Will my cat accept a new cat? How to prevent jealousy and sadness?

Adding a new cat to your home can be a lot of fun, but can be stressful both for you and for your current cat. Unfortunately, there is never a guarantee that both cats will become best buds or even tolerate one another very well. However, you can take some steps to slowly introduce a new cat to your home to ease the transition and make it as low-stress as possible for both cats. Prior to bringing home your new cat, consider using calming pheromones such as the [Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser](). Also, be sure that both cats have been spayed or neutered to eliminate hormone-influenced aggression issues. Initially, keep the new cat isolated in a separate room (oftentimes a spare bedroom or the bathroom works well), allowing the cats to smell and paw at one another under the door. After a few days of this introduction, allow the cats to explore each other’s space for a few hours. In another day or so, allow them to see one another with an exposed barrier between them (i.e. a crate, screen door, etc.). If all seems to be going well introducing both cats, allow them to meet in an open room with plenty of supervision. Be sure that both cats have a way to leave the room should they feel stressed or threatened. Continue supervising all contact for at least a few days, possibly a few weeks, to assure that all goes well.

I am not sure what you are concerned about as far as safety. I do recommend keeping new kittens quarantined away from other cats for 2-3 weeks so you can monitor them for any illness that could be incubating. It can take time for cats to adjust. Getting a new cat is like getting a new roommate. Sometimes it is a perfect match and sometimes you can't wait to move out! Giving them time and space to adjust is the best thing you can do right now. You will need to have separate spaces, each space with its own food, water, and litter box. Sometimes using a feline pheromone diffuser can help with stress, like Feliway or Comfort Zone. Here is an article you may find helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-steps-to-introducing-your-cat-to-a-new-feline/

The next step is to rotate rooms daily for at least 2-3 days. This allows the new cat explore the rest of the house while the resident cat spends some time in the new cat's room. This will give your resident cats a chance to smell the new cat and rub their own scent on objects. The cats should be fed in each area with wet food twice daily, and it is also good to play with the cats in each area at least twice daily. The practice of setting up a schedule of feeding treats of wet food, as well as a playtime routine, minimizes anxiety and makes the cats feel more secure. Keep the cats in separate areas for as long as it takes to allow them the chance to become desensitized to the smells and sounds of the cats in the other area. When they all seem particularly relaxed with this process, begin to expose them to the sight of each other. A good way to accomplish this visual introduction is to bring the new cat(s) in a carrier to meet your cats and sniff each other through the carrier wire door. Place the carrier on the floor and allow them to meet this way several times a day for about an hour. Continue these meetings for several days or until they remain calm in each other's presence. If and when the cats are able to stay calm in each other's presence during these meetings, it is time to let the new cat out into the rest of the house for a few minutes. The length of the visits can be increased gradually each day. Depending on the personalities of the cats involved, this process may take a few days or a few months. If it appears that any fighting maybe be close to occurring while you are supervising, put the newcomer back in his/her room and proceed more slowly. If those supervised play times go well, you can begin to allow them to cohabitate in your home. If any aggressive behavior occurs at any time, begin the introduction process again. It is very important to understand that this process can take as little as a few days, to sometimes much longer. It is all dependent on the cats involved. If things don’t go well right away... One of the most important steps to dealing aggressive behavior between cats is to recognize the different types of aggression and understand their underlying causes. A short list and description of some commonly seen aggressive behaviors include: chasing; ambushing; hissing; swatting; and/or biting. If you see these behaviors, seek help from your veterinarian. Most cats get along fine if the introductory process is done correctly. Please seek help from your veterinarian if you feel that things are not progressing well, or if you have other questions.

I would recommend giving Maddy a very slow introduction to the new dog. You should be sure to spend time alone with Maddy at least once a day, and she should have a little time each day to have the house to herself as well. I would recommend keeping them mostly separate for a few days to weeks: they can sniff each other through a closed door at first then have short periods of time together supervised. If someone gets upset, they should be separated again. You may be surprised - Maddy might get along great right off the bat with the new dog but don't be discouraged if it takes awhile. You also might want to consider purchasing a pheromone spray like Feliway to help decrease her stress.

This is not uncommon, cats are not naturally sociable and take time to accept new cats into the territory. Pheromone products and calming supplements or diets such as royal canin calm can be very helpful

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats are finicky creatures. Cats tend to only like the cats they know. Even though your cat seems to like the ones she lives with doesn't mean she will like a new cat. Cats are territorial and like their own personal space. I would first allow your cat to get used to your new house with your boyfriend. See how is goes over several months. She will be stressed for a while just because of the move. Then see how she is once she is settled. If you want to get another cat for company consider it in a few months. Good luck!

I would introduce them slowly to each over the course of about two weeks. I can give you the method I recommend for introducing new cats to each other: Take the new cat, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let the other cat in the new cat's room while the new cat is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove the second cat from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let the new cat out of her room, and see how she interacts with the other cat. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep the new cat in her room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other.