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How do I safely introduce a new kitten to multiple adult cats at once?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 1 month and 28 days old | 5 lbs

We just found a young kitten (6-8 weeks old) outside our home in a tree. Its VERY lucky to be alive! We have 7 LARGE dogs on two acres of land. And we have 3 adults indoor cats too. The kitten is in a isolated bedroom unti!l I can get it vet checked next week. My question, once vet cleared, do I do kitten to adult introductions as instructed slowly to ALL 3 adult cats at the SAME time??? All the adult cats are related. Mom, 8 years old & her two grown kittens 6 years old - all neutered. Help!

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Strydom, DVM

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 29th, 2017

Good question!

You do the introductions slowly, yes. The ideal way is to put the kitten in one room and the other cats in the rest of the house. Once the kitten is cleared by the vet, you will want to put the kitten in the rest of the house and all the other cats in his room. Do this for 30-60 minutes a couple times a day. That way they can get each other's scents. Also, at this stage you will want to feed the cats by the door of the kittens room; feed the kitten on the other side of the door too. So they can smell the kitten and get a reward at the same time. Once that is going well you can use a baby gate to separate them at the door for feeding. After a few days if that is going well (no hissing etc) you can let them all out together. When I say feed them at the door I mean something really good that they will consider a treat like canned cat food, canned chicken or canned tuna. Make it a really pleasurable experience!

I also strongly recommend you get some Feliway diffusers. It is "happy cat pheromones" that really works to calm cats down. Use it for at least 2 or 3 months time.



Hope this helps. I know it's a long process but it is much better to do it slowly than to cause issues by just throwing him in!
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 10th, 2017

    Hi and thanks for posting!

    Congrats on your new kitten! A good way to first introduce them is have them 'meet' eachother behind closed doors. Have each cat on either side of the door. Allow them to smell eachother and eat a few meals this way. They will associate eating (a good thing) with the other cat which will help make the real introduction easier. After a few times doing the closed door technique, place both of them in room where they can be supervised by you. Get them to play with the toy and interact with you and the toy together. Do a few short session of this. If they seem to get a long fine after a few sessions, then you may allow them to interact with one another normally in your house.

    I hope this helps and thanks again for posting- best of luck!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Debi Matlack

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on August 18th, 2018

    Start by taking their bedding and swapping it, unwashed. That will allow them to become used to each other's scent. When you introduce them to one another, start with a child gate in the doorway separating them. Let them sniff each other, put their food and water dishes near the doorway so they can see each other eat. After a few days of this if all goes well, take the child gates down and let them interact under your supervision. Make sure they all have plenty of perches, cat trees, scratching posts, litterboxes the rule of thumb is one per cat plus one, but that can be overwhelming if you don't have the space. At least two, cleaned daily if not more often, in different parts of the house in a quiet, out-of-the-way location is best. Provide plenty of toys and interaction so they can learn that the house is for all of them and you too. If at any point there is a flare of aggression, go back to the last step that worked and start from there again.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 29th, 2017

    Hi, thanks for using PetCoach!

    It will take time for Lovely to get used to a new friend. Since Lovely is pregnant I would isolate the new kitten in a room by itself for health reasons and to allow Lovely to get used to him through a door. That way if the new kitten breaks with any illness he will not get Lovely sick. If the new kitten doesn't get sick in 2 weeks, open the door but use a baby gate and let the 3 cats hiss and sniff each other through the gate. Or you can out the new kitten in a carrier several times per day and let them see each other that way. After 1-2 weeks of that, let the new kitten out. The Feliway diffuser can help (http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?w=feliway%20for%20cats).

    I recommend not allowing the new cat near Lovely around the time her kittens are due, during labor or after they are born.

    I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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