#Introducing A #New #Cat :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

As I promised in my last Animal Rescuer's Guide To Staying (Relatively) Sane post, I'm going to start posting some of the little animal-related writings I've collected over the years.  This one is about how to, peacefully, introduce a new cat if you have an older kitty who has their nose out of joint. :-)

Introducing A New Cat:
Put the new kitten/cat in a room all by himself away from your other cat, where your other cat can't get to him or see him or smell him (a towel rolled up blocking the space under the door helps). He'll need his own litter box, food, and water. Keep them completely separated for at least two weeks to give your cat time to calm down. Then, still keeping them separated, remove the towel and allow them to sniff each other and reach their paws under the door. Then switch their food bowls (I'm assuming you have already had them both tested for disease) and start feeding them in the other cat's food bowl (to help them associate the smell of the other cat with something good -- food). Also, you can switch their toys. Play with your cat with the same toys that the kitten has played with (again something good will smell like the new kitten/cat). They should still be in completely separate rooms at this point, with the door closed. After at least a week to two weeks of this you can slowly introduce them. Try to pick a neutral territory, some place that your cat hasn't claimed as her own (ie: if she has a favorite sleeping spot don't introduce them near that spot, don't introduce them near her food or litter box, etc.). Just put them both down in a room, not close to each other, and don't force them near each other. Your cat will probably still hiss and swat at the new kitten/cat, that's normal. She will also probably try to get away from him, climbing up on something tall or leaving the room. Don't force her near him. Just pay lots of attention to her and don't pay much attention to the new kitten/cat. Don't leave them together for too long, maybe fifteen minutes the first time, then half an hour, etc. Always make these introductions supervised, and then when you are done take the new kitten/cat back to his room, but don't spend a lot of time there with him. Go directly back to your cat and give her lots of attention. Give her lots of pets and love and talk to her, but basically ignore the new kitten/cat any time they are together. You can gradually extend the length of these visits and she should start to accept him eventually. They may never be best friends, but they should learn to tolerate each other. When your cat can ignore him consistently you will know that it is safe to leave them together permanently. Good luck! :-)