So you have decided to open your heart and your home to another cat. This was not an easy decision as you already have one or more cats in your home and are worried how they will react to the new addition. Well rest easy because there are steps you can take to ensure the introduction of this new cat will go smoothly. As a feral cat caretaker I have come across this issue more times than I can count.
Over the last eight years I have successfully trapped, altered and in many cases released some 30 or more cats. However over this time span I have encountered a select few that I believed would simply not survive if re-released to the outdoors. These cats became fulltime house cats and did not always get along with new cats outside let alone in a house.
Over the last eight years I have had to introduce many cats into my own indoor colony and not all of these cats ended up best friends. They did however all find a way to live together and be civil to each other, respecting each other place within the home. After watching some of their initial introductions I never would have guessed they would have developed the relationships they have today. Many of the cats that I thought would never get along have grown quite close with one another, some curling up together for naps and bathing one another. These relationships have no set time span and can develop overnight or over years. Respecting your cats' ability to work out social issues with one another is the first step in building a happy cat family. Never force your existing cat to interact with your new cat, let the two of them meet at their own pace as the 'getting to know you' phase between cats is an interact one.
You must keep in mind that cats are like people in the sense that first impressions count a great deal, and the way you present their new sibling is crucial to their future relationship. The cats in your home have staked out invisible claims on territory throughout your house. Marking these spots with pheromones they secrete from scent glands located on their cheeks and paws lets the other cats know who has claimed these areas. While introducing a new cat into their territory can be stressful, as they need to now share it, you can help to lessen their stress by slowly introducing your cats to the new cats scent. This can be done in many ways, some of which can be very enjoyable for both you and your cat. One option is to use a brush, a brand new brush if possible but your cats existing brush will work just as well. If your cat is a fan of brush time, this is a great choice for you. First brush your new cat, from head to toe making sure to gently brush his cheek area, as this will release the new cats scent onto the brush. After you have done this, bring the brush to your existing cat, allowing him to smell the brush before you begin to brush him with it.
If he allows you to, gently brush his cheeks, just as you did with the new cat. This allows your existing cat to begin to become accustomed to smelling your new cats scent in a non-threatening manner. You may also want to return the brush to the new cat, allowing him to smell your existing cats scent under the same controlled conditions. This is a great step to take before the actual face-to-face introduction so your existing cat can become aware that there is a new cat in his house with new scents but his initial introduction to these scents has been a positive one.
If the previous step has gone well, and both cats respond positively to the brush with each other's scents on them, you may now put both cats in the same room. A great time for this meeting is during feeding time, as you want all the initial interactions between both the new and existing cats to be as positive as possible. Feeding your existing cat first is preferred, then placing the new cats bowl down, but not too close to your existing cats. You want the two to be able to see each other but not feel threatened by each other's presence. After their meal, the cats will be much more relaxed and at ease, if they each hand around and begin bathing in the same room as each other then you can rest assured you are making progress. However, don't assume that this meeting will dictate the outcome of the actual face to face when no food is involved. Cats are very intelligent often ignoring the other cat for the time being, while still feeling threatened by them being there.
Another great way to introduce your cats to one another is by allowing your new cat to sleep on a clean blanket, and then spreading the blanket out for your existing cat to inspect. If he curls up on it and goes to sleep or takes a bath, he is letting you know that the new cats scent does not make him feel threatened. One final method for introducing a new cat to your existing cat or cats is to place a tiny drop of perfume in between their shoulder blades making sure he cannot reach it to lick it off. Then do the same with the other cats. This way, when your cats come in contact with one another they will smell only the perfume, and each cat will smell the same. This can be helpful in situations where the mere scent of another cat upsets your existing cat.
Remember that cats have a social hieirchy, and the addition of a new cat disrupts that hieirchy. Even in a house with one cat, the addition of another changes the social status of each cat. One cat will end up the alpha and the other will step down below him. In some cases, two cats will share the alpha status, while simply tolerating the other alpha cat. Be patient with your cats, there may be small fights as they need to figure out where each of them stand letting each other know what they will tolerate and what they will not. For the first few weeks, do not leave the new cat alone with your existing cats until you are sure there will not be any fighting which could result in injury. Giving your cats time, equal attention and affection, and making each interaction as positive as you can will help them to bond at their own pace in their own time, and result in a more positive experience for you and all of your cats.
