How do I introduce a new cat to my existing cat so they get along?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
I’m considering adopting a new cat. I already have one, how do I make sure both get along?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on June 1st, 2018
Adding a new cat to your home can be a lot of fun, but can be stressful both for you and for your current cat. Unfortunately, there is never a guarantee that both cats will become best buds or even tolerate one another very well. However, you can take some steps to slowly introduce a new cat to your home to ease the transition and make it as low-stress as possible for both cats. Prior to bringing home your new cat, consider using calming pheromones such as the [Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser](). Also, be sure that both cats have been spayed or neutered to eliminate hormone-influenced aggression issues. Initially, keep the new cat isolated in a separate room (oftentimes a spare bedroom or the bathroom works well), allowing the cats to smell and paw at one another under the door. After a few days of this introduction, allow the cats to explore each other’s space for a few hours. In another day or so, allow them to see one another with an exposed barrier between them (i.e. a crate, screen door, etc.). If all seems to be going well introducing both cats, allow them to meet in an open room with plenty of supervision. Be sure that both cats have a way to leave the room should they feel stressed or threatened. Continue supervising all contact for at least a few days, possibly a few weeks, to assure that all goes well.
185Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on June 5th, 2017
Time and patience are your friends. Introducing a new cat can be a long and slow process. Making sure both cats have their own space to relax (which you seem to have done already) is a good first step. You can then use a baby gate or other barrier to let the cats see each other without interaction to help get used to each other safely. A monitored introduction in short bursts can also help get them slowly used to each other. Using a pheromone diffuser/collar can also help release a calming pheromone which can decrease intercat aggression and stress and may ease the transition some.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
We adopted a male Maine Coon, only 2 years old. The problem is our female 8 year old female brown Tabby is not accepting him, how can we help them get along
Congrats on your new cat! It's common that existing cats will take time to accept a new cat, and I can give you a method to help them get along. I would slowly introduce them to each other. Take the new cat, and put him in his own room with his own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let Gizmo in the new cat's room while the new cat is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove Gizmo from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let the new cat out of his room, and see how he interacts with Gizmo. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelve
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Today ill be getting my cat a mate, another cat, if im not mistaken she is at the end of her heat cycle, what should i do to get them to be best friends, are there any articles you can recommend or videos to watch?
The slower you go with cats the better. Have the new cat isolated to 1 room until they start having positive signs through the door. Such as trying to play with their paws under the door. Then move the new cat to a kennel in the living area for several hours a day. Continue this until they are having positive signs again. This may take a week or more. Once this has begun then slowly start to have supervised visits between the 2. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
What's the best way to introduce my 1 year old cat with a new cat that I recently adopted? He has never meet another cat
Great question! I would slowly introduce them to each other. Take the new cat, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let Thomas in the new cat's room while the kitten is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove the second cat from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let the kitten out of her room, and see how she interacts with Thomas. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep the kitten in her room when you go out until
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
When I had to move from my old apartment, into hospital and then to another apartment, I left my cat behind. She was very settled, the owner liked and was feeding her, and she very attached to the owner´s own cat. It didn´t seem fair to uproot her.
