How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction

Cat Behavior 26 Comments

Dealing with an unsuccessful cat introduction can be daunting and leave you feeling helpless. It's a common issue when merging two adult cats' lives without proper research or rushing the process.

Did you just place the felines together in one room, crossing your fingers for a positive outcome?

If you're now facing the aftermath of an improper introduction, this comprehensive guide is here to help, offering insightful tips and tricks to rectify the situation.

Why introductions are imperative

Cats are territorial animals. Even neutered cats - both male and female - are likely to experience a great amount of stress when confronted with a strange feline in their territory.

A strange cat is a potential threat, and their instinct is to either run away or try and scare away the intruder. It's a classic "fight or flight" scenario.

If you adopt a new cat and simply bring her home and place her in front of your resident cat, you're basically creating a home invasion.

Imagine how you would feel if you waltzed into the living room to find an entirely strange person just standing there.

What happens when a feline invades another's territory

Here's what happens in the wild when a feline invades another's territory.

Once they make visual contact, the two cats will stare at each other and make threatening noises. They will adopt a threatening body posture to try and seem larger and scarier.

Eventually, one may decide the other is too big and strong to try and take on. If that happens, that cat will try to back away and flee the area.

Sometimes neither cat will run away, in which case a vicious fight will ensue, often for life or death.

Back to our kitties...

Since both cats are confined to your home, the newcomer can't really leave the area. This is a recipe for mayhem.

If you're very lucky, the cats may be too scared to actually attack one another, but even so, you have set the stage for a territorial feud that is likely to deteriorate into violent clashes whenever the cats get too close.

The stress and danger of territorial feuds

While eventually, some cats learn to tolerate each other's presence, the process is very stressful to all concerned.

It can also be dangerous.

Scared cats will fight tooth and claw to protect themselves and their territory. They can seriously hurt each other (and you, should you try to break up the fight with your bare hands).

We hope you're convinced by now that the correct way to get two cats to live peacefully under the same roof must be quite different. Some form of introduction process is necessary.

The older the cat, the longer and more elaborate the process.

How do you even introduce cats?

The key to introducing cats is to go slow and expose the cats to each other's presence very gradually, using one sense at a time.

There are many techniques you could use to implement this strategy, but the principles are the same:

  • Begin with the cats entirely separate.

  • Gradually expose each cat to the other cat's scent, sound, and sight. One sense at a time.

  • Try to get each cat to associate the other cat's presence with something positive.

  • Avoid creating negative associations in these situations.

If you're reading this article and need to introduce - or possibly re-introduce - cats, please take a minute to read our full guide on how to successfully introduce cats.

It has a full step-by-step plan for making the introductions the right way.

Why you can't rush cat introductions

The gradual introduction is intended to change the cat's natural behavior, help her tolerate the new arrival, and possibly even make a new friend.

Patience is perhaps the most important ingredient whenever we try to modify feline behavior.

Trying to change feline habits depends on a slow neurological process in the brain: disconnecting certain neurons and connecting others so that the newcomer is finally labeled as a "friend" rather than a "foe".

Cats are creatures of habit, so changing the connections in the feline brain can take a long while.

You cannot rush the process by skipping stages or moving from one stage to the next before the cats are ready.

Put the cats together in the same room too soon, and you could soon be seeing fur flying. You have no choice but to work with both cats in a gradual manner.

How long does it take to fully introduce cats?

There is no single answer that covers all scenarios. As a rule of thumb, kittens are easier to introduce than adult cats - the younger the kitten, the faster the process.

With cats older than 2-3 months, it can take a few days to several months before you can safely allow the cats to share your home without supervision.

In the end, it's also a question of the cats' temperaments. Even the most disciplined introduction process will only take you so far if the cats are naturally shy or aggressive.

So how long does it take?

Here's a picture shared by our member @5starcathotel showing the moment when her 11-year-old cat Hobo finally shared a bed with another cat. It's taken the cats a total of 14 months to get to that point in the process.

