Introducing a new cat/kitten to an existing one

 

Cats are territorial creatures on the whole… we get used to doing things in a certain way and some of us can get quite upset if there are any changes to our routine! A new cat or kitten being introduced into our territory is a very big change indeed from a feline point of view, so if you want to minimise the risk of problems, here’s some hints and tips on the things you can do to smooth things over as best as you can…

1. Are some introductions easier than others?

It must be noted that cats are not “pack animals” in the same way that dogs are, and in rare cases you might get two cats who really don’t get on with each other at all (the same as for some humans in fact!) and the only real alternative to re-homing one of them is to give each of them their own separate spaces.

In most cases, it’s easier to introduce a kitten to an existing cat than an older cat, though that doesn’t make it necessarily easy to introduce a kitten, nor does it mean you shouldn’t take on an older cat if you would like to do so. It’s also usually easier to introduce cats of the opposite sex to each other, as long as they are both neutered (unless kittens).  But there are a few things you should do before you get to the introductions stage!

2. Prepare a kitty room

If your home allows it, prepare a room in advance just for your new arrival – put a litter tray, water bowl, food bowls, bedding and plenty of toys in there! This room will be the new kitty’s new home for at least a few days, so make sure it’s comfortable and also make sure there’s nothing breakable within kitty’s reach – particularly if your new fur baby is a Bengal! If you’re using a spare bedroom, you may want to take the bedding off the bed and replace with a mattress-protector sheet. Bengal kittens in particular might find it a nice place to go to the toilet on otherwise.

3. Welcoming the new arrival

When you first bring your new arrival home, take them to their kitty room straight away. They might be quite overwhelmed by all the sights and smells around them, so it’s good to keep these to a minimum as much as you can 🙂 Stay in the room with them while they settle in and find their paws. Make sure they have fresh food and water and they can find the litter box easily. As I said in another guide, you should feed the same food that the previous owner/breeder did and also use the same kitty litter, this will minimise the risk of tummy upsets and also the risks of little toileting accidents. You can always change these at a later date if you wish to do so (though this should be done gradually).

Stay with your new arrival for as long as you feel is appropriate, but don’t smother them too much and certainly don’t let your other cat into the room with them at this stage.

But do make sure you leave plenty of time to give your existing cat plenty of love and attention! They will know something is different and they mustn’t feel like they’re playing second fiddle as a result.

 

Bengal Cat Blog photo
Friday and I get along very well now!

4. Preparations for the introductions

Once your new kitten/cat has settled in – and this might be as little as a few hours or as much as a few days, it depends on the individual – you can start the preparations for introductions. Cats are very sensitive to smells, so a good way of “introducing” them to each other without them actually meeting face to face is to get them used to each others’ scent.

If you don’t wash your hands in between petting your cats, you will have the smell of them on your hands which the other one can smell. You can also swap bedding and toys between the cats so there is a more constant presence than on your hands. Another option is to take a clean soft cloth and gently rub it over the whisker pads and head area of one cat and leave it in the areas the other cat uses and vice-versa.

So after a day or two of this (more if you think either cat needs it), you can then start to think about face to face introductions!

5. Pleased to meet you?

By now, it won’t be a shock to each cat that there is another one in the same house… but you still need to be very careful when they meet for the first few times face to face. You could consider using a large cage for this – this isn’t cruel if the cat is in there for short periods, and it gives the cats a chance to meet each other in a controlled way. Put the new kitty in the cage and let the existing one approach in their own time.

Or you could just let them meet and see how it goes!

However you do it, never force anything onto either cat and supervise the first few meetings very closely. At first, there will no doubt be a lot of hissing and growling which is entirely to be expected but if there’s too much animosity, remove your new fur baby back to their room, and allow a time out.

Start off with short meetings, just one or two in a day, then gradually build up the length and frequency.

Important things to remember

The way you introduce your cats to each other can have a long-term effect on how well they get on, so take it gradually and do it properly to increase the chances of life-long friendliness (or at the very least, tolerance of each other).

It might take only a day or two, or it might take several weeks, but in the majority of cases, most cats will learn to get on with each other if they don’t feel threatened and they don’t have to compete with each other for basic things such as food, water and cuddles – so make sure there are plenty of these to go around for all!

Never force any cat into any situation they don’t want to be in; always allow a “time out” when needed.

Bribery works well! Reward your fur babies with treats during and after the introductory meetings to make them feel like this is a good thing to do!

Never shout at either cat if they misbehave or don’t do as you would like them to; it will only stress them out even more and they’ll associate bad things with the new cat they’re being introduced to – remain calm and reassuring at all times, even if you don’t necessarily feel it!

127 thoughts on “Introducing a new cat/kitten to an existing one”

  1. This is very good information. Right now we have two tuxedos but I am so in love with cats and would like to and to our “family”. I have become very interested in bengals and am learning all I can about them. 🙂 Your friend Linda

      1. I’m pleased you found it helpful, Linda! We hope you can find your new purrfect fur baby soon! 😉 :mrgreen: xx

      2. Hi, help. My daughter has a beautiful Bengal , Marcus. She of 1200 FR too breeder. My daughter got very I’ll & had to move back home. We hv 2 elderly declawed Domestics , mastiff & a Dane pup. I myself am very ill w/ heart & lung disease. The dr says we can not keep him. We need a loving home for this great baby. He has a wonderful, affectionate personality. Loves showers, loves to play & loves to cuddle. We are willing to place him for free in exchange for a wonderful home full of of love for him. He is beautiful!!! Pictures on request. Ruth 410-920-4179. Your help would be so greatly appreciated. GodBless

        1. Hi.
          I have a gorgeous Bengal boy and would love a friend for him. He is spoilt rotten, in fact my husband (who is as bad as me) calls him the Prince of Bengal. How old is Marcus and does he get on o.k. with other cats? My cat goes outside – well in and out -during the day but is in at night.
          Love to hear from you.
          Norma Pearson.

