Senior Cat Comfort & Care

Some introductions are easy. Others are very challenging, especially if you bring a young, high-energy cat into the home with your senior. The problem is, you won’t know until you’re in it. That’s why it’s best to plan for a super slow, careful, positive introduction. If it moves quickly, that’s great. If it takes more time, you’re prepared.

You’ll want to consult a more detailed guide and/or get help from a feline behavior consultant to develop your introduction plan. The most important thing is to take baby steps and never push your cats past their comfort zone. The plan may include variations of the following steps:

• Starting with no visual access, working on building positive associations with each other’s scent
• Sessions on either side of a barrier, like a baby gate (usually starting completely covered and slowly uncovering it) with something positive to focus on, like treats
• Gradually removing the barrier while focusing on something positive
• Supervised time in the same space with lots of positive reinforcement