Two cats on a cat tree

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Do you even have a problem on your hands?

Cat owners often bring a second cat home, hoping to make life more interesting for their first feline friend.

Carefully following the recommended steps of introduction, they finally have the two cats safely sharing the home with no catfights.

The problem is the cats don't seem to like each other. They don't groom each other, play together or sleep cuddled up with one another. What went wrong?

Probably nothing. Even with the best of introductions, it's entirely possible the cats may never become best friends. And that's just fine.

If you expected them to when you adopted the second cat, the problem was with your expectations - not with the cats.

Think of it like this. Let's say you've been living on your own in your apartment for several years. Suddenly, you are forced into taking in a new roommate.

You've been properly introduced - no invasion - just a roommate sharing your living room, kitchen, and bathroom.

Sure, there's a chance the new person may become your new best friend. It doesn't always happen, though.

You'll probably be relieved to just have a peaceful co-existence where everyone follows the rules and keeps a respectful distance from one another. It's the same with cats - so set your expectations accordingly.

Still wondering about getting a second cat? Read this first - Your Second Cat: How To Choose The Best Friend For Kitty

But why are the cats fighting?

We often see questions from new members in the cat behavior forum about recently introduced cats. A common question is: Are the cats fighting?

It can sometimes be hard to tell if the cats are playing aggressively - as kittens often do - or whether they are actually fighting.

To complicate things even further, it's possible for one cat to initiate play-fighting only to have the other respond with genuine aggression.

If you suspect the cats may actually be fighting, look for telltale signs of fear-induced aggression:

  • Flattened ears

  • Hissing

  • Dilated pupils

  • Loud howling

When rough playing is one-sided, and the other cat feels under attack, he or she is also likely to actively avoid contact with the perceived attacker.

Observe the interaction between the cats and see if you can find a pattern.

unsuccessful cat introduction - cats playfighting

Still not sure? Try to capture the interaction on video and post your video in the cat behavior forum. Our experienced members may be able to help you figure out if this is play behavior or actual fighting.

Read more: Are My Cats Fighting Or Playing?

And just in case, also check out this article: How To Safely Break Up A Cat Fight

To separate or not to separate?

If you're sure that your cats are indeed fighting and putting each other at risk, it's time to make some tough decisions.

The cats not getting along could be the result of a rushed introduction process (or of skipping the introduction protocol entirely). It can also happen if the cats have been separated for a while and one cat fails to recognize the other.

The Option of a Do-Over After an Unsuccessful Cat Introduction

Sometimes, the only solution is to separate the cats entirely and begin the process all over again. That means going through the gradual sense-by-sense introduction all over again. This is never an easy decision.

If you're opting to re-introduce the cats, here's the good news: The process should be easier and faster this time.

When you first brought a new cat into your home, that cat had to adjust to you, the environment, and a new strange feline.

Also, both cats are likely to be more relaxed this time around, as some familiarity has already been established.

Tips for Re-Introduction

Here are a few tips for going through the re-introduction process:

  • Read the rules for introducing cats again - they all still apply so make sure they are fresh in your mind.

  • Try to separate your home into two large areas rather than keep one cat in a single room. A single "safe" room is great when you bring a cat into your home. It's not needed with a cat that has already spent some time exploring your home. Larger living quarters mean less stress for all involved - and an easier re-introduction.

  • If possible, move faster to the "territory swap" phase. Again, since both cats are already familiar with your home, allowing them to spend time in "the other cat's" area won't be as stressful as it would be for a new cat.

  • Make sure you can do a "territory swap" in a safe way without losing control of either cat and having them face each other in the doorway. Use a crate or carrier, or find a way to create a third "safe zone" for the swap.

When to give up

You may be sick and tired of your cats not getting along with each other to the point of wondering: Should you give up after an unsuccessful cat introduction?

