Help please? *Urgent*

Since they won't be living together, I wouldn't introduce them at all. It would only stress the cats (and you!). Plus you really should have both cats tested for FeLV/FIV before any introductions. Keep the new cat confined to a bathroom/ laundry room/ etc. until your sister's cat goes home. That would be the best for everyone, I think. You can figure out introductions the next time she comes, that way your cat will be fully integrated into your home and will be less stressed by then.

I wouldn't introduce them either, just keep the new cat in a room, probably a bathroom or bedroom, with food, water and litterbox. Make sure to spend lots of time with him, and give plenty of love! He will be just fine!

No, that will actually make him feel better. Cats hate changes like a new surrounding, so keeping him confined to one space will put him at ease because he can explore everything and feel comfortable in one room before setting out over the rest of the house. Think about the size of that tent the cat is living in, and compare that to your entire apartment/house. Kind of overwhelming, especially since your whole place smells like a foreign cat right now.

I work at a shelter as a volunteer, helping, among other things,to introduce people to cats, find the right cat for them, and go through the adoption process with them.

Our standard advice is to confine the new adoptee cat to one room where they are safe and can't do any real damage to anything. Don't introduce them to other animals or many people. We say, "If your new cat hides in a corner (probably under something) for two weeks, don't be surprised." Just give them a nice bed there in that corner (folded up bath towels make great cat beds). Make them comfortable. I like to leave on at least a night light all night and play the radio softly. Go in and spend time with the new cat, as much as you can. Talk to it, read to it, find things to do yourself in there, and slowly the cat will want to get to know you. Of course some cats are very outgoing and will be all over you from the start. So see if they will play, let you pet them, pick them up, brush them and other familiarities.

Cats don't much like change usually. Most take a lot of time to adjust to big changes. So, I'm with everyone else here in saying don't introduce those two cats at all. Even if they were going to live together, you probably wouldn't introduce them for the first week or two. And the new cat you are going to keep needs to be checked out by a vet before you let it near any other cats.

I'm into 4.5 weeks with a new cat who is having big adjustment problems. She is just not ready to come out of "her room" yet. I've brought home 5 other cats over the last 3 years. They all were confined to a room at first. Some were ready to come out in 2-3 days. Some took 2 weeks. But they let you know when they are ready to come out. My new little sweetie, Tonya, may not be ready until ???? I don't know.

Have fun with your new family member!

Robin