Learn how to introduce a second cat into your property

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Learn how to introduce a second cat into your property
Cat house owners solely ever need the very best for his or her beloved feline mates. So if you end up away from dwelling loads and are apprehensive about your cat getting lonely, you is perhaps pondering of getting it some firm. However is that a good suggestion and the way are you alleged to go about it? Learn on and discover out!

Cats would possibly look like loners. For those who solely have one cat, you will have seen they’re significantly territorial animals who aren’t too wanting to share.
The truth, although, is extra difficult than that. Cats would possibly hunt alone, however they really want various social interplay.
So getting your little buddy a playmate actually does make sense. The issue, although, is that this backfires all too typically, ending in a battle between two cats vying for territory. Loud meowing, hissing, and even violence are just some penalties of an unsuccessful integration.
However don’t have any worry, our cat information is right here that will help you efficiently introduce a second cat to your family.
We are able to, in actual fact, all simply get together with a number of easy steps.
Ought to I get one other cat?
Whether or not you add one other cat to your family is, in fact, a private selection. You need to suppose lengthy and laborious about it, although, and contemplate all of the traits and desires of your present pet earlier than transferring ahead.
Right here are some things to consider:
- How lengthy has your present cat been the one pet within the family for?
- How outdated is your cat?
- What’s your cat’s character?
- What’s your cat’s intercourse?
- Does your cat have sure wants primarily based on its breed?
- Is your present cat an indoor or out of doors cat?
- What expertise does it have with different cats?
Quieter and extra senior cats don’t normally get alongside notably properly with lively and playful kittens. You’ll be able to’t blame them, these little guys are completely lovable, but in addition extremely needy at instances.
As a rule, in case your present cat is greater than eight years outdated, it isn’t a good suggestion to herald a brand new furry buddy.
Cat house owners also needs to contemplate:
- The dimensions of their house or home
- The doubling of cat-related prices will now double
- The elevated time calls for of a second
- The implications of getting a second cat for future and household plans
A cat proprietor mustn’t spend much less time with one cat on account of getting a second cat. Time must be cut up equally, and it must be clear that this requires a bigger time dedication.
On area: Even a small house can supply sufficient area for 2 cats. Make it possible for there are a number of ranges of furnishings for the cat to climb on and discover, in order that it might get sufficient motion.

Do cats get together with different cats?
Cats are well-known for being solitary and possessive of their very own area. They’re inherently suspicious of different cats, resulting from their extremely territorial nature and personalities, and it takes a very long time for these feline mates to make feline mates of their very own.
Some cats won’t ever make mates with others of their very own sort, and that is okay. However they are going to ultimately get used to the presence of a second cat of their dwelling, even when they do not essentially turn into “pleasant”. As a substitute, cats will study to keep away from each other as a lot as attainable and, after some time, fights will lower.
A common rule of thumb is that cats take round a 12 months to turn into really built-in in a a number of kitty family, whether or not meaning truly having fun with one another’s firm or simply merely tolerating each other.
Which cats get alongside?
Cats are by no means notably predictable animals, and the identical goes for whether or not two people will get alongside. Fortunately, although, there are a number of components that can make friendship extra viable and sure.
Listed here are a number of components that enhance the chance of cats getting alongside:
- Siblings: Kittens from a litter, who haven’t been separated for too lengthy, will typically get alongside very properly.
- Kittens: Youthful cats are but to develop a powerful connection to territory. It will make them extra more likely to share the area peacefully.
- An older grownup with a younger kitten: That is much less doubtless, however nonetheless attainable. Beware, although, older cats discover youthful cats extremely irritating.
- Adults: If an grownup cat hasn’t been alone for too lengthy (maybe their former cat companion died just lately) then they are going to be much less hostile in the direction of a perceived intruder on their territory.
- Neutered cats: Non-neutered males constantly have interaction in energy struggles, so it’s endorsed that your cat is neutered if you’re introducing it to a different.
A cat’s private character is much extra indicative of whether or not it is going to be happy with a second cat, although. A quiet feline is not going to get together with an lively one, for instance – neither will an aggressive cat get together with a docile one.