Consider the options for both cats - new and old. Do you happen to have a wonderful new home lined up for the new cat? If so, separating the cats may not be a bad idea.

However, most of us would have a very difficult time rehoming an adult cat, so letting one of the cats go is usually not a viable solution.

unsuccessful cat introduction - Two cats on cat shelves

Do not despair. While it's true some cats will never truly get along and become friends, it is possible to achieve a peaceful co-existence. It can take months or even years to happen, but it will eventually.

Read everything you can about living with more than one cat and share your story with us in the cat behavior forum.

We'll be there to help you until you're the one to post a photo of your two cats sharing a bed!

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How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction - what to do if you tried to introduce a new cat to your resident feline but failed

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26 comments on “How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction”

toby October 9, 2023
i adopted a kitten a little over a year ago. im afraid i didn’t introduce them properly/well enough. my older cat doesn’t seem to like my new one so she acts out, like not using her littler box. she poops on the floor no matter what i try. she pees just fine in her box though. i’ve gotten pheromone calming things, i’ve changed their litter (which they didn’t like so i switched back to their old litter), the only thing that helps somewhat is scooping their boxes clean every night before i go to bed, and giving her undivided attention, but she still acts out from time to time and poops on the floor. she hisses at my new cat whenever she wants to play and swats at her. she’s all bark no bite, the closest to violent she’s gotten is swatting. they eat together just fine, use the same litter boxes, they can even lay together in peace, they just cant interact nicely. my new cat wants to play with her so bad, so i try to play with them at the same time to see if they’ll get along. it kind of worked a few times, but barely. my older cat also will not come or be in my room when my new cat is inside. she’ll sniff and look around to see if she’s gone or not, then, if my new cat comes in, she makes a break for the door. they’ve only been in my room together without conflict maybe 2 times. it's all confusing because i actually have 3 cats and she’s never had a problem with the other one. she loves the oldest cat, but he’s always outside so he doesn’t play with either of my girls. i just want them to get along i feel so bad for stressing out my oldest girl i love them both so much. idk what to do please lmk
Katielou August 8, 2023
What if you don’t have the ability to separate them other then a cat pen
EJ December 3, 2022
I wholeheartedly agree with AydanDeren. What’s the purpose of a community forum such as this if there’s no response that maybe helpful to several cat owners with same problems. I, for one, posted questions before to other community forums due to behavior issues with my cats but never received a response. I’m not in any social media forums by choice. My vet is no help either. She prescribed a liquid prescription (similar effect as Prozac) to my male cat because of behavior problem, but can you imagine a stressed-out cat to force him to take the liquid medication by syringe? I have only been successful twice, which I believe is not helping him. I have 4 cats, 2 female strays, and 2 males I adopted at PetSmart in December 2017. The 2 males are siblings and were only about 3 months old when I adopted them. All cats are spayed/neutered, so they have the run of the entire house. I really don’t know what triggered the angry, hostile, and chasing behavior of the female cat to the male cat. But the result when the female Calico (17 lbs) got hold of Tom/male cat was very traumatic for Tom. Because Tom got cornered, hairs came flying, and not only that, Tom pooped due to his fear from the Calico. Now Tom stays downstairs hiding all the time. When Tom comes upstairs to see me/ask for some treat and petting, he is always on the lookout, nervous, anxious, and cowering when he walks. He is always gnawing on his hind legs and both hind legs don’t have much hair anymore. I believe Tom’s gnawing on his hind legs were due to his anxiousness and fear with the Calico. That’s not ALL the gist of my cats’ behavior issues, beginning last year, they all (I think, I caught 3 of them) peeing on our hardwood floor and had been messing the lower part of furnitures and floor. I tried every product available to get rid of the scent, tried plug in pheromones, neck collars on all 4 cats (which supposedly will help the cats’ behavior problems), but nothing worked. On