        2. Are you still looking for a home for the cat?
          I have a Bengal and we just lost her sister. We’d all do well adding another companion to the home, if they are content with other felines.

      3. I have a 6 month old female Bengal who is spoiled I love the breed she is the most awesome cat and now I am purchasing a male Bengal which is 10 weeks old and I just want to make the transition as easy as possible for the both so I am looking for all the help that I can to make it easy on them and myself

        1. Hi Billie! How wonderful! 🙂 If you follow the tips I gave in this article, and take things slowly and patiently, I’m sure it will all work out! Good luck 🙂

        2. Hello . I just made a deposit for a female Bengal kitten . I should be getting her in 6 weeks, when she will be 10 weeks old. I’m getting nervous afterimg hearing people say in pther websites that the Bengal sort of destroy things in the house. I have 3 small friendly maltese and one cat . We walk the dogs in the morning before we leave for work and we walk them at night . My partner and I both work long hours which is why we have multiple pets and buy tons of interactive toys . So they play all day. My dear is that it would be different with the Bengal. I’m nervous that she may not do well with my long hours at work

          1. They are active and curious as far as I’ve seen. She might get destructive if she’s bored(?), but it sounds like she’ll have plenty of friends to entertain her.

  2. Strangely enough, our new cats meet our existing cats before we do! That’s because our last 4 or 5 new family members have been strays. Sassy has been here almost 7 months and Midnight, the only cat who doesn’t go outside, still doesn’t like her. He head boops her when she gets too close at mooching time (our lunch and supper). He sees her as competition for his food supply I guess. They don’t fight though, so I don’t worry about it.

    Excellent info Spot. Thanks!

    1. You’re very welcome, June! Of course all cats are different and if they can get along without all these careful preparations, then that is great too! 😛 :mrgreen: xxx

      1. Hi i live in Charlotte,,north carolina. I have a girl bengal. About 4 yrs old. Im looking to get a kitten bengal. Is there any breeders around my area. I live in a town call mint hill. Do u know about Any town around my that i could purchase a kitten bengal. And i prefer a boy Bengal. Is this a good idea?

  3. great info! I live in a small flat, so I’ve had to handle things a little differently, but it has all worked out for the kids. This will be very helpful for anyone thinking of adding another baby. . .<3 <3 <3 🙂

  4. Thanks, good advice. I’ve just brought home an 8 wk old neutered male kitten. My other two are females aged 18 & 5. My 18 yr old hisses at the kitten and my 5 yr old runs away from it. It’s been 24 hrs. Things are going smoothly.

  5. Hi, just wanted to let u know how much this has helped me! So much so, I’m thinking of adding another addition to our family! I already have a Maine Coon, and Berman. I’m thinking of getting a Siberian Forest cat too! Hope everything goes well! Thanks sooo much!
    Mwah, bye! 😆

    1. Hello Zara! I’m pleased we helped you! Your kitties sound gorgeous, and Siberians are lovely too! <3 Good luck 🙂 xxx

  6. I have a 16 month Bengal male whom is a character, I have been offered his sister from same parents but earlier litter, she is 24 months old. My male is very scatty, meaning any loud noise or bangs or sudden movement and he jumps or runs off. He is a great character and shouts loud when you come home or sometimes really loud if he can not find you…. My question is not so much about the adding another cat its more about loosing the traits our current cat has, this shouting and greeting not to mention following us. Would another cat change this and make him quiet or change his general behaviiour

    1. As long as he feels comfortable in his environment, his behaviour shouldn’t change. It may change temporarily while he gets used to the new addition. You may find that she actually enhances his behaviour as Bengals often enjoy playing with other kitties 🙂 But of course, nothing is certain as all cats are different, just like humans 🙂

  7. We just brought in a Bengal (we think) rescue and are currently having her in her own room. This is day one 😀 we have a number of other characters, errr, cats and two labs who love them. I am already struck by her voice WOW 😯 We will wait to see how she is tomorrow. Right now she is a tad disgruntled and doesn’t mind who knows it 😆

  8. Hi all,

    I am after some help/reassurance.

    We had a litter brother and sister (Bengals) but unfortunately the male was knocked down by a car and is no longer with us. Two weeks ago we took another male Bengal
    male in (neutered) who required to be rehoused (owners moving abroad). After a few days of him being very upset (hissing etc) he has settled down and is a beautiful boy (he is 4
    1/2 and she (our existing cat) is 3 1/2.

    The issue we have is that she appears terrified by him. We have followed the prescribed steps and they tend to eat their food each side of a stair gate although she is a little skitty and He is not interested in treats or food but will stand by the stair gate watching her eat her food and tries to paw her. This she accepts. We have tried introducing them in the same room and she curls up into a ball and hisses whilst making loud groaning noises (clearly distressed). We remove one of them quite quickly after the introduction due to her stress.

    Any suggestion of what we can do to make their introduction less stressful and how we can get the existing cat to accept the new one?

    Both are beautiful cats and we’d rather not have to rehome one of them.

    Thanks
    Steve

    1. Hello Steve.
      Sorry to hear of the passing of your boy. It sounds like you are doing everything ‘right’ in introducing your boy to your girl. It can take time, though, and 2 weeks is not all that long so I would say to carry on as you are and be patient. Make sure they both have their own water bowls and litter boxes so they don’t feel threatened by having to share.

      The only additional thing I would suggest is the use of Feliway. It should help to calm your girl, but again you need patience as it can take up to one month to work. Try using the plug-in in the room she inhabits the most, and you can also back this up with using a little of the spray in the areas where she meets your boy. There is also a natural remedy called Zylkene which is a tablet that can be given to help calm kitties too.

      Im sure in time things will settle and they will at least tolerate each other, though you may have to accept that they may never be best pals. Cats are naturally solitary animals.

      Take care!

