Here are some interesting facts about veterinary care in the U.S.

• 1 in 3 pets will need urgent vet care this year
• Every 6 seconds a pet owner is faced with a vet bill of more than $1,000
• Annual veterinary expenses in the U.S. exceeded $17 billion in 2017

Veterinary care has never been better or more accessible, but it comes with a cost. Common hereditary issues like hip dysplasia can cost thousands to treat. Here is a sample of the cost of treatment for various accidents and illnesses your pet may face during their lifetime.

• Hip Dysplasia: $4,000 – $6,000
• Stomach Issues: $200 – $5,000
• Torn Ligament: $3,000 – $6,000
• Cancer: $5,000 – $20,000
• Broken Bone: $200 – $5,000

The good news is that most of these health issues can be treated and allow your pet to live a long, healthy life afterward. The bad news is vet hospitals and specialists will not provide treatment unless you have the ability to pay or have insurance. So, if you can’t pay right away or don’t have coverage your and your pet are out of luck.

This is why we encourage all new pet parents to enroll in a pet insurance plan as soon as you bring your pet home. Having health coverage will ensure that your pet will get the best treatment possible when they need it the most. It will also prevent you from digging into your hard-earned savings or racking up high-interest credit card debt.

In fact, the #1 reason pet parents buy insurance is because they want to “make decisions about their pet’s health without worrying about affording treatment.”

 

Learn More: Pet Health Insurance 101

 

Adopting a pet is an extremely rewarding and noble undertaking, but it’s also comes with a lot of responsibility. So, as you consider the time and money you’ll invest in your new furry friend, we hope you’ll seriously considering getting a pet insurance plan for your newly adopted family member!

 

Pet Insurance Quotes

Get free quotes instantly

Powered by:

 

Additional Links

Compare Pet Insurance Plans

Dog Insurance Overview

Cat Insurance Overview

By Dr. Dan Carey, Bayer Veterinarian

Collar technology (yes, flea collars have technology now) has come a long way. And just like mobile phones, cars and even vacuums, new improvements can enhance performance that might surprise you.

Today’s pet owners have new choices that result in effective, long-lasting flea prevention that’s as simple as attaching a collar. Newer technology can include flexible designs, non-greasy applications and adjustability for a comfortable fit. Applying a collar takes only moments and protection can last for months. It is important that the collar be applied and fitted according to its instructions.

Continue reading “Do Flea Collars Work?”

By Dr. Dan Carey, Bayer Veterinarian

While many owners still lovingly refer to their dogs as “puppy” or “baby” at any age, we know each day together is another day that time progresses. As they mature and change,

how we care for senior dogs changes, too. Help support their changing activity, health and nutritional needs with tailored vitamins and supplements for older dogs.

When is a dog a senior dog?

There’s no pre-set age that determines when your dog is a senior dog, although many dogs are considered seniors when they reach the last 25% of their projected lifespan. In general, smaller dog breeds live longer than larger dog breeds, but genetics, diet, and overall care throughout your dog’s life play a role in how your dog ages.  Most large and giant breeds should be managed as seniors beginning at about six years of age while medium and small breeds can use special support starting at eight. Regardless of how your dog is acting – puppy-like or not – her system is changing. Continue reading “Caring for Senior Dogs”

Fourth of July is just around the corner and you are likely eagerly preparing for all the fun festivities the day brings. How can you beat lounging in the backyard with a good BBQ, friends and family, and beautiful fireworks lighting up the night sky. Sure, it’s a ton of fun for us humans, but our furry friends probably don’t see it the same way. Continue reading “Everything You Need to Keep Your Pets Safe This Fourth of July”

Courtesy of Creative Commons. Photo by: U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Dawn M. Price

Home dental care is one of the most important ways to maintain your pet’s health. Dogs and cats with unchecked gum inflammation may be at higher risk for heart, kidney, and liver disease. And, unfortunately, dental disease is by far the most common major health problem of cats and dogs, making caring for your pet’s teeth just as important as providing him with a well-balanced diet, plenty of fresh, clean water and proper exercise. Continue reading “How to Establish a Dental Care Routine for Your Pet”

Photo by: Freddie Marriage on Unsplash

New kittens are sweet, snuggly, and downright irresistible! If you already have a resident cat or dog, though, you might hesitate: Will all of the animals get along? What if your newest furry friend gets hurt by a territorial cat or a rambunctious dog? What if your older pet feels slighted by the interloper? These are all common questions, and we can help ease your mind by giving you some tips on introducing your kitten to your current pets.

Continue reading “Top Tips on Introducing Your New Kitten to Your Current Pets”

Fleas are no fun! Many of us feel overwhelmed when they pop up repeatedly, but as long as your puppy, dog, or kitten is older than seven weeks and otherwise healthy, we’ve found some strategies to help you safely get rid of fleas on your pets and in your home. Below are seven steps to fight fleas on even the most flea-infested puppies, dogs, or kittens.

To make these steps easy to follow, let’s call your pet “Fluffy.” Be sure to check with your vet before trying any of these steps with your pet.

