What to do and how to make friends between two cats in the same apartment

Two cats (cats) in the house: developments

After a new four-legged guest appears in your home, the two pets will develop their own special relationship, which can begin as friendship, aggression, or even fear.

It is not always possible to predict the reaction of animals to each other, so the task of the owners is to create the most comfortable conditions for the animals to meet and live in the same territory.

Did you know? A cat rubs against a person not only because it wants to cuddle - it marks him. So you can consider yourself the property of your pet! And excessive love for these cute creatures is called ailurophilia.

Wrong actions

Mistakes that an owner may make when introducing cats:

1. Give the animals the opportunity to get to know each other on their own, without interfering in the process. Sometimes owners think that the cat will be delighted to have a new friend in the apartment and will immediately start playing with him. Following this logic, owners simply bring a new cat into the house and immediately let it explore the territory. This tactic is fundamentally wrong and even dangerous: the sudden appearance of a competitor is extremely stressful. For a beginner, such an acquaintance will also be a big shock, because he does not know that the territory is already occupied. A fight may begin between the animals, and in the future - persistent hostility.
2. Not preparing everything necessary for a new cat. It is naive to believe that a cat living in a house and considering itself the mistress will want to share its food bowl and toilet with a new pet. Also, each animal should have its own bed and toys.

Your own bed

1. Allow the new pet what is prohibited to the old-timer. Sometimes the owner believes that it is more difficult for a newcomer in the current situation and allows him a lot. If a new cat does something that is forbidden to the first one, conflicts and protests cannot be avoided.
2. Give less attention to a cat that has lived in the house longer. When a second cat appears in the house, the old-timer needs more attention and affection, as he must be sure that he is still loved. If the owner is more attentive to the new cat, jealousy will arise.

Friendship

The most favorable development of the situation, except in the case where animals grow up together from a very young age, is the immediate sympathy that arises between them. This happens when a kitten appears in a house with an adult cat. And then the owners do not have to think about how to make friends between a cat and a kitten, since thanks to maternal instinct, a cat is extremely rarely aggressive towards the baby. On the contrary, she, as a rule, takes him under her wing.

But if a kitten is purchased for a home with an adult cat, then there is a chance that at first the old-timer will ignore the newcomer. But later, a warm and strong friendship can also begin between them.

Ways to reconcile pets

Depending on the gender of the animal, the reaction of a male cat to a new pet will vary dramatically. The cat may take the appearance of the baby more calmly, since there is a high probability that her maternal instinct will work for the kitten. Of course, this is provided that the pet is not sterilized. Often, a furry pet begins to care for the kitten as if it were her own cub and teaches it all the necessary cat wisdom.

Males do not bother themselves with caring for their offspring and they do not know the maternal instinct, so making friends between a cat and a kitten is somewhat more difficult. The cat is very jealous and reverent about its own territory and will perceive even a small pet as a future rival and even begins to mark corners with its urine to show who is boss in the house.

To avoid conflict situations, the cat should be introduced to the baby in several stages.

• In the first few days, the kitten should be in a separate room, and not roam freely throughout the apartment. Thus, the adult pet will not have any suspicion that the baby is claiming his possession;
• In order for the cat to get used to someone else's smell, it is advisable to let it into the room where the kitten lives. Naturally, the baby should be placed in another room during this time so that the pet can explore the territory in a calm environment;
• The first introduction of pets should take place under the supervision of the owner. If the male behaves hostilely towards the kitten, the animals are separated into different rooms and an attempt is repeated to introduce them only after a few days;
• The kitten should not be allowed to eat food from an old-timer’s bowl, especially in front of an adult pet. This will only convince the cat that he has a rival who is encroaching not only on his territory, but also on his food;
• Neutered cats are more friendly and peaceful towards other animals. Therefore, advice for owners: before adopting another pet, it is advisable to sterilize an adult cat.