a daily basis, I clean & disinfect the areas they marked, but I’m at my wits end dealing with my daily cat pees’ cleaning at the house. For more than 3 years, all 4 cats learned to live and tolerate each other, but the 2 females had nothing to do with the 2 males. They act like 2 stuck up bitc... when the other male/Jerry tried to be friendly with them. Tom & Jerry get along, play together, and sleep together since they’re siblings. BUT still, both males mark/pee on their spots. These are the first cats I owned where they give me such problems. When we lost 1 of the former 3 cats, in July 2012, the other female/she looks like a British Short hair, came by my front door. She was still a kitten (age UNK) when she decided to live with us. Sometime in January or February 2013, the female Calico came around and was so fascinated by the spraying water from the driveway while my husband was cleaning our driveway. The Calico/Sharkie decided to stay with us as well and became close to my husband. She was already an adult and seemed to have a litter before she came around. During that time, we still had a female Tuxedo and a female Tabby. We did not do any of that cat introduction because we did not know. Somehow, they learned to co-exist without any problem. The only thing I noticed was that Sharkie was trying to bully Bluie/British short hair. The 2 new females were trying to establish their pecking order that although Sharkie was bigger, it did not work for Bluie even though she was just a kitten but came to us about 6 months before Sharkie did. There were no big disagreements among all 4 female cats. Other than when Sharkie and Bluie got near to each other and locked eyes, they swat at each other, That was just about it, NO peeing. In 2015, we lost my sweet and diabetic Tuxedo cat. In Oct 2016, I went to CA for about one month due to my daughter’s delivery of our first grand baby. When I got back home, the other female Tabby/Molly, who was so mild mannered, intelligent, and lovable kitty disappeared. She was able to get out of the house. Although she was an inside cat, and we have a privacy fence in the entire backyard, we never found her back. I was so heartbroken of Molly’s disappearance that when I went to PetSmart one week before Christmas of 2017, they were having cat adoption going on. Missing Molly so much, I looked around the cats. I saw a Tabby that looked like Molly and abruptly decided to adopt it, but he had a sibling and the adoption people did not want to separate them. Since my adoption of the male sibling cats was unplanned, the people put the cats in a box with a handle and holes in it. I brought the cats home, dropped the cats beside the recliner where my husband was sitting and told him, “Here’s your Christmas present.” My husband did not know what’s in the box when Sharkie (who was very close to my husband) started sniffing the box. He opened the box, saw the cats and let them out of the box. That was really the only introduction we had of 2 male cats with the 2 female cats. As mentioned above, they learned to co-exist, no fighting, no friendly plays, but last year was when all the peeing all over the house started. My husband became so sick, in and out of hospitals, and finally, I lost him last year. The cats behavior became so weird. Bluie and Sharkie became so possessive of me. I let them both sleep with me, but when they got close to each other and locked eyes, they begin swatting at each other. I think Bluie was the one marking my room, and the other 2 males mark their spots in the house. I live alone in my house, and this daily pee cleaning has gotten to my last nerve. I do not want to re-home them, so I hired a handyman to build me a Catio under my deck, enclosed with lattice, and I will let the males stay there. The upper part of my deck will also be constructed with a Catio, so the other 2 females can stay there. For anybody who read this post, it’s very long, but I hope someone get something out of it. It’s just my story of my cats’ behavior problems. I don’t really know what else to do but separate them.
Kay November 30, 2022
How long is long? My situation is one year now and to be honest, really sick of the experience. I have to divide the house and it feels like a prison with cats doing their rotation to be in the general population area. I'm almost at my wit's end and want to throw all three back into the streets. They were all stray, two females came together, and one male (Bengal) came a year later. I got them all fixed. I did the intro by the book, letting them smell each other scent. The gate x2 stacked and still climbs over. Well, that was a year ago, and when the Bengal smells the other two, he would literally pee on the blanket or seat or sofa or my coat. Still does. Calming plugins, or the collar doesn't work. I think my stress level with these three is just killing me. It's not the experience I want. The first two are fine they are chill cats, but the Bengal really messes things up - big, active, marks territory, and in-your-face type of cat (my partner's favorite cat, UNFORTUNATELY). No shelter around me wants to take in any cats.
