Cat-to-cat introductions: Think housemates, not besties.

Two cats won’t get along automatically just because they’re the same species. Think Garfield and Nermal; no matter how endearing Nermal tried to be, Garfield was never going to share that pizza with her.

You might have heard the common belief that cats are solitary creatures and prefer to live in only-cat households, but this isn’t entirely accurate. The good news is - many cats do live successfully with others and even enjoy their company. 

If you’re ready to welcome another feline friend into your home, we have some tips to help introductions go as smoothly as possible for both your current feline family member and the new cat. 

While cats can be quite social animals, they’re solo survivalists and don’t require the assistance of others to live a full and content life. Therefore, the way they see it, any companion they choose must be in some way beneficial to their life and not a threat to their resources.

With this in mind, when introducing another cat into a household, it’s important to look at it from the perspective of the resident cat or cats. How will their lives and resources be impacted by another cat? 

Preparation

Before you begin your search for your new feline family member, ask yourself these questions:

• Does my cat currently have its own safe space and easy access to their resources (commonly referred to as a basecamp)? 

• Do I have a completely separate area to create a basecamp for our new cat? Can I create a visual barrier between the two spaces so that you can control how and when the cats see one another?

• Am I willing to take the introduction slowly to minimise stress for each cat?

• Have I considered the personality of my resident cat, and what type of personality is needed in the new cat to complement them? An old, lazy cat may not appreciate a high-energy, highly interactive, playful younger cat but may do well with a more relaxed personality.

If your answer is yes to all of the above - congratulations! You’re well on your way to creating a positive, low-stress introduction.

Before the new arrival: My house, my routine.

Cats are creatures of habit and find comfort and security in predictable routines. Establishing a consistent daily schedule for wake-up times, feeding, and play sessions is essential for their well-being. Introducing any changes, such as a new cat, can be stressful for them. To minimise this stress, ensure your resident cat has a stable routine before your new feline companion arrives. This can include transitioning from free feeding to scheduled meals, such as breakfast, dinner, and supper before bed, to help provide structure and reduce anxiety. Additionally, setting aside dedicated time for interactive engagement with your cat fosters a sense of connection and security, whether through play, grooming, walks or even couch cuddles.

Milly & Bodhi looking for love via Forever Friends Animal Rescue.

Structure

Setting up basecamp.

Complete Separation:  This is my space, This is your space.

Setting up separate safe and secure spaces for both cats is key to minimising stress. There should be no opportunity for either cat to see or come into contact. Often, this feline-friendly safe space is called a basecamp. 

Remember that your home is a brand new environment for your new feline family member, so they’ll need the opportunity to settle in. Ideally, their basecamp should be in a quiet, low-traffic area of your home, like a bedroom, bathroom, or laundry. Ensure it’s an area where other pets can’t disturb your new cat as they settle in. 

For more tips on the essentials for bringing a cat home, check out this video by Jackson Galaxy!

Scent Swapping: I want to smell you before I can see you.

The role of scent marking for a cat is essential to their safety and security, and you can utilise it when introducing cats to one another in a non-confrontational manner.

As someone who is lucky enough to have a feline in your life, you may have experienced a cat head bump. When cats bunt you with their head, rub their bodies along your legs (or the furniture!), or roll around your favourite shoes, it means you’ve been honoured as someone they consider safe and part of their family.

The scent is released from rubbing the various sebaceous glands along the forehead, tail, lips, chin and paw pads, so the easiest way to collect their scent is to rub their face with a towel or take a piece of bedding from their basecamp and place it in the other cat’s basecamp zone. Do not place it directly in the new cat's bed, though, as that may come across as confrontational. Instead, put it nearby so they can explore the scent while feeling secure that nobody is trying to take their resources.

Space Swapping: My Home is your home, but not while I’m there.

This step allows cats to explore each other's territories safely and become accustomed to each other’s presence without the risk of confrontation. They may want to leave their own scent on items in the area or use the resident cat’s litter tray. This is a perfectly natural way for cats to communicate with one another and should be encouraged.

Image taken from Jackson Gallaxy's video on How to introduce cats.

Visual Access: Look but don’t touch.

Once the cats are comfortable and relaxed, knowing that another cat is in the home, it is time to allow them to see one another but not physically interact.

This can be achieved by creating a see-through barrier, for example, by putting a screen door or lattice across the doorway of one of the cat's basecamps to separate the areas. Pet gates can also be handy, and using a blanket to block visual access is easy.

The crucial part of this step, which is the key to creating a harmonious relationship between new feline friends, is that you want to associate something positive with the other cat's presence.

