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Adding Another Cat to Your Home

How to help your new cat and your other cats get along.
By Carol Bryant
WebMD Pet Health Feature
Reviewed by Elizabeth A. Martinez, DVM

You’ve decided it’s time to add a new cat to your life. What about the cat or cats you already have?

Whether a spunky kitten or a frisky adult cat is moving in, here is expert advice to minimize the hissing and scratching during the transition and to help your new and present cat(s) become BFFs (best feline friends).

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But before you get another cat, think about the personality of the cat(s) you already have.

The decision to add a new cat should be based on that cat's personality and predisposition to other animals, says Diana L. Guerrero of Big Bear Lake, Calif., author of Resources for Crisis Management for Animal Care Facilities.

Next, consider this: Are you ready to be excluded (temporarily) from the pack?

“Always be prepared to lose a bond with a cat that has been an only cat when you introduce a new cat. The cats tend to seek each other out, to your exclusion for a while -- sometimes an entire year. You can feel left out," says Christine Pellicano, owner/operator of Aunt Christine's Little Dog House in New York.

Prepare Your Home and Cats

This will take time, consistency, and patience. “Prep the home by selecting an area for a neutral zone," Guerrero says. "If you have a screened-in porch, this can be an ideal location, because the cats can view and smell each other without the chance of an altercation.”

Steps to take include:

  • Provide room to retreat. Have cat trees and shelves on multiple levels as areas of escape and retreat for safety.
  • Add another litter box. This stops litter box avoidance and/or marking tendencies that may occur with the addition of a new cat to an existing cat home.
  • Get scratching posts. At first, your cats may claw more. So have scratching posts available.

You should also prepare your cats.

"Give the new kitty a towel or toy that belongs to your current cat. It should have your cat’s scent on it," says Michele Hollow of South Orange, N.J., author of The Everything Guide to Working with Animals.

First Impressions

"When you bring the new cat home, do so in a cat carrier. When the carrier is empty, let the established cat explore it," Hollow says.

Ignore any signs of hissing or attacking the empty carrier. Remain calm and relaxed.

Pellicano suggests reassuring your long-time cats by playing with them and giving them positive reinforcement with the new toys and tasty, vet-approved food.

Never leave a newer cat alone with an existing one during the introductory period. Most importantly, don’t change your routine.

“Cats are excellent at picking up nervousness," Hollow tells WebMD. "Before you pet your present cat, wash your hands to get the new cat scent off your hands. Let each cat know how much you love them. When the hissing stops from separate sides, supervise an introduction.”

It takes several weeks for cats to acclimate to new surroundings, so have a separate space for the new cat to live for at least a week, Pellicano says. “Observe both cats. If there’s less growling and hissing and if neither cat goes off his litter box or loses his appetite, you can likely allow them to meet. Be sure you are present to observe for a day or two.”

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