Cross Breeds

What is the best way to introduce a newly adopted 1 yr old maine coon cat to a home with 3 other cats & a dog?

Public Comments

1. I'd set this cat up in their own room and let the animals get used to one another's scents for a few days first. You can rub all of the cats with the same towel, or switch out their bedding so that they can learn the newcomer's smell. Some cats take a number of weeks to get used to a new place, better to take things slowly than to rush it and risk fights. Cats have long memories, and you don't need to start out with bad ones. Here are more tips: Introducing Your Dog to a New Cat http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/108/Introducing-Your-Dog-to-a-New-Cat.aspx Introducing Your Cat to a New Cat http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/26/Introducing-Your-Cat-to-a-New-Cat.aspx Introducing Your Cat to a New Dog http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/109/Introducing-Your-Cat-to-a-New-Dog.aspx
2. I would isolate the kitty in a room, preferably one with a big gap under the door. Sometimes even a bathroom will work if there is a big gap. You can over a few days...encourage play at the gap with catnip or tickle toys. Also slowly open the door to allow faces to meet and noses to smell. If hisses and growls ensue. Close the door and go back to tickling under the door. If they are uninterested walk away. They will know a new addition is there and by nature your old cat's will run and sniff under the door.. and "visit" every time you are not looking to get to know the new house guest. After a few days the cat's will know each other well enough to not rip each others faces off. If there is some initial chasing and batting and growling this is normal just don't let them fight, bite and roll. Separate the new one back to the bathroom for awhile if it gets that intense. Good signs are butt sniffing. Presenting the butt for a sniff...and any nuzzling. Your old cat has the right to either return the affection or ignore or politely swat attention away. Full out aggression is not okay. The new cat should act less dominant and be walking on eggshells and take a lower rung on the totem pole. This is ideally how it's supposed to work with bringing a new cat into the house. Sometimes you bring an adult alpha animal into n already established household and all hell breaks loose and it takes longer to settle..but that's pretty extreme. The dogs will take their time getting to know the new cat. Just make sure the cat's nails are clipped so it doesn't slice open a doggy nose if it's not used to dogs. your dogs are surely already used to cats. I would supervise the cat/ dog interaction at first....but it will probably be smoother than the cat/cat introduction. All in all, it will probably be easier than you think. just watch body language, and use your isolation room for the new animal to get adjusted. Don't forget the litter box and food. It's always a good idea to quarantine new animals for a bit anyway to make sure they don't have old and such before introducing them to your other animals anyway. Good luck!