Tips for Smooth Cat Introductions
Has a stray kitty ever shown up at your door in the middle of the night? Have you ever seen a sweet little face at the shelter that you couldn’t say no to? From fostering to adoption, integrating your new furry friend into your household can be an exciting - but often stressful - experience. Cats are especially prone to stress and agitation when introduced to a new environment, so it is important to pay attention to any signs that might indicate agitation. Furthermore, according to U.K. based animal rescue Battersea, cats are skilled in hiding their stress. Stressed kitties may hide more, eat less or more than usual, not use the litter box, excessively groom, or become lethargic. In order to encourage a peaceful integration, it is important to anticipate the stressful situations that might arise and mitigate them. For example, before introducing a new cat, following a fixed feeding schedule will create stability in your resident cat’s day-to-day life and ease any mealtime anxiety. In this article we will discuss some crucial steps to follow for a smooth introduction of your new family member.
Firstly, it is of utmost importance to understand that introducing a new cat into your household will take time, patience, love and understanding. Cats are territorial animals that do not take well to unfamiliar cats encroaching on their home turf, even if they are docile or a kitten. That said, take your resident cat’s personality into consideration when adopting or fostering - if your cat is shy or laid back, you might opt for a cat that shares a similar temperament. A very energetic kitten, for example, might overwhelm a quiet or anxious adult cat (American Humane). Having noted this, once you bring your new kitty home, perhaps the most important step to take is to make sure there is no visual contact between her and your resident cat. Cat behaviorist Jason Galaxy cites this as his number one non-negotiable rule. Equally important is setting up a fixed feeding schedule for your resident cat in advance, if possible. This will provide stability in your cat’s schedule and reduce stress during introductions. Fixed feeding times also function to promote bonding and positive association - food and treats - with an unfamiliar kitty.
Before bringing your new kitty home, designate two quiet spaces to keep her separated from your resident cat. These could be bedrooms, bathrooms, or other safe spaces. American Humane notes that this room should be familiar to the resident cat and “can be easily accessed by all human family members for social interactions and playtime, and that it is set up with food, water, litter, toys and soft beds.” Essentially, you want it to be cozy, safe, and mentally stimulating. A little gap under the door can be used later for introductions and mealtimes. Once you have set up separate “base camps” for your resident cat and new cat, you can place scent-soaker items like blankets, towels and scratchers in each kitty’s room (Jason Galaxy). A cat communicates many things with its scent - such as “safe” or “feel good” pheremones - and it is important for your kitty to be able to feel at home in her base camp. Moreover, you will rely heavily on scent-trading rather than visual contact in the introduction process, so being able to swap blankets between cats will eventually come into play. Pheromone products such as Feliway can sometimes ease the introduction process and be spritzed onto blankets and beds as well. Registered Vet Tech Liz Raynick comments that Feliway is an “exact replication of the familiarization facial pheromone in cats,” essentially communicating safety and comfort signals to your kitties.
The next step in introductions is setting up mealtimes on either side of the door where your new kitty is being kept. You should start by placing the bowls at some distance from each other on both sides of the door and move them together as your cats become accustomed. Tuna, treats, or other yummy snacks are great to use in this exercise as it promotes positive associations with a strange new cat! American Humane emphasizes that if either cat shows signs of stress or anxiety (flattened ears, twitching tail, growling, hissing, spitting), you should not introduce them directly and focus on feeding them in this manner until anxiety eases. If either cat refuses to eat, relocate their bowl to a safe place and try again after they have had time to relax (this could take a few days or longer). Taking mealtimes and scent introductions slowly gives your kitties time to adjust to their environments with as minimal stress as possible. If these feedings go well, you can proceed with “site swapping,” which entails allowing the resident cat into the new cat’s base camp to explore and vice versa. This can be done by confining your resident cat while the new cat is allowed to explore the house, litter boxes, food dishes, beds and toys. Again, no visual contact should be made here - only scent swapping. If either cat appears agitated or upset, American Humane notes that this exchange can be performed multiple times until they become more comfortable with eachother: “the new cat spends a few days in the room, then a few in the house, then back in the room — while the resident cat is in the opposite location. This can help ensure lots of scent exchange and desensitization.”
If site swapping and mealtimes continue to go well, the next recommended step is allowing a bit of controlled visual contact. The preferred method is to set up a see-through barrier between the cats that will allow them to both see and smell each other during mealtimes. A baby gate could work for this, but you might have to stack them if your kitty is a good jumper. You can also control the visual element by draping the gate with a blanket or towel, slowly raising or lowering the cover as needed. If both kitties do well and aren’t acting aggressive toward each other, it is time for them to meet! Allow both cats to be in a room together under supervision. If there is any aggression, separate the cats immediately and repeat the previous steps. If the cats play together, tolerate each other or simply ignore each other, you can continue letting them meet under supervision and encourage peaceful activities and playtime between them.
More sources:
https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-introducing-cats/
https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-cats-to-cats/
