Multi-cat households - How to effectively introduce your new cat to your resident one.

So you've decided to adopt another kitty. Bravo! All a twitter with excitement, you bring the new little bundle of fluff home, and place him down in the middle of a room so he can meet your resident cat. And lo and behold, your otherwise sweet and pleasant resident cat has turned into a spitting, hissing ball of claws and fangs. Or maybe it's the newcomer that's being aggressive. Either way, you're now stuck trying to play referee between two (or more) very angry cats.

Sound all too familiar? Perhaps you're now regretting your decision to adopt another cat. Perhaps you're even contemplating returning the new cat since it's obviously not working out. 

What if I were to tell you that such drastic measures aren't necessary? That it is possible to successfully, and most importantly, peacefully integrate your cats? Even if initial mishaps were made, and the cats have already come to blows... it is still possible to create peace once more. They may never be cuddle buddies, but at the very least, they can and will live in harmony.

It's worth noting right from the start, that when I say it's possible, I mean it. As I write this, I have 6 cats in my care. Two are fosters, four are my own and of the four that are mine, two were acquired within the last 4 months. Of these six, two are semi-feral, and one aggressive towards other cats. And yet, all 6 now live in peaceful coexistence with each other.

So how did I do it? Let's start by examining their environment.

Make sure your home is cat friendly

What we often forget about cats is that they're territorial. Before you bring the new bundle home, take a good long look around your house. Try to see things from the cats prospective. 

Are there enough safe hiding places? As a general rule, cats prefer small, enclosed hiding spaces. This is even more true when you are dealing with a multi-cat household. Cardboard boxes flipped upside down with a hole cut out to allow them to get in and out are an excellent low cost solution. (Also, cats are inexplicably drawn to cardboard boxes, so it's a win win idea.) Another low cost solution is to use their kennels. Leave or prop the door open, and put an old towel or cat blanket inside (dollar stores are an excellent, cheap source for cat blankets. They're polar fleece, so they're incredibly soft and they're usually $2 or less).

Gypsy chilling in one of the many kennels I leave around for the cats. This has the added side effect of making them feel secure about their kennels, so when it's time to go to the vet, getting them into the kennels isn't an ordeal.

Are there enough perches? People and dogs tend to see their space horizontally. Cats view their space vertically. Therefore, an easy, effective way to make sure there is enough territory for all of the cats is to add vertical space. This can be as simple as putting a cat bed up on a shelf or purchasing a cat tree. Or it can be elaborate as you desire. You are only limited by your imagination. For example, a favourite perch for many of the younger cats in my home is in wicker flower baskets (which I rescued from the garbage one day) which are placed at different levels on a bi-level wooden shelf (which was also a garbage rescue) and lined with cat blankets I got from the dollar store. The cats adore it because it gives them an elevated view of the room, allowing them to see everything that is going on, all while hanging out in a safe, comfortable place. I love it because it helps keep the peace, and cost me all of 4 dollars in total.

Joni hanging out in the aforementioned baskets.

Are there enough litter boxes? One of the most important considerations in multi-cat households. The general rule of thumb is 1 box per cat, but when you start dealing with larger groups, such as I have, that becomes an impracticable rule to follow. If you are unable to follow the rule of thumb, then concessions must be made by you. You must be willing to do daily cleaning. 

I can hear you cringing already.

It is a much easier task than one supposes however. Provided you're using the correct products. I use a permanent clumping litter called Absorb. (I'm unable to find a link for it, but there are several brands of permanent litter available on the market). Why is permanent litter better? It clumps better than anything you can find at the supermarket and holds in odours much much better. It also makes it easier to cleanly scoop without ending up with broken balls of wet litter. And because it's easier to clean, its not necessary to dump all of the litter periodically, meaning it's easier on the wallet too. There's also a tendency to skimp on the amount of litter in the box. In order to be truly effective, there ought to be several inches of litter in the box at all times. It makes it much more difficult for the cats to dig all the way to the bottom of the box, which in turn makes the urine clump easier and less likely to remain stuck to the box itself. 

