How to Get Two Animals to Start Liking Each Other
Keep your cats in separate rooms if necessary., Provide separate resources., Use pheromones., Make a gradual reintroduction., Separate the cats again if necessary.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep your cats in separate rooms if necessary.
If you have two cats that do not like each other, you may need to provide each one with his or her own room.
If the two cats act aggressively towards each other (growling, hissing, fighting, etc.), then keep them in separate rooms while you work on easing the tension and prepare for a reintroduction.Take turns letting them have access to the rest of the house.
Keep one cat in its room while allowing the other cat access to the house.
Leave that cat’s room door open so that he may come and go from his room.
Switch every 12 hours or so each cat can have plenty of time to roam the house. -
Step 2: Provide separate resources.
Cats can and will fight over resources such as a litter box or even a prime space, such as a sunny spot near a window or a good hiding spot.
Cats will also fight over food and water dishes if they want to eat or drink at the same time.Instead of forcing the cats to share space and resources, provide separate resources while you work towards reintroducing them and after the reintroduction as well.
Provide each cat with his or her own food and water dishes.
Place one cat’s food/water in one room and the other cat’s food/water in another room and keep them there for life.
Provide separate cat towers or hammocks near windows in different rooms so each cat can have his or her own space to lounge.
Whenever there is more than one cat in the house, provide one more litter box than the total number of cats to prevent litter box guarding.
For example, if you have three cats, then you should have four litter boxes.
Place each litter box in a different area of the house and allow the cats open access to all the boxes.Keep all the boxes clean by scooping out used litter daily and washing all of the litter boxes once a week and replacing the old litter with new litter. , Animals produce chemicals that they use to communicate with one another.
Cats produce a specific chemical that has a calming effect on other cats.Scientists have managed to reproduce these calming pheromones into a product called Feliway, which can be used to calm cats.The pheromones come in sprays, wipes, collars and diffusers.
Try a pheromone diffuser to help ease tensions between your cats. , After a week or so of being in separate rooms, you can gradually reintroduce the cats to each other.
Keep the reintroduction sessions short (about 1-2 hours) and have them in a “neutral” room, like the family living room.Bring both cats into the room and allow them to roam the room while you monitor and play with them.
Spritz some Feliway throughout the room before they come in, provide some toys, and try to maintain a quiet environment.
Keep the TV volume low, speak in low voices, and turn off your phones to avoid startling the cats. , If your cats get along well during this initial getting reacquainted phase, you can keep the kitties together.
If one or both of them act aggressively, separate them and put them back into their rooms.
Try another reintroduction in a week or two. -
Step 3: Use pheromones.
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Step 4: Make a gradual reintroduction.
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Step 5: Separate the cats again if necessary.
Detailed Guide
If you have two cats that do not like each other, you may need to provide each one with his or her own room.
If the two cats act aggressively towards each other (growling, hissing, fighting, etc.), then keep them in separate rooms while you work on easing the tension and prepare for a reintroduction.Take turns letting them have access to the rest of the house.
Keep one cat in its room while allowing the other cat access to the house.
Leave that cat’s room door open so that he may come and go from his room.
Switch every 12 hours or so each cat can have plenty of time to roam the house.
Cats can and will fight over resources such as a litter box or even a prime space, such as a sunny spot near a window or a good hiding spot.
Cats will also fight over food and water dishes if they want to eat or drink at the same time.Instead of forcing the cats to share space and resources, provide separate resources while you work towards reintroducing them and after the reintroduction as well.
Provide each cat with his or her own food and water dishes.
Place one cat’s food/water in one room and the other cat’s food/water in another room and keep them there for life.
Provide separate cat towers or hammocks near windows in different rooms so each cat can have his or her own space to lounge.
Whenever there is more than one cat in the house, provide one more litter box than the total number of cats to prevent litter box guarding.
For example, if you have three cats, then you should have four litter boxes.
Place each litter box in a different area of the house and allow the cats open access to all the boxes.Keep all the boxes clean by scooping out used litter daily and washing all of the litter boxes once a week and replacing the old litter with new litter. , Animals produce chemicals that they use to communicate with one another.
Cats produce a specific chemical that has a calming effect on other cats.Scientists have managed to reproduce these calming pheromones into a product called Feliway, which can be used to calm cats.The pheromones come in sprays, wipes, collars and diffusers.
Try a pheromone diffuser to help ease tensions between your cats. , After a week or so of being in separate rooms, you can gradually reintroduce the cats to each other.
Keep the reintroduction sessions short (about 1-2 hours) and have them in a “neutral” room, like the family living room.Bring both cats into the room and allow them to roam the room while you monitor and play with them.
Spritz some Feliway throughout the room before they come in, provide some toys, and try to maintain a quiet environment.
Keep the TV volume low, speak in low voices, and turn off your phones to avoid startling the cats. , If your cats get along well during this initial getting reacquainted phase, you can keep the kitties together.
If one or both of them act aggressively, separate them and put them back into their rooms.
Try another reintroduction in a week or two.
About the Author
Sophia Bell
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in lifestyle and beyond.
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