What are the concerns with introducing an adult cat with another adult cat?

Unless you want more cats…Get one of the same sex as yours.

Concerns with introducing two adult cats…

Cat fight?

Naturally, they will both be spayed or neutered.

it all depends on the cat, and the cats personality. Is the cat friendly around others, or timid and shy?
As for my cat, no way will she ever get along with another cat… She’s like the spawn of Satan around strangers, and has even attacked a few people. Of course she’s really sweet around people shes comfortable with.

This seems like a weird kitty response but this is what happened: We had a litter trained adult cat, and when we got another adult cat, the first cat doesn’t use the litter box all of the time.

Okay…so I just put in a call to a friend of mine who is an animal expert. She has fostered over 200 cats in a 10 year period (and no, not in a “crazy cat-lady” way), she has several herself and also works at an animal clinic. Here’s the scoop:

Do not, in any form or fashion, disrupt your resident cat. It has already been established at “ruler of the domain” and will basically be in control of this introductory phase you are undertaking. The new cat has already been uprooted and will be somewhat/very stressed (depending on the cat). Pick a room of your house that is litterbox-appropriate and put the new cat in there for a couple days. Not too long, but long enough for the resident cat to smell the new cat’s scent and get used to the new presence. After a couple days, put the new cat in a pet carrier and bring it into whatever room will allow your resident cat to sniff, hiss, stare…or whatever the resident decides to do. Don’t “schoo” the resident, basically just ignore any aggressive reactions and just allow the process to take place. You’ll want the leave the new cat in the carrier and allow it to sit in the open for a few hours each day, probably for at least a few days. Bring it out once, twice, whatever you interpret as appropriate according to the behavior of your resident cat. If there doesn’t seem to be much conflict, you can even speed up the process a bit. She says she usually does this over a period of about 10 days or so, but that it’s well worth the time you put into it. Apparently, she’s never had a fight or any random peeing or other aggressive behavior. Oh, and she says as long as they’re spayed/neutered…gender doesn’t matter one little bit. She’s never had an issue with mixing, matching, etc.

Let me know how it goes!

All depends on if your cat does well with other cats. If it does than you more than likely won’t have any problems.

@spendywatson

Thanks, great info.

Not a problem at all…happy to do it. Just made a quick phone call. ;)

I really like spendy’s advice. From what I’ve experienced of cats, it sounds like it would work well.

There are three cats in my household whom I adopted at various points. There was always a transition period while they adjusted to each other, and for the first few days, it always seemed like they’d never get along. They get along famously now. Also, I’ve boarded cats for friends before and it’s always been the same story – open distaste and aggression always quickly subsided after 3 days. It seems they just need time to establish a pecking order. If I were to adopt or board any other cats, I’d definitely try spendy’s method though. :o)