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It can take a few weeks to a few months for cats to get used to each other, but this varies based on the cats' personalities. The answer for your specific situation depends on many factors such as the age and temperament of the cats, whether proper introductions were made, and—as is the case when humans first meet—on whether or not the cats click. While you can't predict how introductions will go, you can take steps to make the process successful.
Properly Introducing a New Cat Into Your Household
When a new baby enters the picture, it's common for toddler siblings to be very jealous and act out. Though many cats would rather not be alone and thrive when they share their space with other cats, some don't like to share. Parents often read books in order to learn the best way to introduce a new baby into the home, and pet parents should also do some research when making a new cat part of the family. Here are some steps for making a proper introduction:
- Don't just toss the cats together and expect them to be besties. Begin with isolating the new cat to one room with a litter box, food, water, and a bed.
- Put treats or food on either side of the door where the new cat is isolated. This will allow the new cat and the resident cat to hear and smell each other. When doing this for the first time, don't put the food so close to the door that the cats are too upset by each other to eat. Gradually move the food closer and closer to the door as time goes on until the cats can eat calmly directly on either side of the door.
- Switch sleeping blankets between the new cat and the resident cat so that they have a chance to become accustomed to each other's scent.
- Put the new cat in a carrier and allow the resident cat to smell all around the new cat's carrier and room.
- Make the official introduction. Slowly open the new cat's door and observe. Having a spray bottle and blanket on hand may be helpful in case you need to intervene in a cat fight.
Don't be alarmed if the cats hiss and swat at each other - a little of this is normal! Providing each cat with their own bed, litter box (one litter box per cat plus one additional litter box works best!), food bowls, and toys will also help. Since cats can sometimes be territorial, the less they have to share, the better.
There is no simple answer to the question of how long it will take cats to get used to each other, but by following some of the steps above, you can help to further the process along more quickly.
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If you’re adding a second (or third) cat to your lovable litter, consider the following tips to help make life easier for all the felines in your family—including yourself.
Age before beauty
If your first-born cat is elderly, steer clear of kittens. Their high-octane energy may be too stressful for an older cat, especially if he/she is sickly. CAUTION: If your resident feline has physical limitations, it’s not a good time to adopt another cat at all.
Opposites don’t attract
Is your “top cat” energetic and healthy? Then a kitten might be the perfect match. Extroverted and assertive cats do well with like-minded social butterflies. It’s not wise to team timid felines with alpha cats.
General rule of thumb: Choose a smaller, younger, opposite-gendered cat. However, it’s more important to match temperaments than pick sexual opposites.
Check ups
Before you introduce your new cat to the family, all pets should get a vet visit to ensure they’re healthy. Your new cat will have his own check up within a few days of coming home, and a bath to eliminate fleas is also wise.
No bunking
This is one time when siblings shouldn’t share the same room. In the beginning, give your new cat a room of its own and be sure to spend a lot of alone time with him/her those first few days.
Keep the fur from flying
Cats are solitary, territorial creatures by nature so don’t force siblings together. It may take weeks or months for a cat to adjust to their new lifestyle. Cats introduced too quickly may fight and never learn to get along. Gradual introductions are essential for long-term brotherly/sisterly love.
Close encounter
Don’t hold the cats in your arms when they first meet or you could be the unintended victim of a catfight. Introduce them on the new cat’s turf and limit the time they spend together while you closely monitor their behavior. Crouching and hissing with ears back is normal, but if it escalates, separate the siblings and start over by feeding them on opposite sides of the door.
If a fight erupts, distract both cats by throwing a towel over their heads or make a loud noise. Don’t pick up the new cat if he/she’s aroused; instead, guide the new cat back to his/her sanctuary and wait a few days to try again.
Supervise all sibling encounters closely for signs of anxiety and aggression. If one or both cats freeze, stare or fixate on the other, distract and redirect them with treats or fun toys; this also helps reinforce positive rewards when they play nice.
