Cat Introductions Gone Wrong: They Will NOT Work it Out Without You 

If it’s any comfort, my two cats took almost a year to not fight as soon after they see each other, after a year and a half they were walking together around the house and after almost three years we finally found the magic toy that is teaching them to play together. So there is always hope.

I was getting really frustrated with reintroducing my cats. You seem to always know when to talk about things. Thanks Jackson you've changed my cats lives.

I am at a cross roads with my cats.. Its been over a year and they still won't get along... I am glad to see other comments knowing that I am not alone.

I want to share my story of my two cats to give you all some more hope. For reference, Miko: 5 years old, we have had her for a year, shelter said she hated other cats so much that they had to speed her adoption process up to put her in a room without any visual access to other cats. Tenshi: 4 month old kitten, loves other cats. When we started introducing them, although the door was fully closed and there was no gap under the door, miko stayed awake the whole night sitting by the door of a room that she rarely ever went in before, because she knew something or someone was in there. There was so much hissing and so so so much growling from miko throughout the whole introduction process and we couldn’t even do it right because miko refused to eat anywhere within a 10 foot radius of the door although we were giving her her favourite food. Miko’s temperament/personality had completely changed, she was very isolated and very angry all the time. i cried so many times because i thought they were never going to get along and it was so stressful having to leave miko alone because if i wasn’t with tenshi, she would meow until i came back. once we had finally removed the barrier between them (4ish weeks after beginning the introduction), there was so much fighting and growling. miko would attack tenshi if she was in a 10 foot radius and tenshi shows stalker behaviours. tenshi was scared but curious and miko was very angry. however, slowly by slowly, her boundaries shrunk and she let tenshi go closer to her. now (2 months after beginning the introduction), they spend most of their time together, they clean each other, they play and play fight, they sleep near each other and they search for each other. you guys got this !! be patient with your cats and pay close attention to their body language.

whenever a situation goes wrong my boyfriend says, "is it time for galaxy?" and Yes, yes it is.

I got 2 cats within 2 months of eachother. Getting them integrated was the biggest stressor and it took 4-5 weeks to get to equilibrium. They are now friends... and I'm so happy!

My cats merely tolerated each other after they were properly introduced (it took a month), and while they're still not buddy-buddy 8 months on, they've grown to be completely comfortable in each others presence and personal bubbles. They even play on occasion - and their relationship is still making noticeable improvements! But while it was totally worth it, I honestly don't think I could do it again. xD I remember VIVIDLY how stressed I was during the introduction process. I have no roommates, so splitting my time between two cats that had to be kept apart stressed me out so much - especially since the little one (7 months at the time) would often cry if I left the room. I felt bad for her because all she wanted was company, felt bad for my resident cat because I couldn't spend enough time with her, and was constantly worried that my neighbors would hear the meowing and complain. We got through it - though after these two, any future cats I have will either be adopted in pairs, or I'll be a single cat household. So you are not alone! And I was at the end of my rope after only a month, I can only imagine how tough it's been for those of you on month 4, 5, 6 and so on. Keep at it folks, you're doing better than you think you are.

Wish you had a video showing actual footage of the very first part of this process. Scent introduction, and the different behaviors outside of the Basecamp door. Like that's the hardest part for people going through the process for the first time themselves. So emotions come out easily and we know we don't want to do that. Please show more of each steps with actual footage. Every video on RU-vid is the same situations and either do b-roll clips of random cats or they use two cats that are already comfortable with each other and reanact the situations. I've rewatched your videos so many times and literally I think the biggest struggles we have is the very start of the process. Some of us never seen this side of our cats before so we just want to know how to handle our emotions better when they do flip out at the doors or gates. Hissing, vocalizing, swatting, and even sometimes charging at the door or cat if see. I plan to try and record some of my current situation and send it over to Jaxon so we have something. Most people want to rush the process, we are guilty at making a couple newbie mistakes but managed to prevent things from getting to a certain point. They are currently separated, but have seen each other already. Fredds NOT thrilled atm. Doing our best to keep our personal emotions out of it but it's very hard when there's nothing on the internet showing anything remotely related to this situation. 😅

How.. I just got a second cat TODAY! This is timing, if I've ever seen it

We've been working on this for months. I needed this encouragement of this video. we just gotta keep trucking...

I have a house full of 6 cats. This video really helped me understand why not all if them get along and how I/they can help fix that.

