How to make cats friends with each other

It can be a little challenging to bring a new cat into a house where there is already a resident cat. Because of their innate territorial nature, cats may need some time to adjust to sharing their space. But you can help them become friends if you have the right approach and patience.

It’s important to know your cats’ personalities. While some cats may require more time to acclimate, others may be more gregarious and welcoming of strangers. You can get important hints about what to do next by watching how they interact.

Positive reinforcement and gradual introductions are crucial. You can reduce stress and foster a stronger bond between your cats over time by setting up a calm environment and taking things slowly.

Steps	Description
Introduce slowly	Let the cats see and smell each other through a closed door before meeting face-to-face.
Use separate spaces	Give each cat their own space, food, and litter box to avoid competition.
Positive associations	Feed the cats near each other or play with them together to create positive experiences.
Supervise meetings	Keep an eye on their first interactions and separate them if needed.
Be patient	Friendships take time. Don"t rush the process; let them adjust at their own pace.

Two cats in the house – behavior options

Numerous factors, particularly the unique traits of individual pets and the temperament of the breed, influence how two pets living in the same house behave, as well as how they interact initially and in the future.

There are various animal behavior models:

• Friends. Both pets behave friendly, even if they are wary at first. First, they sniff each other, then play and sleep together. Such partners will not object to a common toilet and house, they calmly eat from the same bowl.
• Fright. Often both cats or a new pet demonstrate one of the most vivid emotions – fear. They climb into secluded corners, do not eat for several days, do not go to the toilet. Fright often leads to a fight.
• Competitors. Both animals are offended, an unspoken war begins for territory, toys, food, the owner"s attention.

Any kind of behavior can lead to the friendship of two pets. The situation can be resolved by the owner taking the right steps.

Expected difficulties in the relationship between two cats

Every female’s primary goal is to procreate. Compared to the man, she is more independent and self-sufficient. Any territory can serve as her nest. She fiercely defends her rights from intruders, particularly if they are members of her sex.

Fear is the most prevalent behavioral pattern during the first meeting.

Making friends is frequently far more challenging if both cats, or just one of them:

• Are pregnant or nursing offspring. In no case should two mothers be brought together uncontrollably. All instincts of females are heightened during this period. The goal is one – to protect future or existing offspring. Even cats that have lived together for a long time are better separated during the bearing and nursing of kittens. Read about how to understand that a cat is pregnant and about the first birth.
• Heat. The period of sexual hunting is also not the best time to meet. A hormonal surge makes cats aggressive, they see a competitor in any female. Read about the first heat in a cat.
• Over five years. It is much more difficult for adult females to change their behavior pattern and accept a new friend into the pack. Young individuals converge much faster, become companions in games.

How to make two cats friends

Compared to females, cats are far friendlier and adjust to new situations and people more quickly. However, spheres of influence are usually contested when a newcomer enters the area. Competition is the primary behavioral pattern.

If these are two males who are sexually mature, the situation will be far more complicated. Sadly, one or both pets may lose a fight. Introduce such "rivals" with extreme caution, adhering to all guidelines and breeder advice.

If pets aren’t meant for breeding, castrating them is the answer to the issue.

Cat breeders hardly ever coexist in the same area. Every one of them ought to have a room or enclosure of their own. Check out the article on cat breeding.

A cat and a male cat in the same house

When two sexually mature animals of opposing sexes cross paths, friendships develop fast between them. But there’s only going to be one outcome from this friendship: mating and progeny.

When a male cat brings a female in heat home, the animals will act warily for the first day or two. She might give a hiss and strike the man with her paw. But a fight won’t ever break out. The man will adopt a wait-and-see stance and eventually find a way to get close to his girlfriend. Both will delineate the territory in this instance.

There are two possible outcomes if both animals are castrated or sterilized (see our article on cat sterilization):

• Competition and victory of the male over the female cat, as over a physically weaker rival.
• Manifestation of a reflex sexual instinct. In this case, the male will take the female under his wing.

How to make friends between an adult cat and a kitten under six months

This is not at all a difficult task. The appearance of a baby may initially frighten an adult cat living in the house, but the female will never hit the kitten. She might hiss, arch her back, avoid contact, and show her disapproval for a while. But all emotions will be curbed quickly by the maternal instinct. In due course, the infant will be "adopted."

An adult cat and a kitten under six months

Regardless of whether he is neutered or not, a sexually mature male is unlikely to welcome the baby with warmth. Even if the new pet attacks him directly, he will never fight with him. He might strike with his paw, but he won’t hurt anyone severely or let go of his claws.

It is best not to leave the animals alone until the younger one doesn’t grow up and become stronger, especially if the kitten is only a month or a month and a half old. In the wild, a male will drive an innocent enemy—even a child—out of his domain.

The cat will lose the ability to strangle the kitten when it is three months old.

The cat will probably welcome the new tenant if he has had his teeth cleaned, and the two animals will get along just fine.

Giving cats their own space, introducing them gradually, and using positive reinforcement like praise and treats are all crucial for helping cats become friends. Because cats are inherently territorial, fostering bonding and lowering stress levels over time require patience and a calm environment.

Features of breeds in relationships with each other

The breeds of two pets have a big influence on the type of relationship they have. The genotype, which imposes certain traits on the animal’s temperament, explains this.

