behavior
How do I introduce a new kitten to my resident cat?
The 4-week protocol
- Days 1-3: New kitten stays in a 'safe room' with food, water, litter, bed, hiding spots, and toys. No visual contact. Resident cat gets extra attention in their normal space.
- Days 4-7: Site-swapping. Confine the resident cat elsewhere and let the kitten explore the shared space for 20-30 minutes twice daily; swap back. Feed both cats on opposite sides of the closed door, gradually moving bowls closer over successive meals.
- Days 8-14: Visual introductions through a baby gate with a sheet draped over it, or a cracked door. Keep sessions short (5-10 minutes), end on calm behavior, and use treats or feather-wand play at a distance.
- Days 15-28: Supervised same-room time. Start with a physical barrier (baby gate) removed but with an easy escape route for each cat. Watch for calm postures; end sessions before anyone freezes or hisses. Gradually extend.
Resources and red flags
The rule is 'cats + 1' for litter boxes, water stations, and feeding areas, and those resources should be distributed so no cat has to pass another to reach one. Vertical territory (cat trees, shelves) reduces conflict by giving each cat a way to move without confronting the other. Feliway MultiCat pheromone diffusers have modest but real evidence in reducing tension.
Red flags that mean slow down: hissing that escalates to swatting, resource guarding at food or litter, one cat blocking the other from a room, or either cat urinating outside the box. Persistent fighting after 4-6 weeks warrants a behavior consult; some cat pairs never become friends but can coexist calmly with careful resource management.