Several years ago, I adopted two adult cats. They were both living in a shelter, and I wanted to give them a new life. Unfortunately, they did not hit it off. It took several months for my new pets to tolerate being in the same room without throwing a huge fit. Don’t make the same mistakes I made. Instead, use these steps as you help your multiple cats get along with each other.
First, keep the cats separated. I should have kept my boys in different rooms for awhile so they would have space to acclimate to my home and to me before I pushed them to adjust to each other.
Consider introducing scents next. Rub a towel against cat #1 then give it to cat #2. Do the same thing for cat #2. If you do this every day for several days, your cats start to understand that another cat lives nearby, and they can begin to get used to each other in a non-threatening way before they spend any physical time together.
Your cats are now ready to spend a little more time near each other. Let them explore two rooms that are separated by a door. They won’t be in direct contact but will be close enough to start to make friends.
Finally, you’re ready to introduce your cats in person. It will be normal for them to hiss a bit, so be prepared to distract them if necessary. And remember that you can still put the cats in separate rooms if they really don’t like each other.
Helping two cats become friendly with each other takes a little time. These steps will help. Remember to go slow, and give each cat plenty of individual attention as you encourage your pets to make friends.