“Your cat daddy here”. Beautiful words

Yup, you just don't give up on family, no matter how much of a hard time they give. 💖

Its taken two years for my too to just tolerate each other...they still have moments, but we are FINALLY seeing improvements!!! Boy and girl boy is old and grumpy girl is younger and playful

Not gonna lie, I adopted a 4 month old kitty in October of 21. She is PERFECT!!!! never hissed, always loving and playful, sleeps with us- she is literally the queen of the house. I got a wild hair up my butt that she needed a friend, EHHHH wrong! So I adopted, on Monday (its currently Thursday) an 11 week old kitty and we had no clue what we were doing. Our current Kitty ( Dana Scully) was PISSED! She started hissing at the kitten (Wanda Maximof) and growling at her, she attacked my husband and my daughter, tried to take my face off. I was horrified. Texted my vet, she said "separate them and introduce them slowly". Done. I moved Wanda into the dining room, made her comfortable and let her get used to her new surroundings ( she was very skittish to begin with). Scully would sit outside the door watching us (its got glass french doors) but able to smell the kitten and see what all the fuss was about. On Tuesday evening, we opened up the doors and let Wanda decide if she wanted to come out (she had been pressing against the doors peering out) she went ZOOMIE! all over the house. Rippin and runnin right past Scully not giving a crap what was going on. Let her do this for about an hour and then put her back in her room for the night. Yesterday, let her out and left her out all day with Scully. No more extreme aggression from Scully, Wanda still hisses at her because she's scared of this giant cat that was mean to her, but they tolerate each other and were mutually engaged in playing with a toy. This morning, let Wanda out and instantly Scully ran up to her and touched noses to smell her, Wanda hissed and then it was them chasing each other as Wanda found all of Scully's favorite places in the house, ie: my bedroom/bathroom. Scully would wait for her to jump off something and then swat at her, back and forth this went. I got a message from my husband just a few hours ago and he walked in the house, they were both on the floor asleep about 12" apart from each other. An hour later, they were laying on the couch together no more than a foot apart. Patience is key. Showing your kitties that its "ok" is key. Showing them both lots of love and affection and not yelling is HUGE! I was ready to give the kitten back after Monday night, not wanting to make my Scully feel vulnerable in HER space, and now I feel stupid for wanting to give up so easily.

We used your methods to introduce a very feral new cat to our two resident cats and they are now all buddies. Thank you!

Thanks Jackson, reintroducing my two kitties and this video is gold. I recently took one of my cats to the vet, and when we got back, my other kitty wanted nothing to do with her. They fought, and now they can't be in the same room without both attacking each other . I've been really sad these couple of days because I've had to separate them amd they both cry when I'm not in the area wirh them. This video gives me hope ❤

I brought home a second cat on Nov 11, took the intro phase slowly, and tonight my furry first resident climbed into the basket the newcomer was sleeping in, and began grooming him! I am so stoked to see them bonding--keep with it, the method really does work. I did notice something JG didn't mention about the play in this video. At one point, she waved a toy in-between the cats, and I think it was the little guy who lunged for it--directly at the other cat! That probably didn't end well. I find it challenging to play with both at once, but have managed to do so with two wand toys, keeping the cats on opposite sides of a large piece of furniture, like a sofa.

I’m getting ready to introduce my kitten to my family’s dog, this video really gave me some insight.

Grateful for this video! Our new kitty (8months) has been with us for almost 3 months. He's so confident and has so much energy, he always wants to attack my resident cat (4yrs). We space swap multiple times a day so little kitty can run around... But they always have to be 100% supervised when together with the distraction of treats

