Introducing a New Cat to Your Other Cats

Lately there have been news reports about the overpopulation of animal shelters with both dog and cats. These shelters are pleading with people to adopt animals since they are running out of room to shelter them all. By the end of spring, these shelters will see even more animals in need of a good home, especially since cats are known to bear their litters during this time.

If you are thinking about getting a new cat, be it a kitten or one that is older, but are apprehensive since you already have cats, don't worry. There are ways to acclimate a new cat with your others.

Nearly every source you read suggests the same thing. Bring the cat in to your home in a carrier and then transport it to a room where it is sheltered away from the other cats. Leave the new cat in this room for a couple of days and allow the cats to sniff around the doorway, but don't let them see each other until the newest cat seems to be comfortable.

What my husband and I have found is that this often doesn't work out well. The "older" cats get curious and territorial, and the newest cat gets curious and sometimes frightened. Many times the newer cat becomes so used to its new domain, that, once it is allowed to roam freely, it doesn't want to expose itself to new territory or other cats.

What we do instead has worked time after time (we now have 9 cats).

When we bring a new cat home, we bring it in to the house in a carrier and set that down, still closed up, in the middle of the living room floor. We allow the other cats to come around and sniff to their hearts content. We watch as the cat in the box pokes its paws out and also sniffs what it can. After about 15 minutes the sniffing is done and some of the cats become somewhat disinterested.

We then open up the carrier and stay really close to watch what happens and act as mediators to the cat's interactions.

Typically, the new cat sticks its head out and starts looking around and then some of the older cats come over and get a closer look. If we sense any nervousness or intimidation on the part of any of the animals, we immediately begin a process of positive reinforcement of LOVE!

We stroke the cats that are interacting and make sure that if we touch one, we use that hand to touch the other - thus getting some of that cats scent on the other.

As time progresses, the newest cat ends up getting out of the carrier and starts moving around the house. We continue to follow - again reinforcing the positive. If there is any hissing or sign of general discomfort on the part of any cat, we will then pick it up, move a bit away from the new cat, and gently talk to it while stroking it to comfort it.

Usually, within an hour or two, we have every one of them calm and content and, above all, knowing that they are not being displaced for another!