Starting Off On the Right Paw: A Guide to Cat Introductions

Contributed by Allison Hunter-Frederick, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and Trainer, Allison Helps Cats

When the time comes that you decide to add an additional cat to your home, one of the most important foundations you can give all of your cats is a solid introduction. Most of the time when I receive a request from cat owners to help their cats stop fighting, I’ll discover that the introductions were rushed. In this article, I will review the introduction process, and I’ll also include tips for tweaking it to increase the chance of a successful introduction.

Step One: Set up a Safe Room

Let’s start with a brief review of the steps before a gate. The first step is to set up a safe room for your new cat. This room should contain all the essential resources a cat needs: food, water, litter box, scratching post, and bedding. Ideally, you’ll also provide enrichment in the form of toys, hiding spots, and climbing areas. Because this is a temporary set up, the safe room could be a bathroom. I’d advise against using your bedroom because this could lead your new cat to become territorial about it and you, which wouldn’t be fair to your resident cat. Whatever option you choose, install an under-door draft stopper to prevent any contact between the cats.

Step Two: Scent Exchange

The next two steps are about creating a group scent, which will help your cats become comfortable with each other. The first step is the scent exchange. Rub a clean cloth on your new cat’s face to collect its facial pheromones, then place the scented cloth in your resident cat’s area. And vice versa. In both cases, you’re letting each investigate the new scent at their own pace. (If the cats do need encouragement, you may place treats near the cloth, but never force your cats to smell the cloth.)

Step Three: Room Swap

The next step is the room swap. Use a carrier to move the new cat to a different closed room and release them. Next, allow your resident cat to walk into your new cat’s safe room and then close the door. There are variations to this step that you could take, depending on the body language of each cat. If either cat is uncomfortable exploring their new space, use treats to encourage them. You might also allow your new cat to explore your entire house while your resident cat is in the safe room. Whichever option you choose, the room swap provides the opportunity for key cat landmarks to acquire a shared scent.

Step Four: Feed Behind a Closed Door

The last step to take before the cats see each other is to feed them behind a closed door. Between meals, set up a bowl on either side of the safe room door. The bowls should be far enough away from the door so your cats can eat and walk away without incident, but close enough that they can sense each other. Then put a few treats in each bowl. Ideally, two people will implement this step so both cats can be observed, especially in terms of their body language. Treats should be used instead of meals for two reasons. Treats will keep the interactions short and also avoid either cat developing a negative association with meals. Six feet away from the door normally works well to start, with a couple feet away being the end goal. Only decrease the distance when both cats are comfortable at the current distance.

Step Five: Create Visual Access

Now it’s time for your cats to see each other using a barrier that allows visual access. There are several ways to accomplish this. A popular option is a pet gate, sometimes double-stacked. You could also opt to open the safe room’s door—just a crack at first—during treat times. (To keep the door from opening further than intended, use a door stop.) Another option is a screen door, either one for people (attached to the door frame with screws) or one for pets (attached to the door frame with Velcro or a tension rod). In this article, I’ll focus on pet gates.

You’re again going to use treats between meals. Set up bowls with a few treats on either side of the gate. Ideally, you’ll set the bowls six feet away from the gate, with the end goal being three feet apart. If your cat’s body language suggests they’re not ready for complete visual access, start out with the gate covered (for example, by using a towel), and then uncover a few inches at a time as your cats become more comfortable.

Step Six: Supervised Interactions

If your cats are successful at the gate, they’re ready for supervised interactions. Start the cats out at the opposite ends of a room and give them a few treats. As they become comfortable with each other, gradually move them closer to one another, with the end goal being three feet apart. Once they’re successful eating treats three feet apart under supervision, restart them at the opposite ends of the room and introduce play. Do parallel play by enlisting the help of a second person or by having a wand toy in each hand. Either way, the cats will get to enjoy a play session while seeing the other cat in their peripheral vision, giving each cat a positive association with the other

Final Thoughts

At each step of the introduction process, you must monitor each cat’s body language and make adjustments as needed. If either cat is showing stress (widening eyes, flattening ears, swishing tail, growling, hissing), increase the distance or go back to the previous step. Alternatively, you might need to add steps. For example, if seeing your new cat move triggers your resident cat to start a chase, you might need to have them practice playing behind the safety of a gate. Or you might need to control their supervised interactions by starting them out on a harness and leash.

When you encounter problems during the introduction process, you’re going to feel frustrated. Please remember that our cats are having to adjust to the presence of an unexpected stranger in the house. Over the years of helping others and also doing introductions with our own cats, I’ve learned that some cats need weeks or months to make this adjustment. By following my advice, you should increase the chance that your cats will at least tolerate each other. If you still need help, I encourage you to hire a cat behavior consultant.

About Allison Hunter-Frederick

Allison Hunter-Frederick is a certified cat behavior consultant and trainer. She is also a mother of three furkids and several revolving foster cats, a host mom to an international student, and the wife of a supportive husband. Allison is a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Pet Professional Guild (including the PPG Cat Committee), and Best Friends Network Partners. Currently, she volunteers with The Capital Humane Society, The Cat House, Lincoln Animal Ambassadors, and Love on a Leash.