After reading a number of comments - please people, stop introducing kittens to two-year-olds to senior cats! You might want a kitten, but the senior does not. At best, the senior will tolerate or bond with a 'middle-aged' cat, one who has slowed down a bit. I am a senior human, and could think of nothing worse that forced to room with a teenager, it would be like living hell. By the time a solo cat has got to senior, in the same household, it is unlikely they will accept a newcomer. They are (like older humans) settled into their ways and routines. Just wait until your senior passes, and then adopt a pair or trio together, of similar ages. Don't make your senior's last years miserable. You can adopt/introduce other seniors to your existing senior. No guarantee they will bond like besties, but they probably won't hate each other either. Some weird place in between. It is like the last failed adoption of my now fur baby. She was just over six, but had a trauma background, and was clearly a solo cat. So was the other cat a solo (about 10-13) they tried introducing her to. Even the scent of each other without seeing, was enough to stress out BOTH cats. I saw my (about to be new cat) after that failed adoption, she was stressed to the max. So was the other cat apparently. Trauma baby needed time to be on her own, get her mojo back, before the stress of another cat and new home. The senior cat, was probably just happy being the centre of attention, and it was his turf. It is four months now, and my new baby is doing well. Much slower hitting the mojo (turf ownership etc) milestones that a non-trauma cat, but is getting there. She actually got a little too over confident the other day (outside turf expansion). Will she always be a solo cat? Probably. But if I did decide to get her a companion, it would be in a similar age group, and with a personality assessment of both. I would NOT get a kitten or very young cat. Also, you do not need to get a kitten or young cat in order for them to bond to you. A loving and caring home for a senior, and they know and appreciate it. It is very rewarding adopting seniors. Yes sure, my new baby is a youngster in my book (I was looking for an 8-10+), but she chose me, so I had little choice. So yeah, stop trying to introduce kittens to seniors and expect it to work out well. So many seniors still need a home too. Hopefully you can integrate a senior household.

Also don't give the new cat more attention and don't let the old cat see you giving more attention to the new cat. It makes the old cat VERY jealous. You need to talk to the old cat saying things like the "Marusia is Tosha's new friend" . Instead of calling the cat Marusia, call her "Tosha's buddy" so Tosha will hear you constantly saying his/her name. Anitra Frazier in her book THE NATURAL CAT gives a great description of how to introduce cats so they are begging to be together - as long as you do the steps right.

People with cats: wow my cats never like strangers. I'm surprised they like you. What's your secret? Me:Ancient chinese secret My ancient chinese secret = Jackson Galaxy

My cat has been separate from my roommate's cats for the entire 2+ years we've lived together. Working up the courage to introduce them by rewatching these introduction vids.

oh wow we JUST adopted a second cat as a companion for our first and they've been fighting a lot. great timing for the video!!!

I said it under another video previously, but after almost three weeks of introductions, we put a bit butter on each kitten and it worked like a charm! They were too busy licking it off themselves and it helped them get used to being in the same room etc.

I did all the steps outlined at 7:37 minus reading the book with my two cats for about 3-4 days, then I opened the door by an inch during feeding times for the next 2-3 days, then I opened the door just during feeding times without allowing any interaction, and now they get along just fine with the door permanently open. It definitely works.

I have a 21/2 yo cat not very socialized and a new 1 yo cat from shelter. The older intimidated the younger one at first but now is accepting. But the new cat is on guard whenever the separation gate is open. Im exhausted by my rollercoaster human expectations.I've made so many mistakes in the introduction process. Your reassuring words and videos are giving me hope my kitties can become friends.

Hi, I just wanted to say to anyone trying to reintroduce cats: keep the faith. My two girls were littermates and very close as kittens. One day, due to a stranger cat coming into our garden, one of my cats just started chasing the other one , which led to fights and I had to separate them. It’s been extremely upsetting for all of us, including the cats as they are usually very sociable and did not like being kept away from us. I thought at one time that things would be like that forever. I watched the videos about cat introductions multiple times and even though it has taken 4 months I am so happy to say that we can now all be in a room together in harmony and without the cats hissing or growling. I am still cautious and do separate them if I’m going out, but we are a million miles away from where we started. Like JG says, “stay on the horse” and be patient. Good luck to anyone that’s going through this it’s not nice.

My boyfriend and I adopted a 4yr old named Tink and after a year of having her, we decided to get a kitten. Tink is so high energy that she gets along swimmingly with Sushi (the kitten). However, instead of playing with the toys like she use to, she prefers to watch Sushi play without joining. They play with each other often, but it’s like Tink took on a motherly role once we got Sushi. ANYWAY, the introducing cat video really helped, along with every single one of your videos!! Thank you so much Jackson, cuz I couldn’t be a “cat expert” without you 😁

Introducing cats is actually easy in theory but very laborious in practice. But if done correctly it will work. It must be done right since the beginning. 😻❤️😽

Hey, perfect timing! we adopted second black homeless little Panther, and now our first one is very irritated from sideswopping, very interesting story starts and she REALY needs that new door between.THANK YOU, CAT Daddy! Its now more than one year that we took our first one home, after learning from your videos , its sooo good and helpful !!!!!! Grace and Marleon will hopefully be sweet happy family with us.