By Nicole Cook
Over the last eight years I have successfully trapped, altered and in many cases released some 30 or more cats. However over this time span I have encountered a select few that I believed would simply not survive if re-released to the outdoors. These cats became fulltime house cats and did not always get along with new cats outside let alone in a house.
Over the last eight years I have had to introduce many cats into my own indoor colony and not all of these cats ended up best friends. They did however all find a way to live together and be civil to each other, respecting each other place within the home. After watching some of their initial introductions I never would have guessed they would have developed the relationships they have today. Many of the cats that I thought would never get along have grown quite close with one another, some curling up together for naps and bathing one another. These relationships have no set time span and can develop overnight or over years. Respecting your cats' ability to work out social issues with one another is the first step in building a happy cat family. Never force your existing cat to interact with your new cat, let the two of them meet at their own pace as the 'getting to know you' phase between cats is an interact one.
You must keep in mind that cats are like people in the sense that first impressions count a great deal, and the way you present their new sibling is crucial to their future relationship. The cats in your home have staked out invisible claims on territory throughout your house. Marking these spots with pheromones they secrete from scent glands located on their cheeks and paws lets the other cats know who has claimed these areas. While introducing a new cat into their territory can be stressful, as they need to now share it, you can help to lessen their stress by slowly introducing your cats to the new cats scent. This can be done in many ways, some of which can be very enjoyable for both you and your cat. One option is to use a brush, a brand new brush if possible but your cats existing brush will work just as well. If your cat is a fan of brush time, this is a great choice for you. First brush your new cat, from head to toe making sure to gently brush his cheek area, as this will release the new cats scent onto the brush. After you have done this, bring the brush to your existing cat, allowing him to smell the brush before you begin to brush him with it.
If he allows you to, gently brush his cheeks, just as you did with the new cat. This allows your existing cat to begin to become accustomed to smelling your new cats scent in a non-threatening manner. You may also want to return the brush to the new cat, allowing him to smell your existing cats scent under the same controlled conditions. This is a great step to take before the actual face-to-face introduction so your existing cat can become aware that there is a new cat in his house with new scents but his initial introduction to these scents has been a positive one.
If the previous step has gone well, and both cats respond positively to the brush with each other's scents on them, you may now put both cats in the same room. A great time for this meeting is during feeding time, as you want all the initial interactions between both the new and existing cats to be as positive as possible. Feeding your existing cat first is preferred, then placing the new cats bowl down, but not too close to your existing cats. You want the two to be able to see each other but not feel threatened by each other's presence. After their meal, the cats will be much more relaxed and at ease, if they each hand around and begin bathing in the same room as each other then you can rest assured you are making progress. However, don't assume that this meeting will dictate the outcome of the actual face to face when no food is involved. Cats are very intelligent often ignoring the other cat for the time being, while still feeling threatened by them being there.
Another great way to introduce your cats to one another is by allowing your new cat to sleep on a clean blanket, and then spreading the blanket out for your existing cat to inspect. If he curls up on it and goes to sleep or takes a bath, he is letting you know that the new cats scent does not make him feel threatened. One final method for introducing a new cat to your existing cat or cats is to place a tiny drop of perfume in between their shoulder blades making sure he cannot reach it to lick it off. Then do the same with the other cats. This way, when your cats come in contact with one another they will smell only the perfume, and each cat will smell the same. This can be helpful in situations where the mere scent of another cat upsets your existing cat.
Remember that cats have a social hieirchy, and the addition of a new cat disrupts that hieirchy. Even in a house with one cat, the addition of another changes the social status of each cat. One cat will end up the alpha and the other will step down below him. In some cases, two cats will share the alpha status, while simply tolerating the other alpha cat. Be patient with your cats, there may be small fights as they need to figure out where each of them stand letting each other know what they will tolerate and what they will not. For the first few weeks, do not leave the new cat alone with your existing cats until you are sure there will not be any fighting which could result in injury. Giving your cats time, equal attention and affection, and making each interaction as positive as you can will help them to bond at their own pace in their own time, and result in a more positive experience for you and all of your cats.
By Nicole Cook
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