Finally, the long-awaited moment will soon come when you have a new pet in the house.
The question immediately arises, “What’s the right way to introduce a new cat to your family and other animals?“
Whether you have other cats or dogs living with you, how you introduce them can set the tone for the future relationship between them.
And there can be both right and wrong ways to do this.
The main goal is to make the new animal feel welcome, but also to avoid causing resentment and aggression from other family members.
One thing that is certain is that you need to spend some time and, of course, show some patience.
Let’s try to figure out the best way to proceed when introducing a new cat to the family.
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We want to mention some pretty important things before you decide to adopt an animal. You should think about these things.
Of course, if there are no questions on all of these points, then the animal can safely be taken into the family. Naturally, we leave out those extreme cases when the animal must be taken at least temporarily in order to save it.
Let’s try to detail everything you need to introduce and integrate your new pets with other family members and pets. Let’s go!
At first, the cat will surely be a little (or maybe “a lot”) stressed by the smells and sounds of his new surroundings.
Your main task will be to create such conditions to make her feel at ease and free in at least one room of your home.
Let’s call such a room a “safe” room. You should allow your pet to feel like a full-fledged owner in this room.
The main points to pay attention to at first!
The wrong way to introduce your new pet is to allow him access to the whole house right away. It’s not a good idea to let him into every place in your home.
Not only will the pet be stressed and tense, but your other pets will view it as an intruder on their territory.
Established tenants are more likely to harass new pets. Which, in turn, can increase its fears.
The bottom line is this – when you bring the kitten home, put him in a safe room to get him used to the house for a while.
If you want your new pet to feel at home, give him enough attention and love.
By the way, this does not mean that the cat has to be stroked all the time – at first, they may not like it. Instead of petting it is enough to spend as much time as possible in the room with the new animal. This will give the animal a sense of comfort and reduce anxiety.
Allow the animal to explore you. Lie down on the floor to make yourself smaller – this will make you less “scary”.
Stand next to her and let her sniff you, walk around you, poke, rub, or even jump in. Keep in mind, though, that getting to know you initially will help him get along with other family members later on.
Before picking up a pet, let her get used to you for a while.
Of course, if the cat shows no obvious signs of distress or anxiety, you can play with it “full speed ahead” right away!
Prepare cat treats. When the animal approaches you, offer treats. It will be enough to throw them next to you on the floor or give them in your outstretched hand.
Play as much as possible. It doesn’t matter what kind of game you choose. It can be a simple dangling toy, a rustling mouse, or a laser pointer. Any game will definitely help reduce your pet’s stress.
Tip! You don’t have to look the animal directly in the face. Your staring may seem like a sign of aggression. It is enough to observe the pet out of the corner of your eye. You can also try blinking slowly.
If your pet often goes into hiding, give him more time before taking the next steps.
But if your pet seems pretty brave and already regularly waits for you at the door, consider leaving the door ajar – it’s time to continue exploring your home.
It’s worth saying that the adjustment period can be quite different. If the kitten is already very calm, playful, and “hanging” on your room door, then it may be time for him to open other areas of your home as well.
On the other hand, if the kitten still seems frightened of the new environment and makes no attempt to leave the room, then give him more time to get used to it.
This initial adjustment can take up to a week or more.
Remember that if you introduce a new cat to the family in the midst of a busy time, such as during the holidays – the animal will be stressed.
The pet will be overwhelmed by the sounds and smells of people and other animals. If possible, take the pet at a more or less quiet time.
Of course, it depends on the circumstances – for example, one of the cats we picked up on the street exactly on New Year’s Eve!
Tip! Don’t rush your pet. Allow him to learn a new life at his own pace. Believe us, your patience will soon bear fruit – and the pet will live in your family in harmony and happiness
Certainly, a new pet in the family is an extraordinary joy for our children. However, when you get a pet (especially the first one), explain to the children that it needs time to get used to.
Of course, you can let them visit the kitten – do so under your supervision and for a short time.
It also makes sense to give the children cat treats to give them from time to time. This will definitely help the children feel part of the situation and be “involved,” so to speak.
To help kids get to know the cat or kitten, we’ve added a little list with some tips from them:
Let’s assume that the new pet has settled into her safe room for a while and it’s time to introduce her to the rest of your home.
First, bring more things so that the cat begins to get used to other smells and places.
Let the cat sniff a pillow from your couch or a blanket from another room.
Keep in mind that it is by the smell that they learn about their environment. You could, for example, give your pet a T-shirt with your scent on it to sleep on.
If it’s time, open the door of her room and wait for the kitten to go outside on her own to explore the places and smells of the rest of the house. Try to stay close, but don’t distract her.
The first few times it makes sense to leave the door open. Do it at night when the house is quiet. Remember that cats are crepuscular animals and it is normal for them to take a walk at night.
If the cat goes out of the room by itself it can also find its way back if it feels threatened or endangered.
If you are not at home, it is better that the animal is in her safe room. And definitely don’t let him wander around the house when you’re not around.