  9. It just so happens that we are about to welcome my 18 month old Bengal, Percy’s sister from the same litter into our home as she needs to be rehomed and we have kept in touch with the bredder. Do you think they will recognise each other after 1year apart, She stayed with the Mummy and Daddy bengal up until now.

    three weeks and counting. I am so excited! x

    1. Hi Hannah! Sorry for our late reply, we’ve only just seen your comment. I don’t think they will recognise each other and you will need to introduce them as though they had never met each other before <3 Good luck! xx

  10. Hi all, hoping for some advice/comments. My 2 year old Bengal girl Cleo joined our cat family in January ( we already had two DSHs, one male and one female, both neutered). Unfortunately the DSH girl (Maggie aged 10) hates the new arrival and we have to keep them apart as we have already had some incidents when Cleo was threatened and chased by a furious Maggie. No problem with the DSH boy who is very laid back, and he and Cleo eat in the same room without too many problems. Have tried Feliway and Zylkene, even an animal behaviourist. I don’t want to rehome either of them, I accept that they’ll never be friends but just want them to tolerate each other. Will things improve over time? Thanks in advance for any comments!

    1. Hi Rose! Sometimes there are cats who just don’t like each other no matter what you do to try and help 🙁 Though they are never best friends, they usually learn to tolerate each other once they realise that’s how things are going to be. Keep doing as you are and hopefully in time Maggie will learn to accept Cleo. xxx

  11. Hello, I have a female(spayed) Bengal cat who is a year and a half old! She is quite vocal and very playful and loves lots of attention. We were considering getting a 2 month old male kitten but we are worried about how our existing cat will react? We have had her around a small dog who was 13 before and they loved each other after only a few hours and were cuddling. Do you think she will be fine with a new male cat like she was with the dog? I’m worried about her shutting us off completely but we do want a friend for her if possible. Thanks! in advance, and I’d love for your thoughts!

    1. Hi Keisha! As long as you do the introductions slowly and carefully, like we’ve written about in this article, I don’t see why not! Bengals often love having a playmate and kittens are usually accepted reasonably well by an older cat. There’s no guarantees of course, but I think you should give it a go 🙂 xx

  12. Thanks for your advice! There has been a development which I’ll tell you about in case it helps other people: I found Maggie in Cleo’s part of the house – don’t know how she got there! and Cleo was on top of a high cupboard, not scared, just observing Maggie who was on the floor. Maggie then got up and left the room.
    The animal behaviourist told us that the “top cat” is normally the younger and more agile one and I think this is what’s happened – no way would Maggie be able to get on top of the cupboard and so Cleo has asserted herself and doesn’t hide any more. Result! I’m not going to leave them together yet, but progress has been made and Maggie has definitely backed off a bit. 🙂

  13. Hello ladies & gents,

    Hoping for some advice/comments also!

    We recently welcomed a new kitty into our home, Salvador. He’s a beautiful big Bengal boy, a rescue, aged somewhere between 4 and 6 we think. He’s very talkative and affectionate. We think he may have been treated badly earlier in his life as when he first arrived, he spent the entire day hiding behind our laundry basket growling. Now he’s settled and trusts us, but he’s still a bit nervous and skittish in general – any loud noises (even outside or downstairs) and he jumps out of his skin!

    Our existing kitty, Brontë, is another rescue, and a sweet little girl aged around 10 months. She’s very affectionate and playful. DLH we think – but has a very Maine Coon/Norwegian Forest Cat look about her so possibly a cross!

    Now, we’ve followed the integration process to a tee and are at the point where we’re allowing them to mix. They also go out.

    Our situation is a bit unusual though (I think!) as the cat showing the aggression isn’t the new cat. Brontë is very curious about Salvador and likes to cautiously approach him for a sniff. She’s never hissed at him or tried to paw him, however as soon as she gets anywhere near him he growls and sometimes goes for her!

    Sometimes all she has to do is walk in the room to set him off growling. They have their own food and water bowls and areas, and they both get plenty if love and attention. We asked the lady rehoming him if he would be suitable for homing with another cat, and she said he would be fine but might get “jealous”.

    Luckily Brontë is quite a confident girl and as yet his threatening behavior isn’t showing any signs of making her afraid/wanting to run away. She just keeps trying to make friends! As with Rose, I have caught her sitting on elevated surfaces a couple of times looking down at him so wondering if a battle for dominance is going on…!

    PLEASE – any advice anyone? We love them both dearly, and just want Salvador to settle and realise that she’s no threat to him. Should we try Feliway or Felifriend? Could they really make a difference? What are the tablets a couple of people have mentioned?

    Thanks so much! Rachael x

    1. Hello Rachael! Rose has written some great comments below. I agree with what she says: time and patience are the key. A little Zylkene may help too <3 xxx

  14. Rachael, I use Zylkene which you can get onine or from the vet, it’s blue and white capsules of powder which you sprinkle on their food once a day and it relaxes them. It’s not a drug. Use the lowest dosage which I think is 75g. I started giving it to Maggie and Cleo on the advice of the behaviourist, Maggie still gets it but I have stopped Cleo’s dose as she is so much more confident now.
    We had a similar problem with integration: new Bengal introduced to our two DSHs. Things are gradually improving but it does take time. I don’t leave ours alone together yet, but progress has definitely been made. Cleo was hiding in boxes for weeks when we first got her in January, now she has really found her paws. She will never be friends with the others, but hopefully they will gradually learn to tolerate each other.
    The behaviourist advised us that Feliway was a waste of money, except for the spray, which you can use around their beds. Don’t buy the plug-in, it is very expensive.
    Spot, hope you don’t mind me sharing my experience, I don’t mean to tread on your paws 🙂

    1. Hello Rose! Thanks for your comments, they are appreciated and our paws don’t feel trodden on at all <3 xxx

  15. Hello. We have a 10 year old spayed rescue cat that lives indoors and my son got a baby ferret 2 years ago. We heard they’d get along great but to this day they must live separate. I decided to get a female bengal kitten this past Friday and have followed the steps above. Tomorrow I will start putting Zoey in the carrier and bringing her into the living room for my adult cat to get more used to. Do you think there is a better chance my adult cat will like the kitten than what happened with the ferret?
    Thank you for your time. Valerie

