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While cats generally prefer one-cat households to living with others, if you've rescued or otherwise acquired a new kitten, you're probably wondering how to introduce the little furball to your resident cat.
Doing so is usually something of a process since cats are notoriously territorial. You'll need patience and empathy with your existing adult cat while they adapt to life with a youngster.
But if you take a step-by-step approach to the situation, your new pet will be accepted by the whole family (not just the human contingent!) before you know it.
The good news is it often takes less time to introduce a kitten than a second adult cat.
So, where do you start with bringing a new young cat home?
1. Create a Family Scent Before The Kitten Arrives
Cats are highly sensitive to smell and use it to help make sense of the world around them. One of the reasons they feel comfortable in your home is because the smell is familiar.
Your home's smell is a mix of scents, including those of each family member and any other pets. So when you bring a new creature home, the smell is new and unfamiliar.
Before your cats meet, you want to get your current cat used to the kitten's scent (and vice-versa, ideally).
They should be able to get used to the smell in the family mix so when the actual kitten appears in the house, their scent isn't completely unfamiliar.
If you can, take something like a blanket or toy to the kitten at the shelter or breeder and leave it with them for a while. If you can't leave it there, at least wipe the fabric over the cat's cheeks and/or the bottom of their back by the base of their tail.
When you bring the item back, introduce it to your older cat. Leave it out somewhere that they can choose to investigate or avoid it, as they wish.
Do the same for your new cat if you can, and this scent swapping will also help lessen their anxiety when they arrive.
TOP TIP: Feliway can be helpful in maintaining a calm environment with cats. The plug-in diffusers release pheromones that can relax anxious cats. You might like to try using it during the introduction process to assist both cats in adapting.
2. Create a Space for the Kitten
When your kitten first comes to their new home, keep them separate from your existing cat.
Ideally, you want to have a dedicated room where the kitten can get used to the new space. A spare bedroom is perfect for this.
It also means there's somewhere the kitten can go to play. Sometimes, older cats can get annoyed with kittens' "always-on" playful nature.
If you wear the kitten out in another space it can help your other cat be more tolerant.
3. Introduce the Cats - First Steps
Once they've got used to each other's scent, it's time to let the cats see each other. The first step in physically introducing the cats is letting them see each other without being able to get to each other.
Through Glass
Introducing cats through glass, like patio doors, is ideal. The cats should have the choice of approaching or avoiding. Don't force them up to the glass to "meet".
Through Mesh
Once this is going well, you can move to some kind of mesh barrier. That way, the cats are still separated, but they can smell each other's scent.
Some people will advise that you can use a stair gate for this instead. However, make sure the older cat can't just jump over it, or that the kitten is small enough to squeeze through any gaps.
4. Direct Contact
Once you've done several "meetings" where your kitties can smell each other it's time to take the barriers away.
As with the other steps, don't force anything. Let your cats investigate on their own terms and stay on hand in case they start making direct eye contact.
Direct eye contact is where the cats are staring directly into each other's eyes without any softening or closing.
It’s considered aggressive, and if neither cat retreats from the situation (see below), you should break their eye contact by coming in between them.
Both cats should be able to retreat from the situation if they want. So as well as being able to leave the room, make sure there are high places for either cat to access.
Make these meetings brief to start with and increase the meeting time, little by little. How long that is exactly will vary depending on your cats and how tolerant they are.
Treats and toys will help make these sessions fun and enjoyable, but end the meeting at the first sign of aggression or when you feel either cat has had enough.
For example, if you see fearful behaviour. (Most likely, it will be your older cat that shows it’s time to stop first.)
If you’re unfamiliar with how your cat reacts when they’re scared, look out for negative signs like wide eyes, flattening of the ears and flattening their body to the ground.
Once the cats are clearly relaxed (or at least tolerating each other) with none of the above signs of fear or aggression you can let the cats live together without separation.
Monitor the situation, as there might still be times when your older cat finds your kitten’s playfulness overwhelming. Personalities can change over time, too, so watch for any behavioural and tolerance changes as your kitten grows.
5. Make a Fuss Of Each Cat
It can be easy to give a new kitten lots of attention but take care not to forget about your other cat.
If they have a routine, stick to it. Support your existing kitty by being consistent with their feeding and playtimes.
6. Have A Spare Everything
Remember that when you have multiple cats, you need to follow the advice of having enough of everything for each cat plus a spare.
So there should be a litter box for each cat plus one (so three litter trays available at all times). The same goes for food and water bowls, beds, toys, etc.
Ideally, spread these about the house a bit so they don't compete for resources beside each other.
7. Look Out For Problematic Behaviour
Hopefully, you'll progress through these steps nicely, and the whole thing will go swimmingly!
However, things you should look out for at this stage and on-going are:
- growling or hissing - make sure your cats can exit the situation and have space to get away
- staring / aggressive eye contact - move in between to cut it off
- forcing the other away from a bed or family member
- claiming something as their own
- guarding and blocking items like exits (e.g. cat flap) or the litter tray
- pouncing on the other while sleeping
Following the advice in steps four and six should help with most of these issues.
Remember that introducing cats and kittens takes time. Have patience with your fur babies, step in when you need to and let them work things out in their own time.
Other Advice For Kittens and Cats Together
Other than what's already been covered, make sure to feed your cats in separate places.
More than likely, your kitten will be on different food to your cat. It's important that the kitten’s food doesn't get stolen off their plate because they need the extra nutrients in it.
And it's key that your kitten doesn't get into the adult cat food because of the choking risk (particularly with dry food.)
Even as the kittens get older, it can be a good idea to feed them separately to reduce feelings of competition.
If you need any cat behaviour or health advice, remember you can always contact us. Our Riber Pros will be more than willing to give you some pointers and other suggestions of things to try.