If you bring in a new cat or
kitten to your household and you already have a resident cat(s) you must
introduce them slowly in order to make the experience as painless as
possible. Cats are territorial creatures and painstakenly mark
every inch of the household, including you, with its scent. So when you
bring a new one in the household the territorial equilibrium has been
destroyed and the cat or cats need to 'rework the territory' so to
speak, and that includes time with you.
When bringing in the new member designate a 'safe area'
to place the kitten that will only be his area. A 'safe area' can also
be a cat cage where you can put the new cat on display for the others to
get used to.
Your resident cat will need to
get used to the new 'scent' around the house so a good trick is to rub a
sock on the new cat and then place it in front of the resident cat to
investigate. This will allow the resident cat to get used to the new
cat's scent. Repeat this step putting the resident cat's scented sock in
front of the newcomer.
Try not to pet the new cat in
the presence of your old one as this will create jealousy and
definitely, try not to get the scent of the new cat on you when you're
around the resident cat. Wash your hands in between sharing time with
both kitties.
