Introducing a new kitten
July 2, 2019 6:17 AM Subscribe
I have two cats. I am adopting a 3rd. I have been told that you need to take it really slow introducting a new cat to the mix, but.... does it really matter THAAAAAAAAAAAAT much? Does it not have more to do with the individual personalities of the cats involved? Am I that off base?
My cats, Picard and Sirius, are awesome and I wuv them. They are just over a year old and littermates. They both are super good tempered cats, neither bite or scratch, snuggly and friendly, though Picard is somewhat more nervous and tentative than Sirius.
I am adopting this little thing and naming him Vogue. He also is super good tempered, friendly, snuggly, sociable, etc.
Does it matter that much how cats are introduced? I'm going to separate them at first and stuff, but one of the people working for the cat resuce organization made it sound like it should take upwards of a MONTH to introduce cats. I find this hard to believe, but I will be the first to concede that I haven't had to introduce new cats to each other before.
Shouldn't the introduction of the new kitten be way easier because:
- my current cats are still super young, only just turned 1 themselves, so they aren't super stuck in their ways or anything
- my current cats are super friendly, snuggly, purr-faced, and chill (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C)
- new cat is super friendly and chill
- new cat is only a couple months old, so (presumably?) a kitten would be easier for cats to accept as it is small and not threatening
- new cat is being fostered by the same person who fostered existing cats when they were babies , so there should be a lot of familiar smells on new kitten
- all three cats (my current cats and new cat) were resuces and were fostered in a home with other cats (and five humans) so they are well socialized
So for real, does the slow introduction make that much of a difference, or is it more just down to individual cat personalities than anything?
My cats, Picard and Sirius, are awesome and I wuv them. They are just over a year old and littermates. They both are super good tempered cats, neither bite or scratch, snuggly and friendly, though Picard is somewhat more nervous and tentative than Sirius.
I am adopting this little thing and naming him Vogue. He also is super good tempered, friendly, snuggly, sociable, etc.
Does it matter that much how cats are introduced? I'm going to separate them at first and stuff, but one of the people working for the cat resuce organization made it sound like it should take upwards of a MONTH to introduce cats. I find this hard to believe, but I will be the first to concede that I haven't had to introduce new cats to each other before.
Shouldn't the introduction of the new kitten be way easier because:
- my current cats are still super young, only just turned 1 themselves, so they aren't super stuck in their ways or anything
- my current cats are super friendly, snuggly, purr-faced, and chill (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C)
- new cat is super friendly and chill
- new cat is only a couple months old, so (presumably?) a kitten would be easier for cats to accept as it is small and not threatening
- new cat is being fostered by the same person who fostered existing cats when they were babies , so there should be a lot of familiar smells on new kitten
- all three cats (my current cats and new cat) were resuces and were fostered in a home with other cats (and five humans) so they are well socialized
So for real, does the slow introduction make that much of a difference, or is it more just down to individual cat personalities than anything?
Because cats are weird it’s better to go with the safer route and then bring the cats closer if they’re into it ahead of schedule.
Consider adding felliway (a pheromone that’s has a few application/diffusion options) to help smooth the way.
I have seen VERY mellow cats go absolutely enraged bonkers at the suggestion of a new cat (smell) so I would absolutely always advise to keep new cats as far separate as possible and introduce via smell and bring them gradually closer.
Source: I bred show cats as a hobby in my childhood. Many of my cats went to live in homes that already had a resident cat.
posted by bilabial at 6:38 AM on July 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
Consider adding felliway (a pheromone that’s has a few application/diffusion options) to help smooth the way.
I have seen VERY mellow cats go absolutely enraged bonkers at the suggestion of a new cat (smell) so I would absolutely always advise to keep new cats as far separate as possible and introduce via smell and bring them gradually closer.
Source: I bred show cats as a hobby in my childhood. Many of my cats went to live in homes that already had a resident cat.
posted by bilabial at 6:38 AM on July 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
I can give you my experience with one introduction. When I lived in S. Korea, I adopted a kitten, Ivory. One day, my vet told me they were going to put down the kitten that had been in their window for a few weeks because nobody wanted to adopt her (she wasn't perfect, she had a tiny head and crossed eyes). I couldn't let that happen. It broke my heart. So, Gidgette became mine. At that point, Ivory was about 6 months old. I lived in a studio apartment. It was one room about the size of a large bedroom and a tiny bathroom. I had planned to let Ivory have the apartment and put Gidgette in the bathroom. That didn't work. I forgot to close the bathroom door the first time I went to the bathroom. Gidgette walked out. Ivory sniffed her. They cuddled up together. No drama. Fast forward to today and they only tolerate each other. The were close buds for a while, and then they drifted apart. I don't think it was because of their introduction. So one anecdote, it didn't matter. But I highly believe it depends on each cat's personality.
posted by kathrynm at 7:09 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by kathrynm at 7:09 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
Am I that off base?