My cat made friends with another cat the first day we moved house. He met the other cat when we were watching the movers bring our stuff in the house and they meowed at each other from the window. It was really cute to watch 😊

I've started fostering cats last year and really got passionate about socializing. Your advices have been so helpful, so thanks so much :3

Hi Jackson! You have taught me so much about cats and about the animals in shelters that need our help. Soon I'm going to start volunteering at my local shelter because of you. Me and the my animal family thank you for everything you do!😻

Jackson, I am about at my wits end. I have a 7 month (10 pound) kitten named Grayson. I decided he needed a friend, but didn’t want another kitten. For the last 4 weeks I’ve had 3 1/2 year old Mickey. I was told all of the wrong things to introduce them (the “put them together and they’ll work it out” method.) Mickey is very submissive and the first time I had them on opposite sides of a baby gate, Mickey rolled on his back and showed his belly. Grayson immediately started whacking him. I slowly actually managed to start getting Grayson to be calm around Mickey for short periods, and then while Grayson was sniffing one day, Mickey swatted Grayson. It was a playful swat, but Grayson immediately lunged at him, put him on his back and went for his throat. Grayson jumped the gate a week later and immediately went for Mickey’s throat again. I’m starting to feel like it’s too late and there is too much water under the bridge now. I don’t want to take Mickey back to the shelter, but I can’t just let him live in a little bedroom like this. I’m exhausted and demoralized. What can I do?

Can we see follow up stories? . . to give us hope and confidence so we don't give up. my husband and I may have rushed through the introduction steps and are realizing we have to spend more time at the site swapping stage. Our resident cat is too distracted/uncomfortable to play when the new kitten is in the same room.

This video has been so helpful as my gf and i have been making the same mistakes when introducing our cats! Will be working on this immediately!!

I would love to send you a video of our two cats as I followed your introduction protocol pretty much to a tee. Almost three weeks. We experienced everything that you said would happen but at the end of the introduction time we have two cats that are Best friends and thick as thieves! Thank you Jackson! We are huge fans! Also. Awareness, be aware, pay attention, as nobody knows your animals like you do. That's my tip of the comment section!

Thank you for this channel, this summer some young community cats with notched ears spent most of the summer in our back yard. One was a little timid. And not as athletic. We let it in the house and it had a great time with the stamps in my craft room so his name is Stamper. A large aggressive cat tried to get the best ofStamper and he is now our cat living inside. Our vet could not believe what a nice, handsome cat he is. Thanks again.

After rescuing a neglected and abandoned kitty (Bodhi) four months ago it feels like I’ve become a full-time cat detective and have watched so.many. Jackson galaxy videos! Our older resident cat (Simba)was not happy about it because the new cat is young and SO full of energy and wants to play all the time (acts like a dog honestly). I followed the steps in your introductory video and had NO idea how much work it would be. I was so stressed about the possibility of it not working out, cried a few times because there was talk of needing to rehome him and felt like such a failure. Bodhi had already been given up by two homes and I did not want to put him through that again. Since I’m still out of a job due to COVID and my partner works full time I took on the responsibility of playtime,feeding,etc. Because of how stressed I was trying to split my time between the two cats it began causing tension in my relationship. My partner was understandably concerned for the well being of Simba and felt it wasn’t fair that he was potentially ‘living in fear’ as he put it. When he brought up possibly needing to rehome Bodhi I told him if Bodhi leaves I leave with him ( honestly couldn’t believe I said that either , but i felt so strongly that this would work and he was giving up too soon). Turns out my gut feeling was right! We both committed to the work and I’m so happy to say that after three months we don’t need a gate, the cats eat together and sleep on the couch/ bed near to each other and don’t need constant supervision. Bodhi does still jumps on Simba to play who then sees this as a threat. Bodhi isn’t phased by his hissing but I am worried that Simba might hurt him because hes so fearful he’s being attacked. This video came at the perfect time and I’m excited to work with them through some play therapy! Your videos have helped us so much in understanding the awesome individual kittys they are!

Does anyone else just think of giving up? Lol it's stressful

Jackson always knows what we need. I think he’s psychic.