Chayy August 1, 2022
3 weeks ago I adopted a 3 month old kitten (born April 20th female) and just yesterday I decided to adopt another kitten who's only 4 days younger from another litter (born April 24th male). When I brought the new kitten home I didn't think it would be a bad idea to not fully introduce them but partially. My male was in a cat carrier and my female who was adopted first was just roaming around. Instantly she started to growl, hiss, and attack the carrier. So I took the newly adopted male and set up a space for him in our bathroom. The adoption agency suggested that I introduce them the day after (being today) because they're young and it should be okay. We'll big mistake. My female lost it and continously attacked the male. But he honestly thought she was playing. He was playful and appeared unthreatened. She on the other hand had ears back or flat, dilated eyes, hissing, growling, pawing, prowling, etc. My boyfriend kept insisting to just leave them together and it should be fine. So I did. But by the evening things got really heated and I just knew I had to separate then again. So I did. My male is back in the bath room and my female is out with us. They have separate litter boxes and food dishes lots of toys. I tried playing with them both positively, being patient, making sure to speak to them both calmly, reassure them, they even ate fairly well from the same dish at one point. But yet she still keeps getting aggressive with him. Did I mess up and introduce too early? Does this mean that my female will never accept my male now? I'm really hoping I can do this right and re-introduce them but I feel I may need more tips on how to go about this.
    Melanie Doyle September 11, 2022
    I would love to hear what the advice is because the same think is happening at my house. Thought I did everything right and they are 9 & 14 was... the older attacks her neck and seems like she will kill the baby... not sure what to do
L H April 2, 2022
I'm in a similar situation. My resident cat (Tessa) is 6 and a half, and my new cat (Onyx) is 3. They've never hurt each other and hopefully never will, but if I let Onyx out of her area, and Tessa is in her way, Onyx will just charge at her and swing her paws at Tessa's face. By the sounds Tessa makes, you'd think Onyx was eating Tessa's babies and skinning her alive, even though I've only seen them make partial contact. Tessa mostly runs away and hisses/growls vociferously, so no fur flying (knock on wood). I unfortunately could not act out all of the cat introduction steps because the part of the house that I stay in has no door, and it's relatively small, so I couldn't get them to eat on opposite sides of a door for instance. Maybe I'll figure out a way, but it's just difficult since Tessa is very particular about where she eats. Anyway, how did it work out with your cats?? I hope there's no more violence in your house! I just hope that one day Onyx and Tessa can be near each other without animosity.
Savannah March 28, 2022
Hi, I just brought a seven month cat into my home with my current 3 year old cat. Both are pretty mellow neutered and playful boys. I separated the new cat into the bathroom and by the 3rd day all hissing had stopped and they were eating meals on separate sides of the door. We decided to let them meet and there was no hissing or growling but there has been some swatting and what looks like fighting. The younger cat seems unbothered, but the older one seems a bit defensive. Other than the swatting and (play fighting?) there are no other signs of aggression like ears back or hissing. And when the fighting did break out both of their tails were up. I'm wondering if this is a cause for concern or if it is them just playing. Thanks for the advice!
    Eugenia April 3, 2022
    You may observe for a few more days, when there's no hissing, no ears back, no hiding after the incident, then more likely to be play fight. Possibly the older cat prefer sleep than playing :) . When they fight, any of them claws out or biting neck (and hold) non-stop? For comparsion, a less nice situation: I have 2 kittens from different litter, seperated but when doors slightly opee, the older one (9mo) bolt in and fight, bite neck multiple times and hold, and then newer one (6mo old) is always hissing, screaming spitting trying to escape, then bolt to a corner and hide. But, the older still pursue to fight on! ears fully back. And I must separate them because the older one continues when I'm not looking ,I saw him from my camera, that he looked at me before initiate the fight... I now have temporarily removed the new kitten to a friend, but because the room has his scent, the resident kitten peed a lot on sofa for *the 2nd time* :((
