Cross Breeds

How can I help my new cat adjust to my other cats?

About a month ago I adopted a four year old cat from a co-worker who was moving and could not take him with her. He has gotten along with other cats in the past. I have three other cats ages four, two and one. I have been introducing them to each other slowly providing treats when I do. I have also brushed each of them with same brush to get each used to each others scent. My problem is that they still seem to not get a long. I do not feel that I can leave my new cat have the run of the house yet with my other two. Any suggestions would be great. Thank you.

Public Comments

1. Shut your new cat in the bathroom with all his "stuff" and let them get to know each other under the bathroom door. Make sure your current cats still feel special by giving them a lot of attention. If your cats sleep in a bed or on a blanket, rub that all over the new cat so he smells like he belongs. I'd leave the new cat in the bathroom for at least a week. This may not work entirely, so I'd say you need to give it time. They also need to work out who is going to be in charge, so there may be fighting. It may take 3 weeks to 3 months and they may never be bosom buddies but may be able to peacefully co-exist eventually.
2. Hi, Just keep on doing what you are already doing, even if they dont get on they will start to tolerate each other. OK for the time being seperate your cat's while you are at work. If you do put her in your bathroom make sure the toilet seat is down. Good Luck
3. Hm, when i fist introduced my feline to my mums feline they did NOT get along at all. they would chase each other, fight, scratch, bite, and growl. After a week and a few days they started to adjust to each other. Their territorial animals so when a new animals enters they might want to fight. They will eventually get along. Hopefully.
4. put a little drop of perfume on top of each of the cats heads so they all smell alike and that will help to get them all together. This is vets advice.
5. I have had several cats, and currently have three. One thing I would do, is to stop making introducing them an 'event'. They may be able to sense your apprehention, and are reacting to that anxiety. Unless you have over agressive cats, I would let them around eachother and let them work out their differences on their own, make a point to leave them alone. Right now, your actions may be encouraging their feelings about this 'stranger' in their territory or vice versa. One thing that may be helpful is to have a separate feeding bowl and litterbox until they all get along. If you feel you just cannot let him out with the others, get an open wire crate and put it in an open area where the other cats spend most of their time, and allow them to just be in the new cats presence for a few days, then let the new cat out. They will hiss and have a few spats, but I have never had a cat that did not eventually get along, or at the very least 'tolerate' their new companions.
6. We recently had to endure the same hardship. My Farther-in-Law had passed last year, and we inherited his "Cancer Kitty." The kitty was an established "Tom" with indoor/outdoor access. He was used to holding his own against the other animals outside the house, but was the only feline in the home. What we did was to place him in a large metal cage in the living room with blankets, or towels over the cage on all sides except the door. He stayed safe at night in there, and had access to the box, and the food/water, as well as his own supply in the cage. His acces to the house was controled, while the other cats access to him was controled when he was out. They stayed in the bed room, with their own food and water source. This establishes him in the home because they know he is there, he knows they are there, but no one gets hurt. Sure there was hissing and growling, but this is expected. Felines are terratorial, and as such they claim different parts of the house, gender is a big part of this adjustment phase. My original male claimed the bathroom and hall, and was the dominant male, while my dominant female claimed the whole of the living room. My other female claimed the bedroom. This was a good set up for them because they had their own areas. The dominant original male is a 21lbs young male "Flame-point" siamese. Physically intimidating, but the biggest wuss. The dominant female is a jet black Japanese bob tail. She has the atitude of a Bengal Tiger. The subordiate female is a ferral-rescue Manx, (rumpy.) She could care less for any of the other felines, and stays hidden most of the day, and comes out at night to eat, use the box and frolic, while the others sleep. The new dominant male is a decidedly adult, black & white "domestic short hair." He now claims a large share of the living room, and hall. While he is not as large as the other male, he is an accomplished fighter. The resulting confrontation was brief and uneventfull, between males. They do the "passing game" where they will "bulk up" their body profiles, as they pass each other, and may hiss or growl, but don't do anything like fight. It is a tolerated respect. This level of mutual understanding has taken six months. We live in a one bed room appartment, and are all now indoor cats. If you are patient, and assist them in getting to know each other in safety, you should have some reasonable adjustments going on there eventually. These are communal, social beasts. Look at a Lion Pride. They excel in family groups. Good luck, and thanks for adopting. Love on them all the same.