Pet Care Hub
Behaviour & Training
Introducing a new pet to your home
6 min readDog · Cat · Bird · Other
Quick summary
- Begin with separate safe spaces.
- Exchange scent before close contact.
- Supervise and progress at the slower pet's pace.
Start separately
Give the newcomer a quiet room or defined area with food, water, rest and toileting. Existing pets should keep access to their usual resources.
Build familiarity
Swap bedding scents, feed on opposite sides of a closed barrier and reward calm responses. Move to visual contact only when both animals are relaxed.
Protect resources
Provide separate bowls, beds and toilet areas. Supervise early meetings and end while things are still calm.
What to do
- Move at the slower pet's pace
- Provide escape routes
- Supervise early contact
What not to do
- Do not force face-to-face contact
- Do not punish warning signals
- Do not leave new pets alone together too soon
When to see a vet
This guide supports everyday care and does not replace an examination or diagnosis.
- A pet stops eating
- Injury or escalating aggression
- Persistent hiding with physical symptoms