Introducing Another Cat into Your Home

So you decided you love cats so much with the wonderful company of your current cat that you want to get another one? This can be a challenge since your current cat has adapted to the fact that she is your only cat baby. If you bring another cat in, what will she think? Maybe that you are replacing her! Ther eis a way to sort out cat rivalry! Follow these steps and soon your two babies will be snuggling together on your bed!

1) Before you adopt your new cat, pick a small room with a door that will serve as your new kitty's own room. A spare bathroom is a good choice. To set it up, place a cat litter box on one end of the bathroom, and on the other end, place a food and water dish (If it is a kitten, keep the food dish filled. Always keep the water dish filled.) Also, lay out a small spare blanket you don't care much for in the center of the bathroom. Place some catnip toys on the blanket.

2) Place your new family member inside the room and close the door. You might need to put your kitty inside a carrier as you make your way through the house to the spare room you have for your new kitty. Make sure your current cat doesn't know what is going on!

3) Play with your new kitty on his blanket. Encourage him to roll around on it by sprinkling cat nip on it.

4) After a couple days, take the blanket out (don't wash it!) and lay it in a cornor of your house where your current cat usually goes. When he finds it, watch him closely. If he scratches, purrs or growls at it, then you can put a big smile on your face. If he hisses or makes any aggresive motions then this when your cat and you new cat meet, it won't be pretty.

5)Assuming that your current cat showed no aggressiveness towards your new cat's scent on the blanket, it is time to move to the next step. Play with your current cat on the blanket so he can get his scent on it as well. After a day or so, place the blanket back into your new cat's room and watch him just like you did your current cat. Check for signs of aggressiveness. Hopefully your new cat will take very well to it.

6) Finally, lay the blanket flat on the floor underneath the door that separates the two cats and feed your cats on it with the door still closed. You new kitty should be fed on the half of the blanket in his room and your current cat should be fed on the other half of the blanket outside your new cat's room. They will be able to smell each other through the crack of the door.

7) They can now meet. Open the door and see what happens. It might be a good idea to have a clean blanket or towel to throw over one of them if they get into a physical fight.