Meeting the family

Of course you want your kitten to be loved by the whole family (two- and four-legged), so give them the best possible chance of success with our top tips.

INTRODUCING YOUR KITTEN TO… YOUR RESIDENT CAT

Your resident cat, particularly if he is an only cat, will be used to his routine and will have scent-marked all of his territory, so bringing in a new kitten may not go down well if they are just thrown together. But, with careful planning and control of the situation, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t get along.

Plan ahead by swapping your cat’s scent with that of your kitten, by exchanging bedding between the cat and kitten, and you can also try rubbing a blanket your new kitten has slept on places where your other cat frequently marks his scent.Try to do this in the weeks leading up to the kitten’s arrival, so they have plenty of time to get used to each other’s scent.

For the first meeting, put your kitten in his room, or in his kitten pen if you have one, with his food bowl, and ensure there is a safe place accessible that he can retreat to if he becomes frightened or tired. Open the door to the room to allow your cat to investigate and meet his new friend. If your cat remains calm, reward him with a treat or his favourite toy, but if he reacts negatively, withdraw the cat from the room and keep them apart for the rest of the day, then try again the following day.

Keep these interactions short, until the cat and kitten seem comfortable in each other’s company.You can then start to allow your kitten to explore other rooms in the house, particularly ones in which your cat spends the most time, to continue getting them used to each other’s presence. Always make sure both cats have an available exit route from the room in case either wants to get away and spend time on their own.

YOUR DOG

If you have a dog, it is always best to get a kitten who has prior experiences with dogs, as this will make introductions much easier.Your breeder, or staff at the rescue centre, will be able to advise you on this. As with a resident cat, in the days leading up to your new kitten’s arrival home, swap your kitten and your dog’s scents by swapping bedding or blankets.

For the first meeting, try introducing them when your dog is likely to be relaxed, such as after he has come back from a walk, and keep him on a lead at all times. Pop your kitten in his pen or in his room, and make sure he has places he can go and hide if the meeting becomes overwhelming. Bring your dog in on his

lead, and watch how they both react. If your dog becomes over-excited and starts barking or tries to jump at the kitten, use some food to distract him. If your kitten is frightened and runs away and hides, or if your dog continues to be over-excited, take him out so as not to frighten the kitten, but don’t scold him, and try again the following day. Keep the initial contact to short amounts of time, and if either pet becomes frightened or agitated, retreat and try again the next day, remembering to reward positive behaviour from both pets.

As they get to know each other, you can progress to having your dog on a house line when they meet, and eventually let them meet each other without a lead or pen, but always supervised. Never leave the two of them alone together until you are 100 per cent sure that they are safe together.

CHILDREN

Children are likely to be excited about the new arrival, but it is important to keep them calm and that they know that the new kitten is not a toy, but is small and fragile and needs to be handled with care. It’s best to wait until your kitten has been home with you for a few days so he has had some time to settle in before being introduced, especially if your child, or children, are young. Get your child to sit down quietly in your kitten’s room, and let the kitten approach in his own time.

Show your child the correct way to gently stroke him.To encourage good playing habits, give your child a fishing rod-style toy to play with together if your kitten remains happy and inquisitive, but don’t let him pick the kitten until he has settled further.

It’s also very important that your child is told not to make any sudden movements or loud noises, which could frighten the kitten. Make sure they know not to disturb the kitten when he is sleeping or eating.