How to Have Multiple Cats - Preventing and Dealing with Problem Behaviors

1. Rule out physical causes of “bad” behavior. If your cat develops a new behavior, take her to the vet to rule out illness that might be causing this behavior.
- For example, urination outside the litter box can be a sign of a urinary tract infection, kidney stones, or other problems.[7]
- If you are not sure which cat is urinating outside of the box, ask your vet for fluorescein, a harmless dye that will cause the cat’s urine to glow in ultra-violet light for about twenty-four hours.[8] Administer this product to just one cat each day, and then find and examine fresh urine in the problem areas. Eventually, you will identify the culprit.

2. Use a pheromone product to reduce tension. These products are designed to mimic cats’ own facial pheromones. They are meant to help cats to feel calm and can reduce aggression in multi-cat households.[9] They can also reduce problem scratching and some problem spraying.[10]
- Pheromones can be distributed using sprays, collars, wipes, or diffusers.

3. Make sure your cats can find places to retreat and be alone. Cats are territorial, and it’s important that you have enough space for the number of cats that you have.[11] They appreciate privacy and may feel more secure if they can hide sometimes.
- Take advantage of vertical space your home. Clear off a space on top of upper cabinets, for example, or leave part of an upper shelf open.[12]
- A very shy cat or a cat showing problem behaviors might prefer their own room, at least for a while. Provide their own litter box, food, and water.

4. Defuse misdirected aggression. If a cat gets angry about something, she might misdirect that anger into aggression toward another cat who is merely an innocent bystander. [13] If one of your cats is getting upset, direct his focus away from other cats.
- For example, if you have a cat who hates getting her medicine, plan to administer it when she is the only cat in the room.

5. Provide plenty of things to scratch. Scratching is an important behavior for cats. It helps them to mark territory as well as maintain their claws.[14] If you want to discourage your cats from scratching things they shouldn’t, like your furniture, you need to provide attractive alternatives.
- Scratching posts should be stable. Your cat should be able to lean into scratching without overturning the post. You can use weights of five or ten pounds to stabilize a small post.
- Provide a variety of textures. Many cats like the feel of sisal rope, while others like plain wood.
- Sprinkle some catnip on a new scratching surface to attract initial interest.
- Discourage inappropriate scratching using scents such as mint or lemon that cats dislike. You can also tape aluminum foil over a vulnerable piece of furniture to deter your cats.[15]

6. Use rewards to encourage good behavior. Although not as easily trained as dogs, cats learn to repeat good behavior if it associated with rewards. Use treats to teach your cat how to behave, being careful to not inadvertently reward behavior you dislike.
- For example, give your cat a small treat every time they use the scratching post.
- If necessary, you can discourage bad behavior by spray water near them. Use spray bottles, and don’t aim directly at the cat, but next to them. Use this method to break up a stand-off between cats.
- You can also use spray bottles to deter cats from counters, Christmas trees, or other places you don’t want them.

7. Introduce new cats slowly. When you get a new cat, don’t just dump them into the mix. A gradual, careful introduction process can prevent problems from developing.[16]
- Keep the new cat in a separate room at first. Allow your cats to smell the newcomer’s scent.
- Feed the cats on opposite sides of a door, to build positive associations and a sense of trust.
- Allow the cats to see one another through a screen door or stacked baby gates before proceeding with the full introduction.

8. Monitor your cats’ interactions with other animals and people. Never leave a cat unattended with animals that are its natural prey, such as fish, birds or rodents. Make sure that your cats can escape unwanted attention from dogs, children, and guests.