‘The day we brought our newborn home, she promptly sneezed in the baby's face’: I Can Has Cheezburger's online feline family shares their cats' fateful first meetings with family members

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Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
Aug 18, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

Introducing a new family member to your cat is always a gamble. Sometimes it's sweet, sometimes it's chaotic, and sometimes it's the purrfect combination of both - like when the cat's brain freezes in exactly the right moment that a new family member arrives. Classic cat timing. Cats have a way of declaring their opinions immediately and without hesitation, whether it's on babies, boyfriends, or visiting relatives.

We asked around the I Can Has Cheezburger HQ about how the cat expurrts' cats handled these big introductions. What can we say, we're as curious as cats. Unsurprisingly, the responses were both heartwarming and hilarious. Here are just a few favorites:

  • "My cat climbed right into my dad's lap like they'd known each other for years"
  • "The baby cried, and my cat cried louder"
  • "Our kitten tried to groom our new puppy's ears for twenty minutes straight"
  • "She hissed at grandma's perfume, not at grandma. It took us a couple of days to figure that out"

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  • 01
    CANHAS CHEEZ BURGER Tell us about the day your cat met a new family member, human or fluffy
    via @ICanHasCheezburger
  • 02
    Top fan Heidi Foster The first time the door was open (there was a gate still). My SO brought Mochi to the door to meet Juniper and Mr. Moss. Neither side were sure about this. From his angle, my SO said the kittens looked like the twins from The Shining, so this is the exact moment they got their nickname "The Terror Twins."
    via Heidi Foster
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    Cheezburger Image 10543145472
    via Heidi Foster
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    Top fan Robin Dunsmore My cat met my best friend Nancy Jones. She bought him a burger patty with cheese at a restaurant and came to the house with it. He hissed at her because he is not used to other people she finger fed him this burger and he ate it even though his ears were back and he was hissing at her. Well he did that
    via Robin Dunsmore
  • 05
    the whole time she was here and then she left and bid goodbye and he went to the door and cried for her to return. After that she had to call him and talk to him or he would be mad. When she passed he waited for his calls, and would question me as best as he could. He's finally starting to be okay again. We miss her allot Like Reply Edited 3 b
    via Robin Dunsmore
  • 06
    Top fan Kathryn Hale The day we brought our newborn first child home from the hospital, we lowered her down to our senior cat so she could sniff the baby. She (the cat) promptly sneezed in her (the baby) face! 1w Like Reply 4 b
    via Kathryn Hale
  • 07
    June Sizek She always went to her little house in the closet (I always left the sliding door open a bit). She wasn't much for meeting new folks. 1w Like Reply
    via June Sizek

  • Of course, not every cat is ready to roll out the welcome mat. Some are shy by nature, preferring the safety of a quiet hideaway to the bustle of new faces. Just as this cat pawrent shares - their cat prefers to hide while a newcomer is around. And that’s perfectly okay, because love for a cat isn’t measured in social skills, but in trust built slowly over time.

  • 08
    Top fan Raymond Lam When the F1 savannah arrived, all hands, wild animal breach alert!
    via Raymond Lam
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    Cheezburger Image 10543145728
    via Raymond Lam
  • 10
    Rob Bo Years ago we took in a pit puppy and was worried how she would get along with our 8/9 yr old gray tabby. The puppy wasn't aggressive just inquisitive, but our kitty wasn't having it and unloaded the furry fury on the poor baby and the pup ran and his behind me. They lived together for many years without further incident >>
    via Rob Bo
  • 11
    Jamie Crawford Bell Reaper (cat) wasn't too sure what to make of Wasabi (snake). They just kinda stared at eachother then Reaper went back to his cat tree.
    via Jamie Crawford Bell
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    Cheezburger Image 10543148032
    via Jamie Crawford Bell
  • 13
    Top fan Jacki Hough McKinley the cat meeting Gracie the longhaired Chihuahua. He was unfazed and she was cautious.
    via Jacki Hough
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    Cheezburger Image 10543147520
    via Jacki Hough
  • 15
    �Top fan Jacki Hough Nowadays Gracie wishes McKinley had more respect for personal space
    via Jacki Hough
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    Cheezburger Image 10543147776
    via Jacki Hough

  • Then there are the interspecies introductions - the legendary cat-and-dog first encounters. While cartoons tell us they’re eternal enemies, real life often writes a different story. Cats and dogs can form some of the strongest bonds, balancing each other out with opposite personalities. Nothing beats watching a pup wag his tail while his feline sibling calmly leans in for a head bump. It’s proof that family doesn’t have to look the same - it just has to love the same.

  • 17
    Lynsey Smoothey I have several. The first time we brought a new kitten home our resident cat (an adopted stray) took to the high ground and lived on shelves!
    via Lynsey Smoothey
  • 18
    Dana Marie Muir We brought home tiny kittens. Our 15 yr old was ped! So mad at me. Lasted about two weeks. I thought she'd never forgive me or tolerate them. But she has, thank goodness. Calisto is all black. The tiny kitten is closer to the camera and he's two now and huge. His sister is bigger. They all get along very well.
    via Dana Marie Muir
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    Cheezburger Image 10543149312
    via Dana Marie Muir
  • 20
    Janet Eduardo Not really "new" but a re- introduction. My husband had been working overseas for about five months and grew a beard. When he came home for a break the cat didn't recognize him. She puffed up and ran from him and wouldn't have anything to do with him until he shaved. Then right into his arms and nose kisses.
    via Janet Eduardo
  • 21
    Vanessa Michon Diesel (black) is 10 and met Moonpie about 8 months ago. Moonpje turns 1 in september. We call them The old man and the infant. Diesel was very shy at first, but after 2 days of hiding and a little hissing he warmed up to Moonpie and now they are best buddies
    via Vanessa Michon
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    Cheezburger Image 10543149568
    via Vanessa Michon
  • 23
    Alan Davenport It never got any better...
    via Alan Davenport
  • 24
    Jessica Cuddy Brought these two home together at 3 months. They went to sniff Jackson the cat who promptly laid both noses open then calmly sat and washed himself. They're besties. Respectfully. →
    via Jessica Cuddy
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    Cheezburger Image 10543149824
    via Jessica Cuddy
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    Jessica Cuddy Currently.
    via Jessica Cuddy

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