Cats have complex personalities and it is not possible to predict how a cat will react in front of another animal of its kind. In some cases, two cats simply aren't compatible. It is possible, however, to do something to prevent or to minimize any negative emotions due to the encounter. Many cats live together in harmony, especially if they have been gradually exposed to their new living conditions. Make sure you give the attention and time necessary to introduce cats to foster good relationships.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare to Introduce a New Cat into Your Home
Step 1. Give your cats enough time
Both specimens need affection and attention. You should pet them and play with them. Spend twenty minutes having fun with your cats, twice a day. If they still can't play together, be sure to give both of them the same amount of time.
Step 2. Give your cats enough space
A studio apartment in the city is not the best place to keep two cats. By adding vertical spaces, such as pet towers, to your home, you can give them more space. They like the opportunity to have their own personal space, and too much crowding can stress them out.
- Cats are territorial by nature. It is an innate impulse in them, so conflicts for the defense of their territory are frequent, even if they do not occur in all cases.
- If you are hosting more than one cat, make sure each cat has approximately 1.75 square meters of space available.
Step 3. Get a litter box for each cat, plus a spare
This means that if you have two cats you need to have three litter boxes. This is to make animals feel at ease. If one of the specimens thought that the litter box was the other's territory, they would probably do their business somewhere else. Avoid this inconvenience and relieve the stress of your cats by giving each of them their own litter box.
- If your home is built on multiple levels, keep a litter box for each floor.
- Make sure you leave at least one meter of space between the litter box and the pet bowls.
Step 4. Make sure each cat has their own water and food bowl
If your pets were to eat from the same bowl, they could attack each other. In addition, by giving each individual a tray, you can ensure that both are eating the right amount of food. In some cases, one of the cats may eat the other's portion.
- Do not place the food bowls too close together or the cats may struggle with each other.
- Place cat bowls in opposite corners of a room, or on two different sides of a closed door, especially when the new kitty has just arrived.
Step 5. Get a carrier for each cat
This is essential not only to move the animals, but also to prevent physical contact between them. In an emergency, you will need a cage for each cat. Additionally, cats will know they have a personal space to hide in and will feel safer.
Method 2 of 3: Introducing Cats
Step 1. In the beginning, keep the cats separate
Try not to get them in contact for the first few days. Put the newcomer in a room dedicated only to him. He will feel more comfortable in a confined space and will not be able to have contact with the specimen already present. Follow this advice for seven days.
- This is a slow acclimatization process, which you may need to repeat.
- Don't ignore your old cat when you get a new one. This would make him sad and he may even come to hate the newcomer.
Step 2. Introduce cats through smell
Allow pets to sniff from under a door, but do not allow them to come into physical contact. Choose toys or blankets that both of you use to get them used to each other's smell. This will help the cats get used to the idea that there is another cat in the house.
- Help your new cat get used to the smell of the one already present by using socks. After a few days, rub the pet that already lived in the house with a small piece of cloth (like a sock) to catch the smell. Hold the fabric close to the newcomer and watch his reaction. He may blow, but if he remains calm, praise him and give him a food reward.
- Some ethologists suggest scrubbing cats separately with the same towel to mix their smells. Start by patting a specimen with a towel. Then do the same with the other. When the fabric has absorbed the odors from both animals, bring it back from the first one and scrub it again.
Step 3. Introduce cats through sight
Don't let them touch. A fence for children or dogs can be the right solution to keep them separate. Observe how they interact. Does their body language indicate stress, or do they seem calm and tolerant despite each other's presence? These signs give you information on the duration of the acclimatization process. Calm, friendly cats need much less time than cats that show aggression.
- Stack two baby gates on top of each other in the entrance to the room where the new cat is, to make sure the animals can't come into contact.
- Let the already present cat discover the new one for themselves.
- If both animals have a non-aggressive reaction, praise them and give them a food treat. If not, close the door and try again in the future.
- Don't remove the gates for some time. You can let them meet through the gate.
-
See if any of them are being defensive.
- He crouches down.
- Bow your head.
- It wraps the tail around the body and withdraws it.
- Open your eyes wide, with the pupils partially or fully dilated.
- Flattens the ears to the side or behind the head.
- Straighten your fur.
- It remains sideways with respect to the other specimen and does not face it.
- He opens his mouth and blows or spits.
- It hits the other animal with its front legs, trying to scratch it.
Bring a Second Cat Into the Family and Not Make Your Old Cat Upset Step 9 Step 4. Swap position animals
After some time, place your old cat in the room where you kept the newcomer and let him explore his new home. This will allow the cat already present to examine the smells and territory of the new cat, while the latter will feel comfortable in the space it will be exploring for the first time. Repeat this step a few times before continuing with the acclimatization operation.
Bring a Second Cat Into the Family and Not Make Your Old Cat Upset Step 10 Step 5. Let the two cats interact
When they have had time to get used to the new situation, allow them physical contact. Keep a spray bottle of water handy to discourage attempts at aggression. If they get along smoothly, they may be ready to move freely around the house. Don't let your guard down though. The secret to housing multiple cats in one house is to prevent territorial aggression.
- Place both animals in a room where you can observe their interactions.
- Organize a first meeting of no more than ten minutes. As the days go by, you will be able to increase the duration of the interactions, but for now, make sure the animals don't fidget.