So we're like 8 months in after taking in a stray cat. Have two resident cats already. It's been stressful. And a learning experience. But it's getting there. SLOWLY. 😩😆 Thank you thank you Thanks to Jackson. It might actually work. 🤞

Your videos have really been helping me to be a better cat parent. I have 3 cats, one of whom is a newly integrated kitten. Your tips about slowly introducing the kitten to our other two cats have been a godsend. My new kitten is now getting along so well with the other two cats, and is actually now a great buddy with the younger cat! They even groom each other and sleep in the same cat bed.

A new kitty video a day keeps the sadness & gloom away. Thanx, JG...your videos spread lots of happiness to all your subscribers like me🐈🌻

Jackson videos helped me so much, I was having a stressful time and just kept doing what he said. Good luck and stay strong!

My cat Lila was exactly like Tosha, in hunting mode all the time. What made the difference was a clear piece of hard plastic to separate them (when eating or relaxing) so that Lila could get used to the new cat without getting defensive and aggressive. Thanks Jackson for the advice :)

I believe Marusya and Tosha are Russian cat names, but not Swedish

:) i followed your advice to introduce my two cats. Katniss, female age 13, and hugo, male age 2 or 4 idk, he's the new cat. It took me 2 weeks to introduce them, but it went relatively smoothly. Katniss wasn't very aggressive toward him, she eventually accepted him, occasional swats and hisses. Now they can be in the same room together, even on my bed. They dont cuddle like i want them too, but they tolerate each other and play sometimes. :) I'm so happy to have 2 cats now.

I’ll be watching all of these vids!! I’m feeling a bit desperate. I have a nervous cat, Monty. It’s taken me a few years to get him to ‘sort of accept’ a new cat Luna. They are not best buddies but tolerate each other. Now I have rescued a reverted feral. We have made great strides with him and after 3 months we can stroke him! He has a catio in the conservatory, so the other two cats are familiar with him, but are both not interested and quite nervous… a couple of introductions have gone well, the last one not. So I’m here, watching vids for some encouragement.

I'm so glad my kitten was well accepted by my resident older cat (6 years old). They are both tortoiseshell. Kiri, the kitten was pretty fierce and hissed at the older, while Chloe was always super calm, accepted her into her territory and gave her space. We separated them, I set up a base camp for Kiri in our bedroom while Chloe had the liviing room and bathrooms for her, made them meet while eating and playing while Chloe was up on her tower. I don't know if the meetup was too sudden or if they were very fast but they took 1 week to be comfortable and start playing. Two weeks in, they are playing together, not one fight, they sleep on different stories of their cat tower and they eat together comfortably. I'm so lucky!

Thanks for these videos! I introduced a kitten to my two adult cats last week and your videos were invaluable! So far they are getting along with a few hisses to teach the kitten boundaries when she pops up out of nowhere. She’s a rescue who wasn’t socialized so she’s learning to love humans but seems to love her cat siblings. I’ll save this video just in case.

I’m sure the cat introduction method totally works but I’ve never had a roommate with the patience to do it for more than a few days. Never had cats get along.

Ty. I'm so stressed with introducing my new rescue Bengal to my other cats. He dives on them without any warning. I'm going to try some of the suggestions. Oh, he loves Jackson Bulky spray. My Bengal will actually put a paw on the bottle to ask me to spray some. It comforts him.

I have two cats who have lived together with no issue for almost 4 years. Today, sr kitty Cash went out for a walk in the grass. Young Jagger, who has never been in grass, ATTACKED Cash upon re-entry to the house. No one is any newer than the other- but now Jagger doesn’t have trust and we have to re-introduce them 😭

I had to go through this process when I brought one of my cats home from a dental cleaning and my other cat didn't recognize him. Took three days but my boys are back to being bros. Trust the process! (and brush them with the same brush)

I realise, as I’ve been binge watching your videos, that I’ve fallen into some bad habits with my resident cat and I must correct those as I slowly introduce and acclimatise her to our new cat. Jackson you have saved my family I know it, as long as I follow your guidance everything will go well I know it. Thank you for saving us indirectly. Especially me who has fallen into some non helpful owner habits and then wondered why my resident cat behaviour had changed. I needed re training and refreshing on my cat relationship and behaviour knowledge and I feel empowered to improve my behaviour with my cats. Your a cat and human hero.

It’s hopeless 6 months and still step 1 we almost lost an eye

Happy New Year everybody !!! Be safe and stay healthy. Marusenka and Tosha get along and make your mom happy.

