Sitnews -Stories in the News - Ketchikan, Alaska

Pet Talk - Pet Health

New Kitten Meeting the Resident Pets
by Dr. Fran Good, DVM
Ketchikan, Alaska

October 11, 2002
Friday

Last week we had introduced your new kitten, Simba, to her her new house, while her current residents, Rover and Tuna, were safely ensconced in a room of their own. We showed her where the cat boxes were, putting her into each of them. Now we let her wander around, getting

Woody Woodward

Woody Woodward
Digital photo by M.C. Kauffman
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acclimated. She smells two other animals, but so far no one's jumped out and eaten her, so that's a good sign. She's getting calmer with every room. By the time she finishes her tour - and you can abbreviate the tour for the first day, if you want to, leaving outer rooms for a later date - she should be substantially less nervous than she was when she arrived.

Now's the time to set a food bowl out with a small amount of the food she's been fed up til now. If you're planning to change her food, do it gradually over the course of a week or two. Abrupt dietary changes will result in diarrhea. Add that to the stress of an abrupt change of scenery, and you might be booking Simba a room at the local vet's office. Feed her in the place you intend to feed her forever.

When she's done, follow her lead. If she's looking tired, pick her up and snuggle with her on the couch. If she's still got some friskiness in her, play with her til she's tired, then snuggle with her on the couch. Let her know that this place can be fun, comfortable, safe, and that you're there for her. When she falls asleep, sneak out to unobtrusively take Rover out for a potty break. If he and Tuna are OK in their room, pop Rover back in there and leave them overnight, if possible. Letting Simba sleep with you is a wonderful bonding experience. After a day and a night with you, she'll know you're on her side, whatever comes down the pike.

Next: The Actual Encounter

franimaldoc@sitnews.org

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