- Presentations can take weeks and even months. The most important aspect to remember is the respect for the rhythms of cats. It can take a long time, but it will be worth it if your cats can live together in peace.
- Never physically punish one of your cats for hissing or attacking the other. This is a very common reaction. If one of the animals shows aggression, pick up the other animal. Always make sure they aren't just playing games, as it's often not easy to tell the difference between the two types of behavior.
-
See if any of them are being aggressive.
- Stiff position, with straight legs.
- Hind legs stiff, with the tail raised and the back tilted towards the head.
- Straight and stiff tail.
- Gaze.
- Ears straight, turned slightly forward.
- Straight hair, even on the tail.
- Narrow pupils.
- Body facing the opponent and movements in his direction.
- Growls, howls or moans.
Bring a Second Cat Into the Family and Not Make Your Old Cat Upset Step 11 Step 6. Feed them close to each other
When cats eat from a bowl, they are in a non-aggressive state. By feeding them together, even in two different corners of the same room, they will get used to not being aggressive in the presence of the other specimen. Give the two pets food rewards when they stay calm together to reinforce their positive behaviors.
- Whenever cats see each other, reward them with food. They will learn to associate the rewards with the presence of the other individual and will perceive a concrete benefit when they are together. Also, you will show them that they don't have to compete for food and attention, because both of them will get enough.
- If the cats are not eating or getting aggressive, they are probably too close.
- If they eat and seem relaxed, try bringing them even closer during the next meal.
-
This rapprochement process can take weeks or even months. Often, signs of anxiety or aggression indicate that the introductions were made too quickly. Watch out for signs of aggression:
- Strikes with the paws.
- Bites.
- Lotte.
- Growls and shrill screams.
- Scratches.
- Prepare for an assault by rolling to one side or back, showing fangs and nails.
Method 3 of 3: Manage Aggression
Bring a Second Cat Into the Family and Not Make Your Old Cat Upset Step 12 Step 1. Learn that there are many ways cats show their aggression
They are complex animals, which we still have not fully understood today. We do know, however, that there are many different behavioral patterns that indicate aggression in a cat. They can be divided into a number of categories that can occur at the same time.
- Aggression in play occurs when cats go overboard when playing.
- Aggression due to fear or a defense mechanism occurs when a specimen feels in danger, even for irrational reasons.
- Territorial aggression often occurs only between cats, but can also be expressed towards humans and other animals.
- Aggression due to man's caresses is not well understood and can result from overstimulation.
- Aggression between males arises from the competitive nature of male cats.
- Maternal aggression is the mother's instinctive protective reaction.
- Redirected aggression results from frustrations that the cat cannot vent, which are directed towards another target, such as another cat or a person.
- Predatory aggression occurs in cats where predatory instincts have been triggered.
- Aggression due to pain arises from past or present pain sensations caused by illness or trauma.
- Idiopathic aggression is spontaneous and poses a threat to the safety of people who come into contact with the cat.
Bring a Second Cat Into the Family and Not Make Your Old Cat Upset Step 13 Step 2. Contain, limit or confine cats if you notice that they are aggressive
It is very important to manage aggression between cats. These animals do not solve their problems by fighting. In cases of prolonged aggression, it may be necessary to limit or control the specimens when they are together. This is to get them used to a state of non-aggression in the presence of the antagonist. Make sure you are ready for this solution if your cats are always showing mutual aggression.
- Prepare a room with food, water, a litter box, and a cot. Put the newly arrived cat in that space, as in some kind of punishment, to dissipate the tension.
- Use a leash or harness. These tools can allow you to give your cats more freedom while still allowing you to control their movements.
Bring a Second Cat Into the Family and Not Make Your Old Cat Upset Step 14 Step 3. Get some medications
If cats do not get along despite all your best efforts, your vet can prescribe medications that can fix the problem. Remember that medications are only part of the solution and consider that your vet may decide not to prescribe anything if they are not sure that you have explored all the other possibilities for correcting animal behavior. Medicines are not a magic potion. They need to be used in conjunction with gradual introductions and constant rewards for peaceful behavior. Use them only as a last resort.
- In some cases, benzodiazepines can be used if cats are very frightened or aggressive. However, these drugs reduce the learning abilities of animals. As a result, it will be more difficult to teach them to get along.
- If long-lasting conflicts occur in homes housing multiple cats, tricyclic antidepressants can be used.
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors interfere with the work of neurotransmitters, similar to tricyclic antidepressants, but with a different and less selective action, affecting the brain more generally.
Advice
- Know that every cat is different. These are complex animals. Their personalities vary according to the breed and from specimen to specimen. Don't be surprised if your kitty behaves unexpectedly.
- As the cats get used to each other's presence, start having them take turns playing with a toy.
- Make sure your new cat has been tested and is free from feline leukemia, FIV, and feline AIDS before bringing him in contact with the cat already in the home.
- Cat towers can be very useful, as you will notice that your cats will appreciate having more vertical space. They might even reduce aggression.
- If cats lick each other or show any sign of affection for each other, reward them both with food.
- If both cats are kittens or if the newcomer is, the acclimatization will be easier. Your older cat will be more willing to accept a puppy than an adult cat.
Warnings
- In some cases, two cats are simply incompatible.
- Some cats can be so aggressive that they cannot live together with other cats.