Usually, cats forced to live under the same roof sooner or later begin to get along with each other and can even become real friends. But, if this does not happen, you should not try to force the animals to become friends, this will only strengthen their enmity and the owner will have to watch the fierce fight of his beloved pets every day. The main thing is that cats are calm and comfortable in such an environment and let them decide for themselves with whom to be friends and communicate.

Source

Aggression

Unfortunately, sometimes animals show real aggression towards each other. Cats may start jumping on each other, hitting each other with their paws, or chasing them around the room. If this happens, then there is no need to intervene, but simply observe, letting the animals find out whether two cats will get along in the same apartment and “who is the boss.” However, if the aggression has turned into a full-fledged fight, it is worth scattering the animals (without separating them with your hands!) and temporarily separating them into different rooms.

And then, after a pause of a couple of days, try to get acquainted again. This should be done until the cats get used to each other and become calmer when they see their relatives.

By the way, the most effective way to separate fighting cats is to pour water on them. If this does not work, then you can throw a thick blanket over them; the darkness should scare the animals. If this does not work, then try to pull them apart in different directions using any long stick, for example, a mop. Act firmly, but carefully so as not to injure the animals.

Most often, people at home prefer to have cats of such breeds as: Sphynx, Scottish Fold, Munchkin, Burmese, Persian, Siamese, British, Burmese, Ragdoll, American Curl, American and Masquerade.

Often the cause of aggressive behavior is the sexual instincts of cats. In this case, if it is impossible to reconcile them, the only option is sterilization.

Useful tips and nuances

Here are some tips to help make friends with animals:

1. At first, do not let the new cat use the “old” cat’s things. For each animal you need to allocate its own area and its own personal items (toilet, bowl, toys, bed). Ideally, each cat should have its own room.
2. When the animals get used to each other, you can gradually put things of the other animal on each one, swap their bedding, or comb them with the same brush.
3. Set up a sleeping area for the new animal as far as possible from the sleeping area for the old-timer cat. at the greatest possible distance from the old-timer’s resting place. The same goes for food space and litter tray space. At first, you shouldn’t put them next to each other. Feed the animals at the same time, but in different places.
4. Involve both cats in playing together.
5. Treat both cats equally, do not give reasons for jealousy, pet them as often as possible. It is acceptable to pay a little more attention to the older cat at first, since he usually experiences more stress.

Despite the fact that cats are very capricious and do not like competition, in most cases two animals can be friends or at least peacefully coexist in the same territory. Much depends on the breed, sex and age of the animals. The easiest way is to make friends between two individuals of different sexes at a young age. In any case, the owner needs to be vigilant, monitor the behavior of the animals in the first days after meeting them and provide them with the most comfortable conditions.

Fear

If cats do not react and do not contact each other, then there is a possibility that this is a manifestation of fear. They may become tense in each other's presence, hiss, run away, hide under furniture, lose their appetite, and even become aggressive.

This can happen for several reasons. Firstly, if the domestic cat has never communicated with its relatives before. Secondly, perhaps you were too hasty with the first acquaintance, tried to force the animals together, and this caused fear in them.

In any case, you must remember that your pet also has its own character and inclinations, and if it is timid in everyday life, then it is unlikely that it will be pleased with the appearance of a second four-legged family member. But this does not mean that such animals cannot be made friends. It just may take longer.

Important! You need to be prepared for the fact that two cats will never be reconciled with each other. And being in constant stress, they can begin to get seriously ill. Then there is only one way out: to find a good family for the newcomer.

If the animals are fighting

How to make two cats friends in the same apartment? If animals kick with their paws, rush at an opponent and immediately recoil without causing wounds, and also chase a competitor around the apartment, then there is no need to interfere in this relationship. The owner should simply watch his pets, separating them only after a serious fight has broken out.

