Cat to cat introductions -are we doing everything ok?

[robertskitty]

Last year my husband and I adopted to brother cats Yin and Yang. They were a bit older than one when we got them, they turn 2 this month. They get along great cuddling grooming and play fighting like any teenage boys. Due to issues unrelated to them we recently gave my favorite dog to my parents. I was heartbroken so my husband agreed to let me add a kitty. We adopted Calypso, a 6 month old girl.

We brought her home, took her straight to a safe room without letting the boys see her. We have done the scent swapping with towels with no concern or aggression. One concern I do have is the boys have both seen her already. They are my shadows and therefore wait by the door when I go in to see her. When they see her both his and dart and the poor girl is left looking baffled. Last night we tried a site swap. The girl loved it, 6 months old cooped in a small bathroom, she explored confidently without being remotely concerned with the boys scent, even when we showed her their big tree. The boys were much more concerned. I put them in her area together but figured out not to do that this time. Yang crept around sniffing but yin growled and grumbled till yang finished and laid down. Since yang was content I moved him out to let yin explore alone which he did do quite well. We put the boys in different rooms to 'decompress'. Calypso was completely fine being back in her room.

As a write this Calypso is meowing. Yang is curious, reaching under the door and yin is standing back hissing at the door. Tonight we are going to let Calypso explore a bedroom with the door shut while I shower with the door open. This way the boys can explore as they want without being cooped in a small bathroom stressing eachother out.

Are we doing ok? We plan to remain here till both boys confidently explore the bathroom then move on to tasty treats with the door cracked open.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Here is an article on cat to cat introductions http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats  My advice is to take things very slowly.  If you have hissing and growling, it may grow more into aggression.  Have you done the scent swapping by placing the new girls scent under Ying and Yang's food bowls?  Have you fed Ying and Yang outside of the bathroom door while feeding the girl on the other side of the closed door?  All of these steps need to be done first without hissing or growling before moving on.  I have 2 males I introduced to each other last year.  I rushed the steps and it was a big set back.  I had to redo the process. 

One thing that really helped me was to attach a cheap wooden screen door to the safe room.  I didn't want to deface or take off my door so I went to Lowes and bought a $20 wooden screen door and attached it with tension rods.  It took some maneuvering each time to set it up, but it allowed the cats to safely see each other.  It also allowed the new cat time to see, hear and smell what happens in the house.  I have pictures of my set up if you are interested. 

 

[robertskitty]

We have scent towels under the food bowls of both Calypso ave the boys and they all eat fine but I can move feeding to in front of the bathroom door.

Should I get the screen door now or later? I've never seen one so cheap at Lowe's. It was just wood and mesh? I wouldn't mind seeing the set up. The main problem is that it's the bathroom EVERYONE uses so I'm not so sure how that would work. We have guests several times a week who probably wouldn't care for bathrooming with a screen door :lol3:

We weren't planning on doing anything but the nightly hour scent swapping until the boys no longer acted nervous in Calypso's bathroom before we moved on to visual.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I use the screen door only when no one else is around and when you can supervise.  Your guests surely would not be happy with only a screen door!!!  Yes, the screen doors are just a cheap wooden frame with no door handle or other hardware and a somewhat flimsy screen.  They are $20 and come in different widths.  The tension rods I got at Target for $4.  Here is a picture.  I also use a baby gate for a bit of extra protection.

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• shadowsrescue
• Sep 18, 2013

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• shadowsrescue
• Sep 18, 2013

 

[robertskitty]

Should I wait on the screen door until they are comfortable site swapping or go ahead? I have a baby gate that goes about chest high that we were planning on using instead of a screen door but I can talk to my husband about going ahead and getting one now if we should.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Should I wait on the screen door until they are comfortable site swapping or go ahead? I have a baby gate that goes about chest high that we were planning on using instead of a screen door but I can talk to my husband about going ahead and getting one now if we should.

As long as one of them can't jump over the gate, there is nothing wrong with using the gate instead.  You just don't want someone jumping over it.  I would first start feeding them on either side of the door.  You want to start 3-6' from the door at first and as long as there is not growling or hissing gradually move the bowls closer each day until they are both almost up against the door.  If the feedings go well, then you are fine to start using the gate or screen door.  I liked the screen door for when I was home and the cats were getting to know each other.  I only used it a few hours each day.  I then used it more frequently when I was home, but the new cat was not ready to be out and about all day.  At first you want the visits to be very short.  You want to stop them before you get to the point of growling or hissing.  Make sure each side of the gate/screen has a person there who can give treats as well.  You want the cats to associate good things with the other.  Yummy treats, tuna or cooked chicken work well. 

 

[robertskitty]

As much time as they all spend on either side of the door I'll probably start at 2' tonight. My boys in particular are very food motivated and I have some extra special wet food I'm using with them (they are currently on all dry diet, switching to 50/50 starting this weekend so we are building up and they love the wet stuff) so they are extra excited to go to their food bowls. The gate goes about chest high so I assume the older ones could clear it but they haven't ever really tried jumping that high so I don't know for sure. Normally when they see Calypso they just make a hiss and run, they have never really growled at her or tried to 'stand their ground' or go forward so I think it will probably work.

 

[nel g]

Last year my husband and I adopted to brother cats Yin and Yang. They were a bit older than one when we got them, they turn 2 this month. They get along great cuddling grooming and play fighting like any teenage boys. Due to issues unrelated to them we recently gave my favorite dog to my parents. I was heartbroken so my husband agreed to let me add a kitty. We adopted Calypso, a 6 month old girl.

