FELINE
Slowly Does It
Patience Fisher explains the concept of slow introductions for new cat owners and outlines
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why they are so important for a successful outcome
home that had a resident cat, they might not understand why slow introductions are needed. If they grew up seeing cats added to the household and seeming to fit right in, or at least work it out, they will often expect this new cat to do the same. If this childhood pet was stressed by this instant immersion but the adopter did not pick up the clues, he may be shocked if his newly-adopted cat is aggressive or a target of aggression. There is so much excitement and so much going on during an adoption it is not surprising that an adopter does not remember what was meant by slow introductions. The simple three-step guide I developed explains the concept, breaks it down into small steps and is a handy reference. I came up with the timeframes in the brochure from my personal experience Slow introductions with fostering about 30 cats. Since so many cat owners resident animals can want to adopt another, I wanted to determine if my help a cat settle more quickly and easily into fosters a new home would be best suited © Can Stock Photo Inc./cynoclub for a home process had been rushed. As a result, I saw a need for a very sim- that already had a cat, or one where they ple, short, how-to brochure for introducing a new cat to a resicould be an only cat. dent cat. I am sharing excerpts from the brochure I wrote, My cats were very entitled Your New Cat (see pp.45-46), to help other shelters, cat easy-going about acbehavior consultants and cat owners. cepting a new cat so I My focus when writing the brochure was to make it easy to was able to introduce read, understand and implement. This is why it gives concrete about 10 cats, one at timeframes as a guide. Of course, some cats will adjust more a time, to my cats. quickly and others much more slowly, which the brochure menThis gave me a good tions. The concept of waiting for a week is repeated and in bold in the hopes that adopters will at least do that much. That is also feel for timeframes and methods in dewhy the stare and growl are mentioned as signs of stress; it is a bare minimum to stop exposure when this is going on, and these veloping this protocol. My cats are now are easily-recognized behaviors. Lip licking and body posture are retired from training not signals most people notice. I also shied away from any counfosters and enjoying terconditioning, since if done incorrectly the adopter could be their later years. setting themselves up for redirected aggression. I recommended Cats in shelters risk being returned for None of my foster a bath towel instead of cardboard simply because everyone has not getting on with cats were returned one handy. I have seen so many simple procedures not followed other cats already following adoption. n in the home because of small inconveniences. I wanted to make this very doable. I added a brief protocol for establishing an only cat in Patience Fisher BS DipFBST CVA BSBIO is the owner of your home, introducing a cat to a dog, and kitten safety. Walk, Play, Learn, www.walkplaylearn.com, in Pittsburgh, People are usually excited to let the new cat loose in their Pennsylvania. Her focus is feline behavior consulting. She foshome and to integrate him immediately with their families, intered cats and assisted with adoptions at two Pittsburgh-area cluding resident pets. If they have never had a cat before, they shelters from 2006-2010. She is also a certified veterinary asprobably will not have a good understanding of how cautious and sistant. easily stressed cats are. If they have never added a new cat to a
© Can Stock Photo Inc./Dwight
here are many challenges for shelters in finding adoptive homes for cats. As an adoption counselor, I always found it disheartening to have a cat returned to the shelter for not getting along with the resident cats. During the adoption process, the concept of slow introductions was explained, but upon the cat’s return we often found out that the introduction
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BARKS from the Guild/September 2015