After introducing the cats, establish conditions to minimize possible friction, principally ensuring that each feels secure about his source of food. Just as felines in the wild exercise territoriality over the availability of prey, your cats may turn quite aggressive if at the sound of the can opener they fear they won't get enough food to eat. Such stress can easily lead to behavior problems such as fights and territory-marking contests.

Make sure each cat has access to his own resources: a feeding station, including a water bowl, set at a comfortable distance from others and his own safe area to retreat to in case of hostilities. One cat may seem to be taking over, finishing his food first and nudging the other cat away from his bowl, or consistently displacing the other cat from a favored sleeping spot. While it may seem unfair not to intervene on behalf of the "under" cat, it is best to let the animals work out their own arrangement of which one rests where, as long as there is no serious aggression. Just make sure each cat is getting enough food, attention and play.

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