    1. Hello Valerie! Sorry to hear your cat didn’t like the ferret. I think there’s more chance of her accepting a kitten, especially as you have been very careful with the introductions. Of course, nothing is guaranteed and it may take some time, but I hope they get there in the end <3

  16. I just adopted a new what I’m thinking is a Bengal mix kitten. she has the black tipped tail and nonsymetrical spots(and definitely meows like you explained), but I’m not sure if she’s 100% Bengal (or Bengal at all) or not because the person I bought her from found her as a stray). I’m just wondering if this also works with dogs? My dog is as sweet as can be and wouldn’t hurt a fly. (He’s actually found a dead baby squirrel that fell out of a tree and carried it around in his mouth. We looked at the squirrel and it had no bite marks or anything. I’m convinced he thought it was his friend). I know my dog will have no problem with the new baby in the house and probably claim her as his new daughter, but she’s very scared of everything. When I brought her into the house in the crate my other cats and dog were all in the hallway. My dog was interested so he walked up very carefully to the crate. I held the crate down lower to see how she reacted and she hissed so I brought her into her new room. I wasn’t sure if I should wait a few days to officially introduce them or not because I’ve never had to worry about it before. I’m just really worried that she isn’t going to like my dog and I’ll have to keep them separated like my dog and my oldest cat.

    1. Hi Sydney! The principles are exactly the same. Lots of time and patience are what are needed. Your new kitty is quite scared and daunted at being in a new place, I’m sure in a while things will settle though.

  17. My 1 1/2 yr old bengle is really stressed, and I am still not sure what to do, she met the little one on Friday , but we got him 2 weeks ago, she (big1) is coming around, but the little one is pouncing, and biting her when she tries to come say hi, n smell him, how do I stop him from coming on to strong ?

    1. Just have short, supervised interactions between the two and stop the boy if he’s being too boisterous. Time is the big healer, and some kitties adapt quicker than others. Have lots of patience and make sure you give equal attention to both.

  18. Hi there,

    I currently have a Bengal Cat, Boy who is 3 in November. He is very naughty, and craves attention at all times. Me and my partner work through the day, so we would like to get him a friend to play with so hes not on his own, and to play with to use some of his energy. Normally he doesnt like other animals coming into our home, in the past my sister brought round her new puppy to show us, and he went crazy at this being in the house. I’m just scared he will do this if we think about getting another Bengal?

    He has been neuterd, we are just wondering whether we should get a boy or a girl kitten to bring into our home? Our boy is a brown bengal, but were looking to get a snow/silver bengal next time- is this fine also?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Paige! As long as you are patient and you follow the advice in this article, you should find things will settle in time and he will accept a new kitten. I would recommend a female as he may accept a girl a little easier than a boy. It will take time and you need to be prepared for the odd argument or two, it will probably not be plain sailing for the first few weeks. A Snow/Silver bengal would be fine too 😎

    1. That shouldn’t be a problem, Debb, as long as you are careful with the introductions and make sure you give your existing kitty as much attention as you give the new one xx

  19. Hi,

    Our 1 year old Bengal boy, Kafka ( you have seen him already on FB) is quite lonely.
    He is affectionate but not a lap boy and still bite me if “i desearve”! he loves the outdoor but is always chased by the old female cats in the neighborhood.

    it is the reason why we thought it will be great to have a little girl, maine coon cross tabby to give him a mate and teach him to be more social. we got the 8 weeks old girl on thursday night.
    Our boy is very territorial and as soon as she runs he runs after her and try to slap her… he is 8 kg…

    how can I deal with this situation?

    Many thanks,
    Beatrice

    1. Hello Beatrice!

      We’re sorry to hear that things are not smooth for you at the moment. These things will take a lot of patience and time. It takes a lot longer than a few days for many cats to learn to tolerate another one on their territory, so the best thing you can do is make sure they both have their own space where they can have ‘time out’ from each other, and supervise closely any interactions. I’m sure they will get there, but it will just take a little longer than you would like. Good luck!

  20. Hello,

    I have recently taken on a two year old rescue Bengal girl three weeks ago, she’s had a hard time the past eight months of this year and she is currently cuddled up next to me while I type. I already have four DSH cats who are in their more senior years ages ranging between 9 – 13 years which include one boy and three girls.

    I haven’t started formal face to face introductions yet but have been swapping smells and all cats are aware of each other. I had an unfortunate incident the other evening with a forced unplanned introduction when my passive eldest cat wandered into the hall way as the door had accidently been left open, at the same time I was leaving the safe room after checking on the new addition when she escaped and attacked my elderly cat then went for my leg. Both cats were unharmed but naturally scared and the little Bengal thought an intruder and come into her territory.

    My concern is that when face to face introductions are formally planned will they ever get along because they have had this negative introduction. My elderly cat is now too scared to wander into the hall way and I’m worried that my new addition will attacked the others as she is used to being a only cat. When it is just her and I she is incredibly soppy and affectionate. I use Feliway plug in and Zylkene in their food.

    Any advice would be much appreciated.

    Thank you.

    1. Hello Laura! You are doing all the right things, it’s only natural that the journey will be a little bumpy to start with, and it will no doubt take a lot of time, but with your supervision and help, I’m sure they will learn to at least tolerate each other in due course. That’s not to say there won’t be a number of little arguments along the way though. Good luck!

  21. Hi, we have got a bengal cross kitten, he is almost 12 weeks old but we have had him since he was 6weeks from rescue. We have litter trained and weaned him. He’s a very happy cat but I keep thinking maybe we should get another kitten so he has some company. Is this a good idea? When we play he can get quite bitey and won’t give up once he starts, we squeak or eek when he hurts which worked to start with but now he ignores that. I’ve tried removing him from the situation and stopping play but he just comes back for more. He Is my first cat so learning as I go along really! Any advice would be a great help! Thanks!
    Emma

    1. Hello Emma! Congratulations on your new baby! 🙂 We think another kitten would be an excellent idea! Kittens love to play and if they grow up with another who is around the same age, they will more than likely be the best of friends for life 🙂 Good luck! xx

  22. Hi, I have a 12 week old bengal cross. We have not had him long but he is VERY vocal and constantly seeking attention. Both myself and my partner work and he is left at home on his own during the day and I was wondering if we should get another kitten for him to play with. If so do we get another Bengal or just a normal kitty and also should it be male or female.

