Bringing a New Cat Into Your Household

You may have decided to bring a new kitten or cat into your home, but your current cats may not be of the same mind. Patience is the main requirement for successful introduction of new and current cats in the house. In rare instances, a cat may settle in with barely a blink, but a gradual introduction will give the greatest potential for the new cat to fit in smoothly while older cats don't get their noses out of joint. A proper introduction may take several weeks or months.

Upon adopting the new kitten or cat, make certain it is healthy. It should be up-to-date on vaccinations, have a negative feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) test, be flea-free, and should not be harboring an upper respiratory infection or skin condition such as ringworm.

Set up a room exclusively for the new cat before bringing it home. This can be a guest bedroom, a large bathroom, or an office. Outfit it with a litterbox, bed, and cat tree or window perch. It may also help to plug in a Feliway diffuser. Feliway is a synthetic form of one of the facial marking pheromones. These pheromones can have a calming effect during stressful situations. Be sure to pet-proof the cat's new room by making certain the cat can't chew on electrical cords, climb into an area where it could hurt itself, or eat any plants or other items that could be toxic or lodge in the cat's digestive system. This is especially important if you are bringing a kitten into the house.

Regarding kittens, if you are introducing a kitten into a household with mature, adult cats, two kittens are always better than one. Kittens tend to wear each other out with play and will therefore be less likely to annoy your older cat who just wants to snooze in the sun.

Spent lots of time in the room with your new cat in order to help deal with isolation. Make sure to spend special time with your older cats as well! The transfer of smells from handling the new cat and then handling the other cats will help them become accustomed to each other. You can also help this transfer by rubbing a towel on one cat and then use it to rub the other cat. You only want to do this when the cats are "happy" because you don't want to transfer "unhappy" pheromones.

Begin introductions slowly by putting the new cat into a carrier and bring it out into a common area. As your cats come to explore the new cat, speak reassuringly and pet them. If your cats begin to growl or hiss, do not reward them with petting. However, NEVER punish a cat for this behavior by yelling or hitting. Remove the aggressor from the area for a "time-out."

If things are going well, you may now introduce with some actual face to face time. Initally, feed the cats on opposite sides of a closed door. Next comes feeding with the door open, under your supervision. An excellent option for this step is to temporarily install a screen door or set up double baby gates, one on top of the other, since most cats can leap a single gate. Gradually move the dishes closer until the cats are eating in close proximity. If either cat exhibits aggressive behavior, separate them and then try to begin on another day with the dishes farther apart.

Cat agression is not always overt. Cats are masters of subtlety. Staring is very aggressive to another cat. Also, the posture of the cat's body as well as the raising of the fur can signal aggressive behavior. Try to stop the behavior before it goes too far, by placing a piece of cardboard between the cats or using a spray bottle of water (just don't let them see that you are the one holding the bottle).

If cats progress to overt aggression, NEVER try to break up the fight with your hands. Cat bites are dangerous and can lead to serious infections. The cats may be so hyper-stimulated that they don't realize it is you coming between them. They are just reacting.

If the introduction is going well, let the new cat out into the household, always supervised at first.

Introducing a new cat can change the hierarchy in the house. The cat that was "alpha" may no longer be and it may take some time for the cats to "sort themselves out." Be sure to have one litterbox per cat, plus one. It is important to have them in at least two separate locations, because if one cat is still acting aggressively, however subtle, they may stay in one area and block access to the boxes.

If the introduction has not gone well, you may have to return to stage one or perhaps consult your veterinarian or a licensed animal behaviorist.