tips on introducing a female cat to a male cat?

[magicnyancat]

The female cat is new/2 years
the male cat is mine/4 years.
I heard separating them initially is a good idea? and something about a spray called feelaway but I can't find anything on this. Both are desexed

 

[Rob Coke]

throw them in a box together

 

[Ocimom]

Put the new cat in a room by herself with food, water, litter pan. Since these are adults, it may take a little longer to get along. Be sure both have nails cut. I find if you sprinkle a little cornstarch baby powder on both of them and rub it in, the smell will be the same.

You want to introduce them slowly. Expect hissing, growling, chasing for awhile, but unless they are really fighting leave them alone. This is natural behavior when first meeting. Always supervise their interactions till you know they are ok together.

And I'd be sure to have 2-3 litter pans out for awhile so there is no fighting or stopping one from using the pan.

 

[iaskquestionsalot]

I recently got a new kitten and introducing her to my year old male was worrying. As he is older AND male he started to get authorative. Occasionally hissing and hitting her but after a week he got used to her and now they'ree the best of friends. I recommend you let themselves get on with it. And make sure he doesn't feel left out.

 

[Steph]

thats because its called feliway


Because of the nature of the cat, introducing a new cat into a household is often stressful for both the resident cat and the new cat, so this process has to be carried out slowly and carefully. Although cats can obviously be very sociable with other cats, these close relationships only occur when cats recognise each other as part of an established 'social group': cats that are unfamiliar are usually seen as a big threat. This is because the ancestors of our modern cats evolved over millions of years as territorial and largely solitary animals, which needed to defend their territory from other cats in order to catch sufficient prey to survive.

The important aspect of the process of integration is that it should be slow and gradual. The newcomer should initially be introduced into a room that is not one of the main 'core' areas for the existing cat. This separate room should be set up with a litter tray, food, water bowl, comfy bed, toys and a scratching post. This room is a safe space for your new cat to get used to and to establish as the 'core' part of his territory. It is important for your new cat to relax into his surroundings and get to know you before facing the challenge of meeting your other cat.

if you don't already have a safe room for your new arrival i suggest you make one as it is key to a successful new social understanding between them

Cats rely on scent for communication and identification much more then we do. Because of this, the introduction process starts with the 'swapping' of scent between the cats, for example by exchanging food bowls, toys and bedding. Only when the cats tolerate the scent of the other cat can we gradually progress so that they can see each other. Right through this process, the presence of the other cat is associated with something positive, such as attention, play, or a food treat. using the feliway plug in or spray will help keep the cats calm during this stressfull time