It is worth remembering that you cannot drag away belligerent mustachioed pets with your hands! In the heat of battle, a cat, even the sweetest and most domestic one, can redirect its aggression towards its owner, clinging to his face. The most effective way is to pour water over the animal's head. If this method does not help, then you can throw a thick, heavy cloth over the fighters. This could be a blanket or a sheepskin coat. Darkness that comes completely suddenly frightens animals. Out of surprise, they will press themselves to the floor and become silent. After a few seconds, it is recommended to take one of the cats to a separate room.

But if the sudden darkness did not stop the fighters, then you will need to take a mop and carefully, but at the same time assertively, crucify the fighters in the corners.

How to make neighbors friends

To make cats friends with each other, you first need to properly prepare the space by defining two separate areas where the animals will sleep, go to the toilet and eat. In addition, before introducing each other, both animals need to trim their claws and file sharp edges.

It is better to bring a beginner in a carrier and give him the opportunity to decide for himself when to get out of it. Do not force animals to communicate; let them first get used to the new situation.

What needs to be done before the kitten arrives?

Even before a new pet arrives in the house, there is a little work that needs to be done. It consists of preparing the house for the arrival of a new tenant and providing him with shelter.

Prepare the house

First of all, try to block all places where pets can hide. Spaces under the bed, under the sectional, under the TV stand and similar spaces. If something goes wrong and the cats start fighting, you will have a hard time separating them under the bed.

Cats use all space, including vertical space. Some people prefer to sit below, while others prefer to watch everything from above. It's hard to predict in advance what your new kitten will like best. So try to make sure he has a choice. Place a tall cat tree to provide a vantage point from above. You can attach special shelves to provide access to the upper space.

Assess whether there are places in the house where one pet can drive another. These cute creatures don't like to feel trapped. This is why many people don’t like closed trays. If pets suddenly start chasing each other, everyone should have an escape route.

Try to block off all the places in the house where one cat can chase another and where it will be difficult for you to get them out.

Prepare a shelter for the kitten

Moving is stressful for him. He will need time to get used to his new home. It is important to provide a safe shelter during adaptation.

Choose the room where the kitten will live for the first time. This room needs to be arranged properly, placing in it everything the kitten needs:

• bowls,
• tray,
• toys,
• bed,
• scratching post

It is important that the kitten has a scratching post - it will not only protect the furniture from the claws of your pet. By scratching the scratching post, he leaves his scent and his marks on it - this is how the kitten marks the object. This is an important element of cat communication that will be useful in future stages.

When purchasing at the same time

If you buy two pets at the same time, then the question of how to make friends between two cats or male cats in the same apartment is practically not worth it, especially if they are still kittens. The animals find themselves in a new home for both of them, with unfamiliar things and smells, and the owners have a good opportunity to set the necessary rules of residence.

When buying a cat, you need to pay attention to choosing a pet house.

At the same time, try not to single out anyone and treat both pets gently and patiently. In addition, at this young age, kittens find a common language well and easily get used to their personalities.

Of course, if the animals are already quite old, then everything is unlikely to go smoothly, so in order for the cats to get used to each other as quickly as possible, you should:

• divide their territory into two halves with a metal mesh;
• swap animals twice a day so that they quickly get used to each other’s smells;
• place bowls with food and water near the mesh on both sides, and they should always be full;
• an aggressive cat must be stopped by splashing water on it or making a loud sound;
• a couple of days after the pets begin to be friendly towards each other, remove the net;
• observe the cats for two to three weeks: if everything is in order, then they can be left unattended.

Important! It would be great if, even before a new pet arrives in the house, it is possible to create a mixture of animal odors. To do this, you need to wipe two cats one by one with a dry terry towel, paying special attention to the cheeks, paws and genitals of the animals. And leave this towel in their shared home.

Main causes of conflicts

No matter how much the owner wants it, real pets have nothing in common with Leopold the cat. These are solitary animals, contacting their fellow animals only “on business”. And even if friendly relations have developed between the purrs, no one is immune from clashes.

