Bringing A New Cat Into a Home with a Resident Feline
Bringing a new cat home is both challenging and exciting. While they are very territorial animals, cats can and do learn to share. This is never more important than when you bring another cat into a home where there is already a resident cat. If you have one cat and you think that he or she would benefit from having a companion, you may be concerned that your cat will not agree. The truth is that most cats will be stubborn about accepting another cat into “their” home at first, but if it is done with care, the pouting and grouchiness will soon turn into contentment and friendship, and your resident cat will be glad to have a companion. The first thing to do when you bring a cat into a home where another cat already lives is to set up a room for him in which he can be isolated from the resident cat. Being confined to a small space will help the newcomer adjust and feel safe in his new environment, and it will let the resident cat know that (most of) the house is still his. Put everything the new cat will need – litter box, food, water, toy, bed, etc. – inside the separate room. Be sure that the litter box is as far away from the food and water bowls as possible. Cats do not like to eat in their bathroom! The only interaction the cats should have with each other at first is to see each other’s paws under the door. Of course, they will pick up each other’s scents this way as well, which will get them used to the idea of having another cat in their territory. Don’t be alarmed if your resident cat displays angry or aggressive behavior at first. Hissing, growling and even hiding or ignoring you may be your cat’s way of telling you that he doesn’t like his routine upset. He will adjust. Be sure to spend extra time with your resident cat while he is adjusting to the new family member. Give him a new toy, some catnip or his favorite treat and see if he comes around. The new cat should be separated from the resident cat for at least a week. Do not allow any face to face contact between the two for that time. This will not only ease your resident cat into accepting the new cat, but it will also give the new cat a chance to get used to his new home before having to adjust to living with another cat. During the first week, make sure that the new cat is eating, drinking and using the litter box appropriately. If he shows any signs of illness, such as sneezing, loss of appetite, eliminating outside of the litter box, diarrhea or constipation, take him to the vet. After a week, you can start introducing the cats to each other’s scents. One way to do this is to brush each of them with the same brush. You can also switch their toys or feed them at the same time on opposite sides of the door. You can also take the new cat out of his room and allow the resident cat to go in and explore the new cat’s scent. When you do this, make sure the new cat is secure inside a carrier or in another room with a family member. When you feel like it is time to introduce the cats face to face, put the new cat in her carrier in her room and allow the resident cat to come in and approach the carrier. Don’t be surprised if there is some hissing during this first meeting. Just be sure the cats are safe and allow them to do their thing. If there is hissing or aggression, separate the cats and try this again the next day. Eventually, the cats will become accustomed to each other and will each will probably appear curious about the other. At this point, you can open the door to the carrier and allow the new cat to come out and say hello. For a while, only allow the cats to have contact with each other when you are present to monitor the situation. You will know when the time is right to let them interact freely on their own.
In a very few cases, a particular pair of cats may never get along. If this is the case, you may need to decide whether to keep them separated or to find a new home for the cat who has recently arrived. This is a difficult decision that should only be made in the extremely unlikely case that the cats endanger each other’s wellbeing with aggressive behavior. The good news, however, is that in the vast majority of cases, a cat who has been carefully introduced to the resident cat will become fast friends with his new housemate within a month. After a while you will wonder how they ever got along without each other… and so will they!
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A few extra tips may help to shorten the adjustment period when another cat joins your household. Once the cats have been introduced, gradually move their food bowls closer and closer together until they are eating side by side. Once they are eating together for a week without incident, they should be able to interact on their own without supervision. Also make sure that each cat has her own space in the house. For example, provide each of them with a separate cat bed or other cozy place to sleep in different parts of a room or even in different rooms. Also provide separate litter boxes. While the cats may eventually share one litter box on their own, let them be the ones to decide to do that.
