Bringing cats together

Cats are often thought to be loners - but they are very social animals that enjoy spending time with their mates. Indoor cats in particular are more prone to loneliness, underchallenge and depressive behaviour if they are kept alone. With a like-minded flatmate, cats can groom each other, cuddle together and develop a close bond. Will your cat household be enriched by the arrival of another kitten? We'll tell you how to get your tigers used to each other below!

Bringing two cats together: 4 phases of familiarisation

When a new cat moves into your home, this big change is associated with a lot of stress for both four-legged friends. It is unlikely that the first cat will accept the new arrival straight away. Therefore, make sure that you introduce them to each other slowly and considerately so that both cats can sniff each other out and get to know each other.

• Rejection: At the beginning, the domestic cat may be resistant and reject the newcomer. It can make this clear by hissing and growling - in combination with a crouched posture and ruffled fur, it communicates to the new kitten ‘Stay away from me!’ As a cat owner, you can help your first cat through this exciting phase with familiar routines and lots of attention.

• Tolerance: In this phase, the hissing slowly decreases and the feelings develop into more of a neutral toleration. Each cat has its own pace here - remain patient and give both cats plenty of attention.

• Exploration: Curiosity develops over time and both cats start to sniff each other carefully. If the whole thing works without hissing, you as the cat owner can gently initiate a joint play session. This can further strengthen the bond.

• Coming together: The hierarchy has been clarified and the boundaries have been mutually tested - after weeks, months or even years, a harmonious coexistence has developed.

Bringing two cats together in 4 steps

To make the stages of rehoming as pleasant as possible for your two cats, you should follow these 4 steps:

1. Separate cats spatially: Prepare a separate room for the second cat so that the cats do not meet directly. It is important that your new flatmate gets to know his surroundings in small steps in order to gain security. You can communicate to your first cat with a great deal of attention that the new conspecific is not a threat to you.
2. Familiarise them with the smell: It can help if both cats first get to know each other through the other cat's odour. To do this, you can take a towel, rub it gently on one cat and place it in the other cat's room. This way they get to know each other by smell and their noses can get used to the change. It is also possible to swap the territory before the first meeting. This allows your new cat to explore the other rooms in peace.
3. Indirect familiarisation: The best way to get to know each other for the first time is with the help of a gate. With a door gate, your house tigers can keep enough distance or sniff each other a little. To do this, you can open the door with the gate first and wait for a reaction. If there is aggressive behaviour, you can close the door again and try again at a later time. If both cats remain calm, they have the opportunity to play near the screen door.
4. Direct acquaintance: If you observe peaceful behaviour on both sides of the gate, you can try a direct acquaintance. Remove the gate and observe your cats' behaviour closely - hissing and growling may still occur at this stage. However, if there is any aggressive behaviour such as bullying, chasing or cornering, you should separate the cats again and try again at a later date using the gate.

How do you recognise that cats like each other?

You can tell whether your velvet paws get along well by these behaviours. Both cats

• sniff each other with interest and then ignore each other,

• gently nudge each other with their noses,

• tolerate each other without growling or hissing,

• lie close to the other cat and

• groom each other.

Tips and tricks for getting cats used to each other

How quickly your cats get used to each other is completely individual. However, these little tricks can have a positive effect on familiarisation:

• Provide separate bowls for both four-legged friends.

• Provide your cats with plenty of places to retreat to, e.g. cat caves, cat beds and cat trees.

• Give both cats the same amount of attention to avoid jealousy.

• Plan a separate litter tray for each cat.

• Cat toys can ease the tense situation.

• Define fixed protection zones, e.g. a separate room for each cat, so that they can each retreat if it gets too much for them.

• Use treats to reinforce positive behaviour.

Which cats go well together?

Bringing two unneutered male cats together is not a good idea. This often leads to loud territorial fights and constant stress. In order for a peaceful socialisation to be possible, there is often no way around neutering. Two free-roaming cats can also often quarrel, as both see the home as their own territory and categorise each other as intruders.

With these cat groups, reunification is usually less complicated:

• Two cats of the same age: Two young kittens, especially two cat siblings, usually get on well together. Their playful nature ensures that they quickly become close. If you want to bring a kitten and a cat with a larger age difference together, the lively kitten can sometimes be too much for the senior cat.
• Adult female cats with similar characters often live together very peacefully.
• Keep cats and tomcats together: Male and female cats can usually be socialised well together. However, in mixed-sex pairs without neutering, you must be prepared for offspring.