Bringing A New Furbaby Into A Old Cat Established Home

[TLF2017]

Good day, Here is my story. I have an 8 year old Maine Coon Cat and her name is Abbie. She has always had the roam of the place since I got her at 6 months old and never had another addition until now. A friend of mine takes care of Feral Cats and there was a kitten that was being mishandled by the fellow cats. I decided to take it home. The kitten unfortunately is about 5-6 weeks old. At this moment, I think it is a female but could be wrong. I name her Oreo. She is such a cute black cat with white undercarriage spots and white paws. At first the kitten was standoffish, hissing at me but within a couple of days I worked my cat magic and it comes to me.
The first thing I did wrong was put the kitten down in a cat established home because everyone i know would tell me to do so. I thought it was wrong because first of all the kitten is young and it doesn't know where it is at. Plus, my Abbie didn't like it. So I right away made my bedroom the safe zone because it has a lot of room and child proof it all. I have toys, cat bed, litter box(new one just for her), food and water dish and scratching post that hangs on the wall. It was hard spending time with the kitten at first because it was cry and wouldn't come to me. I would grab for it but i didn't think that was the right thing to do because it was scared, so I would sit in there. So first day was keeping both cats away from each other. So I did a little investigation, Okay a lot of reading on what the proper way of introducing the cats together. So I did the scent thing, not on the kitten but on Abbie. The Kitten being scared would soil on itself so I put a shirt underneath it and kept changing shirts and bringing the scent out to Abbie. Of course on what I read she hissed/growled. It was expected. Because the kitten is so small I didn't want to leave the kitten alone in the room all day. So I brought out my cat pen that I bought for Abbie(that she hates) and put Oreo in it. I put everything that I would have in the safe zone room in to the cat pen in the living room with me and Abbie. The kitten loved it, I think it made her more lovable towards me. She comes to me. She is playful and like I read I am her mother. So first day I let her in it and roam around, she stayed mostly in one spot. Abbie of course would sit on coffee table and look down at her and hiss and growled, Abbie swatted the kitten once but not hard due to the kitten saw another cat and said "wow a friend", and Abbie wasn't haven't it. Then Abbie would walk away and look outside at the birds, periodically watching the kitten for hours until bed time which is 5pm and I put the kitten in the room. From 5 until bed time for me is Abbie and Tara time. So second day or third day, kitten is back in the cat pen, but more joyfull and running around, so that makes Abbie more nervous and she goes down and hiss and growls, hits her once, but now the kitten is growling back. Abbie then does this twice, she rubs on the carpet and then shows her belly to the cat but not in an aggressive movement. He tail was beating hard, her ears weren't hung back. Let me tell you, I know when my Abbie is pissed and she wasn't that. She actually came on the floor next to me and sat with me next to the pen.
I lost sleep and weight(lol) over this because I want things to go right, they may not end up friends but could tolerate each other. I want to make sure am i doing things right. I have always been one at a time cat person but when I see an animal in need my heart bleeds. Please help! Thanks. I attached the video in question on if I am heading in the right direction. Sorry so lengthy.

 

[Alejandra Rico]

Hi and wellcome!
An expert in cat introductions Will sure come soon. Meanwhile, I can share my own experience with you so you can determine if my method would work for you.
It seems that you and I are almost on the same page! I have recently introduced my new Cat, Freya, to my nine year old cat, Raistlin. It took them around a while month (which is quite soon, by the way) for them to accept each other. We are just starting to Play and join noses.
I let them see each other for a minute or so the first day and then kept them appart for a whole week until Freya felt comfortable with me and the enviroment. They were separarse just by one dolor, so they could hear each other and smell their scents on my clothes.
As Raistlin is am anxious Persian X with a tendency to UTI, I bought both Feliway and Felifriends. I did this because Feliway works for Raist, and both cats where living in my bedroom and bathroom, so It was a small area un which the feromones have a good chance to work. But Feliway doesn't work for all cats, so I cannot know if It is an option for you.
After that first week, I opened the door and let them move freely around. Raist avoid Freya, but this was ok for me, because he is not brave at all. I played with both of them with different toys and then changed them, so they would associate their scents to something possitive. I also found two different snack wich each of them only liked one, so they would not compete or fight for the snaks. This way, I could feed them their favourite without worrying for one trying to still the other's snak. I des this snacks clóset and closer each time, until they felt comfortable eating touching each other.
Freya's magic did the rest of the job: she is so lovely and playful that Raist soon started to Chase her to play.
Let ya know about your progress and show us pictures!

 

[shadowsrescue]

The first step before any cat to cat introductions is to be sure the kitten has been to the vet. It will need some vaccines as well as dewormed. You do not want the kitten spreading illnesses to your resident cat. Also, the kitten will need to be spayed/neutered at some point. Please take this little one to a vet first.

I would keep the cats completely separated until you can get the kitten to the vet.

Here is an article and a great video on cat to cat introductions.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-ultimate-yet-simplified-guide-to-introducing-cats

A Simple Little Trick to Use During New Cat Introductions

 

[Shane Kent]

I don't see a video attached. You don't need to be sorry for a lengthy post because you are helping a cat and that is what this site is all about. The more details you give the better. I am no expert but I have taken 3 cats in since getting my cat Taz. First cat I added was Zoe and she had dental work with stitches in her mouth when I got her from the Humane Society. Because of the dental work, Zoe had to be isolated from Taz for about a month and a half before I gradually let her out of the room. I spent a couple of weeks gradually letting her out longer and longer until I left the door open. When she was out of the room I made sure the door was always open to that room so she could go to her safe space. Three years later I brought home two cats at once. I kept them in the room for about 3 weeks before spending a couple of weeks gradually letting them out longer and longer until I left the door open. All four cats now roam the house day and night. There is still the odd hissing and batting at each other with paws. The last two I took home in early May so it is still a work in progress.