Prep work for a second cat
You should put together properly for the introduction of a second cat. It is not as simple as simply conserving every part you have already got and taking the dive.
Your new cat will want its personal tools, together with:
- Its personal litter field
- Its personal meals and consuming bowls, in a separate location
- New toys simply on your new kitty
- Scratching amenities that have not been utilized by the outdated cat
- Particular sleeping spots which can be good for the brand new cat and personal
You should designate a particular room the place the brand new cat will spend its first few days, and never permit the outdated cat into the room for a superb period of time earlier than your new kitty takes up residence. Partition fences must be bought and on the prepared.
There are a variety of steps to integration, however an important factor is that you’re conscious of the challenges, wants, and necessities of a family that accommodates a number of cats.
How to make sure cats get alongside in 4 steps
Profitable coexistence between two cats hinges on the proprietor’s capacity to progressively get them used to one another. The size of this course of is dependent upon the cats themselves – it might take wherever from a number of months to a couple years.
If you need your cats to turn into friends, although, you are going to wish to comply with these 4 steps to introducing a second cat.
Step 1: Let the cats hear one another
Step one is to maintain the 2 cats in separate rooms. Not at all must you simply plop a brand new kitty subsequent to your present, presumably older cat, within the hope that they will simply determine it out. It will destroy the belief that the brand new cat has in you, and will even show harmful.
It’s best to maintain the brand new cat aside originally, in a pre-prepared room away from the opposite kitty. Cats want time to settle into a brand new setting, and could be significantly fearful in such a state of affairs – particularly if we’re speaking a kitten who was solely just lately separated from its mom.
Be certain that that each cats can hear one another transferring round of their respective areas, in order that they’re conscious of the opposite’s presence.

Step 2: Let the cats odor one another
Not like people, whose sense of odor is comparatively weak and never as essential as sight, a cat’s odor is essential to its communication. As soon as your new cat has arrived and settled into the brand new setting, the alternate of odor can start.
Listed here are a number of ways in which this may be finished:
- Give the brand new cat’s blankets, toys, and pillows to the older kitty, and vice versa.
- Swap the cats, in order that they’re within the room wherein the opposite cat beforehand inhabited. They should not see one another throughout this course of, although.
- Swap out the cats’ litter containers.
- Rub a bit of cloth on every cat after which let one odor the opposite’s merchandise.
- Feed the cats on the opposite aspect of the identical door, in order that they’re conscious of one another’s presence and affiliate the opposite cat’s odor with a optimistic expertise.
For those who do not permit every cat to get used to the opposite’s scent, then this might trigger some issues down the road. It’ll additionally upset your buddy since you’ll star to odor like another person.
Sizzling Tip: You may get pheromones from pet shops to assist with the method of integrating a second cat into the family.
Step 3: Let the cats see one another
As soon as the cats have gotten used to one another’s sound and odor, it’s best to permit them to truly see one another via a partition grill, a door left ajar, or a window. It is attainable that one cat will attempt to assault the opposite, so be current all through the method.
The 2 ought to be capable of observe one another for nonetheless lengthy it takes for them to turn into acquainted. It is also beneficial that you simply feed them in entrance of one another on the identical time.

Step 4: Let the cats meet one another
It’s crucial that cat house owners stay calm and current throughout this part, as it may be fairly contact and go. The 2 cats have to lastly meet and be capable of work together, so do not get too hands-on. This must be a pure interplay.
Snarling, scratching, minor fights, and arguments are regular, so long as they do not escalate. A pure hierarchy wants the time and area to develop, that is simply how issues work relating to cats. If there’s ever the chance of great damage, then it’s best to in fact intervene, and in any case, the cats ought to solely immediately work together for a number of hours a day at the beginning to cut back their stress.
Enable your cats to set their very own tempo, and do not make it too nerve wracking for them. You need to by no means power them to work together, however do incentivize them to be collectively by providing meals, treats, and playtime.
Further ideas and methods for bringing a second cat dwelling
Introducing a second cat to a family is usually a tough course of, with many fights and squabbles alongside the best way. Every time one of many 4 steps will get too laborious, it’s a good suggestion to return to the earlier part and proceed to take issues slowly. You need them to get used to one another correctly, not shortly.
Listed here are another helpful ideas and methods:
- Bear in mind to remain affected person and calm, do not be nervous across the cats.
- Take into account that that is tense on the cats, and even normally calm or loving cats can flip into vicious little beasts when pushed to defend their territory.
- Do not punish your cats for unhealthy conduct, simply incentivize good conduct.
- Be certain that to proceed giving your unique cat simply as a lot consideration and love as earlier than, in order that it would not get jealous.
- Often reassure the older cat and hold it calm, exhibiting it that the brand new cat should not be a stress.
- Be sure that you do not odor an excessive amount of like the brand new cat, in order that the older cat would not suppose that it has been changed.
Just remember to keep separate areas for each cats, in order that they’ve someplace to retreat to once they really feel threatened, burdened, or unsafe.
So that is the way you introduce two cats
No friendship could be pressured, and that goes for cats as a lot because it does for people.
In the end, there is no assure that your cats will turn into buddies, however there’s each probability they will discover ways to put up with one another.
By taking it simple, whereas staying extremely affected person and cautious, it’s best to be capable of introduce a second cat into your family. Take the steps one after the other, return if that you must, and present each of your kitties all of the love on this planet.
Cowl photograph: Unsplash / Fuu J