Yes. Listen to literally everyone with more experience on this matter, when they say it is best to go very slowly and in stages. Sure, sometimes people avoid best practice and it works out ok. Sometimes they avoid best practice and end up with a thousand dollar vet bill or a new dead kitten.
What, you gonna interview them for personality compatibilities? Good luck!
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:12 AM on July 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Yes. Listen to literally everyone with more experience on this matter, when they say it is best to go very slowly and in stages. Sure, sometimes people avoid best practice and it works out ok. Sometimes they avoid best practice and end up with a thousand dollar vet bill or a new dead kitten.
What, you gonna interview them for personality compatibilities? Good luck!
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:12 AM on July 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
What's the drawback to starting slow as the experts recommend, and adjusting if everything's going swimmingly? Because the drawback to starting too fast is blood, sweat, and tears (theirs and yours!)
How cats are with their human and with their littermates isn't the best predictor of how they'd be with a stranger.
posted by kapers at 7:20 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
What's the drawback to starting slow as the experts recommend, and adjusting if everything's going swimmingly? Because the drawback to starting too fast is blood, sweat, and tears (theirs and yours!)
How cats are with their human and with their littermates isn't the best predictor of how they'd be with a stranger.
posted by kapers at 7:20 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
I've introduced cats lots of times, and it seems to depend way more on the personality of the cats than the time frame. Usually I keep them apart for the first few days when I'm not at home but have supervised together time each day and kind of evaluate on the fly. The quarantine for a month thing has not proved necessary for me.
The one time we had an unsuccessful introduction was when I tried to bring my grandmother's adult female cat into a 2-cat household. She had always lived alone and she was, frankly, a mean little thing. She needed to be an Only Cat, and fortunately I had a friend who was able to take her in.
posted by something something at 7:20 AM on July 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
The one time we had an unsuccessful introduction was when I tried to bring my grandmother's adult female cat into a 2-cat household. She had always lived alone and she was, frankly, a mean little thing. She needed to be an Only Cat, and fortunately I had a friend who was able to take her in.
posted by something something at 7:20 AM on July 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
Does it matter that much how cats are introduced? I'm going to separate them at first and stuff, but one of the people working for the cat resuce organization made it sound like it should take upwards of a MONTH to introduce cats.
The correct answer is... maybe.
I have four cats, my partner has three cats, and she fosters kittens. One of my cats (Bubby) is a friend to all and you could put him in a room with new cats and he'd immediately be fine with them. He's 14, chill, and super sweet.
Two of my partner's cats are stellar foster siblings and take to kittens like it's their job. No hissing or territoriality at all. They're neutered boys. Cupcake, however, is more standoffish and tends to swat the kittens and hiss a little but no major drama.
The oldest of the boys, however, hated hated hated Willow, who now lives with me. They were introduced slowly, but it didn't matter. He hated her from first sniff and would go after her like it was his life's mission.
My first cat and second cat were introduced slowly, with Laney living in my office so she could get used to the place and Lilah could get used to her smell and vice-versa. Laney came from a shelter where she was kept in a crate of her own because she hated other cats. She didn't like Lilah any better, even after a slow intro - though they can now share a bed about a foot apart without drama. They are not and probably never will be friends. They don't like other cats either, and they were both deeply offended by the additions of Willow and Bubby even though I tried to do those slowly.
Willow and Bubby live upstairs, Lilah and Laney live downstairs, and that works more or less.
We're now on something like 34 foster kittens over the last two years. They get at least a week of quarantine, sometimes longer, and then slowly introduced to the rest of the household. Of in some cases not so slowly, depending. In some cases we have to add a singleton kitten or new pair of kittens to the mix while previous foster pairs / litters are residing in the kitten room. Kittens pretty much get over themselves in a day or two left amongst themselves and become buddies. We've successfully paired several kittens with friends from other litters. (The organization we work with adopts all young kittens in pairs.)
So - yes, it can matter. It doesn't always. I agree that it's safer to go slow and speed things up than to just mix them together right away.