Hi, Jackson! What if the YOUNGER cat is the trouble one? Catra is my 9mo and she loves to stalk and "play" with Melanie, my 9yo. I've introduced them and, frankly, Melanie were super kind. But Catra... oh my.

I needed this right now! One of my resident cats, Morag, is having a hard time adjusting to the new cat, Georgie. I introduced them slowly and things are improving, but there was some regression yesterday. I’ll reestablish their base camps and focus on playing with each individually so they feel safer.

Thank you so much!! I really needed this video for my two babies 😭

I needed this I just bought home a new kitten Montana (6 months) for my resident kitten aspen (also 6 months) I’ve been so stressed out about introducing them but this video and comments have given me alot of comfort that we can make it work

So glad I found this video. Fairly similar to the issues we're having! We've followed the introduction guide to the letter (other than site swapping, as our resident cat bawls when he's shut in a room - but we have found a way to ensure both cats have good amounts of space) - and when we do the gated introductions the new cat just wants to be friends while our resident cat is more interested in hissing at him! Looks like we might have to find a way to do some site swapping in order to get them back on track!

I've had my cat smokey for about 7 months before I adopted two younger kittens. He was probably around a year old and the kittens are about 5 or 6 months. Maybe 7. I cannot for the life of me get Smokey to be cordial with the others. Ive been keeping them separated and I'm going crazy trying to make sure everyone has their human time since they all love cuddles. Praying your tips help me, I know I introduced them wrong, but I'm hoping everyone can get along someday soon! I love the three of them.

I did first-time cat introductions yesterday and it DID go sideways, despite our best efforts. This timing is uncanny

Im having this same issue😢 two females: my senior cat is soooo agressive towards everyone. And my little one is a piece of heaven. Idk what to do. The oldest won’t get along with anybody😭😭

my two cats DO get along but we totally have to do the two separate playtimes. they’re the same age but style is different. one cat is “fast” and the other one is a “slow” hunter. so the “fast one” used to “hog” the toys but we decided to take a different approach ☺️

I have two cats and they are both so well behaved and nice because I learned how to give them a good life from this man. I wouldn’t say they are besties but they tolerate and respect each other. One of them is elderly and the other is about 2 years old, so I guess is just that they are on different stages of life but they are both respectful of each other.

My grumpy old rescue feline doesn't get along with our two 10 year olds, who have been playing together since kittens. She loves my daughter, tolerates me, and seems happy. Our home is very catified and I believe there's no need to do anything more. No one knows for sure how old Elizabeth is, my guess is about 12 or 13, so she seems happy sitting around and watching.

No questions from me Jackson. I just bought your book. Also, I have been using your Peacemaker and Stress Stopper drops, they always work like a charm! Thank you!

I have an 8 year old female (Luna) whom I've had since she was a kitten found in the woods by a friend. Luna grew up with an adult male (Buddy) who passed 2 years ago. They got along just fine even being 13 years apart in age. I thought it would be nice to get Luna a friend, so in comes Sabrina 3 months old. This was 6 months ago. Not knowing about Jackson, I didn't know that I completely missed the mark on introductions and it went horribly wrong. I separated them for some time and was the butt of Lunas aggressions when attempting to get them to get along. I took some serious puncture wounds, multiple times just being in the wrong place but protecting Sabrina. After watching a few of Jackson's videos, I separated them completely, feeding and playing with them separately for months until I felt they were ready. Sabrina still had months to go before being spayed so I felt bad she was all alone in her room all day and only came out when I was home from work before going back to her room for bedtime. I thought maybe if I get Sabrina's brother, she would have a playmate because this was going to be a marathon and not a sprint so enter Boots. He's 1 year old. I was told that they had the same parents, but different litters. He's been with us for 6 weeks. The first 3 weeks he just hid under the bed. He slowly started coming out on his own but not being social. Luna is locked up in another room during this time. He just got neutered, and his personality changed overnight. He's much more affectionate now, and looks for head rubs. He stays with Sabrina in their room and they get along fine. I did the feeding through the door thing, with a pet gate, eventually Luna would eat, look up, go back to eating and when done she would walk away. Her aggression seemed to be subsiding so I went ahead with an introduction. Early on I had bought a cage with 3 tiers for Sabrina so she would be able to hang out with us an Luna could see her but Luna was obsessed with getting in the cage so I stopped using it (this is where I separated them completely to start over). I used to put Luna in a room, she would cry and cry and cry. I did the site swapping and Luna would get aggressive inside the new cat's room but I did it anyway. So then I put her in the cage and let Sabrina out of her room. Luna would low growl but mostly just lay in her bed or on one of the tiers and occasionally they would swat paws through the bars but nothing violent like Luna had been before. Sabrina is such a sweetheart and Boots is too I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Is it too late to separate everyone a 3rd time and try again? Is this a lost cause? I have invested so much time and money I don't want to give up but is Luna telling me to just give it a rest? I fell in love with Sabrina from the get go and I don't want Boots to feel like chopped liver if I rehome them. Is there any hope for Luna to get along with another cat like before? HELLLLPPP

