How To Properly Introduce Cats & the Importance of a Proper Introduction

By Jace Maddock

Photo by Tranmautritam

 My cats Nigel, Whip, and Buzz are decently good brothers to each other. Even if there’s a hiss or swat attempt, my house is far from the plot of the Lion King. Want to know why? They were properly introduced when they were brought home. Reported by Forbes in 2024, 46.5 million households in the United States are home to a cat. A study in 2019 surveyed 547 people with a result of 42% of people having 2 or more cats in a house. The importance of the way cats get introduced directly impacts the way they behave towards each other and in their environment. Cats first interaction is imperative and without the correct set up, they risk having behavioral issues in their home.

There are some things one should think about when deciding to bring a new cat into a home with a prior resident cat. The most important is probably the personality of the resident cat. Are they sociable and friendly to visitors? If they have been in contact with another cat, how did they act towards it? Things like this could be a peek into how the resident cat will react to another animal in their home. Another thing to ponder is age. Senior cats do better alongside other senior cats because of the lifestyle they may share. Lastly, something to take into account before adopting is the size of the environment these animals will be introduced in. Cats are very territorial and do not take well to strangers in their area. Making sure they have enough space to spread out is very beneficial to the introduction process.

According to the American Humane, there is a 5-6 step process to cat introductions.

Step 1 - Preemptive trading scents

Cats are very territorial animals. Like their relative, the African Wild Cat, housecats have a special system of protecting their spaces. They use behaviors like urine marking, scent rubbing, and scratching. If it is possible for the adoptee to find something with the new cat’s smell to bring home, it could help the resident cat become more familiar with the unknown cat’s smell easier.

Step 2 - Create a “quarantine” zone

Bringing a new feline home is both overstimulating for the new animal and the resident cat. Creating a “quarantine” zone for the new cat allows the animal to feel a sense of safety in their new home. It can be very simple to turn a bathroom or bedroom into this sanctuary. Putting things like a litterbox, food, water, toys, and a bed will solidify the new cat’s ability to better integrate into the home. It’s also nice to go socialize with the cat while they’re in their safe zone. My cat Whip did not like being in his safe room and he would cry until someone would sit with him. Buzz and I would watch TV when he was first brought home. Doing this allows a bond to grow with the new animal too! There are also devices to assist in the process as well. Feliway is a synthetic hormone diffuser that disperses a pheromone that helps calm cats which allows for the beginning of the introduction to go smoother and safer.

Step 3 - Mutual feeding time

Another way to further comfortability in the introduction process is to feed cats on opposite sides of the sanctuary door. Setting up food or small treats for both cats on either side creates a positive association with the unfamiliar animal. It also allows for a way to help the cats understand that this new peer they’re around is not a threat to their resources. Cats should be eating well and not having any behavioral incidents towards each other before moving onto step 4.

Step 4 - Exchange home scents & locations

The biggest step of the introduction process is switching the cat's locations. Moving the resident cat into the new cat’s “quarantine zone” and the new cat into the remainder of the house allows for both animals to further familiarize themselves with each other. It also gives the new cat time to establish themselves in their new home. Over days, you can open or close new doors in the home so the new cat has the chance to decide on where to go by themselves. Keep feeding them on opposite sides of the door as well. If there is a negative reaction, allow the cats to swap locations again so the new cat can go back to their original safe space.

Step 5 - Visual contact & first meeting

​If the two cats appear to not have any behavioral or habitual issues, it may be time to let the two animals see each other. A way to do this safely is to open the door to the sanctuary and replace that boundary with a gate. A gate creates a way for the animals to get to see the other cat, but still gives them the ability to stay where they feel comfortable. If this step goes awry, it’s okay to close the door and give it some time. Cats welcome other animals in a manner different than a dog would per say. It’s good if they ignore each other, show interest in getting closer, or seem to just tolerate the presence of the other cat. Make sure they always have some kind of supervision at first as well. And wa-lah, you did it!

Photo by Tranmautritam

Missteps & Final Thoughts

Hopefully the process worked for your animals, but there is always a chance that things can go wrong. Cats who are quickly forced together with no time to adapt can develop stress signals. Cats in the process of introductions can have signals like hissing, growling, swatting, or spitting. Long term behaviors can include aggression, resource guarding, hiding, or territorial fights. According to animal behaviorist Patricia B. McConell, it can take up to 6 months for cats to settle in with each other. If you fear your animals have become aggressive with each other, separating the animals and restarting the introduction process again can be beneficial. In some cases however, animals may need to be rehomed if all methods of fixing the issue have failed. Creating a safe and comfortable environment during introduction allows animals to respond properly. Respect your cat & understand how a new friend will affect them.

References

“Cat to Cat Introductions.” Cat to Cat Introductions, www.humanerescuealliance.org/IntroducingtoResidentAnimals/posts/cat-to-cat-introductions#:~:text=Often%20cats%20will%20hiss%2C%20spit,inappropriate%20elimination%2C%20mewing%20or%20hiding.  Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.
Grigg, Emma K, and Lori R Kogan. “Owners' Attitudes, Knowledge, and Care Practices: Exploring the Implications for Domestic Cat Behavior and Welfare in the Home.” Animals : an open access journal from MDPI vol. 9,11 978. 15 Nov. 2019, doi:10.3390/ani9110978.
“How to Deal with Territorial Cats: ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance.” ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, ASPCA Pet Insurance, 17 Sept. 2018, www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/how-to-deal-with-territorial-cats/#:~:text=Territorial%20Cat%20Behavior%3A%20The%20Basics,cats%20to%20exhibit%20territorial%20behavior. 
“How to Introduce Cats the Right Way.” PetMD, www.petmd.com/cat/behavior/how-to-introduce-cats. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.
“Pet Ownership Statistics 2024.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 Sept. 2024, www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/#:~:text=66%25%20of%20U.S.%20households%20(86.9,fish%20(11.1%20million%20households). 
Steve, Duno. “Company for Your Cat?” Modern Cat, 24 Sept. 2024, moderncat.com/articles/company-your-cat/#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20a%20young,more%20than%20happy%20to%20oblige.
Trisha, McConnell B. “Introducing Cats.” The Other End of the Leash, 10 Aug. 2020, www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/introducing-cats. 
 
Photos:
Photo by Kenneth Surillo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-adorable-cats-20172644/
Photo by Tranmautritam: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-lying-on-bed-with-two-cats-2215599/

Author Bio

Jace Maddock is a Graphic Design major & Marketing minor studying at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In her life, she has shared her home with 13 animals. If Jace isn’t painting or taking photos, she’s probably showing you pictures of her 3 rescue cats.