Imagine yourself sitting quietly in front of your television and suddenly being introduced to a person you don't know, someone you've never met, and being told: "This is Arthur, he'll be sharing your home from now on!" This would be an unpleasant situation for anyone. The same principle applies to your cat. By bringing a new animal into the home, you're telling him: "Here's your new life companion; you'll now have to share your territory with him, whether you like it or not!" Your cat's shock and surprise are understandable, especially when you know how important his territory is to him.

Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that guarantees a successful introduction. In fact, the age of the cats, their sex and their breed have very little influence on the success of an introduction. In any case, introducing a kitten aged 3 to 5 months is normally easier than introducing an adult to another. Finally, sterilization is almost essential to achieve a smooth introduction.

Step 1: Ensure that the new arrival is free of disease and in excellent health.
A visit to the vet is therefore strongly recommended.

Step 2: Isolate the newcomer in a room with food, a water bowl and a litter box.
Let him acclimate to his new environment, to the new smells and to the presence of other cats. This acclimatization usually takes a few days. During this period, there should be no contact between the resident cats and the new cat.

Step 3: Periodically, swap territory cats : let the new cat explore the house, while the resident cats are locked in the reception room.
Then put your new cat back in his room and let your other cats roam freely around the house. Repeat the exercise. This will allow for a mix of feline scents. Why not spice things up by placing treats around when you switch cats? This will create positive associations with the new scents. If your cats try to sniff through the crack under the door, let them!

Step 4: Do not proceed with this step until the new arrival and resident cats are calm.
Many people, so eager to see their cats meet and have fun together, make the mistake of moving too quickly to this fourth step. Make sure that a minimum of 3 to 7 days have passed since the adoption of the new cat before starting this step. This will give you the best chance of a successful introduction.

To ensure success, buy each cat's favorite treat or food (canned food, tuna, chicken, commercial treats, or even regular food if they love it); in short, have on hand what they will eat with great enthusiasm. It is important that each cat has their favorite food. You may need to get different options if all your cats do not have the same preferences. When you are ready, offer your cats the famous treat or food selected for each one, then place each bowl a few feet apart on either side of the closed door. When they start eating, open the door a few inches. It is very important that the cats can see each other without being able to touch each other. If you are worried that opening the door will cause a fight, you can install a screen door in the door frame of the isolation room. This way, they can smell each other without touching each other. Otherwise, just make sure none of them can sneak in.

My cat is not eating

If one cat refuses to eat when it sees the other cat, move the bowls further apart until the distance is sufficient for both individuals to be comfortable and eat. After this first meal, repeat the experiment as often as possible (at least twice a day), leaving the door ajar for longer and longer periods of time and gradually moving the bowls closer together.

My cat reacts with aggression

If the cats growl, hiss or paw at each other through the door, do not intervene and move the bowls away for a while. This is a normal reaction: it is their way of talking to each other and starting negotiations that will allow them to establish the rules that will govern their relationship.

*Do not move on to the next step until the cats are eating normally in each other's presence, meaning they are not growling, hissing or pawing at each other. This can take anywhere from a day to two weeks, depending on the case.

Step 5: Open the door fully during one of their meal times and let the cats interact with each other.
Again, this meal must be absolutely delicious, so much so that it must motivate the cat to eat rather than to worry about the other's presence. They may growl, hiss, or a small argument may arise. It is important not to intervene, even if you judge that one of them seems too intimidating or is being unfair to the other. Because this negotiation, even if it is a little violent, will determine who among them will have the right to eat first, who will have possession of a specific territory in the morning, then in the evening, etc. The sooner this negotiation is over, the sooner things will return to normal. By intervening in this argument, you will only postpone things, and the discord will continue unnecessarily. If things get ugly and you have no choice but to intervene, don't try to separate them: instead, throw a small cushion in their direction or clap your hands without looking at them. This way, they won't feel like you're meddling in their business.

IMPORTANT – If fighting is too frequent, one cat seems terrified of the other, or the violence of the fighting leads to physical injuries, isolate the cats in separate rooms and contact an expert immediately.

The new cat won the negotiations

It is possible that the new cat will win some negotiations. For example, he may have won the privilege of sleeping with you. Do not see this as an injustice. It is important that you respect this agreement. Each of the cats will know what to do to respect the agreements established and you will all live in harmony!

The benefits of play

Playing is a great way for cats to get to know each other. It helps them associate each other's presence with something positive. Play a lot with all of your cats together. Since each cat usually has a favorite toy, enlist the help of other family members so that they all play at the same time and in the same room. Not only will playing improve the relationship between them, it will also strengthen the relationship you have with all of your cats, both the old and the new!

If any of these steps do not go as planned or if the fights are too frequent or too violent, contact an expert who can better guide you.

INTRODUCING A CAT INTO A HOME WITH DOGS

If you are introducing a cat into a home with a dog, or a dog into a home with a cat, the process is the same. The advantage is that many dog ​​owners usually have a crate for the dog, or they can use the leash to control the dog. So, instead of locking the cat in a reception room, the dog can be isolated in its crate or it can be kept on a leash while the cat roams the house freely to explore its new environment. In either case, a reception room should still be available so that the little feline can rest away from the dog. The cat will therefore have the freedom to approach the dog's crate to get to know him at his own pace.

Let's eat!

Feed both animals using positive reinforcement by applying the same method explained above. Be sure to reward your dog when he behaves well, that is, when he is calm, respectful and does not chase the cat. However, you should never lock the cat in the dog's cage. Also note that the more the cat has access to places located high up in each room of the house, the more he will move around at ease, because he knows that he can get away from the dog at any time if he feels the need. For this purpose, cat trees (see our column on cat trees) are very practical. Note that, when he is perched on the top of his cat tree, your kitty will be much more inclined to look at the dog and thus understand how he should approach him safely.

Source: Educator