Adventures in kitty introductions

[musicalcats]

I took the leap and adopted a second cat today! I think I'll call her Adelynn or Addie. I adopted her from a small local rescue. She is approximately 10 months old and has had a rough life so far, but me and resident cat, Friedrich, are ready to make our home her forever home too! She is gorgeous: all black with big light green eyes. Sweet, affectionate personality but tentative. She is just a dear heart and I love her already!

So with all the mush and gush out of the way, the way less fun phase 1 of introduction has begun. Adelynn is in her room with all the essentials (as suggested by so many helpful mentors on TCS), I've spent a little time in there with her but she's not even sure what to think about me yet. I made sure that Friedrich didn't see me bring her in so he was/is confused and curious by her presence and has spent a fair amount of time sitting outside the door sniffing and doing a little hissing and growling. He's also fascinated with her scent on me. She hasn't eaten or used her litter box yet and seems just really nervous and confused right now. Other than the cat under the door and strange smells, nothing has changed for Friedrich: we've followed his normal routine of dinner, playtime and now bed.

I'll write more tomorrow...wish us luck!

 

[andrya]

Good luck!

l love her name 

  Congratulations on adopting her. A few weeks from now she should be wandering around your home and wrapping Friedrich around her paw.

l'm looking forward to seeing your kitty pix.

 

[tammat]

Good luck. I love her name too. She sounds beautiful. I'm sure you will be one big happy family real soon.

 

[musicalcats]

image:1316

• musicalcats
• Jun 18, 2014

image:1315

• musicalcats
• Jun 18, 2014

The beautiful Miss Adelynn

 

[musicalcats]

Today has been lovely so far. Friedrich has spent some time with Adelynn's scent on a blanket and is eating outside her door. I even carried him into her room briefly: they stared at one another for a bit, then Friedrich hissed so he left Friedrich got a new bed and lots of treats today. Adelynn has eaten just a little bit but hasn't gone potty at all yet (although there are 2 paw prints in her litter box...hmmmm...) She is warming up to me...seeking out petting and head bunting me all over. I even got a quick lick!

 

[andrya]

Aww, isn't she beautiful!!

lt sounds like things are going very well. When l got my last kitten it was more than 24 hours before he peed, and about 2 days before he pooped, l wouldn't worry yet. l kept plopping him in the litter when he came out of hiding, but he took his sweet time 

Friedrich sounds like a laid back fellow, l'm sure the intros will go well.

 

[musicalcats]

Aww, isn't she beautiful!!
lt sounds like things are going very well. When l got my last kitten it was more than 24 hours before he peed, and about 2 days before he pooped, l wouldn't worry yet. l kept plopping him in the litter when he came out of hiding, but he took his sweet time :lol3:
Friedrich sounds like a laid back fellow, l'm sure the intros will go well.

That's comforting to know, thanks for the support!

 

[musicalcats]

image:1322

• musicalcats
• Jun 18, 2014

image:1321

• musicalcats
• Jun 18, 2014

Friedrich thinks his new bed is just ok...but he says if I keep bringing presents home then she (Adelynn) can stay.

 

[musicalcats]

Tonight, Friedrich and Adelynn have traded places! Friedrich is eating his dinner in Addie's room currently and she is exploring her new home. Honestly she just made it to the patio door where she is fixated on the trees blowing in the wind. She still hasn't used the litter box I sure hope she relaxes soon!

 

[musicalcats]

image:1325

• musicalcats
• Jun 18, 2014

 

[musicalcats]

She pottied!! #1 AND #2! Now we just wait for Friedrich to come around... supervised observation is going alright, just some light growling and hissing, mostly lots of staring!

 

[musicalcats]

So Adelynn refused to go back in her room after we did a little face to face intro...I'm concerned because it's only been 24 hours and the kids aren't exactly friends yet... no aggression or growling just very careful observation and some hissing when they get too close. Otherwise they're handling each other very well and Addie seems quite confident and comfortable. Do I force her back in? Do I put Friedrich in the room instead? Help? A andrya stephenq

 

[stephenq]

So Adelynn refused to go back in her room after we did a little face to face intro...I'm concerned because it's only been 24 hours and the kids aren't exactly friends yet... no aggression or growling just very careful observation and some hissing when they get too close. Otherwise they're handling each other very well and Addie seems quite confident and comfortable. Do I force her back in? Do I put Friedrich in the room instead? Help? @Andrya @StephenQ

Well you have a choice.  Because your introduction is going better than some, and given that the cats are doing ok-ish, you could advance things and just do watchful waiting and see how it goes.  But what do you mean when you say the one cat won't go back in her room?  You can't pick her up and take her there? Below is my personal step by step guide to doing introductions.

