How do you introduce your cat to a new cat? The first impression also counts for cats and you get only one chance to make a first good impression. Take your time to make sure the introduction of the cats turns out well. It can cause stress for your cat if suddenly a strange cat enters his territory. So don’t put a cat directly in the room with another cat to “let it fight out,” but build it up in steps. This to prevent damage to the relationship between the cats.
Make sure you also have an own food and water bowl for the new cat.
It is necessary that the new cat has his own litter box and sleeping place. It is possible that your cats will share the food bowl together in the future, but make sure that they both have their own stuff and place to be on their own in the beginning.
Give the new cat its own room to start
Not the favorite room of your current cat but a different room). Put everything he needs in this room, food and a water bowl, a litter box, the scratching post and other toys. Ensure that the cat also has sufficient opportunity to retreat and sleep.
Let the cats get used to each other’s scent.
The cats are still separated now. The first step is to let them get used to each other’s scent without seeing each other physically. You do this by letting the new cat rub his head along a washcloth (or other cloth). You place this cloth in the room where the other cat is. Give your cat a reward when he comes close to the washcloth with the scent of the new cat. Do the same the other way around and let the cats get used to each other’s new scent. Only continue with the next step if they respond well to this.
Let the new cat explore the house.
So far, the new cat has been in his own room. It is now time for him to examine his new home, the best thing he can do on his own. Leave the other cat in a different room so that the cats don’t see each other yet. Allow the new cat to explore the new house at ease. Then you put it back in its own room. Now let the other cat roam free again, he will smell that the new cat has arrived. Watch your cat react to this. Depending on the reaction of your cats, repeat this step a number of times.
It is now time for the cats to meet each other.
Leave both cats in the same room, if you succeed try to leave one cat on one side of the room and the other cat on the other side. Do this by giving both of them a treat and standing in between them. This does not have to take long. You also repeat this step until the cats respond well to each other from a distance. Make sure that these experiences are positive by hugging them even more after the meetings and perhaps giving them an extra treat.
If they respond well to each other, let them meet eac other, stay with them and make sure they are distracted a little with treats and cat toys. Keep these encounters short and build up the time that they are actually together.
In general, cats also respond better to introducing a kitten than an adult cat. The introduction of a kitten can therefore go faster.
