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| PET GAZETTE | MULTICAT HOUSEHOLDS
MULTICAT
Discover how the right products can help cats to live in harmony
F
rom bowls to beds and catflaps, retailers are rising to the challenge of
meeting multicat households’ diverse needs. Competition for resources
can lead even the friendliest felines to become stressed. Offering a choice
of places to play, eat and sleep, helps owners to reduce territorial disputes
and keep the peace (for more advice turn to page 18).
Creating a harmonious household becomes especially important when
owners are thinking of introducing a new cat to their existing group. Though cats can
become friendly with one another, when they see themselves a part of the same social
set-up, they often don’t have a strong need for companionship. So, unless introductions
are handled carefully, a newcomer may be seen as an interloper.
The first step when adding a cat to the household is always to think about the needs
of existing pets. If a cat has struggled to live with other animals before, or has always
lived without fellow cats, owners should prioritise their pet’s needs and carefully
consider the pros and cons of changing their living arrangements. If owners admit to
having doubts, they may benefit from seeking professional advice from a vet or animal
behaviourist before taking the next step.
Once a decision has been made, your customers will need to buy additional products
before bringing a new companion home. Retailers are in a good position to guide them
through the items that they’ll need. They’ll have to set up a secluded spot or spare room
for the new cat, that isn’t currently popular with animals already living in the house. This
special space will give all cats the chance to acclimatise gradually to change. The room
should have all the amenities the cat needs and preferably something from their old
home, so they have access to familiar scents. The cat should also be able to reach higher
levels within their new space. At floor level, water and food bowls and litter trays should
be placed in different corners - cats prefer to keep these apart.
FIRST MEETINGS
To smooth interactions, cats should be kept apart for days, if not longer, to allow them
time to settle. Exchanging the pets’ bedding will help the animals become used to each
others’ scent - though some bedding should remain in place to give the cats sleeping
options. The new housemates can also be allowed to explore each others’ rooms but
only when there’s no chance of meeting. Your customers can then allow cats to see one
another, while remaining physically separated, followed by supervised interaction. This
will build up to short periods of time alone together.
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ENCOURAGING FOES TO BECOME
FRIENDS WITH FELIWAY® FRIENDS
“Our eight-year-old Manx cat, Lucy, didn’t accept
our new one-year-old rescue cat, Bella, into the
household; they would often fight and display
signs of multi-cat tension such as swiping each
other and guarding resources including food and
the cat flap. We separated their feeding stations
and put more resources around the house. We
also fitted a microchip cat flap to ensure that other
cats in the neighbourhood were kept out.
“We supplemented this with the introduction
of FELIWAY FRIENDS, the only cat pheromone
clinically proven to help reduce tension and
conflict. Since using FELIWAY FRIENDS our cats
seem to be much happier. They are more relaxed
and are happy to spend time in the same room
as us.” Clare and Jae Guntrip, Berkhamsted,
Hertfordshire
Telephone: 01494 781510
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.feliway.com/uk
July 2017