---

There are several steps to a successful introduction, the goal being BFFs, not enemies or angry at you (especially the resident cat).  A careful introduction raises the stress level in incremental steps, allowing both cats, especially the resident cat time to acclimate to the stressor before being introduced to the next level.  You are going to move the "bar" closer and closer to the resident cat until the final step, a supervised face-to-face, becomes  a fender bender and not a car crash.

Step one: Complete separation, putting the new cat is a small room like a bathroom with food, litter and water.  Do not let the cats see each other - too much stress too soon.  Give the new cat time to adjust.  Give both cats time (a week+/-) to get used to this.  They will know each other is there.  Start feeding the resident cat nearer to the door, adjusting daily until he is at the door eating. Do voluntary scent exchange by rubbing the new cat's cheeks on a sock and then offering the sock as a gift to the resident. Don't force him to smell the sock, don't rub it on him. Observe his behavior and allow it.   Rub a clean sock on his cheeks and offer it to the new cat.  Continue to do this but never force either cat to interact with the other cat's sock.

When they are reasonably calm with everything in step one go to:

Step Two:  Allow the cats to see each other.  Two baby gates stacked on top of each other in the open door is a great way.  Cracking the door open and blocking it into position so they can't get through the door is another way.  With many cats the stress of this will make them revert, but it would have been much worse if you had started with this step.  Continue as if this was step one, but now with them seeing each other.  When they are both calm, no hissing or growling, you can go to:

Step Three: After eating meals and feeling satisfied (full stomach = less aggressive) and trimmed nails, you can start to do brief supervised introductions face to face.  Watch their body language and reactions and increase their time together until you are confident that they can manage on their own.

In General, treat the resident cat like he is King.  Don't do things to make him jealous. Don't discipline either cat for showing aggression, punishing them for what they feel is a normal behavior (and is normal for them) just raises the stress.  And follow your cats' lead on the speed of the introduction, there are no rules other than to listen to them.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-cat

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/a-simple-little-trick-to-use-during-new-cat-introductions/

 

[andrya]

In General, treat the resident cat like he is King.  Don't do things to make him jealous. Don't discipline either cat for showing aggression, punishing them for what they feel is a normal behavior (and is normal for them) just raises the stress.  And follow your cats' lead on the speed of the introduction, there are no rules other than to listen to them.

        

  This point cannot be stressed enough.

l think how you proceed is how you feel about it. lf you're home to supervise them there's nothing wrong with letting them get acquainted early as long as they're being "civil" 

l've had cats who have gotten along right from day 1. l've had others who took 2 weeks to be allowed in the same room together. lf Friedrich is an easy-going cat, things will be much easier. Expect hisses and growls and the odd swat, but as long as there's no bloodshed it's advisable to let them be, to a point. lt's better to keep their curiosity piqued in the first while rather than either of them feeling that the other one is being thrust upon them.

How is it going now?

 

[musicalcats]

Thanks stephenq and A andrya

I brought Friedrich in my bedroom overnight and let Adelynn have the rest of the place. That way he and I got our special morning snuggle time and she got to explore and get bombarded with his scent.

I found her on top of the fridge this morning and she was just delighted to see me! I got lots of love I fed breakfast and *shocker* they actually nibbled side by side briefly! They're getting closer to one another without hissing and are even doing a bit of chasing and playing!!! It's Miss Adelynn who is more tentative about getting close, which is surprising to me because she was around several other cats (and dogs!) in her foster home. Friedrich is just crazy curious and wants to play so bad! Perhaps this is the age difference? Friedrich is 7 months (on Saturday!) and Adelynn is about 10 months (not yet confirmed by my vet and still waiting on records from her previous vet). Overall I'm pretty pleased with how things are going!

 

[stephenq]

It sounds like it's going great!

 

[musicalcats]

Dinner tonight

image:1365

• musicalcats
• Jun 19, 2014

And then they swapped places/plates:

image:1369

• musicalcats
• Jun 19, 2014

 

[musicalcats]

They are getting along so well! No more hissing and some brief chasing and playing! Yay!

 

[tammat]

They are getting along so well! No more hissing and some brief chasing and playing! Yay!

Yay! That's fabulous. Enjoy your babies.

 

[stephenq]

Congrats! The introduction is over, they are friends!