Guest post by Zoe Price
Cats are very territorial creatures. While you might want to get a new kitten, you have to be aware that bringing a deliberate threat into your cats’ territory is an issue that has to be negotiated carefully. Ideally, the cats will take to each other with little problems. However, there are some things you can do to ensure that this process goes as smoothly as possible.
Get Prepared
Before you get the kitten home, make sure that you are prepared to receive them. Buy them their own bed and toys and keep them away from your other cats as much as possible. They should be neutral areas so your new kitten can settle in to somewhere safe and secure with items that do not smell like other cats.
With this, make sure to take out insurance for your cat. A kitten will need to get inoculations and have regular check-ups with the vets to ensure that they are growing healthily. You might already have some policies in place for your other cats, so see if there is a way that you can add your kitten to them. A multi-pet insurance plan could be the best way to ensure that all of your cats are properly protected and looked after regardless of their age.
Keep Them Separated
Once your kitten is home, you need to make sure that the kitten is separated from your other cats. The easiest way to do this is just to place the kitten in their own room with everything they need. Try to not let your cats in, though they might show interest by sitting up against the door.
Even if they are not showing interest, you need to make sure that you swap smells between the two. When you have been in to stroke and play with your kitten, offer your hands to your other cats to let them smell them – and vice versa. A cat’s sense of smell is very strong, and making use of it is a great way to introduce them to each other without having them in the same room. If they are hanging around the door together, they will also pick up on each other’s senses and can listen to each other too.
Look but Don’t Touch
When you are ready, it will be time to get them where they can see each other but can’t touch each other – just in case someone does decide to take a swipe. The best way to do this can be by opening the door but placing a clear barrier like a piece of Perspex in between the two groups.
You could also make use of a window if your cats are allowed outside, or you could simply place them in their carriers and sit them next to each other. Gradually, as they get to know each other, you can let them get closer and closer until you are comfortable leaving them in the same room together.
Introducing cats to one another will take time. Do it too quickly and you risk them becoming enemies and doing nothing but fighting. Unfortunately, this could mean that you will need to get your kitten rehomed as they just won’t settle in. By introducing the cats to each other slowly and using their senses to your advantage, you should be able to get them to know each other and become accustomed to one another. Have patience, and don’t take setbacks to heart. Before you know it, your cats could be perfectly content to curl up with one another like the oldest of friends.
