How to Introduce a New Cat to your Old cat
- 26th Jun 2008
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- Dave
Ok for all of those that are thinking that this is just a referral to my popular “shaven pussy” post it can’t be further from the truth.
9 days ago me and Becky adopted a little black cat, from a friend of Rory (my hardware engineer). We already have a 13 – 14 year old cat (cork) so I don’t quite know what we were thinking bringing a little 1 year old cat into the house thinking all would be well. We did have plans to get a kitten when Cork has Karked it but we just happened upon this homeless little cat.
Our first thought last week when we first got Poppy (we renamed her from Salem) was that we’d just introduce the 2 cats to each other and all would be well. How wrong we were when the mother of all cat fights started! They say that cats fighting is the worst noise there is and it’s pretty horrific. Needless to say we decided that it was a bad option…. so what were we to do?
The answer is that when you introduce a new cat you have to do it slowly, and create an isolation room for the new cat (includes food, bed, litter tray), while the existing cat has the run of the house. Slowly you introduce the scent of the new cat to the old cat and vice versa. You can also put the existing cat in the isolation room while the new cat gets some freedom in the house. We had some hissing and spitting when the cats happened to see or smell each other but this has gradually subsided. The new cat was even out in the garden at the weekend and caught a bird … so was definitely settling in.
Anyway after a careful week of slowly introducing the 2 cats together it is amazing how adaptable they are. I was amazed how my old grumpy cat has just accepted the new cat, and amazed how the new cat has got used to us and got into a routine.
11 Comments | Leave a comment »
Put butter on its paws to stop it running away!
It’s all about smell. The cats sent glands are on their whiskers I think. I’ve heard you take a damp rag and wipe your current cat in the place mentioned above. You then repeat on the new cat to bound the smells. And Repeat.
You create a clan smell thats a combination of all your cats and you. I think that would work faster than the method above.
@Toby Graham the clothes thing does work but be prepared for the hissing in your direction when you take the scented clothe to the new cat !
Dave
I just got a kitten Siamese as a companion for my 5 year old Siamese. Thought they would get along well since my cat likes other cats in general. WRONG. My 5 year old hisses everytime the new cat comes near. The new cat just looks at him and avoids him when he starts hissing. So for now, the new cat is in the isolation room. But they both smell each other’s scents. Old cat doesn’t hiss at new cats scent, just when he comes near. I’m so disappointed. :(
Ok its not SEM related, and I’m not a cat lover but I will keep this in mind when I get a new dog.
I have 2, 3 year old siamese male cats and have just got a female kitten. Its only day 2, but my 2 boys who are brothers and usually get on sooo well are hissing and growling at each other let alone the new cat. Its so distressing and I hope they all learn to be happy together….
Oh lord - I don’t know what to do now..! It’s day one and we’ve just introduced them through home made bars (thanks the 3 patio chairs..!) - all seemed ok, no hissing or spitting but I tried to give a cuddle to my oldy and he was having none of it. Is he just sulking or does he now hate me..????
Kirsty .. No the Old is just a bit miffed that you smell like the new cat has well… it will pass
I’v recently got a 2 month old cat and allready have a 1 year old cat the little one keeps on hissing and the old cat juststares but sometines hisses any suggestions? thanks
michael
My sister and I discovered a stray cat and her kitten wondering at night in our yard. We were going inside to check if we could keep it and it accidentally got in our house and our older cat started a cat fight imeediatly and we didnt know what to do so we just through the stray outside back w/ her kitten. That was the end of that. We are still trying to introduce them. The stray will stay on the outside of the padio door and our cat will stay in the inside but they cant seem to get used to each other like that.
Any Segustions?
My wife and I have a 6-7 month old cat(Peanut) and we just bought a kitten whom is about 2 weeks old. They are both girls. We thought that Peanut would enjoy the company of another cat but we were wrong. Peanut doesn’t move in to fight but hisses and even made that aweful noise VERY LOUD!! Peanut is definetely much bigger and we don’t know whether to leave them alone or not. Should we just give them some time apart or is it time in the open house that will help them get to know eachother? Is it possible that Peanut will never like our new cat or is it possible that she will kill the new cat if we leave them alone? While we are home she just runs away from the kitten but will hiss and such too. I just don’t want a big cat fight…atlease while we aren’t home.
Any tips? I’d hate to get rid of the kitten but we just don’t know what to do if our other one doesn’t like the new one or will kill her :(