One thing I've experimented with... it takes about a month before just the smell of an interloper stops causing serious anger in Laney or Lilah. If I come home having petted a strange cat? No problem. When Bubby and Willow moved in, just having their smell on my hand would set off Lilah and Laney. After three weeks or a month I could brush Bubby or Willow and hold a ball of their fur under their noses and get very little reaction at all.
posted by jzb at 7:25 AM on July 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
The correct answer is... maybe.
I have four cats, my partner has three cats, and she fosters kittens. One of my cats (Bubby) is a friend to all and you could put him in a room with new cats and he'd immediately be fine with them. He's 14, chill, and super sweet.
Two of my partner's cats are stellar foster siblings and take to kittens like it's their job. No hissing or territoriality at all. They're neutered boys. Cupcake, however, is more standoffish and tends to swat the kittens and hiss a little but no major drama.
The oldest of the boys, however, hated hated hated Willow, who now lives with me. They were introduced slowly, but it didn't matter. He hated her from first sniff and would go after her like it was his life's mission.
My first cat and second cat were introduced slowly, with Laney living in my office so she could get used to the place and Lilah could get used to her smell and vice-versa. Laney came from a shelter where she was kept in a crate of her own because she hated other cats. She didn't like Lilah any better, even after a slow intro - though they can now share a bed about a foot apart without drama. They are not and probably never will be friends. They don't like other cats either, and they were both deeply offended by the additions of Willow and Bubby even though I tried to do those slowly.
Willow and Bubby live upstairs, Lilah and Laney live downstairs, and that works more or less.
We're now on something like 34 foster kittens over the last two years. They get at least a week of quarantine, sometimes longer, and then slowly introduced to the rest of the household. Of in some cases not so slowly, depending. In some cases we have to add a singleton kitten or new pair of kittens to the mix while previous foster pairs / litters are residing in the kitten room. Kittens pretty much get over themselves in a day or two left amongst themselves and become buddies. We've successfully paired several kittens with friends from other litters. (The organization we work with adopts all young kittens in pairs.)
So - yes, it can matter. It doesn't always. I agree that it's safer to go slow and speed things up than to just mix them together right away.
One thing I've experimented with... it takes about a month before just the smell of an interloper stops causing serious anger in Laney or Lilah. If I come home having petted a strange cat? No problem. When Bubby and Willow moved in, just having their smell on my hand would set off Lilah and Laney. After three weeks or a month I could brush Bubby or Willow and hold a ball of their fur under their noses and get very little reaction at all.
posted by jzb at 7:25 AM on July 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
My 3 cats, who have literally been together every single day since Mom cat gave birth to Kitten cats and get along wonderfully 99% of the time, go into full HATE mode, INVADER-ALERT-how-dare-you-be-in-my-space-INVADER-ALERT every time one just comes back from the vet smelling slightly off. I basically have to do an abbreviated intro every single time, or take all 3 to the vet at once. Cats are weird. Plan for and deal with the worst cat hate, and be pleasantly surprised if things go better than expected.
posted by cgg at 7:31 AM on July 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by cgg at 7:31 AM on July 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
We're doing this now. We're keeping them (a 10-month old and a 2-month old) separate when no one is around but have been letting them mingle with decreasing amounts of human attention when we're home (it's like day 10 now). Honestly, the main reasons we're still separating them is so the big one can't eat all of the little one's food. Just take it easy, it probably won't be long.
posted by the christopher hundreds at 7:33 AM on July 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by the christopher hundreds at 7:33 AM on July 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Re: familiar smells because they were fostered by the same person:
We became friends with our cats' foster parents. When they visited us after our cats had settled into our place (like 3 months after we got them) the cats acted like they had no idea who these people were.
posted by tinydancer at 7:37 AM on July 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
We became friends with our cats' foster parents. When they visited us after our cats had settled into our place (like 3 months after we got them) the cats acted like they had no idea who these people were.
posted by tinydancer at 7:37 AM on July 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
I am a lifelong cat lady. Worked with rescuing and TNR of feral cats for years. The only cat pair I've ever had the luxury of introducing in the completely correct prescribed manner, bending over backwards to keep them separate for as long as possible, is my current pair of Tommy and Niko. Years later, they still can't stand each other. So, yes, the individual cats' personalities matter a lot. That said, it is awfully hard to predict how individual cats are going to react, even if they appear as chill as Picard and Sirius (awesome names, btw).