1) Prepare a flea-free holding room
Plan out your attack. Pick one room you will use as the ‘holding’ room, ideally one with a hard floor, like a 2nd bathroom where you will not be bathing Fluffy, or the kitchen or laundry. Confine Fluffy to a different room, or in a crate. Deep clean the holding room, including removing and machine wash in hot soapy water any fabric items like sheets, curtains, rugs. This is so in step 4 you can put Fluffy back in a flea-free holding room while you de-flea the rest of your home.

2) Bathe
Important: Do not try to bathe an adult cat. It is often extremely stressful and they could hurt you trying to escape. For adult cats, or other pets you can’t bathe for health or behavior reasons, skip this bath step. Be very careful to keep young and older pets warm — kittens especially can die if they too cold.
Get two freshly washed-in-hot-water towels ready.
Use a gentle pet shampoo or Dawn dishwashing liquid. Do not use “flea” shampoo, because you’ll apply flea medication in step 6.
Put the pet in your tub or shower, pour some soap in your hand, add a little water, and make a soapy “collar” around the pet’s neck. This can prevent fleas from escaping up to your pet’s head and in to their mouth, eyes and ears! Working you way back from the “collar” towards their tail, lather Fluffy up thoroughly then rinse and watch the dead fleas go down the drain. If there are a lot of fleas, shampoo and rinse again until you see very few or no fleas when you rinse. You may want to flea comb (see next step) while the pet is soapy and in the bath.

3) Flea comb & dry
If fluffy has a short coat, comb Fluffy with a flea comb. Start at the head and work your way to the tail. Have a dish of shampoo or dish soap sitting on the side to quickly dunk and kill the fleas that you capture in the flea comb. Towel dry Fluffy – and if Fluffy needs to be kept warm (winter, older/baby pet), gently dry Fluffy’s fur completely with a hairdryer set on low from a couple feet away.

4) Close Fluffy in the holding room
Make sure the holding room is warm enough, so Fluffy doesn’t get cold. Small kittens/puppies may do best left with a warm water bottle under the flea-free, freshly-laundered towel you leave them on (monitor that they don’t chew it), or snuggled with a helper person.

5) Treat with flea control from your vet
Ask your vet what flea control product they recommend for your pet. Some products require you wait 24 hours or more after a bath before application. For pets eight weeks and older, we like Advantage® II because you can apply it as soon as Fluffy is dry. Reapply as directed (usually monthly) so you don’t have to repeat steps one to six again!

6) Deep clean your house
Vacuum rugs, sofas, curtains and hard floors. Dump your vacuum bag immediately in the trash –OUTSIDE your home. Wipe all hard surfaces with damp cloth.  When you’re done, you can let Fluffy out of the holding room! Repeat the deep cleaning daily for the next two weeks, to reduce the chances of missed flea eggs hatching and the cycle starting all over again. Machine-wash and dry anything you can (pet beds, your bed blankets/sheets) on the hottest settings. Coating floor crevices, carpet, and fabric with food-grade Diatomaceous earth (as explained by a vet, here) can help tremendously with ongoing flea control.

7) Check & treat for worms
Fleas mean Fluffy is likely to get tapeworms. Take Fluffy to your vet to get dewormed within the next week or two, or sooner if you see the tiny sesame seed/rice-looking worm segments when they go to the bathroom, stuck to their fur, or in their bedding.

These are our seven steps to a flea-free Fluffy and home. You can now enjoy your itch-free and healthy life together!

This post was modified from its original version published on April 19, 2011

LOS ANGELES, March 21, 2018  — Following the third major pet incident on United Airlines in merely a week, Adopt-a-Pet.com has announced an offer to the airline to aid in educating employees on implementing best practices in humane travel for companion animals. The proposal comes on the heels of a turbulent week for pets flying the airline, with dogs in two separate incidents ending up in the wrong destination and one beloved family dog dying as the result of a flight attendant insisting his carrier be put in the overhead compartment.

 

“As a leader in consumer air transportation, United Airlines has a profound obligation to protect the families who choose to fly with them. As a leader in pet adoption and experts in animal welfare, Adopt-a-Pet.com is ready to extend its hand and help ensure companion animal family members are protected as well,” said David Meyer, CEO and Co-Founder of Adopt-a-Pet.com. “Our team is standing by, ready to work with United Airlines – and any airline that wants to keep its four-legged travelers safe – to make their service the most sound, pet-friendly way to travel.”

 

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, since 2014 United Airlines has had more consumer complaints regarding the death of animals during air transportation than any other airline. That, Meyer says, should be cause for concern by travelers and a wake up call for the airline that the time to act is now.

 

Any airline flying companion animals is encouraged to contact Adopt-a-Pet.com for guidance on employing safer travel practices for pets.

 

About Adopt-a-Pet.com
Adopt-a-Pet.com is North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website, helping over 18,000 animal shelters, humane societies, SPCAs, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their purebred and mixed breed pets for free to millions of adopters each month. Sponsored by companies including the Petco Foundation, Petco, and Bayer Animal Health LLC, Adopt-a-Pet.com helps homeless dogs, cats, and even rabbits and other animals go from alone to adopted.