The most aggressive breeds are produced through hybridization and have close wild ancestry. Bengal, Toyger, Savannah, Caracat, Safari, and Chausie are these. These felines often regard their owner as a fellow member of the group. It is always difficult to accept a newcomer. See what breeds of cats are aggressive.

For these kinds of animals, it is best to introduce them early on or at the same time as they come from a nursery into the home.

It will be difficult for natural breeds like Abyssinian, Siamese, Burmese, Birman, Persian, British, Siberian, or Norwegian to accept a new pet. They see themselves as the creators of a pack, where an individual is either the leader or a ward. Bringing such cats together at an early age is also advised.

Nibelungs and the Russian Blues are the exceptions to this rule. These are peaceful, obedient, and resilient pets.

Softer and calmer are breeds that were developed through selection to combine desirable exterior and interior traits. Such pets will be easier and quicker to introduce. Sphynxes, exotics, rexes (Ural, Cornish, Devon, Selkirk), and young varieties like Napoleon and Bambino are a few examples of these.

Causes of cat fights

Unexpected fights between pets can occur, and their initial cause is not always obvious. However, four elements can typically be identified:

• Fear – it is always the root cause of any aggression. Most often, the newcomer is afraid. By attacking an old-timer, he is defending himself.
• Fight for territory. The older pet acts as an attacker here. He considers the house his personal area, and in this case does not consider the owner to be the leader of the pack.
• Sexual conflicts are typical for two sexually mature males or females in heat. Breeding animals can only be isolated from each other. For pets from which you do not plan to get offspring, the best solution would be sterilization or castration.
• Defending your interests. Stumbling blocks can be – food, litter box, house and toys. Such animals also consider the owner their personal property. The struggle for influence on a person is also included in this group of fights. Only the correct behavior of the owner can save the situation.

How to stop a fight

You shouldn’t get involved if your pets chase after one another, punch each other briefly with their paws, then leap back, hiss, and flinch. It suffices to observe.

The situation needs to be resolved if the fight could not be avoided and has already started, with the cats squabbling and rolling around on the ground. And a lot of this is dependent on the owner acting appropriately.

Never use your hands to separate combatants. Cats are predators despite their small stature. With their teeth and claws, they are capable of serious harm to an individual as well as to one another.

The animals must be kept apart, which can be accomplished in the following ways:

• The most effective result is given by a blanket, a large towel or any other thick fabric. If you throw it over the fighting cats, they will freeze. Immediately, you need to take one fighter with the blanket, without turning it around, and move it to another room.
• If the fight does not stop in the dark under the blanket (which is unlikely), you should try to push the animals away from each other with a mop or any other stick. You need to act quickly, but in no case hit the pets.
• Another effective method is to pour water on the fighters. This method works without fail.
• Cats should be isolated from each other for several days, and then try to get acquainted again. The newcomer should be placed in a separate room. The old-timer should not be offended by the owner under any circumstances and must remain in his usual territory.
• If animals are injured, they should be treated with any antiseptic. If necessary, call a veterinarian.

Should I get a second pet

The sentiments of the veteran are not always taken into consideration when purchasing a new cat. Sometimes it’s not a good thing when someone moves into the house.

It will be extremely difficult for the first pet to accept the newcomer if he is an adult, over seven years old, especially if the baby is active.

Worries can even cause the cat to go into a deep depression, stop eating, and eventually pass away.

A kitten younger than three months old is seriously threatened by an uncastrated male who is sexually mature. It is preferable to castrate the adult cat after the baby has grown up.

A new pet is definitely not wanted in the home if there is a pregnant or nursing cat. The mother will defend her kids and assault the outsider. Cats can also pass away. Many animals in stressful situations kill their own young.

Mr. Cat recommends: advice to the owner

Skilled cat breeders are frequently asked how to facilitate the peaceful coexistence of two or more cats on a daily basis. A non-specialist can benefit from their advice when introducing two pets.

A prospective owner ought to exercise caution when purchasing a kitten from a cattery. Alone with an animal, boredom sets in. You must take two babies at once, if at all possible. Living in the same territory won’t ever present a problem for them in this scenario.

Purchasing two adult cats at once is preferable. The animals, imagining themselves to be strangers in a foreign land, will examine their new belongings together rather than fighting.

An elderly pet needs to see someone showing him that he is the head of the household and that his position is important. Given that the two animals in question are battling not just over dominance over their shared territory but also over its owner.

When you first meet animals, you can’t force them to get along or let them settle their differences through fights.

The newcomer should not be violently approached; instead, you should simply open the carrier and wait for him to emerge.

Using a dry cloth, try to mix the smells. Rub the newbie’s and the veteran’s paws, muzzles, and genitalia. Aggression can be lessened by doing this.

There should be two distinct spaces ready with their own bowls, toilets, and bedding.

Cats should have their claws trimmed in advance. They will hurt each other less if they fight.

It takes time and patience to help cats become friends, but with the right approach, it is definitely possible. The secret to success is to introduce them gradually, giving each cat their own space.

Make sure to keep a close eye on their actions and intervene if hostilities escalate. The more gradually they are introduced to each other—by scent swapping or carefully supervised interactions—the better they adjust to one another.

Keep in mind that every cat is unique, so you should be understanding and allow the process to progress at its own speed. Most cats can learn to get along and even form strong bonds with the right attention and understanding.

Video on the topic

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