If you’re a cat lover, sometimes it’s hard to stop at one cat. Once you’ve decided you’re ready to bring in an additional kitty, there are some careful things to make the transition as easy as possible. Most cats are not fast friends, and it can take an ample amount of time before the two warm up to one another. Try our helpful tips to get your two cats on the track to becoming lifelong bffs:
Source: @draxil via Flickr
1. Take things slow
First impressions mean a lot in the eyes of a cat. You have to remember that bringing a new cat into the home might confuse your “king/queen of the house” cat, so this is a major adjustment to your cat’s life. Not all cats will immediately get along and it’s important to integrate the two gradually as not to overwhelm the other.
Source: @Tom Thai via Flickr
2. Be sure that new kitty has his own litter box
Although you have a litter box in the home for your current cat, when integrating the two together it’s best to keep some things separate. This rule should apply for the time being until the two can be properly acclimated to one another. Baby steps will ring true for this feline-integrating scenario.
Source: @Theen Moy via Flickr
3. Be sure that both of your cats have individual places to retreat
Not all cats will hit it off with a bang, and some may take an extended period of time to feel comfortable around each other. To help both of your cats become acquainted on their own be sure that they each have individual hiding places so they can rest and sneak away in peace.
4. Get a new food bowl for new kitty
When introducing your new cat it’s important that each cat has their own food/water bowl. Not only this, but be sure that the food supply for both cats is out in the open, and not in a confined space. Your cats shouldn’t be made to feel as if they are now forced to share food, and with their own food and water dishes they won’t have to.
Source: @Ferran Jordà via Flickr
5. If your cat isn’t spayed/neutered this may soon be a problem
While introducing cats of the opposite sex won’t present an immediate issue, it may if your new cat/existing cat takes a liking to the other one. Unless you want a litter of kittens in your future be smart and fix one, if not both, of your kitties.
Source: @VirtKitty via Flickr
6. Practice extra precaution if introducing a kitten with an older cat
Not all older, calmer cats are crazy about hyper little kittens. Bringing a playful kitten into the home may irritate your cat if they’re a bit older, so try to let the kitten play with your cat in small doses as not to pester them and kitten get swatted as a result. On the plus side, introducing a kitten in the mix won’t cause your older cat to feel threatened like they would if introducing a grown cat.