Previously, the best protocol has been to feed cats on opposite sides of a closed door and gradually decrease the distance between their bowls until they are eating together on either side of the door. This protocol came from the idea that pairing something good, like food, with the presence of the other cat would create a positive association.

Jackson Galaxy’s video How to Introduce Cats is a fantastic example of cat introductions.

Our understanding of cats and their association with food has now evolved. Cats are solitary feeders, so putting their bowls together may create territorial aggression. This doesn’t mean you can’t use food or feeding times to create a positive association. Just keep their bowl at least 2 metres away from each other.

Alternatively, engage the cats with yummy treats or an active play session with their favourite toy in the other cat's presence. Get a friend to help so both cats are engaged with something fun and not focused on the other cat. If either cat becomes fixated on the other cat at any stage, reintroduce the visual barrier and end the session.

These sessions should be short to start with, approximately five seconds, and slowly build in duration. Multiple short sessions will allow the cats to develop their tolerance levels to one another. Once the cats are comfortable with visual access, the next step is to leave the door open with the visual barrier in place while you’re at home.

Complete Access: My home is our home.

The final stage of the introduction is to allow both cats to interact with each other freely. 

Continue your treat and toy sessions as you have in the previous step, just with the barrier removed. It is a good idea to have a blanket handy and something that you can use to create a physical barrier between the cats, such as a large piece of cardboard, in case you need to distract, redirect and remove a cat should their interactions escalate to a fight. Keep these sessions short initially and slowly build duration as you did previously.

While the cats are getting comfortable with one another, they must be supervised, which means returning to basecamp when you’re at work, overnight when you’re asleep or anytime you need to focus your attention elsewhere. Slowly, they will become more tolerant of one another, and you’ll be able to leave them for extended periods until they don’t require any supervision.

Callie & Bear looking for love via A Mini Rescue

Time

Introducing a new cat is something that shouldn’t be rushed and will be unique to each cat-to-cat introduction. Go slowly as you embark on this journey together, and maybe, with a bit of help from their human guardians, your feline friends will become family by choice, which is sometimes the best family of all.

Pepper & Mila looking for love via SAFE Rehoming.

Realistic Expectations

Your cats don’t need to be friends right away - or ever. The aim is to have them cohabitate in a shared space without conflict.
 

Things to remember: What the cats need their guardians to know.

There is no specific timeline for cats getting to know one another. Patience and observing negative behaviours (such as hissing or posturing) are the key. These behaviours are perfectly normal, and it is important that cats be able to express themselves and communicate with others effectively.

As solitary survivalists, their communication skills are designed to avoid conflict at all costs. 

Signs of conflict in cats can vary depending on the nature of the cat. Some may display more assertive personalities, while others will behave in a threatened manner.

Ways to reduce conflict include:

• Make sure there are enough resources for each cat, an extra litter tray and even an extra water bowl. Check out Cat 101 for more information about your cat's basic needs. 

• Create vertical space. Think cat trees and shelves, higher-up places where the cats can retreat to when they don’t want to interact. 

• Increase enrichment. Increasing their physical and mental stimulation can help reduce their stress, and having something enjoyable to focus on with a strange cat in their presence will increase their positive association with the newcomer.

Check out this article from Ohio State University for detailed information about what conflict can look like.

George & Mimi looking for love via Urban Kittens.

When things don’t go to plan: My home is not your home.

Sometimes, no matter how much they try to avoid it, things don’t go according to plan, and a fight breaks out. Cats cannot resolve conflict by themselves, which is one of the few things they need humans for (although they would never admit it).

The first step in cases like these is to provide the cats with some solitary time. Allow their stress levels to reduce before considering if you need to do a complete reintroduction, which means going from the beginning again or if the home needs some other modification. For example, providing extra sleeping areas and water bowls or the rearrangement of feeding locations and toileting areas may be enough for them to continue cohabitating peacefully.

Check out these great resources for further information.
How to Introduce cats the right way
Is Cat Conflict An Issue In Your Home?

Ready to introduce a new feline family member? Start your search here.

Or adopt a pair of bonded besties who already get along!

Whether your pet has come from a shelter environment, a foster home or straight from their previous home, it will take time for them to decompress, settle into their new environment and bond with their new family. Just like humans, every cat is unique and will adjust differently to their new home. Settling into a new home is not linear, and it’s completely normal to see variations in how your new furry friend is behaving day to day. Read more about what to expect post-adoption here.

Banner image: Charlie & Peach, adopted thanks to Robyn'sNest Animal Rescue.