Do Cats Adjust Well to Other Cats?

Cats, like humans, have varying temperaments and tendencies that make interactions often unpredictable. While you will never know with certainty how a new cat will be integrated into your home, there are several techniques you can try to help aid the process along. Despite this, some cats take on an alpha status, making them prone to aggression and dominance toward other cats.

  1. Breeds

    • While getting a cat socially acclimated to a new home is ultimately your responsibility, the breed of a cat can effect its tendency to be aggressive toward other cats in your house or at a friends house. Certain types of Siamese and Burmese cats are often prone to aggression, making them less than ideal for individuals who already own multiple cats. Ragdolls and Manx cats are two breeds that tend to be more docile and open to other cats.

    Integration

    • If you have just purchased or adopted a new cat, the initial meeting between the cats is essential to a smooth and proper adjustment. As a result, lock the cat that is already acclimated to your home in a secure room. From here, allow the new cat to roam the premises, getting a proper sense of the smells and layout of the home. Keep them in separate parts of the house for several days, switching them back and forth so that they can get a sense of each other's smell without interacting.

    Feeding

    • After properly integrating your cats in a social setting, it is important to teach them how to eat with each other. While they may play and interact with each other, feeding time can turn into a defensive and aggressive moment if you have not properly adjusted your cats to one another. Attempt to feed them on opposite sides of the same room. During this period, it may be best to keep your cats living in separate quarters, only coming in the same room during mealtimes.

    Feral Colonies

    • While it is possible to properly socialize domesticated cats, feral colonies of cats also have an innate tendency to interact and form strong bonds with each other. According to Catster, social structures in feral communities mimic that of lions and other large cats. Female cats that are siblings have even been known to act as midwives for each other, helping to defend and nurse each other's kittens before and after giving birth.