Congratulations and thank you for rescuing this baby!

Before even thinking about introducing them, you have to keep them separated for purely medical reasons. The new kitten needs to be quarantined for a bit to rule out any contagious illnesses or parasites. Your vet will advise you how long to keep them 100% separated.

Once the quarantine period is over, the key to successful introductions is that they be made gradually. Keep the kitten in one room and the cat in an adjoining room where they can hear and smell each other under the door. Praise and pet them whenever they show interest in sniffing the other cat without hissing or growling.

Next you'll want the cats to really become familiar with each others' scents. Grab a towel and rub it on the kitten. Then rub the towel on the cat to put the kitten's scent on the adult cat. Then reverse, putting the cat's scent on the kitten. Similarly, at the end of the day, rub the inside of your own shirt on both the cat and kitten to put your scent on both of them. Make sure to do this right before any face-to-face introductions so that they smell you (a comfort to them) when they meet the other kitty.

The first time they meet in person, keep one in a cat carrier. This way they can see and smell each other without anyone getting hurt. Allow them to hiss and growl, but when they're quiet, praise them! It also helps to feed each of them while they're in the same room so that they associate the presence of the other cat with something pleasurable, in this case food.

If you read through the messages on this board, you'll see a lot of helpful tips from our members. All are variations on how to make the introduction slowly and gradually. It takes some effort on the owner's part, but usually pays off in the long run.

If you have pictures of these kitties, please post them! I'd love to see them.

Best of luck to you. Please feel free to ask more questions as you start the introduction process.
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PHCurious
Cat Chat Host

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