How to introduce a new cat to your cat

Cats are territorial, and a strange cat suddenly in the home can cause fights and stress that last for months. The good news: go slowly and most cats learn to accept each other, and some become friends. The key is not to rush.

Before the new cat arrives

• Prepare a separate room, ideally one your cat doesn't use much.
• Put in food, water, its own litter box, a scratching post, a hiding place and somewhere high to climb.
• See your vet first, and ask about vaccines and worming before the cats meet.

Step one: swap scents

• Put a piece of each cat's bedding in the other cat's sleeping spot.
• Once both are relaxed with the smell, return the bedding so the scents mix.
• If a cat hisses or growls at the scent, wait a couple of days and try again.

Step two: swap spaces

When they're calm with the scent, let each cat explore the other's area while the other isn't there, so it gets to know the smell around the whole home.

Step three: look through a barrier

• Let them see each other through a baby gate or a door left slightly open, with you there.
• Start with 5 to 10 minutes, each cat doing its own thing: eating, playing or watching from a distance.
• Build up the time while both stay relaxed.

Step four: the first meeting

• Remove the barrier for a few minutes while you're there.
• Don't force them together. Let each cat choose.
• Make sure there are several high spots and hiding places with more than one way out, so no cat gets cornered.

Signs to slow down

• Hissing, growling, or one cat hiding all the time.
• A cat stops eating or using the litter box.
• A real fight. If it happens, separate them calmly without grabbing either cat with your hands, and go back to step three, more slowly.

After the introduction

• Each cat needs its own resources: food, water, litter box and bed. Competing for them is a common cause of trouble. See litter box basics.
• The whole process can take weeks or longer, and that's normal.