Most cats can learn to accept a new feline member of the household if allowed a gradual introduction.
When you take your new kitten (or cat) home, set it up in a separate room in the house (bedroom, laundry room, bathroom- whatever you have available) and keepthe new comer in this room initially. This will allow the cats to start getting used to each other's scent first, without having any face-to-face confrontations. Additionally, your established cats will feel less threatened initially if the newcomer is restricted to a small area. This will have the added benefit of giving the new cat time to get used to you and the litterbox while being in a small area.
Once any hissing has ceased and the cats are only showing peaceful or playful interest in each other across the door, then it is time to start alllowing some direct interaction. For some cats this may take an hour or two, for other cats it may take a week or two. Let your cat tell you when it has accepted the scent of the newcomer enough to start allowing them to meet. If you are adopting a small kitten,you may want to carry it out into the rest of the house to let them meet with you protecting the little one. If it is a half-grown kitten or an adult, just start opening the door and allowing the newcomer to emerge or your cat to go in and visit at their own speed. (You do not want to be holding a scared adult cat in your arms if it gets pooked at seeing the other cat - you may end up getting injured!) Do not force the newcomer to leave its area of safety until it is ready. Also, do not leave the cats alone together until you are comfortable with their interaction. And, please remember to spend extra time with your first cat,so it does not feel left out or jealous of the newcomer!
When you take your new kitten (or cat) home, set it up in a separate room in the house (bedroom, laundry room, bathroom- whatever you have available) and keepthe new comer in this room initially. This will allow the cats to start getting used to each other's scent first, without having any face-to-face confrontations. Additionally, your established cats will feel less threatened initially if the newcomer is restricted to a small area. This will have the added benefit of giving the new cat time to get used to you and the litterbox while being in a small area.
Once any hissing has ceased and the cats are only showing peaceful or playful interest in each other across the door, then it is time to start alllowing some direct interaction. For some cats this may take an hour or two, for other cats it may take a week or two. Let your cat tell you when it has accepted the scent of the newcomer enough to start allowing them to meet. If you are adopting a small kitten,you may want to carry it out into the rest of the house to let them meet with you protecting the little one. If it is a half-grown kitten or an adult, just start opening the door and allowing the newcomer to emerge or your cat to go in and visit at their own speed. (You do not want to be holding a scared adult cat in your arms if it gets pooked at seeing the other cat - you may end up getting injured!) Do not force the newcomer to leave its area of safety until it is ready. Also, do not leave the cats alone together until you are comfortable with their interaction. And, please remember to spend extra time with your first cat,so it does not feel left out or jealous of the newcomer!
