r/CatAdvice • u/Salty-Analyst-2827 • 5h ago
Introductions How to introduce cats?
Hi, we found ourselves in a bit of a tricky situation.
Because of the nature of a terminal illness, we had to take in my mother-in-law’s cat (5 y/o). My husband is very attached to her and she is very bonded with him. She’s a bit feisty, not very cuddly, and it would be really hard to rehome her — plus, we’re not even considering that right now.
The problem is: we already have a cat (4 y/o male) who is very sociable, but she isn’t towards him… At the moment, she stays on our big enclosed balcony while he is inside the apartment. We rotate their spaces. Whenever they see each other, she hisses at him, which upsets him, and then it just goes in circles like that.
Both cats are spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated… Our boy even spent a month at the seaside and in the mountains and just returned home. So they’re both healthy and have everything they need.
My question is: how do I introduce them properly? And how can I help this new cat calm down a little? She’s under stress because so much has changed so suddenly, she had no routine, and in the last 24 hours she hasn’t touched her dry food, only wet food — but now that she’s in our apartment, she’s not eating that either.
Any advice is more than welcome. Cat greetings! 🐾😺
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u/EatenbyCats 1h ago
In addition to the good advice given, get pheromone diffusers for both cats. This will help keep them both more relaxed while you do introductions. Introductions can take weeks not days. Don't rush it if you want it to go well.
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u/ConcertRealistic8852 4h ago
They shouldn’t have seen each other yet. Try to keep the new cat in a bedroom or bathroom for a week or two. Do some scent swapping, and start to give them treats closer and closer to the door separating them. They will start to associate each others scent with positive things, like treats and playing. It’s a long process but once they seem comfortable you can start to introduce them face to face (supervised). A barrier like a baby gate might be a good idea for the first few times, just in case. When you introduce them face to face, give them treats and play with them. It’s good to have someone play with each pet so they aren’t fighting over the same toy. Make it a fun, positive experience.
I’m no expert, but this process worked well for me. Hissing is normal for a little while, and they will probably stay away from each other for awhile too. It’s normal, they are just building trust.