Introducing Your Kitten to Your Cat

Getting a little kitten can be one of the best feelings ever! Lovable and cuddly, they will melt your heart. But your adult cat might not feel the same way. It takes time to introduce a kitten to a cat, and that’s why we have made this guide for introducing your cats to each other. Whether a kitten and an adult, or two adults, make sure to follow this guide so your pets can get along.

Bringing your new pet home

Firstly, make sure when you bring your new feline friend that you isolate the new kitten or cat. Coming to a new home can be scary, and it will be best for the new cat to have a safe quiet space to acclimate in before taking any further steps. Depending on how your other cat feels about other pets/animals, it might be best to isolate your new pet for anywhere from 3 days to a few weeks.

Scent swapping

After a day or two, you can share a blanket or shirt that each cat has spent time with/on with the other to have them smell each other. This will allow them to better understand each other and will help later when they are introduced.

Introduce through barriers

Once you have made the scent swap, you can soon move on to allowing the cats to see one another from a distance. It’s best to keep a small baby gate or crate wall between the two. Make sure that these viewings are kept short in order to allow them time to calm down and decompress.

Introduce with supervision

Once some time has passed, anywhere from 3 days to a few weeks like mentioned above, you can start introducing your kitten to your cat. If there are two of you (owners) each person should take one cat and sit with them as you introduce them. Make sure to introduce them in an open area like a living room so they can both run away if they need to. Keep an eye on each cat and see if either is getting too stressed or preparing to hit the other, if they are going to fight you should move them apart as soon as possible.

Don’t leave them alone just yet!

After the initial introduction, you should continue to monitor their interactions. Try not to leave them alone with another until you are sure they are comfortable with each other. Older cats can hurt younger cats, enough that they might need veterinary care. The best way to avoid this it to monitor until the kitten is somewhere around four or five months old, or ¾ the size of your other cat (if possible, breeds can vary in size).

Remember, introducing a kitten or cat to one another can take time. These steps should help you keep your pets safe. If you have any questions about this process, email us at info@ashleyspawsomepets.com or reach out to your local vet.