How do you know when to do face to face intro (kitten to cat)

[Doody]

We have a 2 1/2 year old spayed female. My daughter rescued a 8 week old female a few weeks ago. She is now about 11 weeks and 3lbs. She had been in my daughter's bedroom, very comfortable, for the first two weeks until she got combo-tested. Now that we have the all-clear, we have been doing some room swapping. Also, for the last five days we have put the kitten in our office with glass French doors once a day, while our 2 year cat is on the other side.

So far, the kitten is oblivious to the cat. The 2 year old sometimes exhibits some low growling and occasionally a short hiss, but mostly just stands at the door staring intently through the glass, never taking her eyes off the kitten.

I would like to move this along to the next step.

Some have suggested putting the kitten in her carrier and plopping her in the middle of the room to let the adult cat investigate. I have also read this is a terrible idea and makes the kitten a "sitting duck".

If that idea is out, at what point do we move on to face to face?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, take a look at this;

How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Mamanyt1953]

That was my suggestion. Although introducing females to other females can be a little fraught, your kitten is still young enough that her age will make her far more acceptable to the resident cat.

 

[ArtNJ]

For providing visual access in a safe situation, the gate method is definitely superior to the crate method. Firstly, you can leave a gate up 24/7, getting visual access for say a full week. Secondly, I wouldn't say "sitting duck", the cat in the crate is safe, BUT being in there with another stressed cat making noise is definitely going to be a LOT more stressful than being behind a gate.

So the crate method should be a fall back method for people that just dont have room or the logistical ability for a gate.

Ultimately, do what you can without going too crazy -- kitten plus 2 1/2 year old is not necessarily that hard. You can always back up if the big cat does anything more than just some light hissing at face to face. Since adults never actually hurt kittens, you can "take the temperature" of the situation. But yeah, good to do a visual access step if you can, and gates are better than crates!

 

[FeebysOwner]

If you can use baby gates, as mentioned above, in place of one of the French glass doors, then there is more of an opportunity to expose them to each other (scents, verbal exchanges, even possible touching).

Inside the link Furballsmom provided is another article about introductions that goes into some more detailed steps you might want to consider. It also gives some examples of gate set-ups.
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Doody]

I'll have to check into a tall gate, not sure it will work with our door frame. The "Eat, Play, Love" -- not sure that will work either.
The adult cat has zero interest in her nightly wet food, because she won't take her eyes off the kitten (through the glass door).
(kitten looks freakishly large in this pic, but she's only 3lbs). She is mostly silent, just an occasionally low growl or tiny hiss.

 

[ArtNJ]

Since you did a visual access step (missed the french doors origially) I'd probably do a temperature check by putting them together. If its just some light hissing, you can let them work it out. Kitten plus young adult generally works out well.

 

[Doody]

Since you did a visual access step (missed the french doors origially) I'd probably do a temperature check by putting them together. If its just some light hissing, you can let them work it out. Kitten plus young adult generally works out well.

Yes, we've been doing this through the French doors every night after dinner for about a week. I just took a video, but I guess you can't post videos. The adult cat stuck her paws through the bottom of the door for a few seconds and then stopped and proceeded to eat her wet food. I took that as a good sign, she was relaxed enough to eat even though the kitten was literally inches away looking at her through the glass.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Maybe these instructions about how to post a video would be of interest to you. This seems to be an issue with a lot of folks!

To post your video:
In the toolbar at the top of the post, click on the small arrow as shown:

It will produce a drop down box.
Click on the Media option:

A box will appear where you can paste the URL. Paste it there, then click 'continue' at the bottom and your video should appear.
If it doesn't, it is from a source that is not accommodated by this platform.

 

[Doody]

Tonight there was some pawing from underneath the door. Lots of low groaning coming out of our two-year-old cat. I think she’s super curious, excited, and afraid all in one.

 

[ArtNJ]

I think she’s super curious, excited, and afraid all in one.

That kind of mix is absolutely possible. After an intro process when I put them together, my then 4 year old had to follow the kitten around and have suspicious eyes on it at all times. Hissing if the kitten tried anything. "I'm watching you!" Then within two days or so, they transitioned to fast friends.