How to introduce a new pet to your home smoothly and safely

Adding a pet to your existing family is an exciting decision! But it’s not one to take lightly. Animals, like people, need time to adjust when it’s time to share their space with someone new.

With some thoughtful planning and preparation, you can introduce your pets to one another smoothly and safely. Read on for vet-approved strategies, tips, and red flags to watch out for.

Preparing your home before the new pet arrives

Evaluate where and how your new pet will fit into your home. Gather supplies like food and water bowls, bedding, crates, cat trees, and anything else to help your new pet feel comfortable. Even if you have the same type of pet already, making sure your new pet has their own, separate items helps prevent aggression over toys, food, or space — also known as resource guarding. Even the most social animal needs their own space to relax!

If you’re adopting a young pet, you’ll want to make sure your home is puppy- or kitten-proofed. This will vary depending on how your house is laid out, but it could include securing cords, removing toxic plants, removing breakable tchotchkes, and other measures to protect your decorations and your new pet.

Setting up safe zones and separation plans

Intentional interaction is critical to successful introductions in any pet species, which means separation is key to prevent unintentional interaction.  
 
Designate a quiet room away from existing pets where your new pet can settle in comfortably. It’s important that this room has a door to keep your curious resident pets from disturbing your new addition. Offices, spare bedrooms, and even bathrooms are common choices. And don’t forget to add in necessities like food and water bowls, toys, bedding, and a litter box or potty pads. 
 
You’ll also want to designate another, similar room for your existing pets to be temporarily separated in, in the event that your new pet needs to leave their safe zone for a walk, a vet visit, or even just to explore their new home.

Many different pets together: managing scent introductions

Scent can be a powerful tool in safe pet introductions. Animals are highly sensitive to scent and can learn more information from smells than humans. By introducing your existing pet’s scents to new pets, and vice versa, you can help your pets get acclimated to their new friend before they’ve ever seen one another. 
 


Before your new pet arrives, identify which items you could potentially use to facilitate scent swapping. Toys and blankets are an easy pick, if your pet is willing to part with them for a few days. You can also add a clean t-shirt or sock to your pet’s bed to absorb their scent in the days or weeks leading up to your new pet’s arrival.

Introducing a new puppy or dog to your resident dog

While some dogs are certainly highly social, proper dog-to-dog introductions regardless of age make sure safe and lasting bonds are created. Dog-to-dog introductions typically involve creating a neutral first meeting environment and an understanding of canine body language.

First meetings: neutral territory and parallel walking

A great way to facilitate a dog-to-dog meeting is to take it outside! Resource guarding, territorial disputes, and other scuffles can all happen in a familiar space. A quiet park, empty parking lot, or other open space is the perfect neutral zone since neither dog will feel any ownership over the unfamiliar space. 
 
Parallel walking can help reduce reactivity and provide a calm foundation for your dogs’ relationship. Start by walking each dog in the same direction with at least 10 feet of space between them. As you walk, slowly decrease the distance between them — rewarding calm behavior with treats or praise as you go and separating if they show signs of reactivity. Once each dog is comfortable being within 5 feet of one another, walk one dog behind the other and vice versa, then side by side.  
 
When the dogs are totally comfortable, you can allow them to greet each other face-to-face. Watch closely for signs of concerning body language and be ready to go back to parallel walking if you recognize them. If the leashed greeting goes well, you can bring them into an enclosed space to allow for greater interaction.

Reading canine body language and stress signals 

Understanding dog body language in general, and in ways specific to your resident dog, are key to a good introduction. Certain signs of anxiety or aggression — like a tucked tail or bared teeth — are easy for humans to understand. It’s the subtle signs and early stress signals that are most important to catch, since early intervention can help identify feelings before they manifest into action.

Introducing a new kitten or cat to your resident cat

Introducing a new cat to your resident feline can be a delicate process, but it’s possible with the right approach. Proper cat-to-cat introductions involve slow and controlled scenting, first indirectly and then closely supervised.

Stepwise scent swapping and door-based introductions

Cats are very territorial and highly sensitive, so scent is an important tool to acclimate them to their new reality. With cats, it’s even more important to slowly introduce a new scent in small steps so they don’t get overwhelmed. Introduce the scented item and allow them to explore it for a few minutes, then take it away. Over the next few days, increase the amount of time they spend with the scented object.  
 
At any point in the scent swapping process, your cat might hiss at the object — and that’s normal! Ignore the hissing rather than punishing and instead opt to reward calm or curious behavior with treats or praise. This helps associate positive feelings with the new scent. 
 
