How to make friends of two cats in one apartment

Often, cat lovers do not stop at only one pet living in the house. To create a more “companionable” atmosphere, they make a second furry friend, immediately wondering how they will get along with each other. To make friends cats is not an easy matter, because each animal has its own disposition and habits. Obstinate fluffy creatures do not accept the "new home", what to do? Let's get it together.

Do I need to have another cat?

The desire to bring a second pet to the house arises for various reasons. Some give birth to a second cat, because the first cat has sympathy only for the male or, conversely, the female half of the family. You can also bring a furry friend so that the first one is not bored when the owners are at work.

Another category of people - true connoisseurs of cats. They can keep one, two, three individuals in an apartment. So is it even worth getting another animal? The answer is mixed.

For owners of cats, the planned arrival in the house of a “newcomer” will not be stressful. But cats by their nature feel great alone, so the second pet can only create discomfort.

From this point of view, the owners ’opinion that the cattery lives poorly in the absence of a person is fundamentally wrong. On the contrary, for a cat, the appearance of another animal can become depressing.

In some cases, the desire to shelter another cat in your apartment comes up unexpectedly. A man finds a pet on the street or beats off the hands of hooligan kids. In order to feed and go out, the second favorite remains forever. In such situations, the question of how to make friends of two animals becomes extremely relevant.

How to choose the second cat for sharing

To make the process easier, you need to choose another pet, taking into account some requirements. This includes age, gender and temperament. Consider all aspects.

1. The most successful solution will be the selection of a kitten taking into account the age of the animal, which already lives with the owners. Young individuals easily find a common language, so they can easily make friends. Kittens still do not understand that they need to divide the territory and curse over food, so there is no competition in this case.
2. If the cat living in the house is elderly, it is not the best option to hook a violent playful kitten to it. "Old-timers" have their own habits, so the young creature simply violates the comfort of the apartment's dweller. In addition, an elderly cat will not be able to frolic with a kitten, as he would have liked. Also, the old specimens are jealous, therefore, they often arrange "intrigues" for new settlers.
3. In cases where an adult cat with a well-developed maternal instinct lives with you, she will accept the baby without any doubts and will take care of him. In rare situations, clashes appear between an adult animal and a young kitten.
4. It is extremely difficult to make friends of two males, namely a kitten and an adult cat. During puberty, cats behave aggressively, they can attack the youngest member of the family and accidentally strangle. All this is justified by protective instincts.
5. It is most simple to make friends of two animals of the opposite sex. But you should not have a young cat in an apartment where a cat who has not undergone sterilization already lives. During puberty, pets will show a desire to continue their family, so you have to decide this issue. You need to either castrate or sterilize one of your favorites.
6. If an adult is living in your house, the best option for sharing will be a 1-3 year old cat with a peaceful character and complaisance.It is clear that at first the “old-timer” will establish his own rules, which must be followed by the new settler.
7. When choosing a new pet for sharing, be sure to study its age, temperament, gender and habits. There is no need to bring a smart kitten to the house for friendly pastimes with an elderly melancholy cat. Similarly, you do not need to get too violent animals so as not to run into problems. The main thing is that the temperament of cats does not differ too much.

Causes of Conflict in Cats

In most cases, there are diverse conflicts between pets. There can be many reasons. Consider the most common problems.

1. Territory. Cats have an instinct for the protection and inviolability of their own territory. This is where the problems begin. A new pet begins to get acquainted with an unusual environment. The old man in the street can become embittered and attack the second cat. Such skirmishes are inevitable and lead to a serious fight.
2. Resources. Quite often, pets cannot make friends because of resources. Cats will fight for food, water and a tray. Everything else may add a few more points. The old tenant perceives the new as a direct competitor, despite a sufficient amount of food. Here, rather, character plays a big role.
3. Fear. Beginners often show a strong sense of fear. As a rule, such a problem is accompanied by aggression. The old-timer in this case will not become silent and will begin to respond with a protective reaction. Also, a new cat may experience severe discomfort to all inhabitants of the house.
4. Maturity of an individual. Conflicts can be most pronounced between adults and mature individuals. Sexually mature males often show aggression towards each other. In this case, reconciling the cats will be quite difficult. The only correct way out is castration of pets.
5. Various reasons. Many owners may think that animals do not get along because of jealousy of the owners. In most cases, it is the old-timer and feels an unpleasant feeling on himself. A permanent pet thinks that you want to get rid of it, or it will not get its former attention. Therefore, try to smooth out conflicts immediately. Play with cats at the same time, caress and stroke.

Building relationships between cats

1. To make both cats feel as comfortable as possible, it is important to make the right acquaintance. On the first day, you should completely limit communication between pets. The best option is that they will not see each other.
2. At first, cats smell each other's aroma and gradually get used to it. At the beginning of the acquaintance of this will be quite enough. If possible, cats should be in different rooms. Be prepared for the fact that animals can be aggressive.
3. At first, animals scratch doors and walls, wallpaper, behave loudly, meowing and hissing tirelessly. To speed up getting used to each other, it is recommended to conduct cunning manipulation. You need to make an exchange of smells.
4. Dampen a clean cloth and wring it out well. The rag should be a little damp. Wipe the cats one by one so that the smells mix. After that, let the animals familiarize themselves with the unusual aroma.
5. As one of the options, bathing animals is a success. After the water treatment, the pet smell is washed off. Often, such a move smooths out the conflict between cats. After that, you can safely introduce your favorites to each other.
6. At the first visual acquaintance, do not push animals towards each other. Otherwise, you yourself will become the instigator of the conflict. Pets may not understand such actions, fights can not be avoided.
7. Often, if you have an old cat living, and you breed a young individual, a more active animal can take a dominant position. The old man in the street will simply give up his position. There is nothing wrong.
8. In addition to all the recommendations, it is important to know how to reconcile pets after a hassle over resources. Cats should have different bowls. Feed the animals at the same time in different parts of the room. Pets should see each other at a sufficient distance.
9. It is important to provide cats with separate trays. This way you will avoid numerous hassles between them. During the acquaintance period, the third corner for the needs of animals will not be superfluous. Encourage cats with treats when they live in a friendly environment.

Before you wonder about sharing and friendships, study the intricacies of choosing a cat as another pet. No need to bring too violent kitten to a melancholy person, and vice versa. When animals get used to each other, use the above recommendations.

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