Introducing Cats: A Staged Timeline from Quarantine to Cohabitation

Stage zero is quarantine and health screening (two weeks minimum). Stage one, scent exchange: rub each cat's cheeks with towels and swap them, rotate bedding and zones, and feed on both sides of the closed door so the other's scent predicts food, continuing days to a week until neither hisses at exchanged items.

Stage two, visual access: brief sightings through a door crack, screen, or gate paired with treats or play, lengthening daily and gently interrupting stares, shortening the next session after standoffs. Stage three, supervised together: short shared-room sessions with high spots and escape routes, owners present using play to defuse, extending day by day.

Stage four, free access: resources at one-per-cat-plus-one, distributed so food, water, boxes, and rest spots never cluster. The process runs in weeks, sometimes months; step back a stage whenever chasing, blocking, or refusal of food or boxes appears. Peaceful coexistence without cuddling is a successful outcome for many pairs.