Have you been thinking about adding another feline friend to your family lately? If you already have a domestic cat and are planning to welcome another cat, it is important that you take all the right steps to properly introduce them. After all, most cats are territorial, especially if they haven't been socialized from a very young age.
So how do you introduce cats? Here's a simple trick that can help you start a new feline friendship.
Keep them separated at first
Set up a separate enclosure for your new cat with essentials such as food, water, litter box and toys. Make sure the space is inaccessible to your older cat to avoid any accidental collisions.
Exchange scents
After a day or two of keeping the cats apart, gradually begin introducing the new cat's scent. Let them smell your hands and clothes when you interact with them, so they get used to each other's scent. You can also try rubbing a towel or cloth on your new cat and then holding it next to another to find the scent.
Explore each other’s space
Let them take turns and explore each other's places for a few hours a day. Closely monitor each cat as it wanders into another cat's territory. If you see or hear the cat showing signs of stress, go back to the previous step.
Encourage interaction through the door
Place your cat's food bowl near the door on its side. Your current cat will smell it through the door and hear it. Place your current cat near the door to the new cat's room to associate it with good things.
Time for visual contact
If the above steps have been successful, it's time to let the cats see each other. Open the door slightly so the cats can see each other but can't stick their heads out. If you hear them hissing or moaning, distract them with a string toy.
Let them out together
Once the cats are comfortable seeing each other through the door or barrier, let them talk privately for 5-10 minutes under your supervision. You can try this step 3-5 times a day. Never force cats together and try to passively observe.
After you have successfully completed the above steps and you see no signs of fear or aggression, you can start leaving the cats alone for short periods of time. Use the camera to monitor their behavior in your absence. If a cat has shown any kind of stress or aggressive behavior, it's best to keep them separate when you're not around. On the other hand, if they seem similar, gradually increase the amount of time they can spend alone.