Introducing cats to each other can be a challenging process, especially if the cat introduction goes wrong. The majority of the work I do with clients is helping with cat reintroductions because their cats are not getting along so I hear some creative solutions to help build the cats’ relationship. Some are harmless while others are actually a really, terrible idea.
Some suggestions come up repeatedly because they were suggested as a potential solution for years. One commonly attempted method involves having cats meet while one or both of them are in cat carriers. If you’re thinking about using this method to help get your cats to stop fighting or introduce them to each other, please read on because it may make the problem worse.
Why Do People Suggest Using Carriers To Introduce Cats?
Carriers are suggested because they can prevent the cats from getting into a fight with each other during the introduction process. The carrier creates a barrier so even if they become aggressive, they won’t injure each other. The goal is to then have the cats see each other in the carriers so they can get used to each other over time.
A variation of this method that sometimes gets suggested is having one cat in a carrier, usually the one with more aggressive behaviors, while the other can roam freely. It’s also suggested to help introduce cats to dogs as a way to protect the cat from the dog.
What Are The Problems With Introducing Cats Using Carriers?
Carriers can keep cats from attacking and injuring another cat during an introduction (and can also prevent a dog from injuring a cat, though that’s not my focus here). However, the cats will feel trapped in the carrier. If the cat is afraid and can’t escape, you’re attempting to use a behavior modification technique called flooding. Flooding is extremely stressful for the cats and can easily make their fear worse.
Fear Of The Carrier
If your cat is fearful of their cat carrier to begin with, you’re putting them in a place they don’t feel comfortable and trying to build up a positive association with a cat they feel threatened by. In other words, you’re worsening the underlying emotion you’re trying to solve. If anything this will make them more fearful because now the other cat is extra scary.
If you cat likes their carrier (or tolerates it), you also risk this backfiring on you and creating a fear of going in the carrier. Not only will you not have cats that get along, you now have to fight your cat to get into the carrier whenever you need to take them somewhere.
Misinterpreting Body Language
It’s very easy to misinterpret that your cats are fine with each other when in a carrier. Even if your cat doesn’t hiss or growl, that doesn’t mean they are comfortable. A lot of people interpret a cat not trying to run away or not moving as being calm.
Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. When thinking of fearful behavior, fight and flight are often mentioned as behavioral responses. However, there are other options a cat may engage in. Fretting and freezing are both also behavioral responses to fear seen in humans and other animals.
Freezing in cats can show up as the cat trying to look smaller, not moving, and staring at the source of the threat. It can look very similar to calm if you don’t know what you’re looking for. You can’t interpret a cat not running away as being calm because they may actually be experiencing a high degree of fear, but be so afraid they can’t move. Plus, if they’re trapped in the carrier, they can’t run away anyway.
Side note: If you struggle with reading body language in cats, that’s okay. It’s not easy! I suggest grabbing a copy of Kitty Language by Lili Chin as it gives you a great overview while still being easily readable.
What About Harnesses?
Harnesses on one or both cats may seem like a good solution, but ultimately they carry similar issues. Harnesses can cause a cat to feel trapped and they may move less, but that doesn’t mean they’re calm. If your cat doesn’t like wearing a harness, it won’t be helpful for helping them build a good association with another cat.
If you train your cat to wear a harness and they actually like wearing it, it might help manage one of the cats. There are a few situations where this might be beneficial, but the majority of the time I don’t recommend it unless you’re working with a professional. However, unless you want the cat to wear the harness all the time, it ultimately doesn’t mean the cats will be fine being around each other.
The Underlying Issue Isn’t Addressed
The biggest problem with using carriers to introduce two cats is that the underlying problem isn’t being addressed. Anxiety and territoriality are the core issues you’re trying to solve along with helping the cats learn what to do with each other. Putting cats in carriers may worsen anxiety and they don’t learn what to do with each other.
Having the cats spend time around each other just doing nothing isn’t enough to help them build a positive relationship. They need to learn the other cat is not a threat and that they can relax with each other. The best way to do this is not to simply let them see each other for a long period of time. It’s to teach them what to do with each other. Putting a the cats in carriers and shoving them together doesn’t do that.
Alternative Solutions
Instead of using carriers, use tall pet gates to keep the cats separated in different rooms to start. The pet gates prevent the cats from hurting each other and allow the cats to leave if they get anxious. Learning to walk away is a good thing!
You can then use play, clicker training, or other more effective interventions to help them learn to live together peacefully. Save the carriers for adventures out of the home.
