Introducing new and existing pets

If you already have a pet in the house, we want to help them be happy to make a new friend and share their space.

I already own a cat, and I'm adopting another cat

Our team will explain how best to set up your home for the best introductions.

» Read more advice about cats living together

I already own a cat, and I'm adopting a dog

Our team will explain how to introduce the two gradually, and how to arrange your home layout so that the cat has a safe space and doesn’t feel pushed out. As scent is important to cats, we may give you the dog's blanket to take home to introduce their smell.

» Read more advice about cats and dogs living together

I already own a dog, and I'm adopting a cat

Our team will explain how to introduce the two gradually, and how to arrange your home layout so that the cat has a safe space.

» Read more advice about cats and dogs living together

I already own a dog, and I'm adopting another dog 

We will invite you by appointment for a ‘mix’. This will be supervised by at least two members of our Animal Care team, incuding one of our Behaviour Assessors. Firstly, we'll ask you more about how your current dog might react to, and prefers to meet with, other dogs. 

We usually meet first with both dogs on the lead and go for a walk. If this goes well, we'll move to an off-lead meeting in a secure paddock. Again, this will be supervised by at least two members of our team. Depending on how it goes, we might ask to repeat the mix on another day – asking dogs to share is a big step, and we want to give them both a good start to their friendship.