Introducing a new cat

rhonwyn

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I have a female cat named Punky. Untill I can find a new place that allows pets, she's going to stay with my mom and her cats. Unfortunately the test visit didnt go well. She growled and hissed at Felix, the male neutered cat.

What is the best way to introduce a new cat into the family?
 

cheylink

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It will take time and patience. When she goes to new home she should have her own room with litter, food, and water. Somewhere she can feel safe and comfy and where a second litter box would be in the long run. Very important to keep them separate and let them smell each other under the door. Her situation is that she is going into another cats home, she is in helpless territory so she is going to come off defensive towards them, it can go the other way as well. When she seems more curious and less defensive and the others, open it up so she can go back in the room, and observe for a while, see how it goes. If it gets heated , separate her. Some growling and hissing is normal, but if you get any growl meows, that usually signals aggression.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by Rhonwyn

I have a female cat named Punky. Untill I can find a new place that allows pets, she's going to stay with my mom and her cats. Unfortunately the test visit didnt go well. She growled and hissed at Felix, the male neutered cat.

What is the best way to introduce a new cat into the family?
The best place to start for information like this is right here on The Cat Site. Here is an article on introducing cats that you can get to buy clicking on the Cat Behavior box above.
http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/4...cing-Cats.html
 

lukeblaise

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Keeping the cats seperate for a few days is the best way to go.

Once they have been in the same house for a few days smelling each other under the door they will be on more equal ground.

There is always be some tension when introducing a new cat, because they have to work out which one is the dominant one.

Just remember to supervise them during their initial interactions.

Good Luck.

Luke
 

pennicat

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If you have a spare bedroom where you can keep here during the introduction, as others have mentioned, this should work well. We recently did this when we introduced Tigerlily and Rajah to our 12-year-old cat, Eliza. Rajah and Lily were about 7 and 8 months old at the time, so very rambunctious in addition to being new on the block, so we wanted to introduce them slowly.

We are lucky enough to have a spare bedroom where we put lots of cat toys, a kitty tree, an extra littler box, etc. We placed two kitty beds on the bed for them, along with a fleece throw. Since we're gone at work all day, we left them in there while we were gone. Then we gradually started letting them out in the evening, a little bit at a time, so Eliza could get used to them. When it was time for bed, back into "their" room they went. We did this for about 2 weeks before letting them be out full time.

Doing this so gradually had a great bonus - we've left a spare food and water dish in that room along with their beds and a little box. Now, if they are driving us nuts at night (as one-year-old bengals will do!), we put them in there, and they quiet down and go to sleep! It's almost like crating a dog. Apparently, they thing of it as their safe, quiet place, and as long as they're in there together, they're happy. But if we only put one of them in there, they sit on each side of the door crying because they miss their buddy! It's so cute!

Good luck with the introduction - it should work out. Eliza still doesn't like the "kids" much, but they're all cohabitating fine, and things will continue to improve.
 
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