But why do proud and self-sufficient animals get involved in conflicts? There are several reasons for this:

• protective instinct. Four-legged animals sacredly respect the inviolability of their personal space, which includes the animal’s habitat. Few people like it when a stranger invades their domain;
• resources. This could be food, a tray, toys, or even the attention of the owner. When a new person appears in the apartment, he is automatically viewed as a potential threat and a direct competitor;
• feeling of fear. Finding itself in a new environment inhabited by unfamiliar inhabitants, the pet may become frightened, and in order to ward off danger, a defense mechanism is activated - aggression;
• puberty. Competition is especially pronounced in males. In an instinctive desire to pass on their genes, they begin to fight for females, and sometimes these fights end tragically.

For different purchases

Often, already having an adult animal, owners decide to get another one. And then they must understand how two cats get along in an apartment. The most important rule: for an “old” animal, everything should be as unchanged as possible; the cat should not feel disadvantaged in any way due to the appearance of a second pet in the house.

To begin with, the resting place of an old-timer should be a complete taboo for a newcomer. In general, it is better to have a door between the animals’ resting areas that can be locked at night. At least at first.

Be sure to provide your new pet with a personal toilet. Once the animals become friends, you can use one tray.

The new pet should be fed from a separate bowl and preferably not in the same room where the old-timer usually eats. After a while, the bowls can be moved to one place and even moved close to each other. But at the same time, you should always give food to cats at the same time so that they do not have the desire to take food from each other.

At first, you should not leave the animals alone; let them be under the constant supervision of someone at home. And only when you are sure that the adaptation was successful, you can leave them unattended.

Basic Tips

Depending on the age of the cat, its place in the house and the time of arrival, the approach may vary. There are several basic rules that owners who decide to get a new pet should know .

1. It is best if the pets arrive at the apartment at the same time - very often you can encounter aggression from an animal that has been living in familiar territory for a long time, when another contender for food, space and attention of the owner appears. Unfortunately, this opportunity does not always exist, and often the decision to get a second animal comes at the moment when the first cat has been living in the same place for a long time.
2. The issue of purchasing a new kitten or adult cat should be approached with caution. If the first cat has character difficulties, health or mental problems, or if it is highly aggressive, it is better not to risk it at all and leave it alone. Cats do not require constant company in the form of other animals; they are usually quite comfortable around their owners.
3. In order for the first cat not to experience severe stress, she needs to show that she is still the main one in the house - she will need to make maximum efforts, in which her established routine will not suffer major changes.
4. You cannot give the cat's personal belongings, for example, a tray, bowls, a bed, to a newcomer. Cats are extremely important to their own smell; it is a kind of mark in their minds, indicating that no one is claiming a specific place. You should not immediately transfer anything for public use - this will violate the psychological comfort of the pet.
5. You will need to prepare the animals in advance and take safety measures. You need to trim your pets' claws, prepare a first aid kit in case the cats fight and injure themselves - in the first days, when the emotional shock is still too great, such situations are not uncommon.
6. If, despite following all the recommendations, the cats still do not get along with each other, it makes sense to consider giving up a new pet in order to avoid serious problems in the future. It is necessary to give the cats time to get acquainted and get comfortable, but do not torture them if more than two weeks have passed and the hostilities do not subside.

These are the basic rules that should be followed in any case. There are also a large number of subtleties and nuances that depend on various factors related to living conditions and the characteristics of the animals.

Two little kittens

This is perhaps the simplest situation. Kittens adapt very quickly to new conditions, and if they both recently arrived in a new home, then there are usually no territorial claims. Small animals are very playful and easily switch their attention from one object to another. Therefore, getting kids interested in playing, including playing together, will be an excellent solution to the problem.

It is important not to forget that each animal should have a personal space that no one else claims. The most important rule of trust and quick adaptation is that kittens should feel safe.