Thanks so much for making these videos. I have a 12 yo cat who I just found out last week had lived with his brothers but was too rough and was separated, I've had him 4 years and didn't know that so I adopted a 3 yo cat in feb (I was fostering guinea pigs who he got attached to, and kept going into their room and crying after they left so I thought he wanted a new friend... maybe not). It was rough. But I was careful, followed your process, and got to know my cats. It took 8 months to allow them in the same space without separating but they're finally getting along and as she gets braver he relents control a little more . They even boop noses! Thank you for all your help, my family SO appreciates it!

What a timing!!! We were having the same problem.

I have two foster kittens who aren’t getting along, i really hope they can form a good relationship

I am so grateful for these introduction videos, Jackson.. My resident cats have already seen/played/interacted/eaten with the kittens but one does not play nice afterward.. So do you just keep starting over even tho they have seen each other? I mean, go to square one with no eye contact even tho they know the other is there? My family has always introduced a new cat by keeping them in a large cage (my mom built it 4x6x3 wood and chickenwire its beautiful!) with supervised playtime outside the cage... It didnt work with these guys so I keep watching you and reading... Anyway, so when it doesn't go well, start over, no eye contact? Thank you for doing what you do!! 🐱❤🐱

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO! This is what I've been looking for! I got another cat about 2 months ago, and I'm having lots of trouble introducing her to my resident cat since he's more interested in hunting the newcomer than his food or any treat I give him. There's been some aggression from both their parts and the new cat is very dominant. I'm hoping to start the introduction process all over again, following your advice from this video, will do the trick.

Jackson's advice definately works, it worked for me, introducing my second cat to my first, both had very different lives before becoming part of my family. (one had lived as a stray, the other was one of 10, I think she had only everlived as an indoor cat). All of Jackson's advice worked :) So hang in there :) They both snuggle up to each other, snooze together, look out for each other, teach each other and play together. I also played some 'relax my cat music' to, - from youtube. Jackson's advice & process is spot on. (I did struggle to site swop, as neither were keen on being picked up, we just had super extra playtime) Always leave introduction on a positive, and what gets rewarded gets repeated :) The joy they both bring me has been beyond awesome, I totally thank Jackson for this :)

Thank you Jackson, for your wisdom, guidance, and humor. You are a blessing and a joy!

I submitted a slightly different question with a lot of the same problems. I can't do regular site swaps because the new cat, Valerie, is a very timid wallflower who isn't comfortable exploring the apartment without access to my room. So, I let her explore while Eliza's sleeping, which doesn't always work. They've never fought, but if Eliza spots or hears her, she eventually chases her back into my room.

These comments are the best place. I’m trying to spend equal time with them but my resident cat cries and paws at the door whenever I’m in the room with my newbie. It’s emotionally exhausting for me right now. I tried to see if they would be okay in the same room, and the new girl was not having it. Resident boy is very ready to meet, but the girl is still so so hissy and growly. I’m on Day 3. I took a couple days off work to help facilitate this in hopes it would go quickly

Love this! You have helped me so much with cat advice! Much love 💕

Jackson galaxy is the reason I know so much about cats and why I love cats so much! Thank you jackson! You are why everyone calls me when they have a cat problem! Although I'm still a kid I know so much! I wanna be just like you when I grow up! You are my favorite RU-vidr!

I love you and your love of cats and all things cats! Sadly I am down to only 2 indoor cats (from 6). So I will soon be on the hunt for new cats and find your videos so helpful. I have never had issues introducing new cats but there is a first time for everything and I want all the knowledge you share. So thanks for the great videos Jackson! You're an amazing person! PS I miss you on My Cat from Hell😢

I was over cautious introducing my two cats and the stray who I'd adopted got so stressed that she got a urinary tract infection. I let them sort it out and now they're best of friends.