    Thanks

    Kay

    1. Hello Kay! Congratulations on your new baby! 🙂 We would certainly recommend getting a playmate for him. It doesn’t have to be another Bengal, but an active cat with a similar personality to a Bengal would be best suited. He is still young, so would probably get on with either sex, though if we were in your shoes, we would get a little girl 🙂 xx

  23. Hello, I have had my bengal Ivan for about 2 years now. He is very very energetic and is always jumping on counters and places he shouldnt be, and is also very vocal. My parents thought he was lonely and they got him a friend. The problem is they only found bengal pairs for adoption. So they got a pair, a boy and girl who are fully grown too. We have had them for a couple months and at this point they are confined to our sun room because our original bengal, Ivan, does not get along well. We introduced them slowly and everything! The problem is that Ivan, being so energetic, will chase them and play, but the other two cats will either fight him back harshly, or screech. Blood and scars have been drawn and for his safety we have confined those two to the sun room. What can I do? The only option my parents are thinking of is selling the two new ones but I have gotten attached to them and they have already been through a lot :/

    1. Hi Tim. I’m sorry to hear you are having these issues, it certainly would be a shame to move the two new ones on again. The issue you have is that the two new ones are clearly bonded to each other, so they don’t feel the need to bond to Ivan. It’s an unusual situation. I would advise (if you have the space) separating the two new ones from each other, if this doesn’t stress them out too much – they have been with you a while now, so it should be ok. Then do the careful introduction process again to Ivan, but individually rather than as a pair. Hopefully they will get used to each others’ ways like this, and in time you can then do the introductions of all 3 again. As with most things to do with cats, take things slowly and patiently; reward good behaviour and make sure they each have enough of their own resources such as food bowls, water bowls, litter boxes, beds, and places to hang out on their own when they feel the need for a time out. Good luck!

  24. HI, my name is tina and i currently have a short haired 1 1/2 year old female cat named andi, she is mushy when she wants to be, but no lap cat. I just rescued a black and white kitten and it only been about 24 hours and andi is not having it. The kitten is in a spare room and andi is roaming the house. when andi does go to door of room she growls and hisses. I already feel like she is acting different. i do not want andi to feel like im replacing her. If they end up not getting alone ill have to give back the kitten.

    1. Hello TINa! 24 hours really is not a long time, it can take some cats many days or even weeks to adjust. If you follow the tips in our post and have lots of patience, I’m sure they will hopefully get along soon.

  25. Hello. I have two female bengals who were twins. They are three years and have had both since twelve weeks. They are very close, very gentle with one another but have not known other cats or kittens as adults. They are indoor but we were in a garden flat last year going out in the garden and whenever neighbour cats ventured into the garden they would chase them away at full speed. It felt in a more wild way than non-bengal cats… Since we moved to a cottage and my daughter wishes for a little black kitten. I found a mixed breed rag doll x maine coon, female, petite, who could come to us between ten and twelve weeks. Due to the female twin bengals only knowing one another and my children, being mostly indoors, being very, very close to one another… do you think it would traumatise the older cats if we took this little female non bengal kitten-it feels their world has been very close to on another and our little family) ? or they could hurt the kitten or reject her? I read carefully your suggestions for introducing them and would follow them but looking at the context and knowing bengal females as two who are close are they more likely to accept or reject the kitten of ten to twelve weeks? the kitten seems relaxed, coming from a hobby breeder, living in the family with her mother, father, siblings… finally the hobby breeder wondered if it wouldn’t be better for the kitten if I took her twin sister too, so the pair.. do you think this would be better or worse for the older twin female bengals? do you think best of all to not take the kitten? for the twin three year old female bengals sake or for the kitten’s sake given the older bengals? Thank you for your opinion, for I feel very apprehensive to upset a very peaceful context of my very close female bengals with one another, not wanting them to fight or hurt or reject a kitten or to feel traumatised due to a kitten or kittens coming into their home/territory, kind wishes…Alessandra

    1. Hello Alessandra. Bengals can react in different ways to new additions, just like any cat. It’s not uncommon for any cat to chase away invaders to their territory when they are outside, but if you have introduced them carefully, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be the same to a new member of the family. Our Spot and Lula are twins and very close, and after a couple of weeks accepted our new kittens, Spike and Annie, very well and now are very good friends. It could be good to take the pair, as this worked for us. That sounds like a good mix as Ragdolls are very laid back cats and Maine Coons quite active like Bengals are. Having said that, there is always the risk you could upset the balance in your household and possibly behavioural issues may follow. Maybe it’s not worth risking it if you are very apprehensive?

  26. I have two small dogs a pomeranian and a Puggle and a male Manx cat. I just adopted a two year old female Bengal. I have had her in a separate room frothe first four days. She just got a clean bill from my vet and her shots. She will be spayed on Friday. I think after she heals I will start slow introductions one at a time. Maybe put her in a crate to visit the living room at first. Any tips on introducing my new Bengal to my dogs and ca?

