When a new animal arrives, it’s natural to want them to meet as soon as possible and see them become friends. That’s exactly how things often go wrong. The animal already living at home feels like someone has entered its territory, the new one is scared, and a tense first encounter can affect their relationship for months. If you take it slowly, the odds change significantly.
Before they arrive
Preparation starts a few days beforehand.
- Prepare a room for the newcomer with a bed, water, food and, if it’s a cat, its litter box and a hiding place. This will be its base for the first few days.
- Double the resources. Every animal should have its own bowl, bed and toys. For cats, it’s recommended to have one litter box per cat plus an extra one.
- Swap scents. Rub a towel or a soft blanket on each animal and leave the other one near its bed. This allows them to get to know each other without seeing each other.
- Check the new animal’s health. Make sure it has been to the vet, is dewormed and up to date with its vaccinations before sharing spaces.
Dog with dog
Dogs introduce themselves best on neutral ground and while moving.
- Meet in a quiet street or an uncrowded park, each dog on a leash and with a different person.
- Start by walking side by side, several meters apart, without forcing them to get close. Gradually reduce the distance if both are relaxed.
- Let them sniff each other for a few seconds with the leash loose, then calmly separate and keep walking. Several short encounters are better than one long one.
- Come into the house together after the walk, with the resident dog entering first, and remove toys and bones that could cause disputes beforehand.
Watch for signs: a loose body, play with bows and pauses are good signs. A stiff body, fixed stare, tense lips or growling indicate that you need to give them more distance and time.
Cat with cat
Cats handle changes worse, so patience is even more important here. The process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
- Complete separation at first. The newcomer stays in its room. They can hear and smell each other under the door, but they don’t see each other.
- Swap spaces. Let each one explore the other’s area while the other is in another part of the house.
- Visual contact with a barrier. A door left ajar with a stopper, a screen, or a baby gate. Give them food or treats on each side so they associate the other’s presence with something good.
- Short supervised encounters, with escape routes and high places for both.
A little hiss is normal. If there is chasing, fur-ball fights, or one stops eating or using the litter box, take a step back. Having more than one scratching post helps each one mark its space without clashing; we give you ideas on how to choose a scratching post.
Dog with cat
Here, the key is that the cat feels safe and always has a way to escape.
- For the first encounters, keep the dog on a leash and let the cat roam free in a room where it can climb onto a high piece of furniture.
- Reward the dog when it looks at the cat and calms down, or when it looks away. Don’t let it chase the cat “to play”: for the cat, it’s not a game.
- Protect the cat’s areas. Keep food, the litter box and the bed in places where the dog cannot reach them.
- Be careful with dogs with a strong hunting instinct. In those cases, it’s best to ask a dog trainer for help before leaving them together unsupervised.
Errors to avoid
- Forcing contact, such as holding the cat in your arms in front of the dog.
- Punishing growls or hisses. They are useful warnings. If you punish them, the animal learns not to warn you.
- Neglecting the resident animal. Maintain its schedule, walks and time with you. If it feels it has lost its place, the tension will increase.
- Leaving them alone together too soon. Until they have been living together peacefully for a while, separate them when you are not there.
When to ask a professional for help?
If fights continue after several weeks, one of the animals lives in hiding, or you notice changes in its appetite or behavior, consult your vet and a behavior professional. Sometimes a more detailed plan is needed, and the sooner it is addressed, the better.
A second refuge for the resident cat or its own bed for the newcomer can help a lot during these days. In beds and rest for cats, you’ll find beds, caves and hammocks so that each one has its own place.
You may also be interested in: a welcome pack for puppies and a welcome pack for kittens.