# Introducing new cats to each other - help!



## ellerslie83 (Nov 21, 2010)

Hi, Im new to the forum and have joined to get advice in the hope that I don't mess up introductions between my cats!
Background - moved into a new house in July, it had been vacant a couple of years so we know that the cat the turned up a little while later hadn't come looking for her previous owners, short of it was, it became clear that a)this little slip of a thing was pregnant and b) that no-one was looking after her. 
So my boyfriend and I took her in. She's had her kittens and they are 7 weeks old now - six of them! We are keeping one of them. 
They are both staying in till they are neutered, mum will be done in next couple of weeks or so. 
Then just as she had the kittens, very unexpetedly my aunt passed away and I took on her large-panther like neutered tabby male George who is two years old. 
So my problem is how the hell do I introduce them?! 
George is kept in an upstairs bedroom with everything he needs and Mum and kittens are in a room downstairs. They have a timeshare on the house, with mum and kittens coming out during the day in the house, and George having the run of it at night. 
George is very anxious and has a feliway diffuser in his room. He's turned out to be very affectionate and loving, and so is mum. They obviously know from smell and hearing each other that there's another cat in the house, but do I wait until mum is neutered to try introductions, do I introduce the kitten first as both at once may be too much? Not sure what to do first.....


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Hi welcome to the forum.I have no personal experience of your problem but I'm sure someone who does know will be along soon,didnt want to read and run.I have posted this link which you may find helpful.Good luck with the intro's. Living Together - Introducing a New Cat


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## missnaomi (Jun 4, 2010)

I am not a cat expert by any means, inherited the first two last March and then got a second in July because I felt sorry for her.

I, at first, did what you describe, then I let them out, supervised, together, but I never made them interact with each other, just let them do whatever they wanted. Gradually, I left them for longer and longer periods of time and made sure they had loads of choices of where to go for food and water and the litter tray so there was no competition. I also used Feliway...and now, several months later, they're friends.

I did get all my information from the Vicky Hall's cat books though, and I recommend them as they talk about this sort of thing in detail and following the advice seemed to work for me.

Let me know if I can help in any way, I could describe in more detail EXACTLY what we did, but I think you'll get the idea from this.
Naomi x


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## jomary-austin (Apr 9, 2009)

There are all sorts of opinions on introducing cats. Some go for the softly softly gradual, let them look at each other through a window, then smell each other, then meet face to face approach and I am sure that works really well but it is very hard to manage sometimes. 

When I recently got a new year old girl cat as company for my two year old boy Cash (indoor cat) I had all good intentions of doing it properly but unfortunately he decided force a door open while she was having he first sniff around and so the introduction was a little more immediate than planned! It worked fine though. They skulked around each other for a few days, generally they ignored each other, she might hiss at him sometimes and he flew at her once when she overstepped the mark but after two weeks they LOVED each other and are now having the best fun chasing each other around, play fighting & cuddling up on my bed at night. We also have an aged Persian lady, she can be quite aggressive but she just glared at the newcomer and something must have passed between them because Izzy has never gone anywhere hear her again.

Cats are pretty bright and sort themselves out eventually and a hierarchy is quickly established. I can't see too many problems with a young female and youngish male after a few initial spats. If your are keeping a male kitten you may have problems with the two males later when the little one matures but that doesn't always happen, especially when one is so much older and will probably be dominant.

Personally, once you have had the lady neutered and the kittens are a bit older or gone to new homes, I'd say introduce mum and George first. Probably best not introduce them before she is done as she will just make a tart out of herself even though he is neutered and it may start them off on the wrong footing. Supervise them and don't leave them on their own until you are totally confident of their intentions. Then try them all together as she may be very protective of the kitten. Worst case scenario is they will learn to barely tolerate each other. Best case they will love each other for ever. (I reckon the ladycat will end up boss, so often the way.) 

Hope it goes (or has gone) well anyway.


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

The link that Buffie posted is a brilliant link I would follow that to the letter.

Personally I would wait with introducing George until
a) the other 6 kittens are rehomed, and
b) mother has been neutered

Mother cat will be extra on the defensive if you introduce George now as a) she has kittens to protect and b) George is inching in on her turf. Plus I dont see the point of George getting used to all the kerfuffle of kittens who will be leaving in a few weeks time anyway. Plus as this guy has just lost his home and family he already has quite a bit to deal with. 

After the kittens have gone and mum has been neutered and has had a few days to recover from the OP then I would start using the techniques described in the article Buffie posted. 

Since they are kind of time-sharing the house at the moment thats great as they can both get used to each other scents that way. You can also help that along by swapping blankets and bedding around. Something George has slept on going into mums basket, and vice versa. Once a day or so give George a good rubbing down along his cheeks and flanks with a tea towel, then transfer those scents to mum. The next day do it the other way around. 

Later (after the neuter) I would be thinking of ways you can introduce George to mum & kitten that is see but not touch. If you had something like a big piece of chicken wire that you could tape or wedge at a doorway that would be ideal. If you had glass doors anywhere in your home, even better. A big cat carrier or pen would be great too. 

When are the kittens leaving, and when will mum be getting the neuter ??


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