Cats are naturally territorial, so any time a new cat tries to move into another cat’s territory, there’s always a risk for fireworks. It’s why the sounds of cat fights so frequently fill the night in cities and towns around the world. And, it’s why so many house cats act aggressive at the window any time they see a stray cat traipsing across the lawn.
But despite their preferences for being mostly solitary creatures, a lot of cats will do just fine living in a home with other cats. But at the end of the day, the key to getting your resident cat to live in harmony with another of her kind all comes down to introducing them the right way.
In this guide, you will learn how to introduce cats to each other properly, so you can hopefully avoid a potential cat fight in the middle of your home.
Step 1: Have Realistic Expectations
Very rarely will two cats immediately take a liking to each other and become best friends. On average, it takes anywhere from 8 to 12 months for a resident cat to develop a friendship with a new cat. During that time, your two cats may get into occasional altercations. They may completely ignore and avoid each other until one day you discover them curled up and sleeping together.
It is also important to recognize that there can be instances where two cats will simply refuse to get along. In this case, the cats may fight with regularity and result in the new cat needing to be re-homed. The reality is, you can do everything right when introducing your cat to a new cat and you will still have no idea how they’ll react to each other until they do.
Step 2: Control Their First Meeting
The first meeting of your two cats is the most important and it will be telling as to what their future together will be like. This is because if the cats are aggressive with each other at the start, they will be more likely to remain aggressive toward each other.
For this reason it is critical for you to control their initial meeting. Keep the two cats separated, so they can smell and hear each other but not see each other. For instance, keep the new cat in one room while your resident cat gets to roam the house as usual. Provide your new cat with everything she needs, such as her own cat tree, food and water bowls, litter box, bed, etc. When it comes time to feed your cats, place their food bowls close to the door that separates them, so they can sense each other. Give them extra-special treats along with their food to make the experience a positive one.
Do this for a few days and then swap the cats, so your resident cat is now in the room and your new cat can roam the house. This will allow them to get more accustomed to each other’s smell. After a few more days, encourage the cats to start playing with toys near the door. Eventually they may start pawing at each other under the door.
Step 3: Let the Cats See Each Other
If your cats haven’t shown any signs of aggression toward each other after about a week, then it will come time to finally let them see each other. Place two baby gates (one atop the other) in the door jamb and then open the door. This will allow the cats to see each other while still being safely separated. It is always recommended to have someone help you with this process, so one person can be on each side with a cat in case the meeting goes negatively.
Over the next few days, keep the cats separated this way and continue to feed them, play with them, and provide them with treats near the gate.
Step 4: Remove the Barrier
The final stage is to remove the barrier altogether and let your cats spend time with each other. Wait to do this until both cats are calm, and then pay special attention during their first face-to-face interaction. Have a squirt bottle filled with water at the ready in case they get aggressive and need to be separated.
After some time, return the new cat to her room. Continue letting the two cats be with each other for longer and longer periods of time if their interactions remain positive until you feel comfortable enough letting your new cat roam the house with your resident cat.