Imagine handing out treats and name tags at the front door of your home for your new cat and your resident pets. Imagine happy munches and friendly meows or woofs as they blend and bond instantly and forever.

Then blink twice and remember that you are living in the world of reality and not in an ideal parallel universe. But armed with a set of realistic expectations, your reality may ultimately be just as ideal.

Introducing your new cat to the pets already in your home is a process. To succeed, you must start with a plan and a promise – to yourself -- to be patient. The process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks (and in extreme cases, a few months). 

To improve your chances of a happy blending of old and new, choose a cat as close as possible in temperament and activity level to the pets you already have. Cats and dogs are creatures of habit, and most dislike disruptions in their daily lives and routines.

Some dogs and cats are naturally more relaxed and more social than others. Some are more territorial and don't enjoy sharing at all. Unhappy with the arrival of a newcomer, they may demonstrate their disapproval by fighting with the “intruder” or by marking.   

Allow your new cat to adjust to you and his/her surroundings by keeping him/her in a separate room with his/her bed, litter box, food, water, toys and a scratching post for several days. Spend as much quality, comforting time with your new arrival as possible.

Maintain your other pets’ regular routines – from feeding and pottying to exercising, playing and together times – to reassure them that nothing has changed.

Since smells are of utmost importance to animals, get them used to each other’s scent as soon as possible. One way is through that most reliable standby: food. Feed your resident pets and your new cat on either side of the door to his/her room, encouraging them to associate something pleasurable with one another’s smell. 

Once your new cat is using his/her litter box and eating regularly, walk him/her slowly through your home, room by room, allowing him/her to become familiar with its sights, sounds and smells. Keep your other pets in your cat’s room to allow your new cat a sense of safety and privacy while promoting a further exchange of scents between them. Repeat this several times a day for a few days.

Next, use two doorstoppers to keep the door to your new cat’s room propped open just enough for the animals to see each other. Repeat this several times a day for a few days.

BUT remember! Every time you leave your home, leave your new cat in his/her room with the door closed.

Hopefully, when you’re ready to make the “formal” introductions, your patience and your animals’ pre-preparations will have paid off. And they will not only recognize, but also start to accept one another by what they see and smell.

Armed with the tastiest treats and most tempting toys, you can expect sniffing and circling, approaching and walking away. A kind of ritual dance repeated again and again as each takes the other’s measure. Reward good behavior with praise and treats, but discourage bad behavior by promptly separating the offending parties and gently, but firmly correcting them.

Once again, patience is key. This too is a process, which may take time until the blending is successful and your family is calmly and contentedly one.

If, however, certain problems persist, speak to your vet or consult a recommended animal behaviorist.

Article Written by Nomi Berger

Update: Joanne has been adopted by a wonderful family with cats and dogs.
Today we introduce you to Joanne, a friendly, young kitty who was rescued by Paws to Heart Rescue when she was timestamped at the shelter in Philadelphia. This brave feline tested positive for Feline Leukemia (FeLV), a virus that can weaken a cat’s immune system and make him or her more susceptible to illness. The good news, however, is that Joanne is currently healthy, happy, and has lots of people supporting her - people who know that FeLV is manageable, though not curable, and it is not the end of the road for her!

Kayla, a foster for Paws to Heart Rescue, is well aware of the challenges and joys of caring for kitties and seeing them go on to live in adoptive homes. Kayla graciously agreed to foster Joanne, and her story proves that these kitties are still worthy of our affection and time. Below are some common myths that persist about living with a cat with FeLV.

Myth 1: I can only adopt an FeLV-positive cat if I don’t have any other pets.
FeLV is contagious to other cats, but not to dogs or humans. FeLV-positive cats can live together.

Myth 2: FeLV positive cats are always sick and live a very short period of time.
During the early stages of infection, your cat may not show any clinical signs of FeLV. Over the course of months or even years, your cat’s health may experience some unhealthy periods and periods of stable health.

Myth 3: There is no treatment for FeLV.
Though there’s no cure for FeLV, treatment often focuses on providing the best quality of life. To make your cat feel best, feed him or her a quality diet, provide a quiet place for him or her to rest, and bring him to the vet regularly.
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Myth 4: There is no way to prevent FeLV.
There is a vaccine available for cats. Talk to your veterinarian about whether the FeLV vaccine is right for your cat. The best prevention is to eliminate the source of exposure by keeping your cat indoors.

FeLV+ cats need to have regular vet checks and be fed a very healthy, high quality diet to keep them healthy. Of course, adopters must have a big heart to provide a loving home to these very deserving cats knowing that they will only have their companionship for a brief time.

FeLV+ kitties generally take longer to find their forever homes and often incur more costs in caring for them. If you are interested in giving Joanne a forever home or making a donation towards her care, please contact us.

A cat-proofed home is a cat-safe home whether your new pet is a newborn kitten or a fully- grown cat. Before that first front paw crosses your threshold for the first time, your home must be a health zone, not a hazard zone. Be especially attentive to the sensibilities of former “outside” cats, who may never have walked on wooden floors, carpets or tiles, or been exposed to so many unfamiliar sights before.  

Begin the process of cat-proofing by walking through your home, room by room, searching for things a kitten or cat might climb, knock over or pull down, and either secure, remove or store them. Keep all trashcans behind closed and latched doors and wastebaskets (covered if possible) out of sight. Ensure that all heating/air vents have covers. Snap specially designed plastic caps over electrical outlets. Tie electrical cords together and tuck them out of reach.

