How to settle a new cat into your home and introduce it to other pets
In short: Start your new cat in one quiet room with food, water, litter tray, bed and a hiding place. Let it come to you. Open up the house room by room, swap scents with other pets before they meet, and keep it indoors for at least 3 to 4 weeks.
By Abu Bakar SaadatPublished 28 October 20266 min readPublisher: Saadat Rafiq
✓ Reviewed by Dr Ramin Khan, veterinarian (DVM) · 29 October 2026
IllustrationAt a glance
- First
- One quiet room with everything the cat needs
- Other cats
- Scent swap, then see through a barrier, then short meetings
- Litter trays
- One per cat, plus one extra (FelineVMA, SPCA NZ)
- Outdoors
- Adults after 3-4 weeks; neutered, vaccinated and microchipped first
- Advice from
- Feline Veterinary Medical Association, SPCA New Zealand and Cats Protection, read 28 October 2026
- Checked
- October 2026
A new home is a lot for a cat to take in. Every guide we used starts the same way: one safe room first, then the rest of the house, then other pets, at the cat's pace. With other cats in the house, the slow way is usually the fast way. Rushing a meeting can set things back for weeks.
Which steps do you need?
No other pets
Steps 1 to 4, then step 8. Your cat will usually be exploring the house within days.
A resident cat
All the steps. Don't move on until every cat is calm with the current step (FelineVMA).
A dog
All the steps; first meetings with the dog on a lead, and the cat able to escape to a high shelf (Cats Protection). Never let the dog chase the cat (SPCA NZ).
A kitten
As above, plus a warm, low bed (Cats Protection). Keep it apart from dogs unless you're supervising closely (SPCA NZ).
How to settle your new cat in
Set up the cat's own room before the day it arrives.
Illustration Pick a quiet room away from busy parts of the house (FelineVMA) that the cat can't escape from (Cats Protection), and put everything from the list above in it.
You should see: a room your cat could live in happily for a few days without needing anything else.
Carry the cat in a covered carrier straight to that room and open the door.
Illustration A light blanket over the carrier helps (Cats Protection). Bring the cat directly to its room and let it come out on its own; don't tip it out (FelineVMA).
You should see: the cat stepping out in its own time, perhaps after many minutes.
Leave it alone for a while, then sit quietly and let it come to you.
Illustration Cats Protection suggests leaving an adult cat for about an hour, then getting down to its level and calling softly. Hiding for a few days is normal (SPCA NZ): don't pull the cat out. Sit nearby for a few minutes, then leave, and move food closer to the hiding place if needed (Cats Protection).
You should see: the cat eating and using the litter tray. Cats Protection says these are good signs.
Open up the rest of the house one room at a time.
Illustration SPCA NZ suggests the first room for 2 to 3 days. The FelineVMA's test is when the cat explores its room confidently. Keep outside doors and windows closed (SPCA NZ). With other pets in the house, shut them in another room while the new cat explores, then put the new cat back in its own room (FelineVMA).
You should see: a cat walking about with its tail up, not slinking along the walls.
Swap smells with your other pets before they meet.
Illustration Swap bedding or soft toys between the animals every day (FelineVMA). When that causes no fuss, rub a cloth on each cat's cheeks and chin and leave it where the other cat will find it (FelineVMA; Cats Protection).
You should see: each cat sniffing the other's cloth calmly, without hissing or avoiding it.
Let them see each other through a barrier, at mealtimes or play.
Illustration Feed them on either side of a closed door (SPCA NZ), then let them see each other through glass, mesh or a tall gate (Cats Protection; FelineVMA). Keep play sessions on either side of the door to about 5 to 20 minutes (FelineVMA).
You should see: both animals eating or playing, relaxed. If one hisses, stares or flicks its tail, add distance and go back a step (FelineVMA).
Careful: don't pick up a cat or tell it off during a tense moment. Break the stare with a cushion or toy instead (FelineVMA). Never leave a dog and cat alone together until you're sure they're comfortable (Cats Protection).
Hold the first face-to-face meetings in a big room, briefly, with you watching.
Illustration Cats Protection suggests a large room at feeding time, with escape routes and high places. The FelineVMA uses treats or wand toys as distractions, and makes the sessions longer bit by bit. Dogs should be on a lead, with calm behaviour rewarded (Cats Protection; SPCA NZ).
You should see: the animals ignoring each other or sniffing briefly, then going back to what they were doing.
Keep your cat indoors for at least 3 to 4 weeks before letting it out.
Illustration Cats Protection says settling in usually takes three to four weeks, and that the cat must be neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before it goes out. SPCA NZ says longer for timid cats, and at least 6 to 8 weeks for kittens, with supervision outside at first.
You should see: a cat that eats, sleeps and plays normally around the house before its first trip outside.
How many of everything?
The FelineVMA says too few, or crowded, resources are the most common cause of tension between cats.
| Resource | How many | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Litter trays | One per cat, plus one (FelineVMA; SPCA NZ) | Private, easy to reach, out of sight of each other (FelineVMA) |
| Food and water bowls | One set per cat, plus one (FelineVMA) | Spread through the house (FelineVMA) |
| Beds, hiding places, perches, scratching posts | One per cat, plus one (FelineVMA) | Include high places such as cat trees (SPCA NZ) |
How to tell your cat has settled
- It eats normally and uses the litter tray (Cats Protection).
- It comes out to explore and doesn't spend most of the day hidden.
- With other cats: no hissing, growling, pacing, or toileting outside the tray (FelineVMA).
- Cats can pass each other or share a room without staring or a hunched posture (Cats Protection).
Signs to slow down
| What happens | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A cat avoids or hisses at the other's scent cloth | It isn't ready for the next step (FelineVMA) | Keep swapping scents for a few more days |
| Hissing or pawing at the shared door | Too close, too soon (FelineVMA) | Stop, add distance, and add a second barrier (FelineVMA) |
| Staring, hunched posture, yowling | Signs of conflict (Cats Protection) | Go back a step (Cats Protection) |
| Weeing or pooing outside the tray | Often linked to stress (SPCA NZ; FelineVMA) | Slow down; never punish accidents (SPCA NZ). Speak to your vet if it carries on |
| A timid cat won't come out to eat | A concern, says Cats Protection | Put food near its hiding place and speak to your vet |
Questions readers ask
How long does it take for a new cat to get on with my other cat?
Anything from a day to many weeks, says Cats Protection; the Feline Veterinary Medical Association says a few days to a few months, or longer. Move to the next step only when every cat is calm with the current one (FelineVMA).
Should I use a pheromone diffuser?
It can help. The FelineVMA suggests plugging one feline pheromone diffuser into the main living area and one into the cat's room 24 to 48 hours before the new cat arrives.
Where should the litter tray go?
Away from food, water and the bed. SPCA New Zealand suggests a private spot at least 1.5 metres from them; Cats Protection says keep the tray far from the food.
How do I introduce my new cat to children?
Once the cat is confident with you, introduce family members one at a time and let the cat approach them (Cats Protection). Supervise young children, show them how to stroke gently (SPCA NZ), and give a kitten a child-free place to rest (Cats Protection).
Sources
We base our articles on the makers' official documentation.