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:40 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:40 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
I wish we had gone slower introducing our new kitten, but he figured out how to open the door so he kind of introduced himself while we were out, and after that it became super impractical to keep him confined. It's been rocky, and he gets a lot of paw-in-face and it has made him anxious enough to chew at some old scars. We got him a Feliway-style collar and that has helped some.
So, yeah, go slow until they can tolerate each other. Maybe they'll warm up more quickly, which will be great!
posted by BrashTech at 8:10 AM on July 2, 2019
So, yeah, go slow until they can tolerate each other. Maybe they'll warm up more quickly, which will be great!
posted by BrashTech at 8:10 AM on July 2, 2019
slow works for sure. there is good advice above about going slow; but there is a little magic involved here, it's not a science, it's not even an art: It's a black art. Nothing works for every cat and that's just a fact, so you're likely to mess up at some point the more often you do it. Just don't keep one of them locked up in a room 24/7 for weeks on end tho.. that's a little too slow.
posted by some loser at 9:42 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by some loser at 9:42 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]
Depending on the cats and the environment, tossing a third cat into the mix could work out just fine with no effort, or it could feature one or more of: fighting, peeing, a previously happy cat turning into a nervous wreck.
The things you mention do improve your odds, especially the new one being a kitten. But cats are weird, especially around inter-cat relations, and you can't be sure of anything.
So, yeah, if at all possible, I'd recommend the slow route.
(And, if possible, even in the end have two litter boxes distant from each other as well as two feeding places to make it hard for one cat to guard against another's access.)
posted by Zed at 11:15 AM on July 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
The things you mention do improve your odds, especially the new one being a kitten. But cats are weird, especially around inter-cat relations, and you can't be sure of anything.
So, yeah, if at all possible, I'd recommend the slow route.
(And, if possible, even in the end have two litter boxes distant from each other as well as two feeding places to make it hard for one cat to guard against another's access.)
posted by Zed at 11:15 AM on July 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
If your current two are displeased with the kitten, they may express that (heh) urinally. And then they've gotten into that habit, and of course there's the smell reinforcing the behavior. Do you want to risk that? As many people are telling you, things can be sped up depending on how all parties are handling it, but once the hate demon is out of the box....
An excellent chapter in 'The Natural Cat' has served me well for decades. Have kitten sleep on towel/blankie that smells like the other two, and vice versa. This will help them adjust. No matter how tempting, do NOT make new kitten center of the feline universe. If possible, ignore, ESPECIALLY in front of the other two. "Oh, that pesky kitten, and here I am just wanting to give you two treats."
Good luck!
posted by 2soxy4mypuppet at 11:18 AM on July 2, 2019
An excellent chapter in 'The Natural Cat' has served me well for decades. Have kitten sleep on towel/blankie that smells like the other two, and vice versa. This will help them adjust. No matter how tempting, do NOT make new kitten center of the feline universe. If possible, ignore, ESPECIALLY in front of the other two. "Oh, that pesky kitten, and here I am just wanting to give you two treats."
Good luck!
posted by 2soxy4mypuppet at 11:18 AM on July 2, 2019
Am I that off base?
Yes. Listen to literally everyone with more experience on this matter, when they say it is best to go very slowly and in stages.
Indeed. Is one or both of the current cats male? If so, go even slower and more gradually than recommended!
posted by jgirl at 11:53 AM on July 2, 2019
Yes. Listen to literally everyone with more experience on this matter, when they say it is best to go very slowly and in stages.
Indeed. Is one or both of the current cats male? If so, go even slower and more gradually than recommended!
posted by jgirl at 11:53 AM on July 2, 2019
Exhibit B is just about the cutest thing I've seen all day.
Take it slow cause you never know.
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 12:27 PM on July 2, 2019
Take it slow cause you never know.
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 12:27 PM on July 2, 2019
even in the end have two litter boxes distant from each other
Three would be better.
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:48 PM on July 2, 2019
Three would be better.
posted by sebastienbailard at 1:48 PM on July 2, 2019
Here's a recent story I asked a question about! I tried to do this with a super friendly, snuggly, good-tempered 15 year old cat who had previously lived amicably-if-aloofishly with other cats (Current Cat) and a friendly, energetic, good-tempered, sociable 1 year old cat who was currently living with other cats that she cuddled and played with (New Cat). We expected it to go well, if anything maybe Current Cat would be standoffish and just want to be left alone, but New Cat shouldn't have any problems, right? I still wanted to go slow but I've got a partner with ADHD so that, uh, ended up not happening and things were more rushed than I'd planned.
