Introducing a New Cat to an Existing Cat at Your Home

Introducing a new cat to your existing cat at your home can be somewhat of a challenge. Cats tend to show hostility towards intruders in their territory and if you don’t take the proper precautions before their first meeting, your feline friends could become fierce enemies. Do it right, and they could be companions for life.

Don’t Introduce Them Immediately

After you have adopted your new kitten it is key that you don’t simply throw your cats together and expect them to work it out. Worst case scenario, this could cause severe physical harm to your youngest kitten as a cat will often lash out when feeling threatened or like it needs to defend itself. This reaction is caused by a stranger being in their home as they view their home as their territory and the new arrival as an intruder. Your pets shouldn’t make any contact during the first few weeks after adoption. In order to separate your cats you should put your new pet in a spare room which your other cat doesn’t often use. This will help provide a sense of security and an unthreatening environment that they can feel at home in. Make sure to include all the basic necessities such as cat food, water and litter box as your cat will be staying in this one room for quite some time. Your cat is going to be feeling on edge for a few days as they likely can already smell your resident cat’s lingering scent. You can help your cat relax by providing it with a cat bed, empty cardboard boxes and even a cat tree which helps your cat understand the space and different levels of their environment. Cats love being in an enclosed space such as a cardboard box because it makes them feel cosy and protected.

Have Them Eat Together

One of the easiest and most reliable ways of getting your cats to feel comfortable around each other is food. It is important to think strategically and to keep a schedule for feeding times. The end goal should be to have each cat’s bowl of food on either side of the spare room door and for them to be 100% comfortable eating knowing the other is on the other side. The most important thing is not to rush the process. Slowly move both bowls closer to the door every day, making sure not to move too quickly and scare the cat away. If either cat leaves a significant amount of food in their bowls that they usually wouldn’t then that’s a sign that you’re moving too quickly. Remember; be patient. One thing you should definitely consider is leaving the door of the spare room cracked the slightest bit open so that your resident cat can see and be aware of the new arrival, but make sure you do this from the beginning; too much of a big change will put stress on your cats.

Introduce Their Scent

The senses play a huge part in introducing your two felines, primarily their scent. One handy trick to get your resident cat to recognise your kittens scent and accepting it as a part of its home is by using a sock or piece of cloth. Take the garment against the palm of your hand and gently rub under you’re newest cat’s chin. You should place the sock near the eating place of your old cat and maybe even spray it with some Felliway. Felliway imitates the cat’s own pheromones and mixed in with your newest cat’s scent this should help your cat recognise your new cat as friendly and a part of the family. You should also give out rewards for your cat’s behaviour towards the sock. Make sure to give them a cat treat or extra attention when he does things such as going up to the sock and sniffing it or walking past without a second glance, showing it has accepted the sock as a part of its home.

Let Them Explore

After both cats are completely comfortable with eating near each other and seeing each other through the gap in the door the next step is to let your new cat explore your home. Take one step at a time and make sure to keep your old cat closed in a room whilst it explores. Your new kitty doesn’t need the added stress of meeting your old cat quite yet. It would be a wise decision to put your old cat in the same room you keep your new cat so that it may come to know your cat’s scent even better and understand what the other cat was doing in that room. You should do this multiple times until both cats feel completely comfortable in both environments.

Watch Their Body Language

Now it is time for the final step: introducing your new cat to the existing cat in your home. Make sure that you use a different, neutral room for this meeting so both cat’s levels of comfort stay the same. When first meeting it’s common for two cats to hiss, stare, sniff or ignore each other but if the two felines try to bite or swipe at each other you should immediately separate them and try again when tension aren’t quite so high. It would be a good idea to have a cat toy or some food handy to soothe both cat’s nerves. You should make these meetings regularly until you think your cats can peacefully co-exist but you should always wait at least a week after the first meeting before leaving them alone together without supervision.

Treat Them Equally

The most important point when adopting a new kitten is to show equal amounts of love towards both cats. It may be tempting to spoil your newest feline but your old cat may grow to feel replaced or unloved. Try including both cats in any cuddle session and even encourage you old cat to take part in play time with your newest kitten. Always keep in mind, even the most stubborn of cats can become great companions with time and love.]]>