The other product I have no idea how I lived without is a litter locker. (Also partially pictured above). Not only does it allow me to quickly and easily clean the boxes, but thanks to the seven layer bags it uses, it prevents my home from smelling like litter box. 

Ok, so you've got a cat friendly home... now how to go about introducing the cats?

The great thing about this method is it not only works when introducing a new cat, but it can also be used to re-introduce cats that already live together but dislike each other.

Step 1: Separate the cats. Set up a temporary sanctuary space for the newcomer making sure it has all of the necessities (food & water dishes, a litter box, a hidey hole or sleeping area (I generally use the kennel they arrived in), some toys so they don't get bored and a scratch post). Depending on the personalities of the cats involved, this may be the newcomer's home for quite some time, so if possible, try not to use a room you will have frequent need of, like the bathroom. Sometimes however, that is the only available room. So work with what you've got.

Step 2: Scent. Once your new kitty has had a chance to catch his breath, and your resident kitty has started going back to her normal daily habits, grab a pair of socks. 'Socks?' you say. Yes, socks. Put one on your hand and gently stroke your resident cat on her cheeks and chin. Wait until she's in a happy mood to do this. Cats have scent glands in these areas, and use them to mark territory when they feel safe and content. If you find that rubbing her face like this with the sock bothers her, then simply put one in her favourite sleeping place and let her sleep on it for a few days. 

Meanwhile, you want to do the same with the other sock and the newcomer. If you are dealing with more than two cats, then make sure to use a separate sock for each cat. Once those socks are all scent (and fur, ha!) covered, exchange them. Bring the sock used on the resident cat into the newcomer's room and vice versa. Don't force them to smell them, just leave them around casually for the cats to encounter on their own. If there is disinterest shown, then you can move on to the next step. If there is hissing or growling, then keep repeating this stage every few days until indifference is shown. This may take less than a day, it may take weeks or longer. The important thing is to be patient. Even if it's not progressing at the pace you would like, letting it happen at the pace the cats are ready for is the key to a happy cat home.

Step 3: Sight. Now we're ready to start visually introducing your kitties. Wait until your resident cat is calm, or perhaps napping and quietly go open the door to the sanctuary. From this point on, how you act will play a key part in how well things will go. If you are tense or nervous, the cats will pick up on this, and both will assume the other is the cause. Be casual, calm and upbeat.

Once the door has been opened, quietly find a place to sit down and read for a bit. Let the newcomer come out and explore. He's seeing new territory for the first time so let him wander around and get used to the place. Keep an eye on him to make sure he's not getting into something he shouldn't, but try not to hover as this will only compound his nervousness. 

The resident kitty may wake up and want to see what's going on. Depending on the personality of your resident cat, she may be content to simply watch the newcomer as they explore. Or she may want to go over and investigate. Either is good. 

The first few times they meet, there may be the occasional hiss as one tells the other that they have come too close for comfort. But if you have done your job well in stage one, this should be quite minimal. If the hissing progresses to growling, then separate them and try again later. The important thing to keep in mind at this stage is that, even if it appears to be going well, keep the visits short and positive. It's better to have many short, positive visits than one long one that becomes negative. 

Another great thing to incorporate at this stage is feeding them together. Start by placing the bowls far apart and letting them eat in the same room. If either stops eating to stare at the other, then the bowls are too close together. As they get used to each other, start moving the bowls closer together (no more than an inch or two at a time). The ultimate goal here is to get them comfortable eating side by side. Since many cats are food motivated, this is an excellent technique for encouraging them to be comfortable in each other's presence.

Again, this step may be a short one, or it could be quite lengthy. Only you know the cats involved, and only you will be able to judge when they are ready to be integrated full time. The cats themselves will tell you, if you take the time to watch what they are saying. 

So as you can see, with a bit of planning on your part, it is entirely possible to have a happy, loving feline family. It does take a bit of work, but the results will last you a lifetime.