Yes, cats are adorable creatures but they can be a little standoffish at times. This can make introducing your cat to your new partner tough. Having said that, there are a few tricks you can keep up your sleeve to help make the introduction go more smoothly.

After all, if this new partner is potentially ‘the one’, you want to help build a beautifully strong bond between your new-fangled ‘friend’ and your fur baby.

6 tips to successfully introduce your cat to your new partner

So, you’ve managed to keep your latest love and your meowing mate apart but the time has come to introduce the two. Eek! You don’t want your feline friend to be threatened by your new beau. So, when the time comes to introduce your cat to your new partner, here are a few tips to help make the encounter go smoothly.

1. Keep your feline friend’s routine consistent

Cats are creatures of habit. Without a doubt, our purring pals thrive on routine. So, when you introduce your cat to your new partner try to do so without disrupting your cat’s idea of ‘normal’.

Keeping your cat’s routine consistent will help encourage your kitty to feel safe and calm around your new partner. Simply bringing a new person into the home is enough of a change for a cat. After all, there will be new smells, and you might unknowingly or unintentionally give your kitty less attention.

Just try as best you can to keep things consistent and make as little fuss as possible.

2. Create a happy and calm environment

One of the easiest ways to maintain a sense of calm and comfort is to introduce your partner’s scent before you physically introduce your cat to your new partner. Say what? Well, we know that smells are incredibly important to animals. So, allow your furry friend to initially get to know your new partner through smell.

Before the first encounter takes place, bring one of your partner’s belongings (such as an item of clothing) into your home. This will help your cat become familiar with your partner’s scent, making the first meeting less threatening.

3. Brief your partner on your cat’s likes and dislikes

Of course, ideally, your new partner is a pet person! Dating someone who likes animals and knows how to treat and care for them will make things a whole lot easier.

To help things along, let your partner know what your cat likes and dislikes. For example, perhaps your cat hates tummy rubs and would rather very little attention. Or maybe your meowing mate likes to be the centre of attention. Having this know-how will help your new partner and beloved cat form a strong relationship.

4. Include some playtime

No, silly, I’m not talking about you and your partner! Encourage your new pal to play with your kitty. Before you introduce your cat to your new partner, give your partner the heads up on how or what your cat likes to play. If each time your partner visits he or she plays with your purring pal, eventually your cat will become more relaxed.

5. Be patient

Slow and steady wins the race, as they say! Well, this tends to work for relationships too. Advise your new partner that while they might want to scoop up your ever-so-cute feline friend, it’s really not a good idea. Most animals don’t like being carried or excitedly picked up.

Instead, encourage your partner to allow kitty to come to them. This might happen as soon as they walk through the door, or it may take a while. Either way, this is perfectly fine, as it’s not beneficial to rush things.

6. Include treats

When you introduce your cat to your new partner you want everything to go just puurfectly! To help keep your kitty feeling happy, have a few of its favourite treats on hand. Getting your partner to offer your feline friend a treat will help encourage your cat to like your new friend.

Certainly, the truth is, dogs are typically trickier to introduce to a new partner than cats, as they can be territorial and protective. Nonetheless, thinking about things from your meowing mate’s perspective can help you create an encounter that will encourage your purring pal and new partner to be lifelong besties.

The Bachelorette’s Georgia Love’s top tips

Who better than The Bachelorette star Georgia Love to offer up some top tips when it comes to introducing your feline friend to your new love. Georgia, who married her newfound beau Lee Elliott just recently (March 5th) says, “It’s important to make sure your significant other knows they are number two!”

“When a pet has been in your life for a while and is comfortable with the current environment, they can be very territorial. As such, it truly makes life easier for all involved if the emphasis is put on the cat’s comfort and feelings first. Remember, it’s much harder to explain things to your kitty than your partner!

Not too long ago, Georgia successfully introduced her much-adored purring pal Pawdrey Hepburn to Lee.  She advises, “To set about introducing your cat to your new partner I would arrange a playdate and take things slowly. If your partner tries too hard, your cat will know and give them the cold shoulder. Cats like to play hard to get. So, arm your partner with treats and always tell them to wait for the cat to come to them before petting or feeding them. Also, cats can suss out cat sympathisers, so it’s a good start if your partner actually likes felines to begin with!”

 

Do you have any tips on how to introduce your cat to your new partner?

 

 

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