Introducing your new cat to your resident cat
Cats can have great friendships with each other but must be introduced slowly to help minimize the risk of starting off the relationship on the wrong foot. If one cat gets hissed at or swatted, he may always be scared of the other cat. Follow these steps as closely as possible to ensure success.
Understanding Cat behaviour
Domestic cats have evolved from their wild territorial and largely solitary ancestors. Their need to defend territory comes from the need to catch sufficient prey to survive. Though modern domestic cats are more social and can live in groups, it is important to consider their history to understand their natural territorial nature.
Relationship problems between cats are often a reason for cats being relinquished or returned to the SPCA after an adoption. The gradual introduction process is very important in establishing a relationship between cats.
Cats communicate visually but also by scent. They use rubbing to leave scent and for building a social bond with their human or cat friends.
Before you take you new cat home
- Set aside one room for you new cat away from the resident cat's favourite place.
- Have at least one comfortable sleeping area, one hiding area such as a box or a "tent bed", a water bowl and a food bowl. (Cats don't like to eat near their litter box so keep food and water bowls away from their litter box.)
Bringing your new cat home
Remember you must also help your cat bond with you
- Transporting your cat can be stressful. Cats feel safe when surrounded by their own scent. To make her trip as stress-free as possible, place the towel or bedding she has been sleeping on in the carrier box so that she has a familiar scent during the trip home.
- Once home, take the cat to her room right away. Do not come into contact with the resident cat.
- Keep the cat inside the carrier box until you are in her room with the door shut.
- Place her box or other hiding area in a corner of the room (away from the litter box) and place the carrier box beside it. Open the door.
- Do not force the cat to come out. She may be frightened and stressed by the new environment.
- Leave the cat alone in the room. Allow her to settle down and come out on her own.
Scent Swapping
Cats communicate with each other by scent. So you must start by introducing the cats to each other by "swapping " scent
- Later that day, place your new cat's towel on or near your resident cat's favourite place and encourage him to approach.
- If your cat starts to hiss, spit or avoid the towel place it on the floor away from his bed or food bowl. Each day move the towel closer to the cat's food bowl. Do the same thing with your resident cat's bedding giving it to the new cat for her to smell.
- Swap food bowls between the cats. They will start to associate the positive act of eating with the scent of the other cat.
- Swap direct scent between cats by petting one cat with a cloth around the checks and pet the other cat with it in the same way. It is important to rub the cheeks because this is where cats have glands that secrete a "friendly " hormone. Once they are completely tolerant of each other's scent proceed to visual contact.
The time it takes to accept each other's scent can vary from a few hours (usually when one is a kitten or both are very social cats) to a few weeks.
Visual contact
- Ideally, the solid door that separates the cat would be temporarily replaced with a screen door or a baby gate with the access above the gate blocked. However, if this is not possible, open the door of your new cat's room just enough so the cats are able to see each other, sniff each other and touch noses. The opening should not be wide enough for either cat to go through. Secure it with a hook or a small nail and a rope.
- Encourage the cats to spend time close to each other with treats on either side of the door or by playing with a feather. Do not use catnip. Some cats get aggressive or overly excited.
- If the cats are showing aggression towards each other (more severe than a hiss or a quick swat) you may need to make the opening smaller. Over the next few days, feed the cats closer and closer to the door.
- Only once the cats are comfortable with each other (they may sniff noses, play through the door or rub against the door) you can have a proper introduction. There should be no growling, spitting or hissing.
First time encounter without a barrier
It is now time to open the door and let them explore each other's territory. Just for safety, keep a set of keys handy that you can throw on the floor to startle them should they get into a little spat. Your cats will probably be fine. They may ignore each other. Do not pick them up and attempt to force them to interact. Remember, cats deal with conflict by increasing space between each other. Give them the freedom to do that.
Longer Term
When you have two cats, they may be very close, grooming each other and playing or they may live together but not pay much attention to each other. Cats enjoy watching other cats. Even if they don't seem to interact they are making each other's life more interesting.
Unless your cats freely choose to use the same litter box and eat out of the same bowl, be sure to provide each cat with a litter box, separate beds, hiding areas and food bowls.
Caution
Bullying between cats can sometimes be very subtle. A cat may bully another by denying him access to resources. For example, if you have a cat door, one may stand next to it and hit and swat the other cat when entering or leaving. One may sit near the food bowl and hiss or swat at the other cat when he approaches. Or one cat may simply stare at the other. You will know if the other cat feels intimidated because he will begin to avoid the areas protected by the other. If this happens, again make sure the bullied cat has his own space where the other cannot go and where he can access a litter box, food, water and bedding without being bullied.
While this bullying behaviour may seem minor, it causes chronic stress for the bullied cat and the one who feels he has to guard his territory all the time. This may lead to stress related disease or behaviour problems such as spraying or eliminating outside the litter box.
- Never punish either cat if they show aggression.
- If you see signs of aggression go back a few steps. Scent swap for a few days and start visual contact slowly again.