More households have dogs than cats, but cats far outnumber dogs as pets. How is this possible? Because many cat lovers believe that when it comes to feline friends, one is simply not enough. Single-dog households are routine, but with cats, the more the merrier!
If you've ever thought about getting a companion for your cat, there's no time like now. Kittens are everywhere, and healthy, well-mannered adults are also in good supply. You're sure to find the perfect pal for your cat with a trip or two to the shelter.
And then, the fun begins.
Introducing cats is a delicate operation, with lots of pitfalls along the way. Some cats hide under the bed. Some stop using the litter box. Efforts to soothe others may be greeted with a hiss or a growl, or even a swipe with claws bared.
While these are all normal feline reactions to stress, the bad habits that cats may develop while coming to terms with something new could become a permanent part of their routine. Introducing a second cat to the household is a time when patience is never more important.
If you don't have a cat yet and know you'll eventually want two, it's easiest to adopt two kittens at the same time, preferably from the same litter. Kittens don't have the sense of territory that grown cats have, and they'll settle down together into a new home nicely. (Adopting a pair of bonded adults is also a great idea!)
But even a solitary adult cat can learn to enjoy living with a companion. Since the worst territorial spats -- complete with urine marking -- are between cats who aren't spayed or neutered, your chances for peaceful coexistence are many times greater if the cats are both altered before any introductions are planned. (Yes, kittens can be altered. No need to wait!)
Prepare a room for your new pet, with food and water bowls, and a litter box and scratching post that needn't be shared. (Separate gear may be a temporary arrangement, or it may be lifelong. It all depends on the cats involved.) This separate room will be your new pet's home turf while the two cats get used to each other's existence.
Take your new cat or kitten to your veterinarian first, and have him checked for parasites such as ear mites and contagious diseases such as feline leukemia. When you're sure your new pet is healthy, the introductions can begin.
Bring the cat home in a carrier and set it in the room you've prepared. Let your resident cat discover the caged animal, and don't be discouraged by initial hisses. Let your resident cat explore, and when the new cat is alone in the room, close the door and let him out of the carrier. If he doesn't want to leave the carrier at first, let him be. Just leave the carrier door open and the cat alone.
Maintain each pet separately for a week or so -- with lots of love and play for both -- and then on a day when you're around to observe, leave the door to the new cat's room open. Don't force them together. Territory negotiations between cats can be drawn-out and delicate, and you must let them work it out on their own, ignoring the hisses and glares. And when your new pet is a kitten, your older cat may get to the point of just having enough of the little pest. Be alert for signs of intolerance, and give your older cat constant breaks from the youngster.
Eventually you can encourage them both to play with you, using a cat "fishing pole" or a toy on a string. And slowly feed them in ever-closer proximity.
Most cats, but not all, will eventually learn to live together happily. When you see your two sleeping together, playing or grooming each other tenderly, you'll know the effort was worth it.
SIDEBAR
Litter boxes: The no-share zone
Even cats who get along well otherwise, who share the home and the people in it and enjoy each other's company may have one area of dispute -- the litter box. Behaviorists generally recommend that cats not be asked to share.
A rule to remember: One litter box per cat, plus one more. That way, each cat has a box to call his own, plus an extra when room service hasn't stayed on top of the cleaning. Preventing litter box problems is always easier than correcting and cleaning up after them.
Q&A
Tips for travel with dog in tow
Q: We enjoyed your column about traveling with a dog. My husband and I have been traveling with dogs for many years. Would you like some more suggestions?
Most dogs who travel are small. A large-mouthed thermos is great for carrying water in the car. Most small dogs can drink out of the thermos lid, and it can be washed out and refilled every night in the motel.
Because many small dogs often sleep on the bed at home, carry a large sheet and cover the bed as soon as you check in. Think of the people who follow you!
Carry a small sheet of plastic -- or even use the motel laundry bag. Put this under the dog's water and food dishes, just in case of spills.
Measure out your dog's meals and put them in small Ziploc bags. Make as many meals as he will need on the road, and it will make feeding time very easy.
A crate is a necessity on the road. Be sure your dog is comfortable with his crate at home. A treat in it now and then with the door always open makes it "his world."
To leave your dog in a strange room full of strange smells is very frightening for him, and he will either scratch the door to try to find you, or he'll bark his head off. But with a biscuit in his crate and the motel room door shut to keep him comfortable, he will be quite content in his familiar surroundings, and you may go out to dinner knowing this.
These things work well for Skye, our little cairn terrier, and we hope they help others. -- P.B., via e-mail
A: Your suggestions are excellent, and I like your emphasis on being considerate toward others. The best way I know of to turn a pet-friendly motel into a "no pets" zone is for pet lovers to abuse their privileges.
A final note: Anyone traveling with a dog should pick up after the pet. No excuses. Keep cleanup bags in your pocket -- plastic grocery bags work great -- so you're always ready to stoop for poop.
