It is important to ensure that new cats are introduced safely and calmly to your resident pet, as their introduction can set up how they interact with each other for the rest of their time together. Here are some steps you can take to make a calm and effective transition: Take it slow – don’t rush your pets or move too quickly at introductions – your pets will tell you if they are uncomfortable. This can be a slow process and depending on the temperament of your resident pet and new cat, it can take hours, days, or even weeks. Isolation – your resident pet should continue to have free roam of your house, and your new cat should be isolated to a specific area in your home (such as in a bedroom) – this will make your new cat feel safe, and will help them get used to the sounds and smells in their new home. Let them smell – if your resident pet and new cat are smelling each other through a door – encourage it, praise them and talk to each of them to reassure them that the new pet they are meeting is trustworthy. Let them see each other – once your resident pet and new cat have had some good sniffs of each other, you can then introduce them and let them see what they are smelling on the other side of the door! However, it is important to do this safely. Some ways to do this, is to put your new cat into a carrier, and bring them out into an area such as your living room or separating rooms with a baby gate. Allow the resident pet and new cat to sniff each other.  Gauge how they are feeling with each other – you can do this by watching their body language and attitudes toward each other. This can be negative, such as putting their ears down, lifting fur on their back, flicking their tail, hissing, etc… or positive such as having ears up, purring, rubbing against the carrier/gate, relaxing around each other, etc…  Allow them to mingle – once you have assessed their body language and behaviours with each other to be positive, you can allow them to mingle with each other. Remember to praise positive interactions.