Before you bring your new cat home, you will need to get the following supplies (even if you already have cats at home): food and water bowls, a litter box and litter, a scratching surface, different levels on which the cat can lounge and climb (e.g. a cat tree) and places to hide (e.g. a cat carrier). BEBHS offers many of these items for sale or you can purchase them at your local pet store.

Introducing your cat to a home with no other cats:

• Immediately confine the new cat to one room containing a clean litter box at one end, food and water at the other end, a scratching surface with toys dangling from it and a place to sleep. Cats are territorial animals. This will be the new kitty’s confinement area and “safe retreat” – her territory.

• Let the new cat adjust to this one room for a week or longer while she builds confidence and establishes the confinement room as her territory. Spend time each day sitting with her quietly, playing with her and rewarding her with praise when she uses the litter box.

• After a week or longer, open the door and let the cat explore the rest of the house at her own pace. Allow her to return to her safe retreat whenever she wants. Leave her litter box, dishes and toys in the confinement area until she no longer retreats there.

If your new feline is a young kitten, s/he will need lots of supervision. Return the cat to his/her confinement area (safe retreat) whenever s/he is unsupervised, for at least the first few weeks. It’s absolutely fine to let him/her continue to live in the confinement room for many weeks, until you are confident that s/he can be left alone.

• Immediately confine the new cat to one room containing a clean litter box at one end, food and water at the other end, a scratching surface with toys dangling from it and a place to sleep. Be certain the confinement area you choose is not a favorite room of the resident cat(s). Cats are territorial. This will be the new kitty’s private confinement area and “safe retreat” – her territory.

• Let the new cat adjust to this one room for a week or longer while she builds confidence and establishes the confinement room as her territory. Spend time each day sitting with her quietly, playing with her and rewarding her with praise when she uses the litter box.

• Keep new kitty separate from resident cat(s) for 10 days or more – the longer the better. This allows all of your cats time to adjust to each other’s presence.

• Let the cats get a whiff of one another. Give new kitty a possession belonging to your other cat(s) and leave it with her in her confinement room to investigate its scent. Take one of new kitty’s possessions and let the resident cats have a chance to examine the new cat’s smell.

• Introduce the cats after 10 days (or longer if you think new kitty needs more time to adjust):

Day 10. Confine the resident cat(s) to their own favorite room(s) and allow the new kitty to explore her new home for a while, without interference.

Day 11. Place new kitty in her carrier and allow the resident cats to meet her through the carrier, as well as to explore her private confinement area and all its new smells. Do not acknowledge any of the cats’ undesirable behaviors (hissing, growling, etc.), but do reward desirable behaviors (friendly gestures) with food and praise.

Day 12. Prepare separate bowls of food for each of your cats. Open the door to new kitty’s private room and let the cats meet. Give the cats their food bowls so they all form a positive association with the introduction. Do not acknowledge any of the cats’ undesirable behaviors (hissing, growling, etc.), but do reward desirable behaviors (friendly gestures) with food and praise. Allow the cats to work things out among themselves. DO NOT INTERFERE.

Day 13 and beyond. Always feed cats in separate food bowls. Give each cat individual attention every day. Provide one more litter box than the number of cats you have, and clean them daily.

Cats adjust more readily to new situations if allowed to do so gradually, at their own pace, without being forced. Adjustments take time – weeks or months, not just hours or days. Be patient!

Lost Cat Prevention:

Below is a list of things you can do to help prevent losing your cat.

• Make sure your cat is microchipped.
• Make sure your cat always wears a collar, even if your cat is an indoor-only cat.
• Keep your cat indoors.

Behavior Advice Line:
Don't forget that the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society has a Behavior Advice Line to answer any behavior questions about your cat. Call (510) 845-7735, ext. 22, or fill out our online form.

Other Resources:
We have a collection of articles, brochures, and other websites on the Cat Resources page that will provide you with more information about caring for your cat.