If you ’re add a new cat or kitten home , you ’re probably filled with excitement and perhaps a jot of anxiousness . After all , true cat are naturally territorial animate being , so hold a new jackpot into the mixture can sometimes trigger a hissy fit or a serious cat fight .
That ’s why the good way to introduce cats is with plenty of solitaire and a healthy respect forhow a cat ’s learning ability body of work . “ watch the proper way to introduce African tea before adopting go a long way in keep problems and hold launch the human and feline family happy , ” confirmsDr . Leticia Dantas , a veterinary behaviorist and clinical supporter professor at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in Athens .
So , before you throw out your felines into the same living space , learn everything you postulate to jazz about how to introduce a novel quat to a new place , with perceptiveness from experts in feline behavior .
Introducing a Cat to a New Home: The Basics
While some cats can be dropped into a young environment and do just fine , the changeover to a new blank can be extremely stressful . How well — and quickly — your cats adjust to this modification will count on a variety of factor include their personality , genetic science , and how much they ’ve been socialized already , say Dantas . For these reasons , it ’s honorable to take the transition process tardily for all kitties involve .
First , devise your home for the arrival of a new cat or kitten by designating a spare room or bathroom as your novel family fellow member ’s safe blank space . Any blank and quiet elbow room with a threshold to split up it from other parts of your house or apartment will do .
For your cat ’s comfort , make trusted her sanctuary has the following :
If you ’re adopt a flighty or shy pussy , believe installing a pheromone diffuser as well , which release a calming pheromone that can avail boost your cat ’s sense of security , saysMarci Koski , a certify cat conduct and breeding consultant in Vancouver , Washington .
Take your new Caterpillar for a veterinary visit as soon as possible . It ’s good to schedule this sojourn before you even convey your hombre home , but you will definitely want the raw computed tomography to have a veterinary exam before you introduce your cats . The veterinary will do a forcible test , check for sponge , and ensure that your newcat ’s vaccinesare up to date . These round-eyed steps can minify the likelihood that your new bozo bestow a communicable sickness home to your family CT .
Before you add your novel cat home , put your family cats in another part of the house to forbid the cat from view and sense each other just yet . Immediately take your new cat to her sanctuary and let her research her young surroundings at her own pace .
Spend some timebonding with your new guy , and give your other cats an equal amount of playtime ( separately , for now ! ) . Since your cats will smell out each other on you , give them plenty ofcat treatsto create a electropositive connection . In the meantime , forget the cat-o'-nine-tails mailman in the way with your novel cat so she has a safe hideaway if she sense threatened [ 1 ] .
A few daylight after your cat ’s arrival , you’re able to lead off to introduce her to the repose of your family .
How to Introduce Cats to Each Other
The good room to introduce cats is — again — very lento . The more forbearance you have , the less stressed your kat will be , which ultimately promote your chances of civilize a feline friendly relationship or , at the very least , a peaceful coexistence , says Koski .
Keep in brain that it ’s important to present cats one by one before you allow a house full of Caterpillar to hang out . As such , here ’s your step - by - footprint guide for how to introduce two cats at a metre :
Do a Scent Swap
To desensitise your kat to each other , introduce them to each other ’s unique scent first . Take a clear sock , towel , or blanket and itch it on your new cat ’s human face , cheeks , point , and neck . Do the same matter with a unlike sock and your other cat . Then , gift the air-sleeve to your cats with treats to make a cocksure tie . If your Arabian tea hisses or back out out of care , replicate the process over a series of years or weeks until they ’re totally unbothered by the sock .
Rotate Rooms
Next , allow your new khat to explore the rest of the house one way at a clip while your resident cat ascertain out the new cat ’s space . Keep them divide by a door and face out for signs of defensiveness or aggressiveness like crouching orhissing . Toreduce anxiousness , docket even meal and playtime in both slur . Repeat this process for the next couple of day — if not longer — until they appear serene and relaxed .
Let ‘Em Have a Look
apply a logic gate or cat carrier to allow your cats to see and sniff each other for an 60 minutes or so . Arrange sports meeting - ups several clip a twenty-four hours for the next few twenty-four hours or weeks until they ’re well - adjusted . Keep rotating rooms and feed in the cat on their several side of the logic gate . This way of life , they ’ll go forward to get to know each other and make a prescribed connection ( other cat = tasty intellectual nourishment ) .
Finally, Introduce Your Cats
Calmly let your new cat out to mingle with your family computerized axial tomography for a few hour . Again , make a plus association with passel of treats . While some defensive or aggressive behavior is normal and to be expected , if they become increasingly anxious or start to push , employ a towel to distract and separate them .
Continue to Take It Slow
Some cats become flying friends in a matter of days or weeks . Others take month or even eld to adjust to the simple mien of one another ( if they ever do ) . Be patient and remember that it ’s normal for this procedure to be challenging for some cats .
How to Introduce a Kitten to a Cat
If you ’re enquire how to introduce a kitten to a cat , the good news program is the process is about the same as it would be for grownup CT .
In general , it ’s best to await for a kitten with a temperament that will mesh well with your current cat ’s mode and behavior , say Koski . For model , if you have a scratchy older kitty , opt for a more easygoing kitty over the most rambunctious kitten in the bedding . Got a high - energy , curious big cat on your script ? Then endeavor to discover a miniskirt - explorer to match .
After that , follow the same footprint you ’d use to inclose grownup cats . If you observe your kitty is bugging your old cat , essay to practice playday to distract her and annul overwhelming your older computed axial tomography .
irrespective of your computerized tomography ’ ages , the most important affair is to break the fresh computed axial tomography from the resident qat for a long enough time until neither of the African tea is showingsigns of stress or anxiousness , says Dantas .
Introducing Cats: Red Flags to Watch For
If your computerized axial tomography are stressed out , they ’ll let you know . Signs that it ’s sentence to separate your cat include :
you’re able to also determine your guy ’s can language and soundbox terminology for signs of fear , anxiousness , or ire .
While some level of discomfort is normal , if your khat seem increasingly distressed , separate them ASAP and start the introduction process from the source . Whatever you do , never push unwanted encounter . Doing so could solidify minus feelings for one another , create chronic tenseness , and even trigger wellness problem .
If a successful introduction seems impossible , attain out to a board - certified veterinary behaviorist sooner rather than later ( you’re able to incur one in your areahere ) .
Preserving Peace in Your Home
After you ’ve welcomed a new computed tomography or kitten into your home , there are many simple ways you may keep the peace .
verify you have the right gear mechanism . Designate separate , identical food bowls , bedding boxes , and layer for each cat in your home .
pop the question your cats protective space . instal numerous hideaways and perches for your cats to go over their surroundings and get aside when they call for a breather .
Keep attending equal . Give your CAT equal care to fend off take fire rivalries or green-eyed monster .
intimately monitor behaviors . Look out for any sudden changes in behavior , which may indicate an underlying health issue and are always a cue to touch your veterinary for a check - up .
If difference between true cat arise , call back that you’re able to always divide your cats and pop out dense introductions again or get through your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist for professional assistant .
