Introducing a Cat to a Multi-Cat Household

So you’ve had your new cat confined in her own room for a while. Now you can start to think about introducing her to your resident cat or cats.

With proper introduction, any two (or more) cats can learn to coexist. We can’t promise they’ll be best friends forever, but if you introduce them slowly, they should be able to tolerate living together. When a new cat is being introduced into a home where there is already a resident cat (or cats), it is especially important to give the new cat a safe haven.

Provide the new cat with her own room in which to adjust, as previously described, before introducing him to the resident cat. The new cat and the resident cat should NOT meet face to face until they’ve both been in the house for one to two weeks.

This allows both the newcomer and the resident cat time to get used to one another’s scents and the idea of another cat in the house well before their first face-to-face interaction. Even while the new cat is confined and kept separate from the resident cat, the cats are well aware of each other’s presence. Their sense of smell is so acute that upon arrival, the new cat knows there’s a resident cat and vice versa.

It’s important to give them time to get used to each other’s smell and there are ways that you can facilitate this process. Switching their bedding is a good way to familiarize them with each other’s smell. You can also confine one cat and let the other roam in a designated room and then switch and give the previously confined cat a chance to roam and confine the kitty who was formerly stalking around the room. This way, one cat will smell the other cat on furniture in a neutral place.

When you first confine the new cat, it’s a good idea to put a towel between the door to the new cat’s room and the floor to prevent the kitties from possibly antagonizing each other through the crack under the door. After they’ve had some time to adjust to each other’s smell, you can remove the towel and they can be allowed to bat paws, or play footsie, under the door.

When they’re finally ready for direct interaction, the best way to let cats meet for the first time is to leave the door to the new cat’s room ajar, and let the new kitty come out at her own pace. Let the new cat explore and interact with the other cat for about an hour, then return the new cat to her room, even if they interacted calmly. This time apart allows them to be able to process the information that they gained while together. It also allows them both to regain their sense of territory and confidence, which encourages the next meeting. Continue this process daily, lengthening the time they are together a little each time.

If you notice any signs of aggression during their interactions, please call us for advice.