Many people that have cats are animal lovers in general, and as such have a number of different species residing under their roof. Cats can reside happily with most other species, but only if introductions are done properly. Cats are funny about their rules and regulations, and if we as humans fail to abide by them we pay the price. Follow these suggestions and guidelines for properly integrating your cat into your animal kingdom.

When you need to introduce your furry feline friend to a new species or a new cat it should preferably be done early on in life. If cats have regular contact with other animals when they are young, and that contact goes well they will grow up with an acceptance of other creatures. This will make it easier for you to introduce new animals throughout your cat’s life regardless of their age.

Regardless of how old your cat is when you bring a new animal into their home, you need to keep both animals contained. Put your cat in a carrier or on a leash and do the same with the other animal you are introducing. This will ensure that you are in control of the situation if things go poorly. Once the animals are calm and they accept one another you can let them interact under supervision, but never give a cat unlimited access to another species.

When all goes well during an animal introduction make sure that you praise your cat and reward them with a treat. Additionally, you should never punish negative behavior; hissing, growling and lashing out is your cat’s natural instinct, and yelling or punishing them won’t change that, it will only make the situation more stressful for them.