      Keith May 12, 2022
      Hi, I’m not sure but I was wondering if you have any advice for my peculiar situation. I have ten cats and they consist of 3 boys and 7 girls; 2 pairs are incredibly aggressive to each other but only one is serious. There’s a boy girl duo that hiss and fight but it normally desists after a couple minutes. The other case, my first cat is 4 currently, was a stray around 3 months when We found him and he lived as a single cat for about a year. After that year two cats, siblings joined the house and he took care of them and was very affectionate towards them. Probably because the boy sibling had developed his hormones, they began to fight in an extreme manner, it’s been about two years and still whenever they see each other, one is hiding behind the door and the other pokes his head into the room looking for a chance to attack. They are both spayed/neutered and all attempts at reconciliation have failed so far. Every other cat gets along well. Just throwing one out there, but I would appreciate any kind of insight
Emilia August 23, 2021
Sometimes I think it’s easier to blend multiples than just two. I have a lot of cats. The intros now are sort of like oh, hey who are you? Do I know you? I try to scent swap around before they see each other to make it easier. I’m also a cat sitter/cat groomer so my cats are used to smells.
Nancy July 17, 2021
I'm interested in this piece of advice: Try to separate your home into two large areas, rather than keep one cat in a single room. I'm doing this for a new cat a my dog she doesn't like. How do I create a space that she can't get out of without putting her in a single room? I'm thinking gates but she'd be able to climb over those. Thanks!
    JocelynJ August 1, 2021
    I had to do this for many years. My cat didn’t like the new dog. The cats had free roam of the house, but the dog was not permitted to bedrooms. I used foam boards to create barriers in the door, and cut openings the cat could get through and not the dog. I had to tape a few pieces together for height, but they wedged nicely in the door frame.
Jeannie Kerwin April 29, 2021
Thank GOD for this article! I recently adopted a 13 month old female and we have a resident 5 year old female (she is not spayed, hasn't been outside since I found her in my driveway, she was maybe, 5 weeks old, just never thought of it). When taking the new cat out of the carrier on her arrival to put her in her new safe room, one of my sons left the door open and they were at it bad, only 20 minutes in. We were able to separate and everything seemed okay (well not really) new cat a safe room other cat roaming free. We'd exchange spaces three times daily about a 4/5 hour stint, we have small house so completely separate areas isn't an option, and they appear happy but they've never been together outside of confinement/pet cage. I've done the feeding at the door, one in a cage the other out so they can see each other, but still, they will literally fight from under the door! Each cat has a "calming collar" and we have two Feliway diffusers going now, that's been for about 4 days. It's been a total of 2 months since Tortilla joined the family, I know not long, but I'm getting so discouraged with the behavior, I convincing myself it'll never work out. But thanks to you, PATIENCE, and the other comments above, "could take up to or even over a year" I feel much better. Is there anything you could suggest to help my situation? Tortilla, my new love baby, came all the way from Tennessee, we live in Rhode Island. So giving her up, well, makes me cry, it's like she was supposed to come to me, almost 1,00 miles. Thank you so much. Save this to my favorite bar in case I need some positive information. Be well blessing!
    JocelynJ August 1, 2021
    Jeannie, how is it going in your household with introductions? I’m two weeks into introductions and my older cat is not accepting the new one. They have not met close up, only seen each other from a distance. He hisses and hides. I did a reset with no visual contact but the kitten made a surprise appearance by accident yesterday, and he lashed out at me, which he’s never done before. I know he’s stressed, and I’m giving him lots of attention, but I think he’s jealous and nervous of the new cat. My vet did give us a prescription for anxiety, which I’m holding off for a few days, as I’m doing separation time again. I’m hoping your situation has improved, to give me some hope.
      Meghan January 4, 2024
