INTRODUCING YOUR NEW KITTY TO OTHER ANIMALS

Introducing your new companion to other companion animal(s) should be done in a non-threatening way, especially to your existing companion animals that have long since, or even very shortly since, established you and your home as their territory.

When you bring your new companion home in his or her carrier, place the carrier in the middle of the room where your existing animals are and LEAVE THEM ALONE.  They are not going to hurt each other in a carrier.  In addition, if you are away from the carrier, it makes it seem as though you are not to blame for this new companion in their territory.  At the end of an hour, take the new kitty into a small room (i.e., laundry room, bathroom, or very small bedroom) with its own food, water, litter box, and bed.  Leave the carrier open and allow the new kitty to come out when it is ready to explore.  Leave the new kitty alone to safely smell, hear, and investigate the new surroundings.  A very small room is best, because they feel safer in small areas when a change is occurring.

When kitty has had sufficient time to inspect its new surroundings, bring kitty in the room with other companion(s) when you are able to be calm and supervise any and all interactions with your existing companion animals.  It is most important to watch your body language.  The cats read you better than you know.  You do not want to give any one cat or all the animals the impression that you have a preference and that the new kitty is taking over as the alpha cat.  You do not want to intimidate the new kitty and let it think you have total preference for your existing companion animals either.  Pay equal amounts of attention to all. 

Keep the first few introductions to a minimum time period and return new kitty to its own room.  The cats and/or dogs will let you know when they are ready to cohabitate.  You will not be able to keep new kitty confined to its room.  It will want out.  You will not be able to keep the other companion animal(s) away from the door of the new kitty's room. 

The length of the time period for this transition is not possible to predict.  Each animal has its own agenda, and they will let you know what it is if you listen to their behavior and body language. 

Occasionally, there are companion animals that will never share their territory or never be best friends with a new animal.  You are their sole territory, and they do NOT WANT TO SHARE YOU.  If this situation arises, contact the rescue group you adopted the companion animal from.   But do give it enough time.  A week to two weeks or even three weeks is not long enough to establish that the transition will never work.  Safe introductions are most helpful for you and your companions.  It keeps behavioral issues at bay and establishes a feeling of safety and security in your companion animals. 

As we all know, if they are happy, we are happy.