So we got us some new cats. We topped out at 7. (Don’t even say it.) 
All Fall, we added fosters to the catpack, some singly, some overlapping. Clicker training really influenced how we introduced them all. If you’re getting a new cat, we have some suggestions.
With a few pathological exceptions, most of us just want our critters to get along. Even better is if they can learn to actually like each other.
All cats are different, but any cat being introduced to a new home will have this to deal with. Whether it comes from a neglectful or loving breeder, was dumped at the shelter or comes from those great neighbors across the street, the new cat has just lost most everything it knew and loved.
In training, it’s really obvious how changing one small thing–even moving to face north rather than east–is perceived by most cats as a major distraction, if not a new environment. Often, the trainer has to back up a few steps and start again.
Your new cat now has a completely new environment–with new spaces, people and other animals…and all the new sights, smells, sounds, tastes and touches that go with it. It’s no wonder some cats want to shut it all out and dive into the first small, dark place they see, while others turn into snarling clawing dervishes.
This is what worked for us, with some guesses as to why it worked based on what little behavior modification I’ve learned. For us, the two most important things were:
Change one thing at a time:
- the space
the people
the home pets
Go slowly.
