Maintaining a Multi-Cat Household

As we continue with Happy Cat Month – Our focus for this blog is bringing happiness to a multi-cat household. 

But wait, only have one cat? Give some thought to visiting the shelter and adopting another. Cats are social animals, they love to play and interact, which in turn, makes them happy. Having one cat is fantastic, having more than one cat? Amazing! Think of all the extra snuggles involved!

The big challenge there, is getting all of the cats to work together, am I right?

The real dream? A peaceful multi-cat household without fights or all-out war. This is one dream that is actually attainable and quite simple to do.

A great deal of the discourse in a multi-cat household is due to an underestimate in the number of things like litter boxes, water, and food. By nature, cats are territorial animals and anyone with a cat knows how they like to claim things (even humans!). Follow the 1+1 Rule and you will be on your way to a happier environment. Just remember that cats think three litter boxes lined up next to each other is really just one with annoying dividers.

Be aware of how to introduce a new cat. You’ve made the big decision to add another cat to your household, great! Making sure your existing cat (or cats) is okay with this too, is vitally important. Introduce the new cat gradually and be aware that the process takes time. Be patient, it will be worth it!

Ensure cats have spaces to hide. Sometimes, even cats need an escape. Ensure that your household has spaces that allow your cat to get away from things – like other cats. This can be especially important during the introduction phase or when your cat is feeling that its territory is threatened.

These simple steps should leave you with a peaceful, happy, multi-cat household. Should you have on-going issues which are not resolved by a change in resources or outlast the introduction phase, please seek advice from your cat’s favorite veterinarian.