Install childproof latches to keep inquisitive paws from prying open cabinet doors in kitchens and bathrooms, and ALWAYS keep toilet lids down. In bedrooms, keep all medications, lotions and cosmetics off accessible surfaces such as bedside tables. Store collections – from buttons and coins to marbles and potpourri – on high shelves, and keep breakables on low surfaces to a minimum. 

Most chemicals are hazardous to kittens and cats and should be replaced if possible with non-toxic products. A partial list includes: antifreeze, bleach, drain cleaner, household cleaners and detergents, glue, nail polish and polish remover, paint, varnish and sealants, pesticides and rat poison.

Many indoor plants, however pretty, can prove poisonous to kittens and cats that are, by nature, explorers, climbers and lickers. A partial list of these plants includes: amaryllis, azaleas and rhododendrons, chrysanthemum, cyclamen, kalanchoe, lilies, oleander, peace lily, pothos, Sago palm, tulip and narcissus bulbs, and yew.

Seemingly harmless “people” food can often be lethal for kittens and cats. These include alcoholic beverages, bones from fish or poultry, canned “people” tuna, chocolate, grapes and raisins, liver (in large amounts), macadamia nuts, milk, mushrooms, onions and garlic, potato, rhubarb and tomato leaves and stems, raw eggs and fish, and yeast dough.

Although prevention is the key to your new pet’s wellbeing, accidents can and do happen. The truly protective pet parents are prepared pet parents and know to keep a list of vital numbers handy:

• Veterinarian
• 24-hour veterinary emergency clinic
• ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435
• Pet Poison Help Line: 800-213-6680

Hopefully, these are numbers you’ll never use. And as long as you remain vigilant, both you and your new, best furry friend can rest, assured.

Article Written by Nomi Berger

Edited 6/4/2017
Foster parents take on a huge responsibility. Fostering kittens in particular is even more difficult. Some people will not foster kittens because they know sometimes the inevitable happens and they cannot handle it. This spring and summer we have all had some of our foster kittens pass away and it is truly heartbreaking after doing everything we could to nurture him or her, make him or her healthy. After all of our efforts, sometimes it is hard to see they were not in vain.

Foster moms and dads: you are doing a tremendous job that not many people can do. It has happened to most all fosters of very young kittens and usually it is due to inadequate or lack of feline mothering. If you have fostered a mother cat with kittens before you know that her little ones are more likely to thrive vs. a kitten who doesn't have a feline mom. Most everyone knows the benefits of a human mother having contact with her newborn baby and breastfeeding to provide the child with antibodies and nourishment and the same is true for cats. We try to replicate this by keeping kittens warm and bottlefeeding them formula/man-made milk but it it just isn't the same as the natural thing and sometimes they don't make it. Fact: between 15 -27% of kittens pass away before they are 9 weeks old.  

I know you and I know you are doing the best you can as a surrogate feline mom. It is devastating every time to lose a kitten that was taken from or left by their cat mother. It is okay to feel sad, but know you did the best you could and keep rescuing. There are so many others that need your love and nurturing to thrive. These babies, even the ones who passed, were loved and nurtured to the end - something they would have never gotten at the shelter or on the streets.

My first foster to ever pass away was not a kitten but a senior dog that someone turned into the shelter as I was leaving with kittens. I realized something was not right with him when I got home and after many tests the vet told me he was suffering and had no chance of ever getting better. I was fairly new to this rescuing thing and did not have a lot of support. I felt alone in this decision, defeated, and sobbed when he fell asleep for the last time in my arms. I am so grateful that now there is a team of us that can support and encourage other. What gave me peace though was knowing that his last few days of life he was loved and cared for in a home by me, rather than sitting in a cold metal cage in a loud place, alone, and receiving love and warmth from no one.  

You are an angel for ushering these little ones into a heaven, where they will feel no more pain or sickness. Thank you and and God bless you for continuing to do this continually heartbreaking yet selfless and heroic work.

Many remember Robin Williams as a genie in a bottle or English teacher, but Williams was also a true animal lover and advocate. One of his final acts was to help Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation. His adopted dog Leonard had almost more a presence than Williams did on his Instagram page. 

We know that a lot of people, especially animal lovers and advocates suffer from depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or other mental illnesses. A lot of us rescuers rescue because in part we feel we need or needed to be rescued at some point in our lives. A lot of us are so sensitive to the needs of those who are helpless, because we need or needed help when we were helpless.

If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or any other mental illness, please know you are NOT alone, you are NOT your feelings, and your feelings will change. Get help. If you were to walk away, who would be there to be an additional voice for the voiceless? The animals need us but we can't do any good for them if we are not good to ourselves. 

If you are feeling suicidal and don't want to talk to someone you know, find a doctor or therapist, or contact 24 hour hotline Suicide Prevention Center: (877) 727-4747 or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255.

There is no shame in being honest about your feelings and reaching out for help when YOU need to be helped.

One of our amazing volunteers, Kim rescued Duke after her friend found him after being thrown out of a car. Luckily, he didn't have any life-threatening injuries. A few days later he was in a loving, warm, and safe foster home. The family fell in love and decided to adopt him. 

Here he is now happy, healthy, and posing with one of the kids. Rescuing animals has to be one of the most heart wrenching jobs there is, but happy endings like this make it worthwhile. It is amazing to see how when pets like Duke are given a second chance at a WONDERFUL life, they embrace it and are so devoted to the ones who saved them from a cruel fate. 

Rescuers, please don't burn out because of bad experiences and people that make you angry, call you crazy, or situations that we all face in the rescue world. Keep rescuing. You never know what animal's life you will change for the better.