    1. Hi Jane! You have done all the right things so far. A crate can be a safe way of all your animals meeting your new addition. Food and treats are always a good distraction and handy to have a good supply of but other than that, we don’t really have any further hints to those we have written about in the article 🙂 We hope it goes well of you all though 🙂 x

  27. So upset my vet said Tiara my bengal had a bad reaction to the anesthesia and could not continue the spay. She was such a mess when I picked her up. They said her chart is marked to use gas the next time they try to spay her. Poor little girl could not even stand for hours. I feel so awful because she was adjusting so well. Have any of your bengals been sensitive to anesthesia? I am going to wait a couple weeks before having her undergo this again What a horrible ordeal for my kitty. Afraid she will not like me anymore:(

    1. Awww… We’re so sorry 🙁 unfortunately any cat could be sensitive to anaesthesia, you’re not really sure until they go under 🙁 thankfully none of ours have been affected. I’m sure she will still love you xxx

  28. Have to tell you that when my Bengal was neutered at 6 months, he was totally hyperactive and extremely vocal all night long. We didn’t get a wink of sleep.

    Once the anaesthetic had left his system, he was absolutely fine.

  29. Good news is that I was able to get Tiara spayed and picked her up Friday from the vet. They used gas and she is resting calmly in her kitty bedroom. Sleeping a lot but they said she needs her rest. Two weeks recovery time before she can mingle with the other kitties. She had started to go in heat right before I took her. That was an experience:) love my fur babies.

    1. We’re so glad she was able to be operated on safely, yogajane <3 It's not an easy experience to have a non-spayed female cat in heat in your home. We hope she's fully recovered soon 🙂

  30. We have 3 DSH cats all desexed, a 4yr boy, 4yr girl and 3yr girl. Our boy is very active and social and playful and we are planning on getting a bengal kitten as a playmate for him as the two girls do not play with him. We know all about stressful introductions and we know to be very patient with them as it took most of a year with each of our cats to learn to get along (they still all occasionally fight and none of them are actually “friends”! ). We’re hoping to have more luck this time round as we would be getting a kitten where as both our girls were a bit older when we adopted them. But I’m a little worried that a very boisterous bengal kitten might stress out our girl cats and that our boy, who is very large, might be too rough with the kitten, even in playing (which is why the girls are a bit scared of him). What do you think? We’re very anxious for this to work out as it will be the last addition to our furry family!

    1. Hello LauraEliza! I think it’s a good idea to get a playmate for your boy. Once the initial difficult phase is over, I’m sure they will find the best way to co-exist. The new addition will learn that the girls are not very good to play with and the older boy should by instinct know not to be too rough. I would perhaps recommend you trim your boy’s claws if you don’t already and that way if there is any accidental scratching, it will not harm the kitten too much.

  31. Correction: Marcus the Bengal! My daughter bought him from a very top notch Breeder. His entire life are these cats. She paid $1200.00 for him. Loves him dearly but she development a serious lung issues & I heart & lung. This beauty sweetie deserves a wonderful, happy home. He loves to walk on a leash, climb trees, play & snuggle for hours. Black spots. He was the oick of the litter. We feel so bad & just desperately want him to have a happy, loving home. Tk u, Ruth

    1. Hello Ruth. We are sorry to hear your boy needs a new home. Please email us some photos and we can post them on our Facebook page, please also let us know how old he is and whereabouts you are.

  32. Addition on Marcus again!! Sorry. Can u tell I hv never done this before?! He is neutered & microchipped. Tk you. If for any reason it does not work out, I will take him back until I can place him. Tk u again!!

  33. I have a couple of questions about introducing a new cat to a 3 year old Bengal. Des is very dominant. I have a 10 year old Maine Coon as well and Des is top cat. I also had a very sweet rescue that died recently. Des loved her very much and would snuggle with her (she tolerated it, but didn’t really like it). Des harasses my Maine Coon to no end. So I thought he needed a play mate. I adopted a young neuter. He stayed in a guest bedroom for almost a week. Des would grown and hiss at the door. I finally let the new boy out. Des hissed and growled and followed him around. The new boy was not at all intimidated by Des. A few days have gone by. Des is not as growly and hissy, but he will chase the new boy. Today I saw him try to be dominant by biting his neck (he does this to my Maine Coon). Should I worry? Is my Bengal going to accept the new guy? Thanks,

    1. Hello JoAnn! As always, things take a lot of time and patience with cats, but it sounds to us like a positive start by what you have described 🙂 It’s good that the new boy is not intimidated as Des will learn that he cannot dominate him. I take is Des in neutered too? If not, this will remove some of his aggression towards your Maine Coon. As for the chasing and biting of the neck, this is all in the name of establishing the hierarchy and is quite normal, though of course keep a close eye on things. Good luck! 🙂

  34. Hi I have a Bengal mix she is 8months old that has been done and I want to bring a new kitten in to the house which is 8 weeks old female Bengal cross mancoon how do you think things will go , two females to gather

    1. Hello Yasmin! As long as you do the introductions slowly and carefully, they should in time learn to at least tolerate each other. You can never really be sure how it will go until you try it; we have seen cases where new cats get on together almost immediately and others where they really dislike each other and are never friends. Usually, it’s somew in the middle. Good luck whatever you decide 🙂

  35. I have a 2 yr old Bengal female. Last week i introduced 2 Ginger Tabby boys to the house (11 weeks Old) Sometimes she is very sweet and nurturing. Other times her licking and Maternal actions turn to biting. I have kept them separated for over a week now. Other times she tries dragging them off like a mother cat would, but instead of dragging by the scruff, she will grab them by the throat and drag them, then I have to remove her. The kittens are very submissive to her. There is not any hissing, growling or fluffing up of the tail or back. I am afraid she will hurt them, by grabbing the underside of their necks. Is any of this normal or does she have her mothering skills reversed. Sometimes she bops them on the head but without claws. What about her trying to do a reverse scruff on them? Do cats at any time grab babies from the front of their necks, or is this a hunting maneuver?

    1. Hello Brooke! These two babies have invaded her territory, so she’s just establishing the hierarchy and making sure they know who’s the boss. I don’t think this is a hunting manoeuvre and it sounds like she is showing no actual aggression towards them. Of course, keep close eye on things, but I’m sure things will settle in time.

