How do I introduce a new cat to my existing cat so they get along?

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! I would be sure that the new and old cat are up to date on vaccines and deworming before coming in to contact. Then I would take the older cat and place her in a separate room or bathroom with a liter box and food and water for 7-14 days. Basically until she seems acclimated. I would purchase a Feliway diffuser, one for the room she is in and one in a location that the new cat can smell it. They can get used to each other by sniffing and hearing each other under the door. After the 7-14 days put the older cat in a cat carrier or use a baby gate at the door so they can see each other and hiss/growl if needed safely. Again for 7-14 days. Then let her out when you are home to supervise. Once that goes well they can be left together alone. You may be surprised out quickly she gets comfortable. I wish you the best! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37242

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!

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!

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.

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.

Congratulations on adding the cats to your family!!!! It's very important to ask questions about what kind of food, litter box and litter are they currently using. Try to use the same products. Also make sure to get a vaccine history and a thorough medical history (including Felv/FIV testing, deworming medication and any flea products that have been applied). That way you will be caught up on everything and can make arrangements to keep them on schedule with the preventive care if needed. Since the cats are already use to each other, it's likely they will get along fine in the new place. Here is a helpful link about new cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/bringing-your-cat-home-how-to-prepare-for-an-easy-transition/ I hope this helps and best of luck.

I would recommend getting a few Feliway Multicat diffusers before bringing the new cat home to try to calm tensions that may arise https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-MultiCat-Diffuser . I would also recommend reading this article on how to deal with cats that do not get along by Dr. Sophia Yin, which may provide you with a plan on how to deal with conflicts: https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/feuding_felines/