If, in a stressful situation, a pet chooses a refuge for itself (usually a sofa, a deep box or a carrier), under no circumstances should you prevent it from calming down. It is best to completely isolate the animal from the company of another kitten in moments of excitement.

If trouble happens and the kittens begin to show aggression towards each other, you need to separate them into different rooms and distract them with toys or food - after a few minutes the kids will forget that a fight almost happened recently.

Adult animals

The issue of restoring peace between adult animals is more complex, since they already have an established character and set of habits, and most importantly, a cat that has been living in a house for a long time considers itself a rightful owner and does not at all want to share its territory with newly arrived animals.

The main rule is the sequence of actions. Under no circumstances should you rush or force things; everything should be done gradually to avoid stress and disagreements between pets.

The following veterinarian-backed recommendations will help restore peace and tranquility to your home.

1. The pet must be brought to the new place in a carrier. You cannot carry him in your arms or on a harness and immediately release him into the apartment.
2. It’s good if it is possible to place a beginner in a separate room. At the same time, it is worth leaving some item in the public domain for the first cat - bedding, a toy or something similar that was used by the future roommate. This will allow the animal to get used to the new smell.
3. At first, it is better to leave the animals in different rooms behind a closed door. As soon as the cats begin to approach the door without showing aggression and sniff it on both sides, you can move on to the next step.
4. The new animal should be placed in a carrier with a mesh door or walls and placed next to the old-timer, allowed to get comfortable and sniff each other. At this stage, an aggressive reaction in the form of a hiss or growl is quite normal - this is a natural process, the cat makes it clear who is the owner of the territory.
5. As soon as the pets begin to behave more calmly, you can release the new cat from the carrier. He can be allowed to walk around the room calmly, but there should always be an escape route to a safe place - let there be an open carrier or a separate room where he can hide.
6. In the first days, clashes are possible; to many owners they seem to be manifestations of aggression, but this is not always the case. Hissing and pawing are usually part of the natural communication process at first. You should be concerned if cats behave so threateningly that they are ready to cause serious harm to each other - they extend their claws, bite painfully, or scream loudly. In this case, a pre-stocked spray bottle charged with cold water will help - during an active conflict, just spray and the cats will stop fighting.
7. One of the most important rules is to let the first cat know that she is still the boss in the house. At first, you need to actively pick her up, show affection, do not violate the feeding schedule and time, and do not give toys and dishes to another animal. The old-timer cat should be the first to receive her share of attention.

It usually takes from two days to a week until friendly relations between the animals are established. However, there are times when more time is required, and then it is recommended to move on to a different sequence of actions.

Prohibited actions

What is prohibited to do if two animals live in the same apartment at once - a cat and a female cat:

• to get acquainted, lock them in one room or forcefully bring them nose to nose;
• take them to different places, not allowing them to get to know each other at all;
• from the first day, arrange a common toilet, sleeping area and food bowls;
• give food alternately, while being in the same room;
• allow the “new” tenant to use the things of the “old”;
• leave them alone until cats get used to each other;
• give one of your pets more love, affection and attention.

How long does it take for cats to get used to each other?

Bringing a cat into your first cat's home is not difficult, but remember that each cat will behave differently. If the owners have a cheerful, optimistic animal, and the newly acquired pet has a wayward character, the familiarization process may take a long time. It is almost impossible to make friends between male cats in the same apartment; if we are talking about castrated pets, the task is simplified, since animals that have survived the operation lose the instinct to preserve the territory. As a rule, the period of rapprochement between animals varies from 1 week to several months, but with patience, lonely cat lovers can adopt and have three or more cats in one house.

Two cats (cats) in the house: pros and cons

So, there are now two cats living in your house. What are the pros and cons of such a situation? First, let's talk about the disadvantages:

• if your pets remain full-fledged cats, then during the mating season you will be threatened with “fights” of local significance, in addition, the animals will actively mark their territory;
• The consumption of cat food and litter doubles.