Table for two
When the new cat is calm place both cats’ bowls on opposite sides of the door to his/her room, gradually moving the bowls closer at subsequent feedings. This is to reinforce the pleasure of food and eating with each other. If all goes well, open the door a sliver so they can see each other enjoying their meal.
Open house
As soon as your new feline eats and uses his/her litter box normally, it’s time to explore. Let him/her investigate one room at a time, while the “mayor” cat is in another area. Your new cat will sniff out his/her sibling sight unseen, but you can also swap bedding so the cats become acquainted with one another’s scent.
Security and patience
Your new feline will need his/her own one-on-one time with you and the security of a routine. Just like humans, some cats will bond easily and be forever friends, while others will never get on well.
Be patient: it usually takes 2-4 weeks for a kitten and an adult to adjust; 4-6 weeks (or longer) for adult cats. Remember, they don’t have to be best buddies; they just have to peacefully co-exist in your household.
First impressions between pets are just as important as they are between people. By providing a slow and steady introduction, the result can be rewarding for both your feline companions. Here are a few tips and precautionary steps to help make cat-cat introductions pleasant for everyone involved.
Keep the cats separate at first. House the new cat in a separate room for at least seven days with food, water, comfortable bedding, a litter box(es), and all of the necessities to keep him happy and healthy. This allows the cats to get used to each other’s scent without needing to confront the other. We recommend using Comfort Zone® with Feliway® diffusers or spray during this separation, as well as the initial stages of the introduction. The Feliway® pheromone helps to reduce anxiety during times of change.
Encourage positive associations between the cats while they are separated. Do this by feeding treats or canned food to them near the door that separates them. You can also swap bedding every couple of days so they can further explore each other’s scent. Some hissing is normal during this stage. Don’t punish the cats for hissing or growling as that can form a negative association about the other cat, as well as you.
Allow the cats to see each other once there has been no hissing for a couple of days.
If there is no hissing within seven days of your new cat being home, just open the door and permit the cats to explore. Do not force either cat to see the other. Have some treats handy so they can have a pleasant experience together right away. As long as they appear to be relaxed, allow them both out. Again, some hissing when they see each other is normal so don’t be alarmed. Some light swatting is also common. Separate them if the hissing doesn’t die down after 1 or 2 minutes or if there is any sign of threat (swatting with force, chasing, screaming, ears flattened, etc.). Try again when the cats seem to be calm.
If it takes more than seven days for the hissing to stop, things need to go more gradually. Allow the cats to see each other while maintaining a physical barrier, such as stacking baby gates in the doorway, opening the door an inch or two and using a door stop to keep the door open, or putting in a screen door. Continue to feed treats to the cats on opposite sides of the door. If one of the cats won’t eat, move the food far enough from the door for the cat to feel secure enough to eat. Praise them for being calm when they see each other. Continue this until the cats have shown no tension around each other for a couple of days, then open the door and proceed as above.
Note: The initial introduction should take place during a time when the cats are calm - perhaps shortly after a meal or play time. You need to be calm, as well. Cats can sense tension; your nervousness could translate to anxiety for them, causing a rocky meeting.
Gradually increase the amount of time the cats spend around each other while you are home and supervising. Once they are routinely spending 4 or 5 hours together without incident, you should be able to give both cats free run of the home overnight and then when you are away. The average time frame is a few weeks but it could take months for the cats to learn to tolerate each other.
Maintain a separate litter box and feeding area for the new cat in his room for a few weeks. It is highly recommended to have multiple resources for multiple cats. As long as the cats are getting along after a few weeks of being together you can try to forgo the extra food and water bowls if you must but watch for any signs of animosity or stress and return the bowls. The general rule regarding litter boxes is one box per cat, plus one, so it is advisable that you keep the new cat’s box, but you may be able to move it if you prefer a different location.
If you would like information from an Anti-Cruelty Society Behavior Specialist regarding this behavior topic, please call 312-645-8253 or email .