Introducing Cats

Set up a safe space for the new cat: 

Before bringing home a new cat, set up their safe space — a separate area with a door that your resident cat cannot access. It’s important to keep the cats completely separate for the first week or so. 

The safe space will be important during the introduction process and should have everything your cat needs: food, water, their own litter box separate from the resident cat's, places to hide, multiple scratchers (offer a variety), places to rest and sleep, and toys and enrichment.

Double the cats, double the resources

While most cats can share toys, beds, scratchers and cat trees, cats are sensitive to smells and can be territorial. To reduce the risk of fights, litter box challenges and issues with eating, get your new cat their own bed, food bowl, water bowl and litter box. This is necessary while the new cat is living in their safe space, but will also be helpful when the cats begin to share space — especially the separate litter boxes!

The Litter Box Golden Rule: one for each cat, plus an extra!

Escape Options: 

Make sure there are lots of hiding places and high spaces (cat shelves, cat trees, cubbies, etc.) for both cats to enjoy and escape to so they don't feel the need to fight over them. If your cats can't get away from each other, they may feel threatened and resort to swatting, scratching, fighting or biting.

When your new cat arrives…

1. Put your current cat in a closed room or another area of the home before bringing the new cat inside. Offer the resident cat a puzzle toy, licky mat or other form of enrichment to help them relax and stay busy. 
2. Then, bring the new cat inside straight to their safe space. Place the cat carrier on the ground and open the door. Let your new cat come out on their own time. Make sure your resident cat can’t explore the area near the safe space.

Step 1: Complete Separation 

1. Keep the cats completely separated without access to each other for at least a week. 
2. Be sure that the resident cat does not have access to the area right outside the new cat’s safe space. You can set up ex-pens or baby gates or keep the resident cat in a separate part of the home to ensure they aren’t going near the safe space door.

Step 2: Scent Swapping

While they are still separated, start building enthusiasm through scent swapping.

1. Present a blanket or toy with the other pet's scent and reward calm behavior with treats when the other pet’s smell is present.
2. Immediately start rewarding any interaction your pet has with the scented object (looking at, smelling it, touching it, laying on it) and then remove the object after a few minutes or before your pet can react negatively towards it.
3. In the beginning stages, the scented object should only be present if someone is there to give treats for calm behavior.
4. Over time, extend the length of time the scented object is present. Eventually, you can leave the scented object alone with your pet, but only if they have shown calm behavior with it. 
5. Once you observe consistent calm, relaxed behavior from both pets while scent swapping, you can move on to Step 3.

Step 3: Through a Door

1. Have one person in the safe room with the new cat and the other outside the room with the resident cat.
2. With the door closed, give treats to both pets. Keep these sessions short and always end on a good note before either pet becomes stressed, frustrated or overstimulated.
3. If either pet starts showing signs they are uncomfortable or fixated, stop and call them both away from the door using treats or a toy.
4. End the session before it can escalate. Once both pets are comfortable with this step (no hissing, growling, puffed fur, etc.), move to the next step.

Step 4: Through a See-Through Barrier  

1. You can use a baby gate, ex-pen or glass door, or crack open the door to the safe space just enough for them to see each other.
2. Have someone on one side of the barrier with the new cat and someone on the other side with the resident cat.
3. Repeat Step 3, allowing the pets to see each other while being given treats. The pets should be able to see each other but not touch. 
4. Allow the pets to approach the barrier on their own — do not force them.
5. If both pets seem relaxed or cautious, don’t intervene in their interactions except to praise and reward them for appropriate behavior. If either of them is not calm, redirect them and interrupt any negative interactions that may be happening (staring, growling, swatting, lunging, etc.).
6. Keep this session very short and end before it can escalate. Once both pets are comfortable with this step, move to the next step.

Step 5: Open the Safe Space Door

1. Put the resident cat in another area of the home and keep them away from the new cat’s safe space.
2. Open the door to the safe space and allow the new cat to venture out on their own time. Treat and praise both pets to continue building positive associations with one another.

Step 6: In-Person Meeting

1. Be prepared with treats and do this in an open area of the home with space for the cats to run and hide if need be.
2. As soon as the new cat begins to enter an area where the resident cat is present, start rewarding both cats with praise, treats, toys, etc.
3. Try to keep a little bit of space between the cats. Only allow them to approach each other if both pets are calm.
4. Reward both pets for looking at each other AND for looking away from each other (see infographic: The Engage-Disengage Game). 
5. If either of them is not calm, redirect them and interrupt any negative interactions that may be happening (staring, growling, swatting, lunging, etc.).
6. Keep this session very short and end before it can escalate.
7. Repeat this step many times, gradually extending the length of the sessions, before letting them interact unsupervised or for long periods of time.