Can I put new kitten and older cat together right after moving?

If your older cats have been together for several years, they probably have their "territories" picked out. It is quite possible that they just don't like each other. Having more than one pet is often like being placed with a roommate that you didn't choose - sometimes it is a great fit and sometimes you can't wait to move out! It is hard for me to tell you if getting new kittens will help or hurt the current situation, as it would just depend on how happy your current cats would be with new, and very young roommates. Kittens like to play, a lot, and often need to be taught the rules of the house. There will likely be a lot of fighting at the start until the kittens grow up a little. There is a possibility that kittens will help the other cats mellow out together, but my gut feeling is that this may not happen. If you do decide to get new kittens, remember that you will need a drastic increase in litter boxes (and feeding stations and water bowls). Veterinary behaviorists recommend 1 more litter box than you have cats, so that means 6 boxes! And they all need to be in different areas of the house to give a sense of privacy. You will also need additional quiet space so that everybody can feel safe in their own area.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Cats tend to be quite adaptable and able to adjust to a new environment well, so I think Blueberry and her kitten will probably do just fine! Of course, every cat is different - some cats love the extra stimulation and socialization that comes with having other cats in the household, while other cats prefer to live on their own and are stressed by having other animals around. You know Blueberry best and might be the best judge as far as how she'll do. If you're worried about how she'll respond, you could always consider this a "trial run", and let your friend know that if your cats don't seem to be adjusting well, you could take them back to find better arrangements. You should anticipate that the first week or two will be an adjustment period and your cats might do a bit more hiding than usual, and initial encounters with the other household cats will probably include some hissing as they figure each other out - but within a few weeks Blueberry and her kitten should be looking more relaxed and comfortable in their new surroundings. Good luck - hope this helps!

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!

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 best thing you can do is make sure that each cat has their own private space. You may keep each cat confined to their own room with food, water, and litter box for the first couple of weeks. Once they are used to the new home, you can let one cat out so that they can start to smell each other through the door. After a couple of weeks, you can do supervised time together. Pheromones may help with anxiety: https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=40373&cmpid=sc

Hi. The gender of the kitten probably doesn't matter but many think male cats are sometimes friendlier. Be sure the kitten has been tested negative for Felv and FIV before coming home as you don't want to expose your older kitty. I would also make sure she has been treated for internal and external parasites for the same reasons. When you bring the kitten home I would recommend giving the kitten its own room for a bit to allow the other pets time to get used to it through a door. Make sure that it's not someplace your older cat loves to be though! Adult cats can take a while to get used to a new kitten. So be prepared to weeks to months of her not getting along. If it happens more quickly, GREAT! Also- to prevent future litter box issues. A good rule of thumb is one litter box for each cat plus 1. So if there is room in your house for 3 litter boxes that is ideal. Here are some articles that may help on introductions. Good luck. Hope this helps! http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1384 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=46&S=1&SourceID=18

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Congratulations on your new kitty! In these situations it is best to do introductions very slowly. Some suggestions I have for you are as follows: 1) Use a Feliway diffuser to reduce overall tension in household 2) Go back to the beginning and over the first week introduce by smell only (introducing cats to each others bedding or something that has their scent on it) 3) Then introduce by sight only but no direct interaction. Do this for a week 4) Finally introduce cats together but only with direct supervision and with plenty of escape routes for both cats. Only leave them together for a very short time at first 5) Have plenty of tall cat towers and other things for the cats so they can observe each other from a distance 6) Have at least 3 litter boxes in different locations and definitely continue to feed separately and have separate water bowls. I hope this is helpful! Good luck to you and Malish!