SPECIAL OFFER!
Sign Up for our newsletter and receive 100 FREE recipes for your kitty!

We will NOT rent, trade, or release your information to any third party for any reason - ever. We respect YOUR email privacy and hate spam

Cat Articles

| Not-Using-Litter-Box | Stop-Cats-from-Biting | Cat-Shedding |
| Cat-Health-Problems | Should-I-Declaw-my-Cat? | Cat-Discipline |
| How-to-Clean-Cat-Urine | Aggression | Introducing-Cats |

Articles | main | Introducing-Cats |

Introducing Cats to One Another

Introducing cats to the rest of the family is a process that is best taken slowly. The degree to which cats will get along is dependent on their individual traits. Sometimes the best you can get is a group of cats that are willing to tolerate each other without fighting.

That said, it is often best to take what we call the "sight and scent" approach to cat introductions. Allow the new cat to be seen and smelled, but do not allow direct interaction at first. Put the new cat in his or her own room and let them get acquainted with your home gradually without interaction from other cats.

A cat's sense of smell is many times stronger than ours, so they will pick up one another's scent in the home. When you let the new kitty out to explore your house, they will naturally smell the other cats that inhabit the household. While the new cat is exploring, allow your resident cats to familiarize and sniff the new cats "home" room.

Allow this to continue for a few days before introducing them directly. When you feel the time is right, find an open area in your home where the new cats can officially meet each other. Be ready in case any aggression occurs.

Sometimes having a broom handy as well as a water bottle is a good idea. If the cats get into a fight, yell firmly and separate the cats with the broom. Do not attempt to break up the fight with your bare hands or you're liable to get a nasty cat bite.

Provide some fresh cat nip or other treats in the area and have the treats on a separate plate for each. This will help avert territorial urges.

Hopefully, a fight will not occur and things will go smoothly. Although cats may never become best buddies, they can usually learn to live together. It is best to make a good first impression by introducing cats with a slow "sight and scent" approach.

For more information on solving cat behavior problems, visit this product review page.

Thanks for viewing and be sure to sign up for our newsletter and mailing list for more information, tips and advice on cats. If you sign up now, you will also receive 100 free cat recipes instantly!