Cat intro - have I messed up?

[calicosrspecial]

Thanks so much. I totally relate to the biggest issue being the human's anxiety. Now that the cats are ok with each other being like a metre away, we're going to try getting them more comfortable with each other closer up. This is challenging as Luna is a bit weary of coming near Misty sometimes. If Misty hisses she tends to back off. Doesn't hide or anything and will still stay in the same room, but is just wary of her. I suppose this is partly a good thing as Luna knows her boundaries, but it does make it a bit challenging bringing them together.

We had some success of playing with Luna and dragging the toy up onto the bed where Misty was and she watched her play for a bit. She didn't react, just looked a little bemused. She then got down and watched Moon playing from under the bed, hissed a couple of times and just left slowly and calmly. She was completely fine after the interaction.

There was another chasing incident yesterday. Misty chased Luna downstairs and Luna went into the living room. Misty then went in the kitchen to finish her breakfast and Moon followed her. Misty looked like she was going to eat but then hissed and then chased Luna upstairs. They ended up with Misty under the bed and Luna on top of the bed. Again, each cat was fine basically directly after the interaction. Misty came out from under the bed and was playing with the toy straight away.

I think they seem to be fine if they're in a room together and can leave on their own terms but if Misty comes across Luna she doesn't like it as I suppose she feels she's blocking her way.

As I've said before, I don't think there's any real malice there. Misty is generally a bit sassy anyway. I do wonder if they'll just tolerate each other and whether it's worth trying to get them together even more or just letting them out and see how they go. We are at home all day to supervise. Misty also sleeps a lot and Luna just wants to be with us all the time so the amount of time they'd actually come into contact with each other is minimal. I just don't really know what to do from here and would appreciate advice

"Thanks so much. I totally relate to the biggest issue being the human's anxiety." - You are welcome.

" Now that the cats are ok with each other being like a metre away, we're going to try getting them more comfortable with each other closer up." - Don't worry about that. A metre away is great. Just keep it positive at that distance and they will be fine.

" This is challenging as Luna is a bit weary of coming near Misty sometimes." - Yes, understandable. Just keep it positive at any distance.

" If Misty hisses she tends to back off." - Yes and actually that is good. A hiss is communication so the other cat should respect that communication. So Luna backing off actually helps Misty trust more since Luna is not showing any attempt at being threatening.

" Doesn't hide or anything and will still stay in the same room, but is just wary of her." - That is good, fine.

" I suppose this is partly a good thing as Luna knows her boundaries," - EXACTLY!!!

" but it does make it a bit challenging bringing them together." - But don't get hung up on how close. All we want is too build trust between them and if they are anywhere near each other and it is positive then it is positive and builds trust between them which is our goal.

"We had some success of playing with Luna and dragging the toy up onto the bed where Misty was" - Wow. You mean Misty was on the bed when Luna jumped up n the bed to play?

"and she watched her play for a bit. " - Great

"She didn't react, just looked a little bemused. " - Great

"She then got down and watched Moon playing from under the bed," - Moon? Who is Moon or is that Luna? So Misty went under the bed to watch Luna lay?

"hissed a couple of times" - Ok, that is fine, understandable.

" and just left slowly and calmly. She was completely fine after the interaction." - GREAT!!! This is REALLY positive.

"There was another chasing incident yesterday. Misty chased Luna downstairs and Luna went into the living room. " - Ok

"Misty then went in the kitchen to finish her breakfast " - Ok

"and Moon followed her." - Luna followed her into the kitchen? The chase was not that bad then.

" Misty looked like she was going to eat but then hissed and then chased Luna upstairs." - Ok :/ Well, not surprising.

" They ended up with Misty under the bed and Luna on top of the bed." - Ok

" Again, each cat was fine basically directly after the interaction." - GREAT!!!

" Misty came out from under the bed and was playing with the toy straight away." - GREAT!!! With Luna on the bed still (in the same room?)?

Ok, so those chases (though we don't want them) tell us a lot. Misty does not want to "kill" Luna. They are working it out. And since nothing negative really happened (no fight) then it actually builds trust in each other.

"I think they seem to be fine if they're in a room together and can leave on their own terms" - Great

" but if Misty comes across Luna she doesn't like it as I suppose she feels she's blocking her way." - Yes, that is normal. It is jsut a territorial thing, etc. Misty is trying to teach Luna the "rules" of the house.

"As I've said before, I don't think there's any real malice there." - AGreed. Just keep trying to make it as positive as possible and make those positive associations.

" Misty is generally a bit sassy anyway." - She is a normal cat then.

" I do wonder if they'll just tolerate each other and whether it's worth trying to get them together even more or just letting them out and see how they go. " - Just don't force it, keep doing what you are doing, making positive associations (food) and positive encounters. And they will work it out.

" We are at home all day to supervise. " - Great, that is so helpful.

"Misty also sleeps a lot and Luna just wants to be with us all the time so the amount of time they'd actually come into contact with each other is minimal." - Great

" I just don't really know what to do from here and would appreciate advice " - Keep doing what you are doing, you are doing great. Keep making those positive associations (using food), keep their interactions as positive as possible while avoiding or minimizing negative encounters. Just don't force things, just keep it positive. We humans have our parts to do, the cats have theirs. You all are doing exactly what you have to do. All is going really well. Just keep it up.

Hopefully that helps. Let me know if you have questions. As the advice is really more of the same rather than anything that new. All is going well.

 

[mservant]

I think that all sounds really positive. They are working out their relationships and respecting each other. Long may it continue.
I brought Millie in here about 16 months ago and while they have got on really well they have never snuggled up together or groomed eachother. I was made up a couple of days ago because Mouse and I were lounging on the sofa together and Millie jumped up and started to groom Mouse's head. It only lasted a few seconds but he was really cool about it. I'm sure they will test it out a bit more now. So cute to watch.
Good luck!