When introducing your new cat to other pets, the most important thing is to GO SLOW.

A gradual introduction is important for pets to build friendship. If one gets hissed, swatted, or nipped at, it may stay afraid of the other pet. This can lead to relationship and behaviour problems.

If you want your pets to be buddies for life, follow these steps:

• After your new cat has been in their “safe room” for a few days, you can begin scent swapping. Take the bedding from the new cat’s “safe room” and trade it with the bedding of your existing pets. This allows both parties to get used to each other’s scent without any physical interaction.

• At this point, your pets may be curious about each other, based on their smell, but also stressed by the other’s presence. The goal is to show them that good things (like treats) happen when they see each other, to create positive associations.

• For this, utilize the “safe room” to feed resident pets and your new cat on opposite sides of the “safe room” door. Over a few days to a week or even weeks, move the food closer and closer to the door.

• Once the pets seem relaxed while they are eating, and any growling or hissing has stopped, open the door a crack while the pets are eating. This allows them to partially see each other while engaging in an enjoyable activity.

• Once the pets can eat without growling or hissing, gradually open the “safe room” door wider until they can see each other well.

• When you see positive indications that show the pets are developing comfort with each other, you can increase the amount of time they see each other.

  • Eating treats in the presence of other pets.

  • Playing with a toy in the presence of other pets.

  • Ignoring each other and going about their own business on opposite sides of the baby gate.

  • Touching noses through the gate, playing footsies under it, and/or rubbing their bodies against it.

• If you notice any pet is stressed, go slower with the process. This is not a setback! It just means that the process will take longer than you initially thought.

  • Distancing themselves so they don’t see the other.

  • Stressed body language.

• As your pets are increasingly comfortable with each other, you can begin to give them supervised time together without the baby gate. Reward them with treats for any positive or neutral interactions.

• At the slightest indication of a negative interaction (like stalking, chasing or pouncing) distract and redirect with treats or a toy.

• Aim to end the interaction on a positive note, then gradually extend the amount of time that you allow the cats to be in the same area under close supervision.

• When the pets have repeatedly, over at least several days if not weeks, had positive or neutral interactions without showing signs of stress, they are ready for unsupervised time together.

• As your new cat is fully integrated into your home, be sure that each pet has easy access to food, water, comfortable beds and attention so they do not feel in competition for any of these resources.

  Information gathered from HumaneSociety.org