  36. I just adopted a four year old bengal I have just had him for one month I keep him locked in our spare bath room but let him out during the day and I four other cats 16 year old 8 year old 5 year old and a 2 year old and he likes to start fights with them for no reason when we got him the little kid that had his was tormenting him how to get him to stop

  37. I have a 2 year old bengal and a 2 year old dsh. I adopted an 8 week old kitten and made the mistake of introducing them the same day and sleep in the same room over night. The bengal (female) refuses to get near the kitten and hisses and growls at him. I have separated them but even after 2 days she still growls when she hears him. My dsh (male) has grown to like him and even baths him. My problem is now the bengal growls and hisses at the dsh and the dsh hisses back. Is it too late for them all to get along?

    1. Hi Ashley! It’s not too late, but you must be patient and not rush things. Go back to basics. I hope things work out.

  38. I have a 3 yr old bengal male and we have introduced him to our new 13 week old female marbled bengal kitten. We followed your advice and the first week or so after introduction went OK. He was playing with her quite a bit. As days wore on he became jealous of her sitting on his cat trees and hanging out around his toys. The last two days it seems he’s hissing and growling quite a bit. We have been giving him extra attention and I’ve been sleeping with him in our guest room just to give him more attention. Do you have any advice for this change in attitude?

    1. Hi Pat. It’s good you followed our advice, thank you. Usually with cats in multi-cat households, the golden rule is one item for each cat + one spare. This goes for litter boxes, food/water bowls, toys, etc – anything that they use really, so they don’t have to share and “fight” for resources. So we would suggest buying a few new toys just for her, that he has not had before, and if space and money allow, maybe even a new cat tree. We hope that helps.

      1. It’s now been 3 mos. since we brought out female home and yes, patience is the best advice! We bought her new toys, gave our male cat much more attention and now they are great pals. We were feeding them separately and now they are eating together. They play and sleep together every day. Now our male still has his “grumpy” moments when he doesn’t want to be disturbed but overall we have a great result.

        Thanks so much for the support.

  39. Hi. I have an eight week old female cross Bengal/tabby which I took home last night. I have a 5 year old cocker spaniel. The Bengal, Bella has not been handled much and hisses and spits whenever we go near her. Do you think this will improve with perseverance? I know it’s very early days. Any tips on socialising her with the dog? Bella is absolutely beautiful and I just want things to work out!! Thankyou.

    1. Hello Julie. The good news is that your kitten is still very young, so although the first weeks of their life are quite critical in socialising them properly, it’s not too late for your girl to adapt, with time and patience of course.

      I would keep her separate from the dog for quite a while and spend as much time with her as you can in order to let her get used to humans first, especially as cocker spaniels can be quite a boisterous breed. Then, once she is more comfortable, we would suggest you borrow a large cage from someone (e.g. a vet or maybe a rescue centre) and introduce them that way with Bella in the cage and the two meeting like that. Short meetings to begin with, gradually building up and then supervised meetings, once they seem ok. Bengals often get along very well with dogs, so they may acclimatise sooner than you think 🙂 Good luck!

  40. We have just taken in an 8 yr old Bengal female. My cousin and wife recently learned that their newborn daughter’s respitory problems were the result of an allergy to their beloved pet. Your advice has been very helpful. She is currently in my bedroom by herself. It has only been two days, but she is obviously depressed. My heart aches for her. We are taking things on her time and in her way. I eventually have our 4 other kitties to slowly introduce her to. Again, I am grateful for the advice and am hoping for the best as we are completely enamored with her.

    1. I am sure it will all work out if you take things patiently as you are doing. Time is a great facilitator and healer. We wish you all the best.

  41. Sadly I came to feel it is best for our four year old female bengal to be re-homed in a context where she would be more at the centre and with owners very knowledgable and admirative of the bengal breed. I have struggled to find for her what feels the right forever home. She is very gentle, loving, yet subtle in her temperament, in some ways introverted and shy yet seeking a close, consistent companionship and affectionate, loving relationship with a human companion. Though i have not found the right home for her yet I receive enquiries often of owners with a nice dog or two female cats or one male and one female cat… She is used to living peacefully, though independently with four other non bengal cats yet they are ragdolls and younger than her. She has not been introduced to dogs. My question is would it be kinder to her and less stressful to seek a forever home for her without other female bengals in particular or cats or dog? kind wishes, Alessandra

    1. Hi Alessandra. We’re sorry to hear this. Many Bengals do get along with other cats and dogs, it all depends on their personality and the personalities of the other animal(s). I think you are a very instinctive person and your intuition will guide you and let you know when you’ve found the ideal home.

  42. can some on give me some advice please . I had 2 bengals 1 passed…then i got an aby 1 1/2 and the bengal was 1 my beautiful aby just passed and my bengal
    who is now 11 is alone …he seems not happy he is either crying or sleeping plays some .. the aby tolerated him all these years but the bengal luved him
    now he is by himself and i really dont know what to do the crying is annoying driving me crazy unless he is sleeping near me and i am rubbing his tummyt
    he is a beautiful animal and has a great temp but i am afraid to get another cat as i cannot afford another bengal at this time…so it thought rescue kitten
    however, i am so afraid he might spray even though he is neutered …this once happened to me a bengal i had sprayed all over my house even neutered

    so i dont know what i can do to make my beautifu bengal male happy again… please if anyone has an answer that might help please advise thanks to all
    sherry

    1. Hi Sherry. We’re sorry for the passing of your cats. It sounds like your boy is missing feline company. You don’t necessarily have to get another pedigree, a kitten from a rescue centre would be purrfect! If he has not sprayed before in the company of other cats, there is a low risk that he will start now. Of course, make sure you do the introduction slowly and patiently. Good luck!

  43. my new 6 month old female bengal is trying to nurse my 15 year old male tabby, who doesn’t seem to mind. will she get over this in time or is intervention required? Tabby has only just stopped hissing at her.

  44. Hello,

    My wife & I live in Kansas City, Missouri, and are adopting a 10 week old bengal male kitten.

    I have really enjoyed your article and ALL of the comments because we also have an 11 year old tuxedo who also calls this home.

    We’re excited for our new addition.

