How to Introduce a New Cat With Your Old One(s)

Introducing a new cat into a home with an existing cat can be quite a chore and try an owners patience. Often times the old cat does not take too kindly to the new arrival. From experience and with 4 cats in the home, I have learned a few tricks.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience
• Cat/Dog crate
• New Litter Box

1. First and foremost NEVER bring a new cat into the home without first having a proper checkup from a licensed Veterinarian. Get all necessary shots and take all necessary precautions.

2. Place your new cat, litter box with fresh new litter, inside a room separate from existing cat. A bathroom works really nice as it is usually vinyl or tile and easy to clean up messes. Cats are very independent and this gives the old one the opportunity to smell the other on their own terms. It can be comical to see them sniff each other underneath the door and get used to each others scent.

3. If you are lucky enough to find them playing with each other underneath the door rather quick, you can then take the new cat, put him/her into the crate and place it inside a neutral area of the house(such as not an are the old cat normally claims as their own, although we all know a cat thinks the entire house is their own and we invade their space :)).

4. If they do not take to each other right away, try rubbing an old rag on the new cat, take it to the old one and let it sniff, rub it on your own leg, arm, hands ect. This allows the old cat to smell the new scent on you, someone who is not a threat.

5. After a week or two of introductions, allow the new cat to walk around on a limited basis. Hissing from each other is normal as they still may not be too fond of each other. Do not scold your old cat for this behavior, allow them to adjust as only cats can do. Eventually one of three things will happen as obvious as it sounds. They will like each other, tolerate each other or hate each other. Your wish is for one of the firs two.

Tips & Warnings

• If they fail to get along and you can not bring yourself to give away the new cat. Make the new cat his/her own space in a bedroom apart from your own.
• Treats and certain cat toys seem to make cats forget they do not like each other even if temporarily and is a good way to get them close to one another.

[emilywhitby1]

on 7/29/2009 Great tips! Thanks!!

[fullplate]

on 7/25/2009 Thanks for sharing this!