NEW CAT INTRODUCTIONS / REINTRODUCTIONS

Bringing a new cat into your home can be a wonderful experience, but it can be a challenge if you already have one or more cats. It’s important to plan carefully to ensure a smooth transition for all involved. Introduce a new cat slowly to minimize stress and prevent tension and conflict. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few months, and sometimes longer. Do not move to the next step until each cat is comfortable with the current step.  

• Take your time and avoid spur-of-the-moment decisions.
• Understand their needs. Will your home meet the needs of another cat? Ensure you have enough space and resources, including a quiet ‘transition room’ for the new cat.
• Ensure that all cats, both resident and new, have had recent veterinary check-ups and are in good health. Consider their age, playfulness, social habits, adaptability, and if they can deal with the introduction process and group living to ensure they will be able to integrate together.
• Should you add one cat or two? If you are considering two, opting for cats who are already bonded—like siblings—can lead to a smoother transition; however, you must consider the needs of your resident cat(s).
• If you are unsure whether your cats will get along, foster-to-adopt programs can be a great way to try out the relationship before fully committing.

Tip: Avoid bringing a new cat into the home if a resident cat is elderly or has significant health issues.

• Place additional resources (food and water bowls, litter boxes, scratchers, soft beds, hiding spots, towers or elevated space) throughout the home to prevent  competition and tension. Not having sufficient, visually separated resources is the most common cause of tension between cats.
• Set up a safe transition room for the new cat with food, water, a litter box, perches, hiding spots, a soft bed, scratching surfaces, and toys.

• To minimize intercat tension, plug in one diffuser in the main living area and another in the transition room 24–48 hours before the new cat arrives. (Feliway)

• Treats and favorite activities can be used as training rewards. Be sure to identify what every cat prefers.

• Bring the new cat into the transition room in a covered carrier to prevent cats from seeing each other. Let the cat choose when to come out, explore, and become comfortable. Just leave the door to the carrier propped open.
  
  

• Swap bedding or soft items between the new cat and resident cat(s) to mix their scents without direct contact.
• Repeat this step daily until the cats appear comfortable with the new scent. The cats should not see each other at all during this stage.

• If the cats are comfortable with each other’s scent after a few days, rub a clean cloth or sock that contains the scent from one cat over the other cat’s cheeks and chin, and in between the eyes and ears.
• Place the scented cloths/sock where both the new cat and the resident cat(s) can smell them. The cats should not have any contact with each other during this stage. 

• When the cats are comfortable seeing each other, try supervised sessions with harnesses and leashes held by adults. Or, you can have one adult with one cat in one end of a room while another adult brings the other cat into the room. The goal is not to have the cats meet each other but rather to be in the same room together without running at each other. This is done by distracting each cat with their favorite thing (i.e., toy, treats, brushing). Keep the session short and reward the cats when it ends positively. 
• Watch for signs of fear-anxiety or frustration, and be ready to step in if needed. Do not interact with cats who are hissing, growling, flicking their tail, or showing other signs of stress as cats can redirect their frustration onto nearby people or objects. Have a towel, pillow, or cardboard ready to block their view of each other if tension rises, and when they are calmer, separate the cats and go back to Step 8.
• Have toys scattered around the room and treats handy to distract and reward the cats.
• Start with short sessions and gradually increase the time the cats spend together and reduce supervision as they get used to each other, until they can coexist without tension.
• Make sure to close off all areas under Furniture before starting session where the cats could escape to if things go awry. You don’t want them to chase each other under a sofa and have a fight. 

If any step does not go well and the cats appear distressed, stop immediately and go back one or more steps. Move at a pace comfortable for your cats and only proceed when they are relaxed with the current step. We cannot force cats to be friends, but a slow, calm, well-prepared introduction process can help minimize tension and conflict.

Understanding the signs of tension and knowing how to respond can help maintain a peaceful household. The most common signs are subtle.

• Subtle Signs of Tension: Staring, blocking, tail twitching, walking away, hiding, stalking, and tufts of hair in odd locations.
• Blatant Signs of Tension: Chasing, fleeing, hissing, growling, swatting, house-soiling, overgrooming, screaming, physical fighting, and jumping onto another cat.

• Continuous Monitoring: Observe cat-to-cat interactions and be ready to intervene if you see signs of tension.
• Environmental Adjustments: Regularly update and enhance the home environment to meet all cats’ needs.
• Preventive Measures: Plan ahead and introduce new cats gradually, ensuring each cat’s individual needs are met.

If tension persists, contact your veterinarian. In more challenging cases, consultation with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or cat behavior consultant. 

Don’t want to go through the Cat Introduction or Reintroduction Process alone, All About Purrs can support you through it. If you are here in Las Vegas, we can visit your home. If not, we can walk you through it over the phone. We will assist you through each step of the process and answer all your questions as they arise. Contact us