Cat's Reaction To Meeting Owner's New Pet Has People In Stitches

A newly adopted rescue cat received a hilariously frosty reception after being introduced to her new feline roommate.

Figma the cat did little to hide her feelings when meeting newcomer Jam for the first time.

Footage of their initial encounter, in which Figma greets Jam with a series of furious hisses, was shared to TikTok by their owner, Olya Schmalko, posting under the handle figmathe cat. It's been viewed over 7.6 million times on social media, with many viewers left in stitches at Figma's apparent hostility towards her new companion.

But while the older cat was initially hesitant to engage, the video goes on to highlight how the pair quickly bonded and by the end looked well on their way to becoming friends.

Though cats are often seen as solitary animals, there is plenty of evidence to indicate they are more than happy to strike up friendships with humans, dogs and their fellow felines. A 2022 study published in the academic journal Nature found cats who live with other feline companions are so close they can often identify and learn each other's names.

Researchers from Kyoto University in Japan studied 48 cats that cohabit with at least two other pets, either in a home or at a cat café. The cats were shown a picture of one of the felines they lived with while scientists monitored their response whenever the name of the cat or an unrelated name was said aloud. What they found was that if a cat stared at a photo for a long enough period of time, it was an indicator that the cat knew the pictured animal's name.

Figma and Jam may not be on first name terms yet, but they are closer than many might have predicted after their tense first meeting.

Schmalko told Newsweek she and her partner adopted Figma a year-and-a-half ago, back when they lived in Ukraine, from a volunteer who rescued stray animals. After moving to the Netherlands, the couple settled into a routine with Figma. But something was missing.

Asking for more

"Figma is a very active cat, she needs a lot of attention. Of course we play with her a lot, and we work from home so she is almost never alone, but it still wasn't enough for her and she always asked for more," Schmalko explained. "So we decided that it would be great to get a second cat, so they could entertain each other, plus I really wanted to have a house full of animals."

The couple began searching for another rescue cat to adopt to live alongside Figma.

"We tried to find a cat in the Netherlands and even went to meet some of them but it always wasn't a match," Schmalko said. "Then I saw a message on Facebook from a woman who tries to find a new family for animals from Ukraine."

Having already adopted Figma through similar channels, they decided to get in touch. That was when they were sent pictures of Jam.

"She looked exactly like Figma, and the description of her character met our criteria because we wanted to have a good match with our cat so they could be friends," Schmalko said.

A month later, Jam arrived.

Schmalko said that, despite the initial tense first encounter captured on the viral video, Jam and Figma have been getting along just fine.

"It wasn't very difficult for us," she said. "Jam is super chill and we were told that she was very comfortable around other animals. We weren't so sure about Figma though."

The couple watched several videos on how to introduce cats to each other. They initially kept the cats separated, as is the norm, and took steps to familiarize the felines with each other's smells using towels.

The two cats would then ate near each other, albeit while separated by a door. The couple had intended to stick to this plan for a week or two, but after just two days something happened.

Eye contact

"Figma started to be super curious, and begged us to open the door," Schmalko said. "I know my cat and it was definitely a cry to open the door, so we decided to try and let them have their first eye contact."

That was when Figma was filmed hissing and staring in the video. The cats were separated again but after just a few more hours Figma began to indicate she wanted her owners to open the door again.

"So we just opened it and let them meet, while we were observing," Schmalko said. "Everything went well, we even let them eat near each other with the door opened slightly and it worked. Then we let them move freely around the apartment."

A week on from that first meeting and the two cats are now living side by side.

"They don't hiss, they have small fights sometimes but I think it's mostly playing," Schmalko said.

While Figma and Jam's integration may have gone smoothly enough, Schmalko urges anyone thinking about introducing felines to "do your research" and "follow the rules."

She said: "During the process you will know what your cat needs and if they need more time or are ready."

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