Door-based introductions with cats begin by allowing them to interact through a closed door. Yes, really! No door is completely airtight, so your cats can smell one another more directly without visual interaction. As they grow more comfortable with the closed door, you can opt to slightly crack the door open to allow for initial observation.

Controlled visual contact and supervised interactions

Once your cats are acclimated to one another’s scents, you can start to let them see each other. A barrier like a cracked door or baby gate can allow your cats to make visual contact and become familiar with the other’s presence without the risk of direct contact. 
 
After your cats are totally comfortable seeing and smelling each other, they can begin interacting for short periods. The goal of this phase is for them to get used to being in each other’s presence, not to force interaction. 
 


In general, your cats should be supervised until you’re 100% confident in their comfort together. Then, you can start leaving them unsupervised in short bursts. Not only does this ensure your cats’ safety, but it also allows you to positively reward good behavior and keep the introduction process smooth.

Introducing rabbits, birds, pocket pets, and other species

A happy, healthy multi-species home is possible with the right introduction and appropriate expectations. While certain species may not always make the best companions for each other, many different pets together can coexist peacefully with the right precautions.

Species-specific safety considerations and enclosure rules

If you're considering a menagerie of pets, it’s important to understand species-specific safety considerations. Certain species like turtles and frogs can pass on dangerous diseases, like salmonella, to other species. And, most importantly, many common pet species like cats and birds are predator and prey in the wild. 
 
When it comes to prey drives, there is no 100% certainty. Plenty of cats and dogs are so domesticated that they hardly blink at a bird or a rabbit, and training helps mitigate the risk and acclimate your pet to living with their natural prey, but there’s always a chance that their instinct will be triggered. It’s for that reason that we recommend always supervising inter-species interactions. You may want to consider adding additional precautions like:

• Only letting one species of pet roam at a time 

• Locking lids to tanks and terrariums 

• Keeping cages and aviaries in a room with a door away from other pets 

• Adding netting or using specialized cages to keep curious paws and snouts out 

• Making sure all pets have their own enclosures
  
  

When to slow down, adjust, or get professional help

Adding a new pet to your home is a big change for everyone involved, and it’s important to not rush the process. Give your pets a few days in each step, then progress to the next. If your pets seem to be doing well and then regress to previous standoffish behaviors, it’s a sign to slow down or adjust course.

Indifference between pets is totally fine! The goal of introducing your pets to one another is to ensure they respect each other’s boundaries and can live well together, not to make them best friends right away. As with people, the best relationships between pets grow over time.

Common red flags during introductions and when to call your vet

Red flags during introductions depend on the species of pet, their general temperament, and the presence of other red flags. Understanding each species’ signs of anxiety or aggression is important to keep stress levels low during introductions. For cats and dogs, this can include:

• Crouching or hiding 

• Growling, hissing, or barking 

• Flat ears or tucked tail 

• Raised hackles
  
  

One behavior such as growling or hissing on its own isn’t necessarily a major red flag, but if the behavior persists — or is coupled with other signs of aggression or anxiety like flat ears or bared teeth — it’s a sign that you need to separate your pets for the time being. 
 
It can take months for pets to acclimate one another but, in general, the severity of the reaction should decrease over time. If it doesn’t, or gets worse, it’s time to call your vet. At Lovet, we can help with behavioral tips and treatments like anxiety medication or prescription pheromone atomizers. Schedule an appointment today!

Introducing a new pet FAQs

How do I introduce a new puppy or dog to my current dog without them fighting?

Your shelter, rescue, or breeder may require that you bring your current dog in to meet your prospective dog. This helps make sure they are compatible and don't have any immediate behavioral red flags.

Either way, before you bring your new dog home, have them meet your existing dog by parallel walking in a neutral space like a park or an empty parking lot. The neutral territory will help eliminate behaviors like resource guarding, and the open space will give your dogs plenty of room to check each other out safely.

What’s the best way to introduce a new kitten to a cat that’s territorial?

Kittens tend to be more adaptable, which means they can more readily adjust to your existing cat’s routines and preferences, but some introduction will still be necessary. Slow, controlled scenting is the best way to introduce cats of all ages to each other. Make sure your kitten is sequestered in a safe, quiet space away from your existing cat while you swap scents.

How long does it take for pets to get along when you bring a new pet home?

There’s no specific timeline for when pets start to get along. Some pets might get along right away, and other pets might need a week or even months to get used to each other.

A calm and stress-free environment can help encourage faster acceptance between pets but remember: indifference between pets is great! As much as you might want your pets to cuddle like they're in a viral video, a successful introduction just means they respect one another’s space.


Not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian with any questions you may have regarding the medical condition of your pet. If you think your pet has a medical emergency, call or visit your veterinarian or your local veterinary emergency hospital immediately.