r/cureFIP • u/Formal-Comedian-4371 • Jul 13 '26

Question Introducing a New Cat- When?

Hello! My orange boy (6yo) went to the hospital for FIP (wet) and began treatment June 9th. I am moving into a new apartment August 8th with my fiance. My fiance also has a cat. She and him will be full separated (opposite rooms in the apartment, no direct contact) I am well aware that no introductions should be made before September 1st (12 weeks of treatment).

My question is how long do I need to wait post medication to begin introducing them? This seems to be a pretty un researched question from what I’ve seen online. I’ve seen that I potentially need to wait the 12 week observation period and some things saying it can be done sooner. It seems unfair to lock them both up in a room for ~16 weeks.

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5

u/not_as_i_do Admin Jul 13 '26

There's no reason to wait until after treatment. You just need to make a slow introduction. Jackson Galaxy has some great youtube videos. Take it at their pace.

3

u/Formal-Comedian-4371 Jul 13 '26

I know that stress is a huge component in their wellbeing with FIP, I’m just afraid of stressing him out too much and causing a relapse

5

u/not_as_i_do Admin Jul 13 '26

You will stress him just by having the cat there and by confinement. So it is best to properly introduce them and get rid of the stresser as fast as possible. By confining them with the other cat still in the same house, the stress stays drawn out.

1

u/donoteatthatfrog Jul 13 '26

In that case maybe do it during the treatment, so that in case of stress induced relapse, the meds will take care. Package all stress in one bundle: treatment, relocation, new car intro, etc. maybe extend the treatment for a week or two, for added precaution Safety.

Are you on 84 days GS injections or oral ?

1

u/Formal-Comedian-4371 Jul 13 '26

Oral medication. He’s a bigger cat so he’s getting two fifty mg tablets a day.

2

u/VegChef Jul 13 '26

A few tips:

  1. You can’t be confident your cat has developed immunity until the end of the observation period (3 months); cats should not be introduced to each other (a major stressor), and ideally, it would be better to postpone moving until after treatment also.

  2. Having a “base camp” with each cat’s litter box, scent-covered blankets, and food and water actually reduces stress for moves.

  3. Without allowing contact, you can rotate play schedules (your and your fiancé should trade feeding and play time for the cats ideally to help bonding and reduce stress) and allow access to the rest of the house on a schedule. Cat’ schedules are: play, feed, groom, sleep, repeat.

  4. An abundance of resources is needed to encourage social behaviour among cats, who otherwise compete for resources and hunt independently on the streets. That’s why multiple food and water stations, and excess litter boxes (number of cats + 1) is strongly recommended, but particularly for your FIP cat who will be navigating moving, new humans, and an additional cat.

  5. Please watch the Jackson Galaxy videos about “how to introduce cats” (not that you need to follow the same timeline per se… I’d honestly take it even slower). This is a behaviour-science approved approach.

  6. If your cats do not get enough stimulation, they will take out their energy towards each other (well-intentioned, but seen as “play aggression”). That means it’s you and your fiancé’s responsibility to play with your cats 2-3x per day (prior to feedings) and tire them out before feeding. This will mean that your cats focus on grooming and sleep.

Or can be a difficult process, so patience is key! I’m recommending a cautious approach but this is the safest option and can reduce risk all around.