Successful Cat Introductions

Bringing a new cat into a home with other cats? Let’s face it: cats are territorial, so you will want to be sure to introduce your cats slowly to minimize fearful or aggressive interactions. In the beginning, you will want to confine the new cat to a separate room to encourage them to get used to one another’s scent. Eventually, you will be able to progress to a controlled face-to-face meeting, allowing visual contact through a barrier, such as a pet gate, baby gate, or screen door. But how do you progress to visual contact while avoiding a stare down or confrontation? Try training! Training sessions allow cats to spend time close to one another in a positive way. It keeps them engaged and gives them something else to do rather than focusing on the other cat. In this video, KPA CTP Cari Tetzlaff is practicing target training and mat training to help introduce her foster cat to her other cat.
Want more training tips for friendly, well-behaved felines? Learn more fun and useful behaviors to teach your cat in KPA’s Train Your Cat course.