How to Introduce a New Cat to Your Home: A Calm, Step-by-Step Plan

Bringing a new cat home is exciting, but for the cat it is a big, scary change. New smells, new sounds, new people — and maybe another pet who is not happy about the newcomer.

The secret to a smooth start is going slower than you think you need to. A cat that is given time and space usually settles in far faster than one that is rushed.

Before the cat arrives

Set up a safe room: a quiet bedroom or spare room where the new cat will spend the first days. It should have everything the cat needs, so it never has to cross the house.

• Food and fresh water, placed away from the litter box
• A clean litter box with unscented litter
• A hiding spot, such as a covered bed or a cardboard box on its side
• A scratching post and a couple of simple toys
• Something soft that smells like the cat's previous home, if possible

Days 1–3: let them hide

Carry the carrier into the safe room, close the door, open the carrier and step back. Let the cat come out when it is ready, even if that takes hours.

Hiding is normal. Sit quietly in the room, read or talk softly, and let the cat approach you. Avoid picking it up or pulling it out from under furniture.

Introducing other pets: scent first

Cats get to know each other by smell long before they are ready to meet face to face. Introductions that start with scent are much calmer.

1. Swap bedding. Put a blanket from the new cat near your resident pet, and the other way round.
2. Feed on both sides of the door. Place food bowls a little away from either side of the closed door so both animals link each other's smell with something good.
3. Swap rooms. Let the new cat explore the house while your resident pet spends time in the safe room.

The first meeting

When both animals are eating calmly near the door, try a short visual meeting. A baby gate or a door opened just a few centimetres works well.

Keep meetings short and end them before anyone gets upset. Hissing on the first meetings is normal; growling, staring or swatting means it is time to slow down and go back a step.

Signs your cat is settling in

• Eating, drinking and using the litter box normally
• Coming out to explore and rubbing its face on furniture
• Slow blinking at you, or sleeping in open spaces
• Playing with toys and asking for attention

Some cats settle in within a few days, while others need several weeks. Patience is the most important part of the process, and a calm start usually leads to a confident, happy cat for years to come.