Screens for bugs only
Q: I'm concerned that you may have inadvertently led some cat people down the garden path with your recommendation to put screens in windows to prevent cats from falling out. I have worked in the window and door industry since 1982, and I am a sales rep for a manufacturer of retractable screens.
Window screens are designed to keep bugs out and are not at all effective at keeping pets or children in. In fact, all new windows that are sold in the United States with screens attached come with a warning to that effect. Built-in screens snap into place with a spring and can easily be snapped out by the force of a pet hitting the screen. Will you please let people know not to count on screens to protect their pets? -- S.C., via e-mail
A: Your point is well-taken and, in fact, I don't think anyone would imagine a screen could withstand much force. But I think the ASPCA's point in suggesting screens is that a visible physical barrier is better than a window with nothing on it at all.
(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)
PET BUY
Pets should work for food
One of the best trends in toys for pets is the move toward making animals work for their meals.
In the wild, animals have to spend their lives finding food. In our homes, they're likely handed all they need in a dish. But behaviorists say having to work for food can help prevent both boredom and obesity. Food puzzles have long been available for smart pets like parrots, but the trend has more recently expanded to include all caged pets, and even cats and dogs.
Food puzzles are available from many different manufacturers, or you can make your own. Typical puzzles are loaded with bits of food and then given to pets who must work to figure out how to get the toy to give up the goodies. The amount of time spent working for the food slows down eating, provides entertainment and exercise, and helps to prevent the behavior problems that sometimes result from boredom.
Check out the pet-care catalogs for products or ideas, or just use your imagination. For example, just stuffing treats and hay into the empty core of a paper-towel roll can keep a pet rabbit busy and happy.
PET TIP
Cool water must be kept at hand
There's nothing more important to a pet in hot weather than shade and a constant supply of cool, fresh water. Keep water cool by adding ice chips or cubes to the water supply of smaller pets, and ice blocks for larger animals. Ice blocks can be made easily by freezing water in used margarine tubs.
Water fouls quickly in warm weather. Don't just add clean water to dirty water that's sitting in a filthy bowl -- scrub and refill the dish a couple of times a day.
Automatic water dispensers can be helpful. For caged pets, check to be sure that the delivery tube isn't clogged, blocking the flow of water (some parrots think it's a game to push food into the tube).
If you have one of those automatic water dispensers for dogs that attaches to an outside faucet, be sure it's always shaded. Otherwise, the metal can heat up to the point that it cannot be touched by a thirsty pet.
THE SCOOP
To dogs, a stinky smell is irresistible
You know those sprays and plug-ins you use to make the house smell fresh? Your dog is not impressed. If your dog were choosing a scent to make the house smell perfect, he might pick Old Dead Squirrel or Pile of Cat Mess.
As much as we love our dogs, we have a difference of opinion when it comes to defining what smells "good." Considering how much better a sense of smell dogs have than we do, who's to say which species is right about what smells the best?
People like to put on nice scents, and so do dogs, who roll around in odors we can't stand.
One theory on stink-rolling is that it represents a canine celebration of abundance, like a person who won the lottery throwing hundred-dollar bills all over the bed and "rolling in dough." Now and then a dog will encounter a rewarding tidbit with a pungent smell, like a person finding a twenty-dollar bill on the ground. Sweet! But to discover an entire rotting fish or other large pile of nastiness often triggers the urge to celebrate with a hearty roll.
There's a survival element, too. For a hunting animal, there's a tactical advantage to not smelling like a predator. Rolling in strong odors -- feces and even dead animals -- is thought to provide scent cover, to help predators land their lunch a little easier.
Of course, none of our pet dogs have to hunt for their supper, but old instincts never really go away. That's why if there's a bad smell available, there's a good dog happy to roll in it -- and not long after, a spoilsport human with warm water and soap ready to ruin it all, from the dog's point of view.
PETS BY THE NUMBERS
Changing attitudes
A survey commissioned by the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (www.bestfriends.org) provides further evidence that animals are considered a more important part of our lives now. Still, the results show that feelings don't always equal action. Among the findings:
-- Do you consider your pet property or a family member? (69 percent said "family member")
-- Do we have a moral obligation to protect animals? (92 percent said "yes")
-- Would you take a hurt animal to the veterinarian? (48 percent said "yes")
-- Do you volunteer or contribute money to an animal shelter? (54 percent said "yes")
PET Rx
Sharing beer an awful idea
Summer is party time, and that often means alcohol. While drinking in moderation is part of many a summer get-together, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center warns that pets should never be encouraged or allowed to share. So even if your dog likes beer and you think it's funny to let him drink it, you're taking a chance with his life to do so.
The APCC also warns that citronella candles, coils and oils -- used to keep insects at bay -- should also be kept out of reach of curious pets, as should matches.
More information on summer poisoning risks is on the APCC's Web site (www.aspca.org/apcc). You can also order a free magnet with the center's phone number on it.
(Pet Rx is provided by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN.com), an online service for veterinary professionals. More information can be found at www.veterinarypartner.com.)
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.
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