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! I would be sure that the new and old cat are up to date on vaccines and deworming before coming in to contact. Then I would take the older cat and place her in a separate room or bathroom with a liter box and food and water for 7-14 days. Basically until she seems acclimated. I would purchase a Feliway diffuser, one for the room she is in and one in a location that the new cat can smell it. They can get used to each other by sniffing and hearing each other under the door. After the 7-14 days put the older cat in a cat carrier or use a baby gate at the door so they can see each other and hiss/growl if needed safely. Again for 7-14 days. Then let her out when you are home to supervise. Once that goes well they can be left together alone. You may be surprised out quickly she gets comfortable. I wish you the best! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37242
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
We just found a young kitten (6-8 weeks old) outside our home in a tree. Its VERY lucky to be alive! We have 7 LARGE dogs on two acres of land. And we have 3 adults indoor cats too. The kitten is in a isolated bedroom unti!l I can get it vet checked
Good question! You do the introductions slowly, yes. The ideal way is to put the kitten in one room and the other cats in the rest of the house. Once the kitten is cleared by the vet, you will want to put the kitten in the rest of the house and all the other cats in his room. Do this for 30-60 minutes a couple times a day. That way they can get each other's scents. Also, at this stage you will want to feed the cats by the door of the kittens room; feed the kitten on the other side of the door too. So they can smell the kitten and get a reward at the same time. Once that is going well you can use a baby gate to separate them at the door for feeding. After a few days if that is going well (no hissing etc) you can let them all out together. When I say feed them at the door I mean something really good that they will consider a treat like canned cat food, canned chicken or canned tuna. Make it a really pleasurable experience! I also strongly recommend you get some Feliway diffuser
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
So we have a scardy cat who is about 13 and we decided to get a new cat who is 4, the old cat just hides in my room and the new cat is kept in the basement but when we try to introduce them the new cat just attacks the old cat right away, what techni
Hi there and thanks for using Boop by Petco! Congratulations on your new kitty! In these situations it is best to do introductions very slowly. Some suggestions I have for you are as follows: 1) Use a Feliway diffuser to reduce overall tension in household 2) Go back to the beginning and over the first week introduce by smell only (introducing cats to each others bedding or something that has their scent on it) 3) Then introduce by sight only but no direct interaction. Do this for a week 4) Finally introduce cats together but only with direct supervision and with plenty of escape routes for both cats. Only leave them together for a very short time at first 5) Have plenty of tall cat towers and other things for the cats so they can observe each other from a distance 6) Have at least 3 litter boxes in different locations and definitely continue to feed separately and have separate water bowls. I hope this is helpful! Good luck to you and Malish!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
How long should l wait to introduce cats to each other?
I would introduce them slowly to each over the course of about two weeks. I can give you the method I recommend for introducing new cats to each other: Take the new cat, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let the other cat in the new cat's room while the new cat is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove the second cat from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let the new cat out of her room, and see how she interacts with the other cat. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have two cats both are female. The oldest one is three about to be four and spayed. The younger one is two and we just got her from my husbands uncle about a month and a half ago and they are both having a really hard time adjusting and getting use
Time and patience are your friends. Introducing a new cat can be a long and slow process. Making sure both cats have their own space to relax (which you seem to have done already) is a good first step. You can then use a baby gate or other barrier to let the cats see each other without interaction to help get used to each other safely. A monitored introduction in short bursts can also help get them slowly used to each other. Using a pheromone diffuser/collar can also help release a calming pheromone which can decrease intercat aggression and stress and may ease the transition some.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, I asked a question a couple of weeks ago and was very pleased. I rescued Nala August 22nd this year, she was 2 on September 9th. I have 2 other rescues, an Oriental Tortie 5 & a Seal Point Siamese 9. I've had them 3yrs. My problem is, my older ca
The next step is to rotate rooms daily for at least 2-3 days. This allows the new cat explore the rest of the house while the resident cat spends some time in the new cat's room. This will give your resident cats a chance to smell the new cat and rub their own scent on objects. The cats should be fed in each area with wet food twice daily, and it is also good to play with the cats in each area at least twice daily. The practice of setting up a schedule of feeding treats of wet food, as well as a playtime routine, minimizes anxiety and makes the cats feel more secure. Keep the cats in separate areas for as long as it takes to allow them the chance to become desensitized to the smells and sounds of the cats in the other area. When they all seem particularly relaxed with this process, begin to expose them to the sight of each other. A good way to accomplish this visual introduction is to bring the new cat(s) in a carrier to meet your cats and sniff each other through the carrier wire door
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a 14 month old tabby and have just acquired another tabby that is about the same age. They are having difficulty adjusting to each other. How can I help them to adjust?
Getting a new cat is kind of like getting a new college roommate. Sometimes you are best friends for life and sometimes you can't wait to move out! You will need to give them some time to adjust and get to know each other. Make sure that they each have space to retreat to and feel safe. You will also need at least 2, recommended 3 litter boxes throughout the house. Same with food bowls, they shouldn't be expected to safely share a food bowl. Make sure they are both still getting attention from you, too! Sometimes supplements like Zylkene or Comfort Zone/Feliway can help with this type of stress. Here is an article that may help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-steps-to-introducing-your-cat-to-a-new-feline/ Environmental Enrichment: https://indoorpet.osu.edu//cats Litter Box Care: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3638
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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