    1. Excellent! We’re sure you’ll have many hours of fun with your new addition and we hope your tux adjusts soonest.

  45. Hi there, hoping for some reassurance/advice. We have a 9 month old Bengal/tabby and we just brought home a 4 month old kitten. We seperated the kitten for 3 days in her safe room, scent swapped with toys, blankets, towels and gave each cat lots of cuddles. The hissing at the door and growling from resident car stopped so we introduced them. We are doing short bursts of meeting for food and treats and playing in opposite ends of the room. They are OK for a while, really interested in each no growling or hissing and then all of a sudden they become aggressive hissing, growling, swiping and chasing – in which we bring the new kitten into her safe room and they both relax again. Should we continue doing this? Should we put the resident cat in a different room and let the kitten become confident in the rest of the house? Any tips idea or thought would be much appreciated. Thank you.

    1. Hello Sarah! It’s still very early days, some cats can take weeks to get used to each other, so patience is the key. We would recommend that you carry on as you are with short, supervised visits, though try and extend them for longer whenever you can. And yes, it wouldn’t do any harm to let the kitten explore the house – this will also mean her scent gets onto things within the house and should help your established cat to get used to her.

  46. Hi there,

    We have 2 rescue kitties. Our RC is a short haired tortoise shell and our NC is a mix that the vet thinks has bengal in him! He definitely has some of the markings and is very strong. They are both affectionate kitties.

    Our NC seems to be the aggressor. He swatted and chased our RC during a short introduction. I separated them right away. Now tonight when they were eating treats on either side of the gate, he reached his paw through and bopped oir RC on the head! This resulted in a look of what are you doing and a nice long hiss.

    Any advice?

    1. You don’t say how long you’ve had the kitties for, Ned. It can take time for them to become accustomed to each others, sometimes several weeks or months. Make sure each has their own space, and that they each have their own bowls, litter boxes, water bowls, toys etc. Some cats can become aggressive if they share these things. Keep up with short and supervised introductions, reward good behaviour and ignore bad. I’m sure in time they will learn to at least tolerate each other. Good luck!

  47. Hello,

    I recently took in two cats that were thrown out by its previous owner. One of the cats was adopted and I have been keeping the other one in a separate room. I have a 5 year old female Bengal that is ultra territorial. She gets along with my other cat, male, but I’m worried about if she will warm up to the new cat. They had an accidental introduction and the Bengal went for the new cat. She was pretty unphased. My
    Other cat was hissing at first but started warming up to her. I’m just nervous that the one bad intro will leave a lasting impression on their relationship. I called my vet for advice and they said bengals, especially female, are very territorial and it would be almost impossible to make her have a new relationship with another female cat if we kept her. Is this true??

    1. Hi Didi! All cats are different, we have two female bengals that have adjusted very well in our multi cat household. There is bound to be tension to start with, but things like Feliway can help and also maybe a natural tablet you can give called Zylkene. There are usually ways around it, patience being the best thing to have.

  48. Hi! I have a 8 month old Bengal, and we just got a 12 week old Bengal /savanna mix. It’s been a few days and the introducing has been going OK. However my 7 month is really loves to play, but there are times when I swear he’s attacking her and I have to separate them. But I don’t know if he’s really attacking her or just playing. How do you know the difference?

  49. Hi,

    We have two tuxedos 4 year old male and a 3 year old female. Our female may have delays and possible brain damage. We decided to try add another kitty to the mix. We brought home a almost two month old tortoise girl. After putting scented socks our and allowing the older kitties to explore the safe room I accidentally let the kitten escape from the safe room and the other two freaked out and hid. We then put kitten into her kennel and brought the other two back to see she was in the cage…. Both of the older kitties still seem scared of the kitten. Should we just start everything over again and take it slow?

  50. Hello
    We have two bengal cats a boy and a girl ages 6 and 5, both apples rotten .. we were thinking of getting two more but not sure if we should get two boys or one of each again? We are worried we will damage them since they are so emotionally connected to us and want to give two more kitties a loving home but are cautiously optimistic. Any advise would be super helpful!

  51. Hi, my bengal baby Taco is now 5 years old and we moved from my flat (with balcony) to a new house (with garden) last year. Now we have a bit more space both inside and outside, we have been thinking about getting another bengal. As Taco is a boy we thought a girl kitten would be best, but we are concerned Taco might be too old and set in his ways to accept a new buddy. What are your thoughts on introducing a new kitty to an older one?

  52. Hi. We have a 15 month old Bengal girl Rosie and have had Harry, a 6 month old Bengal boy for 2 weeks. We did not do things the traditional way as Harry came for numerous play dates before we got him. They have both slept on the bed with us and most of the time Rosie just sleeps. Harry is very playful and there is a lot of chasing and what I am assured is play fighting. Rosie has tried really hard with him but when she tries to groom him he swipes her and then starts “fighting”. Rosie does not seem very happy and is not very interested in play at all. She eats fine but had her booster injection a week ago which made her quite poorly so that did not help. What I am really asking is how do we make Rosie happy, Harry has settled well and she does seem to have accepted him. I know it is early days but I hate seeing her unhappy. Thanks.

  53. HELP‼️ I have a spayed 2-1/2 year old Bengal female and have recently taken a tiny DSH tabby rescue. Sophie (big girl) is having nothing to do with Eva (rescue). Sophie is hissing and growling like a mountain lion and striking at me (no tearing of the skin but claws and teeth make contact) when I try to talk with, pet, and console her. It’s been only one day, but is this normal⁉️ I feel so bad for Sophie, but Eva needs a home.

  54. Hi! I have a 1 yr male Bengal cat. We brought a female kitten home from a shelter (4 months old). We’ve had her about a month and done everything how we were supposed to with introductions. Our Bengal never hissed or anything aggressive. All he ever does is try to hunt her constantly. We have to keep them separated because he will lunge at her with claws out and mouth open until we stop him. The kitten starts screaming and we have to get him off of her. Please help!

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