Hope
Veterinary Surgery

Introducing a new cat into the household

By Hope Veterinary Surgery on Tuesday, 11th January 2022

Introducing a new cat to a home where cats already live can lead to severe disruption and upset if done without planning and control.

The introduction process may take only days but can be as long as several months. Following a specific protocol will help make the introduction as trouble-free as possible.

Many cats in a multi cat household will only ever simply tolerate each other. This is absolutely fine so long as each cat is happy and content. It may happen where cats progress so well that they will groom each other and sleep together but this is a BIG target so never force this.

Pheromone sprays

There are now two types of sprays/diffusers both acting differently to reduce your cats stress levels. Feliway Classic works by producing a synthetic copy of a cats facial pheramone which they use to mark their territory as safe. Feliway Friends is a synthetic copy of a mothers phermone when lactating which increases kittens bonding and provdies appeasement and reassurance. 

Two weeks before the introduction, Feliway® can be applied to the environment of both the new and resident cats’ areas. Feliway Friend® is preferred at the time of introduction; this is sprayed in to the environment or on to the hands of the person doing the introduction. Neither product should be applied directly to the cats!

1. Keep the new cat in a separate room, with food, toys, a litter tray (litterbox), scratching post, rest and hiding areas, and perches off the floor. Allow the cat to adapt to its new environment before introducing new steps.
2. Allow the new cat limited interaction with the resident cat(s) under the separating door, so that the cats can get used to each other’s scents and sounds.
3. Exchange bedding and other objects between cats to intermingle their scents.
4. If the cats will tolerate, rub a facecloth on the face and body (especially the cheeks and base of tail) of the resident and newcomer cats, one per cat. The facecloths should then be rubbed against door and furniture corners, to spread the cats’ group scent in the core territory.
5. Allow the newcomer to explore other areas of the house and become familiar with its layout and potential hiding/escape areas, while keeping the resident cat(s) away. You can allow the resident cat to explore the space of the new cat. Please note in some cases urine spraying may occur at these times (this does not mean the cats will definitely fight!). Conitune scent mixing, unless one cat sprays more persistently or becomes aggreviated, then seek advice.
6. Start initial short visual introductions, with either the newcomer or resident(s) contained in a cage, crate or pen, or across a glass door, window or mesh screen. This should be done several times a day, and treats given to reward friendly and calm behaviour. If aggressive responses are noted consistently, stop the visual introductions and seek specialist help. 
7. Once the cats appear to tolerate each other’s presence and there is no aggressive posturing, allow short periods of supervised contact by letting them interact freely in one room. Provide individual places to rest/hide. If trialing for a long period have two litter trays at opposite ends in the room and separatee water bowls.
8. Be prepared to intervene if there is any escalation in aggression (chasing/fighting) by using distraction methods (noise, water from bottle) or a heavy blanket to restrain a cat. DO NOT handle an aggressive aroused cat directly as it may become aggressive toward you (even your reident cat may accidently catch you).
9. DO NOT allow cats together without supervision until several supervised interactions without aggression have occurred, and the cats are calm in each other’s presence.
10. Continue to provide newcomer and resident cats with their own feeding bowls and litter trays. It may be necessary to always feed in separate rooms but you can slowly more the new cats bowl into the room you want it in but DO NOT place feeding bowls close together. This can cause chronic stress in both cats.
11. If the newcomer is not well integrated into the household and aggression between the newcomer and the resident cat(s) persists, seek specialist advice.

Multi-cat households

Many owners have more than one cat at home. Cats that are related, or that have been together since kittenhood, are more likely to get on than cats that have been introduced as adults but this is not always the case.

The most important thing that you can do to make it easier for your cats to live together in harmony is to make sure that there is sufficient space and plenty of resources (litter trays, food and water stations, beds, resting and hiding places, and scratching posts and surfaces). These should be distributed in a number of different places throughout the house. This prevents one cat from controlling one area and causing confrontation or fights with other cats.

• There should be easy access to, and exit from, the resources.
• Create 'hidden passage ways' (often just a little space behind the sofa or a large piece of furniture) for the cats to run through. That way they do not have to always pass each other directly. Monitor these as an assertive cat may guard them.
• Each resting or hiding place should be big enough for just one, or in some cases two (in the case of related) cats. Often cats like height so multileveled beds are often preferred. 
• Consider if one cat likes a certain bed compared to another cat. is it possible to provide both in separate areas.
• More assertive cats in the home should be fitted with a quick-release collar with bells, to alert other cats to their presence.
• Avoid the use of catnip if it makes one cat very aroused or aggressive toward other cats.
• If you are going to introduce another cat into the home, follow a recommended protocol.
• A rule of thumb is one litter tray per cat plus a spare. These need to be spread out, two trays directly next to each other will be seen as one by the cat

The information supplied on this page was kindly provided by the BSAVA (British Small Animal Veterinary Association).

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