Did you know? In the second half of the 19th century, English scientists, after conducting a series of experiments, proved that feline therapy - therapy with the help of a domestic cat - is not a fantasy, but a proven fact. A cat provides significant assistance for diseases of the nerves, heart, and will even help cure a cold.

And the positive points:

• despite prejudices, cats are emotional animals, and having a friend or girlfriend will make their life much more active and fun;
• your home will receive twice as much fluffy happiness!

If you are mentally and financially ready to have another pet in your home, then do not be afraid of possible problems. Your patience, consistency and perseverance will certainly yield results, and the animals will become friends. And after a while, they will give you many funny and warm stories together.

Rules of reconciliation

The appearance of a new animal in the house causes aggression and stress in the old-timer. He will protect his bowl and sleeping place in every possible way. The main goal of the owners is to maintain the measured lifestyle of their first pet. The fact whether two cats will get along in one apartment or not will largely depend on this.

Animal psychologists believe that two pets can become best friends if they are brought into the house at the same time. But this happens infrequently, only if the owners move to a new home and at the same time take a new animal for company to their former pet. Or they get two cats at once. In other cases, adult individuals will have to be controlled until they rub against each other.

Animal psychologists give the following advice on how to reconcile cats:

1) First meeting - a newcomer cannot be carried home in your arms. It's better to do it in a carrier. First, the second animal must be placed in a separate room with the door closed. And in the room where the old-timer lives, put some of the newcomer’s things. This way he will quickly get used to the smell of his future tenant. After a day, you can proceed to the next step.

2) Accustoming - during the grinding of animals, you need to pay more attention to the first cat, especially if he is already old. Pick him up more, stroke him, talk affectionately. This way he will understand that he was not exchanged for another. You can’t give a new pet the old-timer’s cat accessories. The bowl, tray, bed, toys are saturated with the cat’s own smell, for her this means that no one claims her territory. Until the animals become friends, each pet should have its own things.

After a couple of days, the newcomer in the carrier can be brought into the common area, which the animals will now have to share (kitchen, corridor) and the first animal can be brought there. They will sniff through the mesh of the carrier, begin to growl, hiss, and try to hit each other with their paws. This is absolutely normal, no need to interfere.

If one or both pets are showing aggression, it is useful to temporarily separate the room where they are located with a net through which the cats can sniff each other, but they will not be able to fight. You can sew a couple of double-sided mats. After both pets have slept for a day on “their” side of the bedding, they are swapped and placed on the other side so that the neighbor will choose it. Once the animals communicate calmly through the net, it can be removed.

3) Preventing conflicts - usually within a few days (maximum 10) the animals get used to each other. During this time, there will be “local fights” in the form of hissing, rumbling, and paw strikes. This is fine. If, during conflicts, cats begin to bite strongly, beat their tails, press their ears (signs of aggression), or extend their claws, you need to spray them with water or cover them with a blanket. Such actions will stop feline feuds for a while.

4) Reconciliation - if cats eat from each other's bowls, do not disturb them. This is how they learn to trust, because sharing food is the main sign of a cat family. If, after a joint meal, the cats lay down on the same bedding, it means that they will get along together.

Two cats: what to do?

If you have a cat and want to get another cat, this is the most difficult case. Cats, as a rule, are much more sensitive to the appearance of rivals in the house - and this is exactly how they perceive each other. It is almost impossible to make friends with two adult, uncastrated cats, because at the level of instincts, their territory means for them the possibility of procreation.

Although there are cases where two cats become friends, they are most likely exceptions to the general rule. Most often, their relationships in the same apartment look like a sequence :

• Quiet breaks when cats ignore each other;
• Fierce fights as they try to demonstrate who is in charge.

If after several days of irreconcilable battles there is no improvement in their relationship, it is better to stop trying to make friends between the cats. After all, this is dangerous: cats can hurt each other, and they are constantly in a state of stress, which can lead to illness. It's not worth the risk.

