Introducing a new cat
Rushing this is the single most common cause of two cats who never get along.
Cats are territorial in a way dogs are not. A new cat is not a companion arriving; it is an intruder in an established territory. Introductions that take two to four weeks routinely succeed. Introductions done in an afternoon routinely fail, and a bad first meeting can take months to undo.
The stages
- Separate rooms — new cat in one room with everything they need, for several days
- Scent swap — exchange bedding, rub a cloth on one cat's cheeks and leave it near the other
- Feed either side of a closed door, moving bowls closer over days
- Visual contact through a barrier — a cracked door or baby gate, kept short
- Supervised time together, starting with a few minutes
- Unsupervised, only once relaxed
Why scent comes first
Cats identify each other by smell long before sight. Swapping bedding and rubbing a soft cloth on each cat's cheek glands, then leaving it where the other can investigate, lets both build a picture of a new arrival without any risk of confrontation. Do not force sniffing — leave it and walk away.
Feeding through the door
Eating is something a cat only does when it feels safe, so eating near the other cat's scent builds a positive association. Start with bowls far enough from the door that both eat normally, then move them closer by a few centimetres a day. Any refusal to eat means you have gone too fast — go back.
Resources, doubled
Most fighting between cats is about resources. Provide separate food and water stations in different rooms, one litter tray per cat plus one spare, and plenty of vertical space. Shelves, cat trees and window perches expand a territory upward, which matters more to cats than floor area.
If it goes wrong
Hissing and swatting during early meetings is normal and usually settles. Sustained staring, blocking access to trays or doorways, and full fights are not. Separate and go back several stages rather than letting them "sort it out" — they generally do not, and each bad encounter sets you back further.
Never break up a fight with your hands. Use a cushion, a towel or a noise, and give both cats time apart afterwards.
Two cats need two sets of resources in separate places — including scratching posts, which are territorial markers rather than furniture protection. Scratching, and how to redirect it →
Common questions
How long does it take to introduce two cats?
Typically two to four weeks, sometimes longer. Rushing is the most common reason two cats never settle, and a bad first meeting can take months to undo.
Should I let them fight it out?
No. Cats rarely resolve conflict this way, and each bad encounter makes the relationship worse. Separate and return to an earlier stage of the introduction.
How many litter trays do two cats need?
Three — one per cat plus a spare, in separate locations. Most conflict between cats is about access to resources.