How to bring a new cat into a house with existing cats?

Judge Judy of Y/A asked:

I have 4 cats and tonight I’m going to get another cat (not kitten) from a friend who can’t keep the cat. Does anyone have good suggestions for getting the cats used to each other quickly? How can I convince my existing cats to get along with the new cat?

Cute kitten

8 thoughts on “How to bring a new cat into a house with existing cats?”

  1. Pon and Zi

    Put the new cat in a separate room with its own litter box, food bowl and water. Keep separate from others. There’ll be lots of sniffing at the door, but that’s ok.

    After a few days, bring individual cats in and let them meet each other 1-on-1.

    We’ve introduced maybe 5-6 cats this way over the years.

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  2. Cat on Trampoline

    First of all you have too many cats.
    Bring the new cat into a room all by itself. Keep it isolated. The othe cats will hiss and growl at it. They will stay by the door and start swatting back and forth. Eventually bring the cat out and let them play supervised. They will fight but don’t stop it unless you see blood. Let themdetermine who is dominant.Good luck.

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  3. Himalayan Cat

    Go slowly – alot depends on the temperament of the cat/cats. Keep the cats separated at first, then let together under supervision for awhile before you let them all have the run of your house. Try having a “playtime” with al of them together several times per day. Use a toy mouse, chase a string, etc, they usually can’t resist!
    Make sure you have enough litter boxes, some say to have one per cat. Some cats will act out if they think the litterbox is dirty (even when you scoop it often), or if they pick up another cat’s scent using it. Try to have different food bowls for each cat. It takes time, but after a lot “staring sessions” from accross the room at each other, they will usually settle in and get used to each other.

    Good Luck!

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