HELP INTRODUCING NEW CAT TO RESIDENT CATS

Angelmarie

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I am in need of serious help.

I have had 4 cats for almost 2 years now, we started with one (doodle) and then we adopted our second one (scribble) about 4 months after having doodle. Then about 4 months later we adopted 2 more (scuffle and zig-zag). When introducing them to each other it was kind of hard, but they started to tolerate each other within a week. Now they are all very close and love each other.

We recently adopted another cat about a month
ago, and we are having a terrible time trying to get him acquainted with my other 4 cats. We did every necessary steps to insure we have a good meeting and NOTHING is working. We have had to keep him separate for a month now, and everyday we bring him out in a carrier and let them smell him and immediately doodle and scuffle growl and hiss at him. Zig-zag and scribble dont really mind him they actually try and play with him when i actually get him out of the carrier. I have done everything I could think of, I even bought the Feliway diffuser to see if that would help with anything and I has not.

I am trying to see if ANYONE has any advice on what I can do to be able to have him be a free range kitty. He is such a loving and playful cat it breaks my heart everyday when I close the door and he has to stay in there.

Thanks in advance.
 

susanm9006

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Since two of the cats seems to be accepting, I would try giving him some time with them while locking the other two in the newcomers room. This may mix scents enough that the two older will accept him. The other thing is that a growl and a hiss or two doesn’t mean much in cat introductions. Some just need to get it out of their system before they will accept the newcomer,
 

ArtNJ

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The other thing is that a growl and a hiss or two doesn’t mean much in cat introductions. Some just need to get it out of their system before they will accept the newcomer,
QFT. If you do a proper process and then let them meet, its ok for there to be some growling and hissing.

The problem with the carrier method your using is that its not a ton of time as it wouldn't be humane to do that for many hours. If you can block a door with double stacked baby gates or something like that, then they can see each other all day, and hopefully get the hissing mostly out and you can go to face to face. If you can't do that, cracking a door with doorjambs is another option. Just to get more hours per day. Carrier method is really a last resort and good for people in studio apartments and similar situations where its just impossible to let them see each other for more hours per day.
 
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Angelmarie

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Since two of the cats seems to be accepting, I would try giving him some time with them while locking the other two in the newcomers room. This may mix scents enough that the two older will accept him. The other thing is that a growl and a hiss or two doesn’t mean much in cat introductions. Some just need to get it out of their system before they will accept the newcomer,
Ok thank you! I will try that tomorrow! And really? I hope that's just it, I am so scared that they are going to get in a cat fight and one might get seriously hurt.. so I am really hoping that is all it is. Once again thank you for your advice!
 
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Angelmarie

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QFT. If you do a proper process and then let them meet, its ok for there to be some growling and hissing.

The problem with the carrier method your using is that its not a ton of time as it wouldn't be humane to do that for many hours. If you can block a door with double stacked baby gates or something like that, then they can see each other all day, and hopefully get the hissing mostly out and you can go to face to face. If you can't do that, cracking a door with doorjambs is another option. Just to get more hours per day. Carrier method is really a last resort and good for people in studio apartments and similar situations where its just impossible to let them see each other for more hours per day.
Thank you! And I know putting him in a carrier is awful i hate doing it but I didnt have any other options.. also i wouldn't leave him there for hours I would keep him in there for about 10 to 20 min then bring him out of it.

I am going to try what yoy said and hopefully it works thank you so much
 

ArtNJ

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Yeah I totally get it! A lot of people have trouble arranging the visual step. But 10-20 minutes a day is just not enough for that step to do anything, they need time to eventually relax and see nothing bad is happening. So if you can work something out great, if not you might need to see how supervised meetings go.
 

LTS3

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TCS has an article on how to introduce cats:


And if things don't go well, there are these two articles:

 
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