When is is safe to introduce my new cat to the other in my house? (New one came home with a cold)

I recently adopted a cat from our local humane society. Since she had a cold, I kept her separate from the other animals in the house (a cat and a dog) since I know kitty colds can spread fairly easily between cats. Nova seems to be feeling much better now (I think I only heard one or two sneezes in the past day), and I would like to introduce her to the others.

How long should she be kept away from the main house - I don't want the other cat to get sick (or dog, if dogs catch kitty colds)? Does she need to be symptom free for 24/48/72 hours?

What do you recommend?

AshenEclipse said:

 
I recently adopted a cat from our local humane society. Since she had a cold, I kept her separate from the other animals in the house (a cat and a dog) since I know kitty colds can spread fairly easily between cats. Nova seems to be feeling much better now (I think I only heard one or two sneezes in the past day), and I would like to introduce her to the others.

How long should she be kept away from the main house - I don't want the other cat to get sick (or dog, if dogs catch kitty colds)? Does she need to be symptom free for 24/48/72 hours?

What do you recommend?

Click to expand...

I would want her to be completely symptom free for at least a day or 2 but even that can't guarantee the other won't catch it.  Here's my introduction essay:

There are several steps to a successful introduction, the goal being BFFs, not enemies or angry at you (especially the resident cat).  A careful introduction raises the stress level in incremental steps, allowing both cats, especially the resident cat time to acclimate to the stressor before being introduced to the next level.  You are going to move the "bar" closer and closer to the resident cat until the final step, a supervised face-to-face, becomes  a fender bender and not a car crash

Step one: Complete separation, putting the new cat is a small room like a bathroom with food, litter and water.  Do not let the cats see each other - too much stress too soon.  Give the new cat time to adjust.  Give both cats time (a week+/-) to get used to this.  They will know each other is there.  Start feeding the resident cat nearer to the door, adjusting daily until he is at the door eating. Do voluntary scent exchange by rubbing the new cat's cheeks on a sock and then offering the sock as a gift to the resident. Don't force him to smell the sock, don't rub it on him. Observe his behavior and allow it.   Rub a clean sock on his cheeks and offer it to the new cat.  Continue to do this but never force either cat to interact with the other cat's sock.

When they are reasonably calm with everything in step one go to:

Step Two:  Allow the cats to see each other.  Two baby gates stacked on top of each other in the open door is a great way.  Cracking the door open and blocking it into position so they can't get through the door is another way.  With many cats the stress of this will make them revert, but it would have been much worse if you had started with this step.  Continue as if this was step one, but now with them seeing each other.  When they are both calm, no hissing or growling, you can go to:

Step Three: After eating meals and feeling satisfied (full stomach = less aggressive) and trimmed nails, you can start to do brief supervised introductions face to face.  Watch their body language and reactions and increase their time together until you are confident that they can manage on their own.

In General, treat the resident cat like he is King.  Don't do things to make him jealous. Don't discipline either cat for showing aggression, punishing them for what they feel is a normal behavior (and is normal for them) just raises the stress.  And follow your cats' lead on the speed of the introduction, there are no rules other than to listen to them.

Once the introduction is accomplished, you may not be done as they may have simply reached the point where now they have to learn to live with and like each other, and that can take quite some time, with active and positive support from you, never disciplining either cat for acting out, but keeping everything positive by encouraging play together, distraction when that doesn't work, etc.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-cat

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/a-simple-little-trick-to-use-during-new-cat-introductions/

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