the Garden island June is national “Love a Cat Month.” The Kauai Humane Society is ready for it but they want to make sure new foster parents and their homes are ready. “Most people know what they’re getting into when
the Garden island
June is national “Love a Cat Month.” The Kauai Humane Society is ready for it but they want to make sure new foster parents and their homes are ready.
“Most people know what they’re getting into when they adopt kittens, but I think the most important thing to remember when bringing one home is to keep them inside so they know their new home,” said Kauai Humane Society executive director Dr. Becky Rhoades.
She said this time of year, the Humane Society is littered with kittens. To go along with “Love a Cat Month,” they are offering a two-for-one cat/kitten deal. With each adoption, foster parents will receive a free bag of food, coupons and lots of parenting guides to help prepare for the kitten’s arrival.
For those bringing home a kitten and already have a cat at home, Rhoades said it takes little steps to get the cats to adapt to each other.
“The best thing to do is put the new cat in a room by itself for a couple of days and let the other cat get to know him underneath the door,” she said. “Then you switch it. Put the other cat in the room and let the newer cat get to know the cat under the door and roam around the house so it knows its new home.”
The golden rule to housing multiple cats is to keep things separate. Maintain a separate litter box and separate feeding station for each cat. If the cats are friendly with each other and not territorial, then they can feed or use the same stations.
“That’s really the main thing,” she said.
Bringing home a new cat to a household with a dog can be somewhat challenging also. For that, Rhoades said to let them get to know each other much in the same way with cats.
Once they’re adapted to each other though, Rhoades recommends that the cat have a safe place to go just in case the dog gets aggressive.
“One of the things that can be done just in case the dog starts to chase the cat is to take one of the baby fences and cut a small hole in it so that the cat can run through it,” she said. “It may be tough with small dogs since they can go through the hole too, but the cats really need that safe place they can go to.”
Here is a step-by-step preparedness guide to bringing home a new cat from the “Care Guide” given out by the Kauai Humane Society.
The homecoming
• Get a collar and name tag for the pet. Before bringing the new pets home, be sure to get a collar and a name tag. Many breeders and rescue groups recommend keeping the cats indoors, but if they do go outside, make sure they are wearing the collar and name tag.
• Meet the pets. Once home with the new cats or kittens, introduce them to the other animals. The adjustment period will take several days.
• Introduce it to the litter box. The litter boxes are comfort stations for the cats and they need to know where they are. The litter box should be in a neutral territory, otherwise they may stop using it.
• Choose easy-to-clean feeding and water dishes. Plastic, aluminum or ceramic dishes that will not tip over. That makes easier eating and drinking. Not to mention there’ll be less of a mess to clean up after.
• Keep a cat carrier handy. There are several styles available that are suitable for travel needs.
• Provide a place to sleep. Find a friendly corner to place the bed. If the cat rejects the spot chosen, watch where it goes to sleep and relocate the bed there.
• Buy scratching posts. The post is a necessity for the cats unless they go outside on a regular basis. The size of the post isn’t important, but how soon the cats get accustomed to using it is. The sooner they use it, the less likely they will use the furniture.
• The litter box. Unlike the scratch post, bigger is better for the litter box. The larger the box with high sides will reduce the amount of litter that gets kicked on to the floor. A covered top is even better. Refer to the local pet store employee for information on the different types of litter available. For more information about adopting cats, call the Humane Society at 632-0610 or visit www.kauaihumane.org.
• Lanaly Cabalo, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