The following photo was after 3 1/2 weeks. Zoe on the coffee table, Taz in the middle and Rusty laying on the floor. Rusty's sister Kitty was in their safe room which is the open door behind Rusty.

This was at 4 weeks. Taz on the chair and Rusty on the floor.

The best advice I got was to take your time, be patient and don't let it stress you out. It seemed cruel to me at first to keep a cat isolated in a room for several weeks but I got Zoe from the Humane Society and they assured me it is not cruel.

 

[Shane Kent]

I will add a bit more detail of my experience now I have the time. I find reading other people's experiences makes it less stressful as you can know what to expect.

When I got Zoe, Taz was approximately 6 months old and Taz just wanted to play. Zoe was a little over three years old when I got her. I don't think Zoe was used to having another cat around and being in a new house she was the most stressed of the two. I worked at Zoe's pace because she was the most stressed and I had to be careful because of her dental work and stitches.

The other two cats I brought home are brother and sister that I socialized at work. They were feral kittens I trapped and socialized. They were at work for a year so all four cats were used to smelling each other off me. When I first started coming home smelling like other cats it stressed Taz out. I tried Feliway but it doesn't seem to work for Taz.

The two cats I socialized at work are incredibly laid back cats. I had been taking them to the cottage before I took them home so they were used to a home environment. Seeing I had them for a year they were not afraid of me, my wife or going to my house. Bringing them home stressed Taz out so I had to work at Taz's pace because he was the most stressed out. It took about three weeks before Taz stopped growling, hissing and charging at them so that is why I kept them in the room for three weeks before gradually allowing them out to roam the house. Within the first few weeks there was a couple of nights I put Taz in our bedroom and let Kitty and Rusty roam but for the most part they spent 3 weeks in the room. Taz still hisses at Rusty the odd time and they bat at each other with paws but that is happening less and less. No more growling or charging at Rusty from Taz it is just the occasional hiss and batting at each other.

You don't necessarily need to keep your cats separated as long as mine (3 weeks) but at the same time you could have to keep them separated longer than mine. I kept Zoe isolated for longer but that was because of her dental work. Don't rely on Feliway but it is worth a try. Work at the pace of the most stressed out cat, don't let it stress you out and take your time.

I hope the kitty cats take to each other sooner than later and it is not a long process for you. Have a nice weekend.

 

[TLF2017]

I finally took the kitten out of the pen and decided that it was time for the kitties to meet face to face. So yesterday I had the kitten(Oreo) and the cat(Abbie) together, there was some hissing and spats from Abbie but I put that off to territorial and for the her to demonstrate the peck order in the house. She never was vicious, just would spit and hiss at times. Today, I was able to feed them across each other and will send pictures below. I did leave them alone for 5 hours today, came home to the cat being bearable to the kitten with occasional hissing. The kitten was in her safe room. But when she came out, she wasn't timid or scared of Abbie. I wanted to see if I would be able to do an 8 hour day with work coming upon me or just give it more weeks. I just don't want to leave the kitten alone in a room. I just don't want to rush things, Am I? I do put the kitten back in her room due to the fact i want to give Abbie some space and some alone time with me. Which she seems to appreciate. Am I doing the right thing. Any advise is appreciated.

 

[Alejandra Rico]

Awwww! Death by cuteness!

 

[Shane Kent]

"I just don't want to leave the kitten alone in a room."

The following quote is from this article on thecatsite
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide

"You need to prepare a sanctuary room where the new cat can spend the first few weeks in peace, away from the resident cats."

I wish you luck but from what I have read you are rushing it and going to stress your older cat out. I could be wrong maybe you have had the kitten for a few weeks but it reads like you got it last week and are trying to rush it.

You can click on the title of the article above and it will take you to the article. It is a really good article.

 

[kaymay]

We had a similar situation (both our cats came from the outdoors--Luna when she was two weeks old, and Mushy when she was a few months old--Mushy came in when Luna was just over a year old, and used to being the "alpha cat"). We tried to maintain separate rooms, with Mushy upstairs and Luna having the run of the house--the problem was, Mushy hated being confined to one room. We watched over them for "controlled exploration" sessions, and while there was some hissing and growling at first (especially when Mushy came back from being spayed) they get along amazingly well now (eating together, playing together, and just hanging out). Patience is key! Best of luck to you!!

 

[Shane Kent]

We had a similar situation (both our cats came from the outdoors--Luna when she was two weeks old, and Mushy when she was a few months old--Mushy came in when Luna was just over a year old, and used to being the "alpha cat"). We tried to maintain separate rooms, with Mushy upstairs and Luna having the run of the house--the problem was, Mushy hated being confined to one room. We watched over them for "controlled exploration" sessions, and while there was some hissing and growling at first (especially when Mushy came back from being spayed) they get along amazingly well now (eating together, playing together, and just hanging out). Patience is key! Best of luck to you!!

"Mushy hated being confined to one room."

The two feral cats I rescued hated being confined to a room. Had I not forced them to stay in a room I would have had to give up on socializing them and release them back outside. Back outside where their life expectancy is much shorter. Sometimes you have to do what is best for them regardless of if they like it or not. Everything I have ever read from professional people said to take your time and keep the new cat isolated in a room for a few weeks. The Humane Society gave me that advice. The Cat Site gave me the same advice and lastly my vet confirmed what I did was the best method.

 

[kaymay]

You definitely did the right thing--keeping the cats apart until they're used to each other is the best course! I "strayed" from that a bit (no pun intended!) and I was just lucky that it worked out .