intro tips for my new 3 month old

I just brought home a 3-month-old who was found in a box, and he keeps trying to climb out of the carrier and gets really anxious when I open the door.

His name is Leo and he is a tabby. I have a 3-year-old dsh named Bella who is a rescue. I am so scared she will attack him or get stressed out. What is the best way to introduce a new kitten to the rest of the house so they don't start fighting? I have read a lot of conflicting advice online.

yo laura. my cat duke (3 black) was actually the new one when i got ivy (2 white). we just put duke in a spare room for like a week? check out how long did you keep your new cat in a bedroom? it has some good timelines. dont rush it.

Hello Laura, I am very concerned about this situation. My Bella is a 6-year-old siamese who is asthmatic, and my Charlie is a 2-year-old healthy mix. When I brought Charlie home, I had to be very careful because Bella's breathing got worse when she was stressed.

You must separate them completely. I recommend reading introducing a new cat to my asthmatic siamese which I started a while back. It details how to manage the air quality and stress levels. Did you check if Leo has been to a vet for a checkup? He was in a box, so he might have issues?

@paulr18 Yes I had him checked at the vet yesterday, he is healthy but very skittish. @dking I will look at that thread, a week sounds like a long time but I guess better safe than sorry. I was thinking of using a calming spray on the door, do you think that would help? I saw do pheromone diffusers help with new cat stress? and it seemed promising but I am not sure if it works for kittens.

Hi Laura! Don't worry too much, Leo is just young and curious. My mainecoons Loki and Freya are 4 years old and they are total opposites in personality. When I got them, I used a trick where I put treats on both sides of the closed door.

Check out feeding on opposite sides of the door for the specific routine. It turns the door into a good thing instead of a scary barrier. Keep the energy low and positive!

yeah amy is right about the treats. also, i forgot to say in my first post, make sure the litter boxes are separate. cats are territorial. if leo sees bella's box first, he might get weird about it. keep them apart until they are chill.

To add to the previous points, I think the most important resource here is actually the long discussion in introducing a new cat to my asthmatic siamese. It goes into detail about the exact signs of stress you should look for, like flattening ears or dilated pupils. Since Leo is only 3 months old, he is still learning. If you see him hissing, back off. Do not force the introduction. Has anyone else found that swapping their bedding helps?