Jackson, I need to know where you got that hoodie you’re wearing! I love it!

Thank you!!!! Saving cats!! How wonderful!! Good points below. All things that are a little complicated take time. It will happen. God bless you and your cats. You have a very big heart, All things are possible!

The cat introduction video really works. We did the basecamp, the smellposts sharing, the basecamp rotations and the babygate. My cats became friends in 3 days! I could not believe it since my firts cat is kind of an anxious introvert... but it ended working ! While the two cats directly meet, I did not know what to look for in terms of positive behavior. That was a bit stressful. They were staring a bit, kind of fighting, running away... Now we know that they were playing and learning about each other. Maybe a video on that topic would be usefull ! Thank you for all your advices !

This perfectly describes the situation between my new cat and one of my resident cats, I have to start the introduction again.

I'd like to see tips on grooming cats. I've been trimming my cat's claws every few months since she was 4 months old and she has always hated it. She even tries to trick me by relaxing her paw so I can't push the claw out. I've never cut the quick but she still acts like I'm maiming her.

My mother just adopted 2 adult cats in a pinch. It was either she took them to the pound or bring them home. Ill try everything to make it work ❤️ these videos are helpful and hopefully it'll just turn into a bigger family 😁

I am so glad I found your channel, Jackson! We recently adopted a 7 month old male kitten and completely botched the introduction process to our 6 year old anxious and fearful female cat. He is energetic and wants to play but she is afraid of everything and does not want to play. Most of the time she hides under the bed. If he sees her he will run or pounce at her but not aggressively. She will hiss and growl. We had a home visit from an animal behaviorist vet who gave us good info, but your videos are also providing some great advice as well!

My two were adopted together from the same rescue, 4 years ago. One is quite laid back and the other is a little jealous girl. She will immediately show up and try to take over when we give the other any attention. They get into tiffs a few times a week. I feel for both girls as we want to make sure they are both getting what they need. We also would like to get a kitten but we don’t think our jelly bean girl will find this to be a good idea.

Thank you Jackson, honestly. I adopted a bonded pair who were also litter mates from a shelter, they previously came from a hoarder's home. One had to stay at the shelter for an extra 2 months while they received treatment for an illness. Now that I finally have them both, the original cat, Finlay, doesn't seem to recognise his brother Angus! They are approximately 2 years old. This makes me so sad. Finlay hisses and growls at Angus. I have your book, Total Cat Mojo, and am currently working through the steps. Some days are better or worse than others. Sometimes Finlay smells his scent somewhere after sure swapping and growls :( there's some redirected aggression too towards me and my partner, we have light cuts all up our arms now. He doesn't attack Angus outright, which is fantastic, so I know there's hope. I'm sure Angus recognises Finlay because he tries to approach him and does not react AT ALL to his posturing, he just sits there calmly. What a sweetie lol. We are on day 3 or 4 of the reintroduction process now, so wish us luck! 😺

Thank you very much. I benefited from the information and I am still watching more clips from you. I do not speak English and do not understand it very much, but the translator did it well.

This is the EXACT issue I'm having with my two boys, after 4 months of site swapping, playtime together, treats, calming pheromone collars, and more. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

For some reason RU-vid recommended this video to me even though I'd already seen it. I'm so freaking sick on the "you have to introduce cats through a door," because I HAVE NO WAY TO DO THAT and nobody ever takes note of that. And lo and behold, I've already commented on this, 4 months ago. Chloe and Rocky have gotten more into the rough play-fighting/ignoring each other mode by now. Still a lot of hissing and yelling from Chloe, but no blood. (Tried gabapentin and those diffusers whose name escapes me - no help at all.) So they ARE working it out now that they've realized neither one is going away. So just for God's sake recognize that the classic "introduction system" is NOT always possible and come up with some alternative advice!!

I've thought a lot about getting a second cat since I'm home all the time now, but I have to admit that there probably isn't enough space, especially since I don't know how Ollie will react. He's about 11 years old and a Siamese mix, so he knows he's the King of the House. I know it would be selfish of me, but he's not getting younger and I don't want to be alone when he passes away; he's been my only company in 2020. I wish there was a way to borrow a cat from the shelter for a weekend to see how they like each other, if that makes sense.

You should have several million subscribers! We'll get you there.