Introducing a new cat to your home
The slow protocol. Skip steps and pay months of fights.
A bad introduction can create lifelong enemies. Done right, it requires 2-4 weeks of staged protocol: separation → scent exchange → visual contact → coexistence. No shortcuts.
Cosa ottieni
- Harmonious cohabitation
- Avoids fights and urinary marking
- Reduces chronic stress and related illness
Cats are territorial: introduction is the most important task of the first 3 months together.
Prima di iniziare
- · Both cats healthy and dewormed
- · Separate room available at least 2 weeks
- · Duplicated resources: litters, bowls, beds
Materiali
- · Feliway Multicat pheromones
- · 2 clean socks for scent exchange
- · Baby gate or transparent barrier
- · Premium treats
Passo dopo passo
- 1
Week 1: full separation
New cat in a closed room with all resources. Zero visual contact. Each cat explores the home in turns while the other is closed in.
- 2
Scent exchange
Rub a sock on cat A's cheeks, place it near cat B (not on him). Vice versa. Observe: indifference or curiosity = good. Hiss or growl = more time apart.
- 3
Eat next to the closed door
Place bowls on both sides of the closed door. They eat sensing each other. Move bowls closer to the door day by day.
- 4
Visual contact through barrier
Baby gate or door cracked open. 5-10 min sessions with treats for both. Calm = extend. Tension = close and step back.
- 5
First contact without barrier
Short supervised sessions (15-30 min), with parallel treats and play. Separate before tension appears. Build duration.
- 6
Full coexistence
Only when no tension for several days in a row, allow unsupervised cohabitation. Always keep duplicated resources.
Errori frequenti
- Skipping steps out of impatience
- Releasing new cat into living room on day 1
- Comparing cat A and B (petting, food, attention)
- Not having duplicated litter and resources
Se qualcosa non funziona
Physical fights after 4 weeks
→ Back to full separation and consult a feline behaviorist. Some cat pairs don't fit, and forcing is harmful.
Consigli da pro
- Similar age and opposite sex usually works best.
- If the resident cat has been solo for years, adjustment can take months; be patient and don't force affection.
Approfondimento
Introducing a new cat correctly is one of the most demanding protocols in feline coexistence. The golden rule is to go slower than seems necessary: initial 1-2 week separation, scent exchange and progressive visual contact prevent the relationship from breaking before it starts. Duplicated resources (litters, bowls, beds) are non-negotiable.