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Getting a second cat is great, but demands some work

Making Harmonious Cat Introductions

Two cats can be better than one! With two cats in your home, your family will be able to enjoy the true social nature of cats and their relationship with each other. Having a playmate provides companionship and active stimulation during your absence and keeps both cats more playful and youthful in their later years. But how you prepare for the new cat’s arrival and how you manage the transition is very important.

Cats, in general, are very cautious of new places and things. They don’t like change in their lives, and it will take time–the amount will vary with each individual cat – for your new cat to adjust to unfamiliar surroundings. A kitten is usually easier to integrate into the household with a full-sized adult. Cats of opposite sexes usually get along better.

Here are a few tips to help provide a friendlier transition:

• Set the new cat up in a small “safe room,” a bathroom with a tiled floor or a confined space he can call his own for a week or so. Get new food and water bowls, a litter box, scratching post/pad and bedding. Visit him frequently with interactive toys, special treats and lots of hands-on loving during the first week.

• Feed your resident cat and the newcomer on opposite sides of the door of the “safe room” so they can smell each other and associate the new cat smell with an enjoyable experience. Gradually move the food dishes closer to the door until they are eating calmly directly opposite each other.

• Switch scents by switching their beds between the new cat and the resident cat so they have a chance to become accustomed to each other’s scent. Another option is to rub a small towel on each cat and place the towel from the opposite under the food dish of the other cat.

• Begin an exchange of living space once your new cat is settled in and eating regularly in the confined room. Let the new cat have some free time in the house while you confine the resident cat in the “safe room.” This is another way the cats can experience each other’s scents without meeting face-to-face. It also helps the new cat get comfortable with her new surroundings without experiencing the other cat.

• Securely prop the door open a crack so they can safely see each other for the first time when the cats seem to be relaxed with everything you have done so far. Place treats on each side of the door and connect two toys with several inches of string slipped under the door so they can try playing with each other.

• When the cats seem to be calm in each other’s presence, it’s time to open the “safe room” door and let her out for a few minutes. The length of time should be increased gradually. Always allow the new cat an escape path back to her “safe room” if needed.

This process may take a few weeks or a few months depending on the personalities and territorial needs of the cats. If from time to time your cats become hostile or fearful, return the newcomer to the “safe room,” close the door and let them calm down. Back up one stage in this process and begin again. Minor setbacks don’t ruin a growing friendship, but an aggressive encounter will be remembered a long time and should be avoided. The time you spend slowly orchestrating a proper introduction of your cats will eventually be rewarded with years of harmonious habitation and loving companionship.

Control and Prevent Fleas in Your HomeFrom Franny Syufy,
Your Guide to Cats.

You've seen them - tiny, quick creatures that scurry through your cat's fur, feasting on her blood, and causing painful itching - so bad that kitty may scratch herself raw in seeking relief. If you have a bad flea infestation in a multiple-cat household, you've probably been bitten yourself by these voracious feeders, and you may even have seen them hopping through your carpeting. (Did you know a flea can jump 33 cm. in one leap - over a foot?) I'm here to tell you - cat flea control is not only possible, it's relatively easy.

The most common flea which feeds off cats, dogs, and humans, is the Ctenocephalides felis. If you observe your cat scratching and aren't sure if fleas are the cause, use a flea comb on your cat and observe the tiny black dots that emerge on the comb - we commonly call it "flea dirt," but in reality, it is the excrement the flea leaves.

Smash some with a damp paper towel, and it will turn red - that's the residue from your cat's blood - and a warning that cat flea control is indicated. As if the itching and stinging weren't enough, fleas also transmit other conditions which can even have a more deleterious effect on your cat's health.

Common Flea "Hitch-Hikers"

• Anemia:  Unchecked infestations of fleas can actually cause anemia from blood loss - sometimes fatal, particularly in kittens. Pale gums are a red flag for anemia in kittens, and their gums should be routinely checked if your kittens have just survived a flea attack.
• Tapeworms:  With kittens, fleas and worms are practically synonymous, and kittens that are victimized by fleas should always be treated for worms.
• Haemobartonellosis:  A more serious form of anemia, caused by a microorganism carried by the flea, the h.felis in the case of felines. Haemobartonellosis is diagnosed by laboratory tests and treated with antibiotics, steroids, and in some severe cases, blood transfusions. 

The Life of a Flea

The cycles of a flea are very like that of a butterfly, but unlike the beautiful end result of those flower-friendly creatures, the adult flea is a menace to all it encounters.

1. Eggs:  Fleas lay their eggs on the host animal, where the entire cycle may take place. Other eggs fall off into the environment, e.g., your carpeting or kitty's bedding, or your own bed.
2.  Larvae:  The larvae "hatchlings" feed on the feces left by the adult, and continue to develop for about a week.
3. Pupae:  Like the butterfly, the larvae spins a cocoon for itself, where it continues to evolve into the adult flea - within another week or so on the host animal.
4. Adult:  The emerging adult feeds on its host, mates, and continues the life cycle. Is it any wonder why cat flea control is so important?

Good Riddance!

With today's technology, there is no excuse for living with a flea infestation. You'll need to use a complete "shotgun" approach with flea control to break the cycle, followed by an ongoing flea prevention program.

Get Rid of the Eggs

This should be an ongoing program while the adult flea treatment is killing the live fleas.  Here are the steps you'll need to take:

• Wash all bedding thoroughly.  While the bedding is free of coverings, vacuum the mattress, particularly in the crevices, where eggs might hide.
• Vacuum carpeting daily and dispose of used vacuum bags.  I do not recommend placing flea collars in the vacuum bag, as the heat generated by the machine could cause noxious fumes.
• Steam-clean carpeting.  This will kill any remaining eggs the vacuum might have missed.
• If necessary, use a whole-house insect bomb which specifically targets fleas. It is critical to remove all food dishes and live animals, including birds during this process. You may consider hiring a professional for this job, but make sure he knows you have cats, and will use a cat-safe product.
• Hire a professional  to treat outdoors areas. Insist on a "cat-friendly" product for this purpose.  If you have an outdoor cat, keep him confined inside for the day.

Kill the Adult Fleas

Your first job will be to eliminate as many fleas from your cat by combing and bathing.  Once the bulk of the tiny nuisances are gone, you can prevent further flea infestations with the use of a topical flea control product.

1. Comb the Cat:  Using a flea comb, comb carefully throughout the entire body of the cat. Keep a jar or bowl of diluted bleach nearby, and as you collect fleas on the comb, shake them into the jar. The fleas will die quickly.
2. Bathe the Cat:  If you and your cat are up to it, a bath will drown most remaining fleas. It isn't necessary to use a "flea" shampoo or a "flea dip" for this purpose. Just a mild cat or baby shampoo will do the job handsomely. If you've never bathed a cat before, check my step-by-step How To on