      Hoping to get some help. Adopted a 10 month old male kitten in May. I had a 7 year old female cat already. I did the introduction steps, seemed to go well... apparently not. My older cat won't leave the upstairs. Whenever the younger cat tries to go upstairs she chases him back down and hisses, sometimes swats. I feel bad because she is "stuck" upstairs. Started the reintroduction process on Monday. Just conflicted on whether it will make any difference.
        K January 16, 2024
        I am going through similar stuff. It's incredibly stressful, Dont know how much more I can take
Anna Chandler February 26, 2021
You haven't really answered the question in the title. I did all the things that I was supposed to do but it still went wrong and thought by the title you would have a suggestion on what to do. The problem is people live in reality not a magic land where all cats are the same and it will just work out fine.
    Easy Bob February 7, 2023
    > The problem is people live in reality not a magic land where all cats are the same and it will just work out fine. True, this. You gotta read a bunch, as many different recommendations and ideas as you can, think how they might apply to your specific felines' situations and personalities, and use your logic to come up with some things to try with your own cats. And then after that you have to exercise an eternity of patience and discipline with the methods you choose, observing carefully to see how each cat is responding and progressing, and tweak your methods accordingly. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. As a mere five-week (and as yet unsuccessful) veteran of this process, I already fully understand the effort, dedication, and frustration that may be required for a successful integration. But at the end of the day all you can do is the best you can do.
Furballsmom February 16, 2020
Nicole, we'd like to invite you to register with the site and post your question in the appropriate forum, which would be https://thecatsite.com/forums/cat-behavior.5/ This might be helpful for you as well; https://thecatsite.com/forums/cat-behavior.5/
Nicole Vincent December 6, 2019
Help! I introduce an 8 week kitten to a 5.5 month old kitten...the wrong way. I am pretty sure the 5.5 month old thinks the 8 week kitten is a mouse - yes...he's a great mouser....cause he keeps going for her jugular. Today the 5.75 month old got neuteured. I don't have to worry about the younger one antagonizing him, cause though she's curious about him, she's scared of him. it would just be nice if we could put the 2 of them in one room, at the same time without the older one attempting to kill her. Any suggestions?
    Furballsmom February 16, 2020
    Hi! We'd like to invite you to register with The Cat Site, and then post your question in the appropriate forum. More members will see your question there and will provide you with advice and suggestions. Here is the forum; https://thecatsite.com/forums/cat-behavior.5/ Here is more information in case it's helpful; https://thecatsite.com/c/how-to-create-a-new-thread/
      AydanDeren February 22, 2022
      What is the purpose of this communication option? Doesn’t make sense to register somewhere else when we’re posting in response to the article here. I even registered where you send people to because I want to know the answers to the questions people asked too but there are no replies. Why does this article not match the title?
    Scott April 21, 2023
    I already had a five year old female cat and we adopted a ten month old male cat about six months ago now. I rushed things and put them together to see how they would act. The new cat went up to my old cat to sniff her and she growled, which is a normal reaction. But since then the new cat will try to viciously attack her as soon as he sees her. So I've had him upstairs and her downstairs since then. She's terrified of him because of that. I do site swapping about an hour almost every day but it doesn't seem to be moving the process along and I really don't know what to do. It's very stressful.
di and bob February 8, 2018
I definitely agree with the article, especially the part where it takes a LONG time for cats to accept each other. They may never become buddies, but they will become family and provide entertainment and companionship. My cats took over a year to accept each other, (two pairs of two blended together when we combined two houses). There are the occasional spats, but just as many between the paired two, I don't let any of them bully each other. I am after all, the Matriarch of my household!
tarasgirl06 January 30, 2018
I can't thank you enough for this article and have shared it massively to social media. Who knows the amount of safe, loving homes it will create for cats, and the instances of "hopeless" turning into "hopeful"?!

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