Animal Welfare Professionals

Thoughts on the best way to introduce a former community cat into my home. He’s currently in our enclosure, total clean bill of health, and allows my husband and me to pet his belly and love him. I have three cats in my home; 13, 8 and 4 years. They can hear each other but not see each other between house and enclosure. 

These things take time. That's what I know. Is there a way the 3 cats could smell your new boy? I imaging there will be hissing and maybe a bop without claws. I suggest you ask your veterinarian for sure. Don't forget, it could take months before they are at peace with oneanother. Thank you for offering a home to this fellow. Know he is grateful. And he's lived with other cats, albeit outside, before.

Also, if there is a way you could put your cats in a room with a door and the new kitty in a room on the other side of that door, they can begin to smell one another under the door. Keep calmly petting your current cats while they smell him under the door and go into the new fella's room and pet him with your cats' scent on your hands. Doing this a couple of times a day will be a good way to start the introduction. Calmly and slowly is the way to go.

Hi Lola!  I have fostered for many years & worked with new kitten parents who have to introduce a new baby into their existing household.  When you take the new kitty home, leave him/her in the carrier & allow the existing cats to check the baby out for about 30 minutes.  Then keep the existing cats completely segregated from the new kitten for a week, switching out the bedding & potty each day or so, so they all get used to the smells of each other.  Also, if the new kitten kitten eats something different & there might be some 'snacking' with each other's food it's a good time to give a few pieces of each other's food so that it won't upset each other's tummies.  If you have one cat who still likes to play, slide an old shoelace or a grosgrain ribbon under the door so that they can pull on it & learn to play with each other, too.  In addition, during the week, every couple of days swap the cats out so that they can really get used to each other's smell & the new baby can get used to the rest of the house.  When you open the door there will be some 'batting' of heads, some hissing and they will determine the new pecking order...  You can do this!  Good luck with the new baby & your current brood!!!