There are many reasons to add a second cat to the house, including giving a home to another homeless cat, providing a latchkey cat with feline company, and “why stop at one, when two are more fun?”

How do you introduce New Cat to Resident Cat and vice versa?

“Tabatha, meet Tony, the resident cat. Tony, meet Tabatha, your new feline housemate. I’ll leave you two alone so you can get to know one another.”

If only it were that simple.

One of the keys to a mutually satisfying multi-cat household is making sure that your current cat and your new cat start off on the right paw. This requires some knowledge, forethought, and finesse on your part. Though each cat is unique, fortunately there are a number of cat introduction techniques that work on most cats, most of the time. Here are the main steps to ensuring a low-stress transition and lots of happy purrs.

Phase 1: Select a Cat Who’s Compatible with Your Current Cat (Unless the Cat Selects You)

Whenever possible, a high-energy kitten or young cat should be paired up with another high-energy kitten or young cat, so each has a compatible feline playmate. In general, try to match New Cat to Resident Cat. For example, if Resident Cat is older and stately, he may not appreciate a rambunctious kitten. Granted, sometimes New Cat is a stray who finds you rather than the other way around, so you just have to do the best you can.

To continue reading, please visit CatHealth.com