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- Mar 17, 2024
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Hi everyone!
I am really struggling to integrate a kitten into my home. I currently have 4 cats including the new kitten. Here is an overview of my cats and what I am experiencing with them
Fig is 8 years old, I've had her since she was a kitten. We have fostered many cats together and she has consistently been such a great foster sister to them all until now. Fig is the ultimate lap cat and is very bonded to me.
Toffee and Pecan are 3 years old. They were both my last fosters and became foster failures (my first time in 15 years!) Toffee was 3 months old when she came to me and Pecan was 5 weeks old. The 3 girls are all bonded and get along so well. I have not fostered since
Dorian is the new addition. She has been with me since October 15th and is now 10 months old (so 5 months as I write this)
Toffee is very shy and will hide if any new people come into my home. She is extremely affectionate with me and my husband in very specific situations such as if we are both sitting on the sofa or laying in bed. She is also very bonded with Fig and follows her everywhere and mimics her actions.
I have followed the recommended steps for cat introductions but I am not making much progress integrating Dorian into the group. Here is a summary of the cat behaviors and concerns I am experiencing with each of the cats.
Toffee is my biggest concern, she has consistently stalked and attacked Dorian at some point during every supervised interaction. When she is not stalking, Toffee is hyper focused on every move she makes. I am able to distract Toffee with play some of the time, Toffee does have a high play drive and I play with her for 15 minute intervals at least twice a day. The minute the play ends she is right back to staring and stalking Dorian.
Because of Toffees behavior, Dorian spends her nights in a separate bedroom and has intervals where she is out throughout the house while Toffee is in her bedroom. I fear that because the 4 don't spend much time together it is not letting any of the cats acclimate to each other.
I believe that Toffees behavior is affecting how Fig and Pecan interact with Dorian. At this point I interchange having Dorian out at intervals with Pecan and Fig. Together and separately. Fig will stalk Dorian and pounce on her. Dorian will growl but Fig does not let up. She will back off, move away a few feet and stare at her. Pecan mostly hisses at Dorian whenever they are in close contact. She will chase her and swipe at her but it is subtle. The 3 girls do play together but it is playful. None of them are rough with each other. They do some light wrestling but nothing like how they are interacting with Dorian.
Dorian is a completely different cat when she is alone then when the other cats are around. Dorian is fully submissive to the other 3. She goes right on her back with her paws up if they pounce on her. She does growl when they stare and it does not make them back down. When there is supervised interaction with the 4 of them Dorian chooses to be glued to my side or on my lap. She has learned that most of the problems happen when she is on the floor so she mostly moves on sofas and counters when any other cats are around.
A few things to note about their routine and things I've tried so far
-Toffee is on medication to help with her aggression and anxiety. She takes 30 mg of Prozac and 100 mg of Gabapentin a day.
-Besides Toffee (she eats under my bed) the other 3 eat both meals near each other every day
-All 4 will eat their nighttime snack together. Toffee will even rub up against Dorian on the kitchen counter
-I have 3 cat trees and 4 litter boxes
-I have Feliway diffusers throughout the house and have tried different calming oils
I have been able to play with the cats together to get to the point that they all sleep near each other but unfortunately once Toffee wakes up she is right back to being focused on Dorian again. There are moments when Dorian is laying with me and Toffee will come over and seems to want to play or just be near her and then, boom she attacks her.
Has anyone out there dealt with this before? Will it get any better? Are Fig and Pecan reacting this way to Dorian because of how Toffee is acting? How can I help Dorian throughout this process? She is "the other" and I just hate it.
Thank you for taking the time to read all of this! I am at a loss and welcome any advice or suggestions.
I am really struggling to integrate a kitten into my home. I currently have 4 cats including the new kitten. Here is an overview of my cats and what I am experiencing with them
Fig is 8 years old, I've had her since she was a kitten. We have fostered many cats together and she has consistently been such a great foster sister to them all until now. Fig is the ultimate lap cat and is very bonded to me.
Toffee and Pecan are 3 years old. They were both my last fosters and became foster failures (my first time in 15 years!) Toffee was 3 months old when she came to me and Pecan was 5 weeks old. The 3 girls are all bonded and get along so well. I have not fostered since
Dorian is the new addition. She has been with me since October 15th and is now 10 months old (so 5 months as I write this)
Toffee is very shy and will hide if any new people come into my home. She is extremely affectionate with me and my husband in very specific situations such as if we are both sitting on the sofa or laying in bed. She is also very bonded with Fig and follows her everywhere and mimics her actions.
I have followed the recommended steps for cat introductions but I am not making much progress integrating Dorian into the group. Here is a summary of the cat behaviors and concerns I am experiencing with each of the cats.
Toffee is my biggest concern, she has consistently stalked and attacked Dorian at some point during every supervised interaction. When she is not stalking, Toffee is hyper focused on every move she makes. I am able to distract Toffee with play some of the time, Toffee does have a high play drive and I play with her for 15 minute intervals at least twice a day. The minute the play ends she is right back to staring and stalking Dorian.
Because of Toffees behavior, Dorian spends her nights in a separate bedroom and has intervals where she is out throughout the house while Toffee is in her bedroom. I fear that because the 4 don't spend much time together it is not letting any of the cats acclimate to each other.
I believe that Toffees behavior is affecting how Fig and Pecan interact with Dorian. At this point I interchange having Dorian out at intervals with Pecan and Fig. Together and separately. Fig will stalk Dorian and pounce on her. Dorian will growl but Fig does not let up. She will back off, move away a few feet and stare at her. Pecan mostly hisses at Dorian whenever they are in close contact. She will chase her and swipe at her but it is subtle. The 3 girls do play together but it is playful. None of them are rough with each other. They do some light wrestling but nothing like how they are interacting with Dorian.
Dorian is a completely different cat when she is alone then when the other cats are around. Dorian is fully submissive to the other 3. She goes right on her back with her paws up if they pounce on her. She does growl when they stare and it does not make them back down. When there is supervised interaction with the 4 of them Dorian chooses to be glued to my side or on my lap. She has learned that most of the problems happen when she is on the floor so she mostly moves on sofas and counters when any other cats are around.
A few things to note about their routine and things I've tried so far
-Toffee is on medication to help with her aggression and anxiety. She takes 30 mg of Prozac and 100 mg of Gabapentin a day.
-Besides Toffee (she eats under my bed) the other 3 eat both meals near each other every day
-All 4 will eat their nighttime snack together. Toffee will even rub up against Dorian on the kitchen counter
-I have 3 cat trees and 4 litter boxes
-I have Feliway diffusers throughout the house and have tried different calming oils
I have been able to play with the cats together to get to the point that they all sleep near each other but unfortunately once Toffee wakes up she is right back to being focused on Dorian again. There are moments when Dorian is laying with me and Toffee will come over and seems to want to play or just be near her and then, boom she attacks her.
Has anyone out there dealt with this before? Will it get any better? Are Fig and Pecan reacting this way to Dorian because of how Toffee is acting? How can I help Dorian throughout this process? She is "the other" and I just hate it.
Thank you for taking the time to read all of this! I am at a loss and welcome any advice or suggestions.