Introducing A New Cat To Your Old Cat

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     A certain excitement goes into your heart when you learn that you are acquiring a new cat; however, will your old cat feel as excited? Deciding to have another cat into your home can be tough if you do not know how to introduce it to the one you already have. Cats are very defensive of their territory so you have to make sure that your new cat is introduced correctly to the old one.

The time period to introduce the two cats can be short if they are still kittens. The introductory phase for kittens usually lasts for 10 to 15 days. Both cats?temperament and personality affect the introductory process. Assure your old cat that it is still loved so that it will not think that the new cat is a contender.

When bringing the new pet home, allot a safe room for the new cat to stay in for a while. Have the new cat settle in this room during the duration of the introductory process. There are no specifics for the room that you could use - it can be a spare bedroom or a bathroom. It is recommended, however, that you use a room that your old cat does not go into. Make sure that the following are inside the room where your cat will live in to make it feel at ease: scratching post, bed, litter box, water dish and food dish.

Since a cat is new, the old one may try to dominate it and make it feel that it does not belong there. When the old cat sees the new cat by the door, it may hiss and howl at it. Pay no attention to what your old cat is doing. Reprimanding the old cat for its aggressive behavior may cause bigger problems later on. Eventually, the old cat will quiet down when it goes near the door of the new cat. Once the hissing and howling stop, reward your old cat with praise and acknowledgment.

When the old cat is no longer hissing and howling at the new cat, that is the time that they can be initiated to one another. Using the scent of each cat is an effective way to start the introduction. First, use one food dish in feeding them. It is strongly recommended that you feed them at different times but using the same dish because it is important that they get accustomed to each other抯 scent first.

You can feed them closer after they have been accustomed to each other抯 smell. To do this, hide your new cat in the safe room then close the door. Feed the new cat in the safe room with the door shut behind it. Then, set up the place at opposite side of the door as the new location to feed your old cat. Later on, they will stop hissing and growling at each other and eat calmly at the same time. When you have achieved in doing this, you can now make them meet face to face.

The growling and hissing may once again resume when you try to make them meet in the same room. Even though they are used to each other抯 scent already, your old cat may still feel ill at ease seeing the new cat in its territory. At first, play with them both so that they can get acquainted and smell each other. If they fight each other, break them apart and give some them some time before you make them meet again.

Giving them time is essential. Patience is needed in introducing cats to each other. If the introduction is done correctly, they will live peacefully together. The old cat will surely like to have the new cat as its friend. In the future, if you want to add yet another kitty, it will then be less problematic on your part.