If you fail to make friends with adult cats, you can give one of them away. But there is another way: castrate them. If you decide to choose the second option, you will face certain difficulties, such as operations and caring for the animals in the post-operative period, during which it is better to keep the cats away from each other. But after this, you are more likely to be able to reconcile the two cats.

To make cats friends, you should act in exactly the same way as when introducing two cats: you need to allocate in advance for each their own place for sleeping, for feeding and for the tray, and place them as far as possible from each other.

How to make them friends?

Two cats in one apartment is one of the most advantageous options. After all, compared to cats, they occupy a small territory, and they defend it not so aggressively. The only exceptions are when the animal is pregnant or nursing kittens. The task for the owner of how to reconcile two cats in one apartment becomes much more complicated if one of the furry pets is already seven years old, which indicates adulthood, and at the same time she has been the only animal in the house all her life.

As a rule, two adult cats in the same apartment build their relationship in a certain way. So, one of them becomes the main one, and the second has nothing left to do but agree to be in the background. The most dangerous moment of having two cats in the same apartment comes when one of them begins to heat.

It happens that pets at first glance get along great with each other. However, quite unexpectedly, one of them kills the recently born kittens of her competitor. The description of the cat's character allows us to conclude that this behavior is quite normal for her. This should be provided for in advance, allowing only their mother to see newborn babies. The second cat must be isolated. But it happens that “not the mother” accepted the kittens, began to gently lick them and remove their feces, and her friend calmly reacts to this. In this case, there is no need to worry about the kittens.

But how can you make friends between two cats in the same apartment if neither animal is going to give up the palm? This rarely happens, but with such an unfavorable development of events, furry pets fight literally to the last and very desperately. In this case, the owner will need to sterilize both of them. There is simply no other way to reconcile two animals that hate each other. A sterilized pet loses aggression associated with sexual instincts, which gives a chance for a calm and normal relationship.

How long do cats live at home after such a procedure? Some owners believe that the operation will harm their pets, shortening their life. However, this is not at all true.

How long do cats live at home if they are not sterilized? It is rare to find such an animal reaching 10 years of age. But in sterilized cats, due to the operation, a change in the psycho-emotional state occurs. Animals become smarter and calmer. Their mood is not affected by hormones. At the same time, the life expectancy of such animals increases and reaches a period of 15-20 years. Today you can find individual individuals who are already 30 years old.

Rules for organizing life if several cats live in the house

It is necessary to organize the living space so that animals have as few reasons for conflicts as possible. First of all, this implies the presence of several play complexes, houses or beds. It is advisable to prefer closed structures so that pets feel safer and can rest peacefully. Poor sleep causes stress, so no one should disturb your pet in his house. This primarily concerns the other pet. If one of the animals behaves too intrusively, you can offer a cage to the second cat as a refuge.

The absence of extra holes in the house is welcome, since this can provoke the second cat to play

There's nothing wrong with being in a cage. Perhaps we can associate bars with a prison, but for a cat it is a fortified, spacious home in which no one will touch it. Many cages are larger than play structures and playhouses. It is important to choose a product of such a size that the intrusive animal cannot reach its neighbor with its paw. Caging (of course, against the backdrop of reasonable training) can be either a beginner or a previously trained old-timer who is already accustomed to this. Attempts to lock up the first cat anywhere will be taken as restricting territory and challenging status. At best, this will simply cause negative associations; at worst, it will cause hostility.

If possible, litter boxes should be closed, as cats may interfere with each other.

It is necessary to provide the animals with several bowls and trays. The latter should be 1 more than the number of pets. Otherwise, not only conflicts and hostile relationships may arise, but also problems with the toilet. Sometimes more trays are needed. For example, my cats prefer to go big and small in different places. In addition, none of them will sit on someone else's tray. As a result, with 3 “toilets,” one of the cats began to shit in the corner. The other took this as a territorial mark, so she began to do the same. The brewing conflict was resolved with the help of additional trays.