As soon as the kitten gets used to the rest of the house, it’s time to move the food bowl and litter box to a place where he will live permanently.
The only thing is to make sure he knows where you move them, or else the animal might get nervous. And we don’t need that!
It’s said and done, and now our pet is in its permanent home. Presumably, all of these methods should work to introduce the new pet to your family and home, whether you have other pets or not.
And now comes the crucial moment of getting to know the other animals. Let’s try to go all the way as painlessly as possible…And so we begin.
Important! Before you introduce your new pet to other animals, it’s important to have current vaccinations for pets.
Why is it so important? A new pet can be a carrier of various infectious diseases – this can lead to tragic consequences for your domestic cats.
We know of cases where kittens have been brought into the home and caused the death of other animals (due to infections). So be extremely vigilant and don’t ignore the annual vaccinations – one day it may save your pet.
In general, if your new pet shows signs of illness like sneezing, lacrimation, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. We recommend temporarily refraining from seeing other animals until you have consulted your veterinarian.
It is important to understand that introducing a cat to other pets should be done slowly.
REMEMBER – it may even take a month or more to accept a new pet.
For the first week, you should keep your new cat in its safe room and keep the other cat or cats in the rest of the house.
Make sure that the chosen safe room is not your other cat’s favorite room. Otherwise, she’ll try to go into it and get worried when she’s not allowed inside.
Allow cats to stay in their own separate environment. They will begin to gradually get used to the sounds and presence of each other. Avoid early and unplanned animal encounters, which can end badly.
Let the cats get used to each other’s scents before they meet “formally”.
You can start brushing them with the same brush, petting one cat and then the other. You can also start introducing the cat to the other cat’s favorite blanket or toy.
It makes sense to swap bedding or sleeping blankets so they each have a chance to get used to the other’s scent. You can even rub one animal with a towel or blanket and put it in the room with the other animal.
Did you know? As a rule, your pets will get along faster if they are of the opposite sex. However, there are exceptions: every cat is a unique individual, so it all depends on your pet’s personality.
Naturally, cats may feel threatened and disgusted by the new smell at first, but they should get used to it.
Tip! Try placing some treats or food from below along the doorway, they will pick up food with their paws and get used to each other at the same time.
To avoid unforeseen situations, we recommend placing the new cat in a carrier and taking it to another room.
Place the carrier with the pet in a place where the cats can sniff and explore each other. This will save you from accidental fighting and things like that.
If the animals are acting very aggressively towards each other – then the “first visit” should be ended.
Don’t rush the process. Just separate the cats again and try the same procedure the next day.
If something went wrong, be sure to play with each animal separately before each encounter. This way, they will be a little physically tired and less likely to want to fight. Also, they will be in better spirits after the games.
Keep in mind that when cats hiss and growl at each other it is normal. But an all-out physical attack is already considered rare.
By the way, in case of a fight never stop it with your hands! Use a broom, water, or blanket to avoid biting or scratching.
If the animals react to each other without obvious aggression, it’s time to move on to the next phase – feeding next to each other.
Consider feeding the cats over some kind of barrier or a short distance away. The main thing is that they can see each other, but can’t reach and scratch one another.
Remember, however, that you must be sure to be close to them. The situation can change at any time, up to and including a violent fight.
If their behavior remains aggressive, feed them in opposite parts of the house or room. Then try to slowly bring their food closer together until they get used to eating nearby.
Try to give the cats more time to be and play together. Observe how the cats react to each other.
If you think the situation is getting worse, then return the new pet to its safe room for a while.
Tip! Be sure to have separate toilet trays, food bowls, and toys for each animal. Do not force the animals to fight for resources – this will instantly cause “friction” between the cats.
Remember that when cats are together, you have to feed them, give them treats, play with them, and give them enough love and attention. Believe me, they feel and understand your care.
Let’s add a little bit of bitterness and clarity to the situation if dating has been unsuccessful.
If you have tried all the methods and a dozen of others, and still there is no luck. And if it has been more than a month, and your cats do not get along, then, unfortunately, the only way is to look for another home for a new pet.
If they are fighting, hissing, or growling and can’t be alone together, nature has taken its course and we can’t do much about it.
Here is a step-by-step diagram in the form of a picture of how to introduce and make friends with cats. We hope it will be useful!
Proper attribution is important to us, so we kindly request that you include links when using images from our site.
Here are the recommended steps to make friends with your new cat and dog:
We are sure that all will go well and one day you will find your animals sleeping together and playing merrily. Remember, however, that the level of social interaction between animals can vary.
As an example, our Abyssinian cat treats the other cat, frankly, not very well – we can see how hard she tolerates him.
We even have a phrase, “What an unpleasant start to the day…” – when she hisses at him in the morning. She doesn’t want to play with him, and she only sleeps next to him on very rare occasions.
But when that happens, it’s a reason to be surprised and take a picture!
This article partly uses materials from:
1. Book: “You and Your New Cat”
2. Article — “Introduce a New Cat to the Family” (WikiHow)
Murmeo link to the article: https://murmeo.com/en/introducing-your-new-cat/