If you’re looking for warning signs when introducing signs, you’ve come to the right place. After you’ve read this article, the initial meeting will be easy peasy, and your cats will quickly become friends.
Cats are known to be very territorial and aloof living beings. It is not just stressful to your cat, but also it is stressful to you if you’re to introduce a new kitten to your cat. That’s why it is essential that you, as a cat owner, take time to learn and understand those warning signs when introducing cats, such as clawing or hissing. You need to know the process of first-time meetings.
If you are patient and observe their behaviors at the beginning, you're more likely to succeed in befriending those two or more cats.
Many wonder how to do it properly and how to introduce cats without starting a war. But that’s why we’re here, to show you a few things you can do to ensure that your new cat and your current cat become friends that will enjoy spending time together, climbing trees, and cuddling.
Warning Signs When Introducing Cats
When you introduce a new kitty to your current cat for the first time, you must keep in mind that however you’ve imagined it, it won’t be like that. You can expect to hiss and growl at one another, which means you need to intervene and separate them. Swat or chase will be one of the things you might expect at first. It is a new field for you and your cats.
However, you are prepared that it will take time, be patient and ensure comfort at all costs to each cat. Trust me; it will be so worth it when you see them cuddling, climbing up the cat tree, or having fun while playing fights.
If you notice that one of your cats is arching the back, circling, and baring its teeth, you must separate them immediately, as those are the signs of aggression. It is good that you can learn a lot from their body language, which can be very subtle sometimes.
There are going to be times of stress, fear, and frustration. Still, these warning signs to look out for are essential because you might need help from a veterinarian:
• One cat starts to mark the territory
• Fighting too long, too much
• One of the cats hides all the time
• Cats have injuries from fighting
• One of the cats is avoiding the litter box and doing it outside
• Cats have lost appetite
• Eye contact is taking too long
These warning signs when introducing cats are the call for your help:
• Excessive scratching
• Flattening ears
• Snarling
• Biting
• One cat waiting on her back for the attack of the other
• Shrieking and yowling
• Fighting
Cat Introductions
You don’t want to witness what happens if you introduce cats too fast. Before you consider getting a new kitty into your home, you must observe your adult cat’s behavior.
It is not good if you notice signs of aggressive behavior since an aggressive cat will hardly get along with anyone, especially if your new kitten is a less dominant cat. That will result in many cat fights, snarling, biting, hissing, etc. You can check here to learn how to tell which cat is dominant.
When cats meet for the first time, it is vital that you follow proper introduction instructions so you ensure safety.
Before welcoming a new kitty into a new home, prepare a room, especially for her so she’s not immediately introduced to your current cat. In that room, it is essential to have food, water, bedding, litter trays, scratch posts, and other things cat use to mark the territory.
That separate room should be a safe place if they’re scared of the current cat. You can set a calming diffuser like Feliway to ease the anxiety. Calming chews and diffusers increase cat facial pheromones causing cats to have lower stress levels. It will help them a lot to feel relaxed and calm the situation.
Your resident cat should also have her space, like a spot on the couch or cat tree or shelves. This place should be a place where your cat feels safe and in charge, even though there is another cat in the house. This is important since they’ll spend time there if they need space and to be alone.
Introduction Process Step By Step
Introduction can be really easy if you take the time to plan the process ahead. If you want to prevent feline flare-ups, it is advised that you introduce your cats step by step.
This will help your felines to get used to one another, giving them time to get to know better instead of just putting them together. If there are any possible issues, this slow introduction will lower the chances of violence.
The first meeting should be supervised by two people.
Now, the process of introducing cats is next; make sure to follow the rules!
Step 1: Initial Contact Should Be Avoided
When it comes to bringing a new cat home, it is essential that you make space for her and her only. Contact between new and resident cats should not happen at first. After you enter, you should put your cat in the corner or somewhere she can hide.
Don’t push her to come out. You’ll probably need to give your new cat some time to observe the environment around her and get used to it.
Step 2: Scent Introducing
After the initial contact is avoided, you can take a second step by introducing them by scent. You can take a towel or blanket your new cat used and place it near your current cat’s space. Your current cat may start hissing and being upset.
If that is the case, place that blanket on the floor away from your cat’s favorite place or cat’s food, but move it closer and closer to their place of eating. In the meantime, you give your new cat something that has your current cat’s scent so she can get used to it.
Step 3: Try Switching Food Bowls
When you notice that they are not so “angry” by the scent of each other, try switching the food bowls when there is time to eat. In the best case, this will form a positive association with the scent of a new feline friend and the cat food.
If you see that they are calm and relaxed by this, you can try visual contact. However, this may take longer than expected.
Step 4: Let Them See Through A Barrier
The new cat should still be safe in her room. You can slowly start letting them see each other, open the door and put a baby gate or some screen, or just slightly open the door so they can see but not interact.
Encourage them if they are near one another without causing problems by giving them treats or some new toy.
Step 5: Let Them See Each Other Without A Barrier
At this point, cats should slowly feel comfortable; after a few days, you may notice that they are close to one another, touching noses or smelling each other.