We brought her home, took her straight to a safe room without letting the boys see her. We have done the scent swapping with towels with no concern or aggression. One concern I do have is the boys have both seen her already. They are my shadows and therefore wait by the door when I go in to see her. When they see her both his and dart and the poor girl is left looking baffled. Last night we tried a site swap. The girl loved it, 6 months old cooped in a small bathroom, she explored confidently without being remotely concerned with the boys scent, even when we showed her their big tree. The boys were much more concerned. I put them in her area together but figured out not to do that this time. Yang crept around sniffing but yin growled and grumbled till yang finished and laid down. Since yang was content I moved him out to let yin explore alone which he did do quite well. We put the boys in different rooms to 'decompress'. Calypso was completely fine being back in her room.

As a write this Calypso is meowing. Yang is curious, reaching under the door and yin is standing back hissing at the door. Tonight we are going to let Calypso explore a bedroom with the door shut while I shower with the door open. This way the boys can explore as they want without being cooped in a small bathroom stressing eachother out.

Are we doing ok? We plan to remain here till both boys confidently explore the bathroom then move on to tasty treats with the door cracked open.

 

[nel g]

Hi I am a newbie and bot the best at navigating the site, I have 2 cats and 2 newborns I stumbled on your site when I was researching fading kitten syndrome and I found your responses to others supportive and non judgemental, thankyou for accepting me , nelG

 

[shadowsrescue]

Hi I am a newbie and bot the best at navigating the site, I have 2 cats and 2 newborns I stumbled on your site when I was researching fading kitten syndrome and I found your responses to others supportive and non judgemental, thankyou for accepting me , nelG

Welcome to the forums.  This is a wonderful site full of great people who are very supportive and truly care about cats.  Please consider posting an introduction here http://www.thecatsite.com/f/20/new-cats-on-the-block.  You will find a wealth of information here.

 

[robertskitty]

Lots of exciting news to report from the introduction front. Last night I fed the kitties by the door. I was able to get them all to eat right against the door without fussing. Then I removed Calypso and let the door stay open to her empty room and both boys smelled and explored her room without growling or hissing or any negative noises. This morning when I was feeding them Calypso tried to bolt when I opened her door and none of them hissed though I'm not sure if any of them saw eachother long enough to be concerned.

We are going to continue at this step until Saturday morning then try with the screen door.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Yea!!!  Sounds like progress.  Food is always such a motivator.  Good luck with the next steps.  Post your progress too!!!

 

[robertskitty]

Will do. I had to use dog food last night, I only mixed a teaspoon a bowl the rest was dry. Going to see if it's ok for me to buy a few cans of Friskies today because they are on sale but it won't be till Friday night that I try a switch to 70/30 wet dry diet.

 

[robertskitty]

When I was leaving for work Yang saw Calypso he froze till the door closed then bolted but no hissing.

 

[robertskitty]

Did another site swap tonight. Again Calypso was fine with the whole thing no problem. Both boys were allowed to explore the room as they wished. They both went in and explored, Yin longer than Yang with no hissing or problems. We are looking to do the first visual feeding either tomorrow or Saturday evening. Any other advice for that meeting?

 

[shadowsrescue]

 
Did another site swap tonight. Again Calypso was fine with the whole thing no problem. Both boys were allowed to explore the room as they wished. They both went in and explored, Yin longer than Yang with no hissing or problems. We are looking to do the first visual feeding either tomorrow or Saturday evening. Any other advice for that meeting?

Keep t he visual feedings or meetings short.  A bit of hissing is ok as long as the cat(s) go back to eating and do not progress to growling or agitation.  If you notice any of that just close the door.  You might want to start with just cracking the door instead of all the way open.  If all goes well, open it a bit further.  The next day, work towards opening it all the way.  Remember slow and steady wins the race!!!

 

[robertskitty]

I didn't see this before starting this morning but during their breakfast I cracked the door about 3 inches and fed them right against the door. They all did great, no posturing or hissing or anything. They would pause from eating occasionally to give long wary looks at eachother but then right back to eating no problem. I'm quite pleased with the progress so far. Rinse and repeat tonight with slightly larger gap.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Awesome!!  Sounds like very good progress.  Keep it up and gradually increase the gap and then move to a screen door or gate barrier!! 

 

[robertskitty]

We had our first face to face interaction tonight (through the baby gate) and things went quite well. I used feeding time to help distract a bit. Yang was more interested in Calypso than eating. Calypso seemed overjoyed to have a cat companion and would move to the gate any time the boys showed interest. Yang sniffed and reached under the gate, stretching his paw to her only to jump when she touched it. Once she booped his foot to hard and he tried to bop her through the gate but missed.

Yin, as usual, was more chatty. He sniffed and watched but never postured. He made long high pitched whines a few times but they didn't seem agitated so much and grumbly chatting.

No growling or hissing expect when Calypso saw our dog and hissed. Our poor dog, a corgi named Ein, is completely heartbroken that she got hissed at and has spent the night starting dejected at the door.

All in all I'm beyond pleased with meeting number one.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Great news!!!  You are doing so well.  As long as everyone remains relatively calm, you can gradually move to more site time throughout the day.  Meal time is a great time, but then during teh day you can try it with just treats too.  Since your cats seem food motivated that is a good thing.  You can always distract if necessary by shaking a treat bag.  Keep up the good work.  It sounds like your kitties will all be friends in no time.