Introducing a new cat to an older cat can cause all sorts of problems in the household animal kingdom!
The situation is stressful for everyone involved, but it is especially stressful for an adult cat.
This means that you will have to plan ahead for the upcoming introduction to make sure that everyone feels comfortable.
You don’t want your current kitty to feel threatened or scared when the new kitty joins the home.
Here are 5 tips for successfully introducing your adult cat to a new cat.
Tips for Introducing an Adult Cat to a New Cat
1. Take it slow!
Introducing your cat to a new cat shouldn’t happen in an hour.
Cats can easily become scared which causes them to become aggressive. Slow introduction works best. Start off with short periods of interaction.
Putting your cats into the same room without your supervisor can be problematic.
2. Pick the right cat for your cat.
Even though the new cat is your cat, your existing cat matters. To an adult cat, a kitten is much less threatening.
But, an adult cat may see a kitten as being too energetic and too playful. Consider your cat’s attitude and socialization level before getting a new cat.
3. Prep your home for two cats.
This ties in with proper introduction of your cat to the new cat. Set up an area in your home where the new cat can be separated.
A spare room or closed off space is best. Pick an area that is not a place where your current cat spends a lot of time. Keeping the new cat in a crate is a good way to separate the two.
4. Don’t forget about your current cat.
New cats, especially kittens, are cute. You want to give them a lot of love and attention!
While there is nothing wrong with this, it’s important to continue to entertain and give attention to your adult cat. Otherwise, your cat will become jealous of the new one. A jealous cat is not one you want to deal with!
5. Expect the worst but hope for the best.
Sometimes cats just don’t get along. You cannot force your current cat to magically accept a new cat.
Be patient but be realistic. If your cat hates other cats, it may not be best to get another cat. If your cat is older or a loner, bringing a new pet into the home may cause problems.
Have you successfully introduced an adult cat to a new pet? What tips do you have?
