Cats do not like Change!

When introducing a new cat to a resident cat, progress in small stages. Introductions can take anwhere from a few days to a few weeks or more. The key word is patience!

Stage One - Scent Recognition: Before bringing the new cat into your home, confine your existing cat in a room with a locked door until you situate the new cat. Set up an enclosed room for the new cat with the litter box in one corner, a bed in another and food and water in another corner. Rearrange the room if necessary based on the cat's preference. This room will be a "base" for the new cat to explore from, and a safeguard to avoid setting off a territorial dispute withy your resident cat. Bring the new cat into this room and do not allow the cats to interact for several days. You can periodically swap cat beds or sleeping blankets to let them get used to each other's scent.

Stage Two - Limited Contact: After a few days or once any hissing and growling has stopped, use door stops to keep the door open only a crack - not enough for either cat to get their whole body through - just enough for nose to nose contact or "footsie." Continue this for a few days.

Stage Three - Supervised Contact: While the resident cat is busy elsewhere, open the door and let the new cat leave the "base" room when it is ready. Let the cats discover each other. Don't be disturbed by some territorial behavior, this is natural. If the cats begin to fight, make a loud noise to interrupt them, don't get in the middle. Do not leave the two cats unsupervised at this stage. Many short sessions are better than a few long ones. Always return the cat to it's "base" room.

Stage Four - Integration: Work the cats up to longer and longer sessions. When the cats have accepted each other, allow them to intermingle. Especially for the first few weeks do not promote competition. make sure there are plenty of toys for all cats. Feed the two in seperate areas, at least for a while. You may wish to maintain seperate litter boxes for a while too. (1 per cat +1 box)


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