As the Prime Minister and his family take up residence in Downing Street, the nation’s celebrated chief mouse-catcher, Larry, will no longer be the only kit-on-the-block, as JoJo, Sir Keir Starmer’s cat, moves in.
Welcoming new furry family members can be an exciting moment for any pet owner, but it’s important that they are introduced to everyone in the household – especially existing pets – in an appropriate and calm manner.
To help pet owners, national pet charity, PDSA, has shared its top tips on welcoming new and existing pets to one another to ensure a friendly first impression.
PDSA Vet Nurse, Gemma Renwick, says: “Cats are naturally solitary animals and, like Larry appears to feel at Downing Street, they are usually quite happy being the only pet in the household.
“However, there are some steps you can take should you be looking to introduce a second pet into the family to help create a peaceful and orderly transition.”
- Create separate constituencies
“According to PDSA’s 2024 PAW Report, almost a fifth (17%) of cats that co-habit together don’t always get along, so it’s important to make sure you have prepared the purr-fect environment to create the best opportunity for both furry family members to stay happy and healthy. Setting up separate safe spaces (ideally in a quiet room) for each pet will provide each of them with a private place they can call their own and hide, should there be any disruptions in household politics.
“As well as each furry family member having their own safe place, make sure there are options for both of them to relax around the house without getting in each other’s way. Cats like to be up high so tiered cat trees or wall-mounted cat shelves provide an ideal escape route for your newly introduced puss and will help them feel safer settling into their home as they’ll be able to survey what’s going on in their party.
“In general, cats prefer to eat on their own and well away from their toileting area, so consider setting up separate food and water stations, well away from litter trays. Make sure they’re out of the reach of other pets to help stop them from becoming stressed. Consider a microchip feeder to prevent them from stealing each other’s food! Each cat will need a litter tray each plus one extra, again in separate areas of the house. If you are introducing a dog to an existing cat household, make sure you clean up your cat’s litter tray as soon as possible and that it’s out of your pup’s way.
- Scent swapping
“In an ideal world, new and existing pets should be given a few days to get used to each other’s scent before they meet. If you’re bringing your pet home from a rescue centre or breeder, you may be able to take blankets with your current pet’s scent on. This can be introduced to your new pet so that they can familiarise themselves with your current pet’s smell before they arrive at their new home.
“Another way of ‘scent swapping’ is to collect your pet’s scent on a new cloth and place this in your new furry family member’s bed. To do this, take a clean, soft cloth and gently rub it around your cat’s cheeks via their scent glands, or under your dog’s armpits. This simple trick will help each pet get used to each other before they meet – a bit like having a phone call with someone before you greet them face-to-face.
- Building a coalition
“When they first come home, if possible, keep both pets in separate safe spaces by using a baby gate, where each furry member of the household can have their own space to explore freely and start to familiarise themselves with their surroundings.
“Once your new furry family member is well-adjusted, allow your pets to become aware of each other from their individual safe spots. Use food to reward them for calm behaviour, along with plenty of fuss and praise. If you are using food as a reward, make sure that both pets receive equal amounts and that they’re not close together when eating – that way they won’t be worried about the other stealing their treats! Give them both time to adjust and settle – the time this takes can vary and will be based on the individual pets. You should notice them gradually getting used to each other in a calm and comfortable manner.
“Once your pets seem happy in each other’s company, you could remove the barrier while continuing to maintain safe spaces they can retreat to if needed. If you are introducing a dog and cat, it’s best to put your dog on a lead at first and ensure your cat has escape routes. Keep the area calm, avoiding unnecessary noise such as the TV/radio.
“Although your pets may seem comfortable with one another, remember to always keep an eye on their body language to make sure they are continuing to get along.”
For more information on introducing cats into households with existing pets, visit: www.pdsa.org.uk/StressInCats