cat to cat introduction

When introducing your new cat to resident cats in your household, please try to remember that they’re in a new environment, with new smells and people, so they may be scared at first. Follow our tips for a successful Cat to Cat introduction.

Find a quiet room in your house (a bedroom or bathroom) where you can keep your cat safely separated from the resident cat for a few days and it can be easily accessed by all human family members for social interactions and playtime, and that it is set up with food, water, litter, toys and soft beds.

Place both cats’ dishes close to the door, on their respective sides. By having both cats experience something positive while they are nearby, they can learn to form positive associations with each other.

If both cats are eating well, and appear calm and relaxed on their respective sides of the door, then it’s time for the big scent exchange.

Now you can confine the resident cat in the room, while the new cat is allowed to roam the house for a few hours. Each cat should use the other cat’s (scooped!) litter box, food and water dishes, beds and toys, so the only thing being exchanged is the cats themselves.

While the new cat is exploring your home, you may want to close bedroom and bathroom doors at first so she does not feel overwhelmed. Over the course of a few days, open a door or two at a time and increase the amount of space the new cat has access to.

Do this a few time to ensure lots of scent exchange and desensitization.

If everything seems fine, and everyone is acting, eating and using the litter box normally, then it’s time to introduce them to each other.

There may be some hissing or swatting, but cats often will work things out by themselves. If there is a fight in which one of the cats is traumatized or injured (and you have followed all of the above steps), then the match will likely not work out.

If the cats seem to tolerate, ignore, enjoy or interact with each other – that’s great news!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.