If there is no hissing and growling, you can remove the barrier you placed. Now, open the door and wait for the face-to-face interaction.
You should keep in mind that you shouldn’t pick them and force them to be near each other. They are capable of introducing themselves on their own. At first, they might not be so close. However, if you notice that they are close to starting a fight, make a loud noise to catch them off guard.
Cat Relationships
When it comes to cat relationships, we should know that every cat is different and has its own unique character. That different character affects how they socialize with other cats, animals, and people.
You can notice that some cats get along with many cats in the household, and they are actually happy that they have a companion, but some cats like to be to themselves and be the center of attention.
While dogs have no problem socializing with new pets, cats really have a tough time because they are really territorial animals. When we think about big cats in the wild, they are mostly alone, claiming their territory, catching prey, sleeping, and protecting their place.
Even though cats were domesticated, that didn’t change their instinct and territorial nature. Everything became hers when you took your cat into your home, including you. So when a new cat comes into the picture, they feel threatened because some other cat is invading the territory they claimed fair and square.
RELATED: Can Two Cats Share The Same Litter Box?
Do Female Cats Get Along?
Funny as it sounds, cats will better get along with cats of the opposite sex. One research showed that males are more likely to get along than two female cats.
Why is that so? The fact is that female cats are more aggressive and assertive than males. Even though each cat is different, one thing is sure; female cats are bosses in the cat’s world, no matter the situation.
Do Female And Male Cats Get Along?
Yes, if cats that are in touch are spayed and neutered. Then you can expect friendships in the household with a lot of fun.
Do Adult Cats Get Along With Kittens?
It is normal that an adult cat needs to process that there is a new kitten in the home. However, there are some cats that won’t get used to it, but they won’t make a fuss about it.
It is crucial that you take time when introducing a new kitten to your older cat since it is all new for them too. Cats are creatures of habit and don’t like change, so it might take time for them to get comfortable with the new situation. During that time, provide many toys and playtime and divide their spaces so they can have peace and enjoy themselves when needed.
How Much Do You Need To Wait For Cats To Get Along?
Getting comfortable and building friendships, it can take about a year, more or less. However, as we said above, some cats will never get along with the new cat and build friendships, but they will learn how to live with each other without hanging out.
Bear in mind that if cats start to fight and it becomes an everyday thing, one of the cats must change home; they will never get along.
Does Some Cat Breeds Not Get Along With Other Cats?
Does cat breed have to do with making friendships? The thing is, cats love to be loners, and there are cat breeds that prefer to be alone, while other cats may actually like the company.
Some cat breeds are known to be more friendly and adaptable, so if you are thinking of getting a second cat, it would be great to research a little bit about a particular cat breed.
How Do You Tell If Introducing Cats Is Going Well?
Look out for these signs to see if cats are bonded, as they indicate that your new cat and current cat are getting along pretty well!
1. Touching Noses Together
If you’ve noticed that your cats are touching noses together, that is a great thing. This is a greeting rubbing; this way, cats are swapping scent information. They need to feel one another by touching their noses. The scent is one of the things cats communicate through, so this is actually important.
2. Brushing Head To Head
Another way of communicating is brushing their heads. After all, they do it with us too, and get along with us, right? So if they do it to each other, they’re leaving their scents, and that is helping them stay in touch with one another and that they are a part of the same group.
3. Sleeping Together
If they’re sleeping together, that is undoubtedly a sign that they are comfortable with each other. Since sleep is the most vulnerable time, they’re showing that they trust each other enough to close their eyes when together.
They may even cuddle and lay over each other before sleep which is a clear sign that they’re seriously bonding and enjoying each other’s company.
4. Cleaning One Another
If they’re cleaning one another, that is an indicator of a high level of trust. Many cats dislike help while cleaning, but if you see that they’re helping one another, that means they are actually building friendships.
5. Play Fight For Fun
If they are rolling and wrestling without hissing and claws, that means that they are doing it for fun. This form of bonding is excellent for them, releasing the excess energy while enjoying it all together; perfect, right? Along with that, in that play, they learn so much about themselves, how to hunt, what triggers them, and so on. There is no need to worry.
6. From A Barrier To Sharing Space
We’ve established that they are highly territorial. However, if you see them that they are playing together, sharing cat trees, toys, scratching posts, food bowls, or litter boxes, that means they have formed a bond no one can break.
This is the ideal bond all cat owners with more cats long for, but it takes time, we won’t lie. But once you get there, you’ll enjoy it just as they do.
RELATED: Do Cats Really Need A Cat Tree? (Can They Share?)
Final Thoughts
We are aware that this task of introducing cats it’s challenging and sometimes unpleasant, but the cats are feeling the same way. But if you take time to learn warning signs when introducing cats, you are already making the first step in calmly introducing them.
Make sure that the new cat’s room is ready when you bring your new cat home, and keep in mind that no cat is the same, and it will take time for cats to get comfortable and get along, but it will be all worth it in the end.
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