Current Cat was super friendly and welcoming. We got to the point of playing under the door and she was having a blast, very curious about and friendly towards New Cat. New Cat played with her for about 5 minutes and then threw a huge fit. She spent the next week slowly escalating from growling to hissing to rushing to actively attacking Current Cat and basically trying to chase her out of her own home. We were pretty flabbergasted.
Her previous owner (my mother in law) got super anxious about her "poor baby being so stressed" and took her back, despite us wanting to try longer (and she was totally sweet and friendly once she got back home, so it wasn't like a random health issue drove it or something). So, I can't say whether they would have gotten along eventually. But it definitely goes to show that cat personalities can be wildly unpredictable when you start mixing them.
posted by brook horse at 5:08 PM on July 2, 2019
Current Cat was super friendly and welcoming. We got to the point of playing under the door and she was having a blast, very curious about and friendly towards New Cat. New Cat played with her for about 5 minutes and then threw a huge fit. She spent the next week slowly escalating from growling to hissing to rushing to actively attacking Current Cat and basically trying to chase her out of her own home. We were pretty flabbergasted.
Her previous owner (my mother in law) got super anxious about her "poor baby being so stressed" and took her back, despite us wanting to try longer (and she was totally sweet and friendly once she got back home, so it wasn't like a random health issue drove it or something). So, I can't say whether they would have gotten along eventually. But it definitely goes to show that cat personalities can be wildly unpredictable when you start mixing them.
posted by brook horse at 5:08 PM on July 2, 2019
new cat is only a couple months old, so (presumably?) a kitten would be easier for cats to accept as it is small and not threatening
Older cats are often very wary of kittens, because kittens have mothers who can be VERY protective of their offspring.
As others have said, it MAY work out quickly if the personalities are compatible, but you need to be prepared for it to take as long as it takes.
In my experience males are usually more accepting of a new cat than females, however there will be fireworks if the new addition challenges the current Top Cat.
posted by HiroProtagonist at 8:08 PM on July 2, 2019
Older cats are often very wary of kittens, because kittens have mothers who can be VERY protective of their offspring.
As others have said, it MAY work out quickly if the personalities are compatible, but you need to be prepared for it to take as long as it takes.
In my experience males are usually more accepting of a new cat than females, however there will be fireworks if the new addition challenges the current Top Cat.
posted by HiroProtagonist at 8:08 PM on July 2, 2019
I'm going through this right now. I had two cats who lived together (peacefully enough) for 18 years. About three months ago, one of them died. So, about six weeks ago, I adopted a seven-month-old kitten.
The surviving cat utterly refuses to accept the presence of the new cat in her territory. She attacks her, viciously, on sight. If she can't get to the new cat to attack her, she'll stare unblinkingly at her while mewling loudly, or sit by the door, looking under it. She has a major hate-on for this kitten. She's unhealthily obsessed.
A couple of weeks ago, she bit me when I was breaking up a fight – blood spouting, emergency antibiotics (cat bites can give you a nasty infection), filing a mandatory report with animal control, the whole nine yards.
I had to buy toddler gates to keep the two cats separated, and my home life now involves vaulting over those to get around. We're approaching the two-month mark, and it's just. not. working. I'm probably going to have to give up the kitten.
And this is after I (mostly) followed the standard advice about introducing them gradually.
Do you really want to take the risk?
posted by escape from the potato planet at 11:29 AM on July 3, 2019
The surviving cat utterly refuses to accept the presence of the new cat in her territory. She attacks her, viciously, on sight. If she can't get to the new cat to attack her, she'll stare unblinkingly at her while mewling loudly, or sit by the door, looking under it. She has a major hate-on for this kitten. She's unhealthily obsessed.
A couple of weeks ago, she bit me when I was breaking up a fight – blood spouting, emergency antibiotics (cat bites can give you a nasty infection), filing a mandatory report with animal control, the whole nine yards.
I had to buy toddler gates to keep the two cats separated, and my home life now involves vaulting over those to get around. We're approaching the two-month mark, and it's just. not. working. I'm probably going to have to give up the kitten.
And this is after I (mostly) followed the standard advice about introducing them gradually.
Do you really want to take the risk?
posted by escape from the potato planet at 11:29 AM on July 3, 2019
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If you have super-aggressive cats or a two-ganging-up-on-one situation or super-shy cats, then you may want to do a very slow introduction, but I think it can also just be a matter of seeing how it goes and making sure nobody gets hurt.
posted by xingcat at 6:22 AM on July 2, 2019 [4 favorites]