Cats like stability, so an environmental or social change may have a pronounced effect on their behavior. Your cat will adapt, but it may take some time.
Tips for Introducing a New Cat to Your Old One
All cats are different, some are social and will readily accept a new cat. Others are not as social and introducing a new cat may be more challenging.
Chances are your cat will react to a newcomer by distancing herself. She may hide for a few days, refusing to acknowledge the newcomer, or she may act up in an attempt to persuade the newcomer to retreat. Here are a few tips to ease the transition:
- Give your new cat an area where she can retreat if she becomes threatened. Do the same for the new cat.
- Putting the new comer in a spare room with the door closed for the first few days will give both cats the chance to adjust to each other's scents
- Give your newcomer a litter box in her area along with food and water.
- Do not force them to interact
Selecting a New Cat
If you want to introduce an adult cat, try to find one that has lived with other cats. A cat that is similar in age but of the opposite sex to the resident cat may be accepted more readily.
