Introduction Advice Needed

[kirathecat]

Hi everyone

Whiskey is 9yo neutered male (had him for 7 years as a solo cat, we adopted him from a shelter after he was dropped off there by previous owners). He never liked other cats - always hisses and yowls at the site of other cats even if he sees them through a solid barrier.

Bunny is 6mo female cream tabby. She’s a stray kitten and is blind. I found her by the shed of the hotel we are staying at and have been feeding her since May. She was totally not used to humans and would always run away and not let be touched until 3 weeks ago she decided that it was fine to be petted. 2 weeks ago I snatched her, took her to the vet, brought her inside and have been working on getting Whiskey (the resident cat) to be ok with having Bunny in our family.
Bunny has not been spayed yet - the vet had her on oral antibiotics and eye drops to get the eye infection clear and we will schedule her spay after we see an ophthalmologist to find out if they would recommend any kind of surgical procedure to help with her sight so then she would only go under anesthesia once.

Cats have been in two separate rooms with the door closed for 2 weeks. Each has their own stuff - litter boxes, dishes, toys etc.

When we take Whiskey out for walks and have to carry him outside through the room Bunny occupies he would hiss and yowl.
Bunny doesn’t do anything - gets out of the way into a hiding spot. She doesn’t meow or hiss or growl back, just gets out of the way.

I had a couple of supervised visits of Whiskey into the room Bunny is at, he would sit under the desk, watch her, hiss and yowl. A couple times when Bunny probably didn’t realize Whiskey was in the room or where in the room he was and she gotten closer Whiskey hissed and yowled and chased after her. He didn’t injure her but he was chasing her and she just quickly ran into the hiding spot. I am able to distract Whiskey with toys or brushing not to fixate on Bunny with so-so results - it mostly works but Whiskey is still very much on guard.

i tried swapping the rooms and putting Whiskey with me and Bunny with my husband but Bunny is still very skittish when it comes to anybody else and Whiskey’s room is a little bit more challenging to navigate for her without sight. While I had the swap going it took Whiskey a whole day to stop being on guard from Bunny’s smell. Bunny was unfazed by the swap except for the new environment she had to learn.

yesterday I observed something odd. I took whiskey in my hands and brought him into Bunny’s room. I just held him and showed him Bunny. He hissed and yowled. Bunny got to her safe spot as usual. I took Whiskey back to his room.
Then I took Bunny and brought her to Whiskey’s room and showed her to him. Whiskey didn’t try to attack, didn’t run at us, didn’t make any noise.
I brought Bunny back into her room.
Then I had the door open for a little bit. Whiskey was standing about 4 feet away from the entrance and I was holding Bunny while sitting on the floor. Typically if she was by herself and Whiskey saw her that close he would have charged at her swatting and yowling. But he didn’t do any of those things while I was holding her.

I’m quite confused with Whiskey’s reactions and whether to continue to try to get them to know each other and getting along. Bunny being blind and not vocalizing is adding to the challenge. She can meow and chirp but what I figured is from her time living in the wild she learned when another cat hisses she needs to hide and makes herself invisible.

Us living at a hotel also means limited space and basically 0 ability to modify the space as well so that’s an additional challenge.

I am curious as to why Whiskey would not react to her at all while I was holding her vs her being by herself and if that could be used to my advantage in the introduction process?
And also how can I teach this blind kitten to stand her ground when Whiskey goes into “get off my lawn” grumpy mode? Or how to have her communicate in any sort of way when Whiskey is involved.
it seems that there is this huge communication barrier between them and i’m not sure how to get them to understand each other.

i could just foster Bunny, take care of her medical needs and have someone adopt her but I really like and enjoy this little cat and would love for Whiskey to accept her into our home. Its been rough few weeks with no improvements that I can notice and I want the best for both cats.

If anyone got any advice or creative suggestions, those would be most welcome.

 

[Kris107]

Can you get a baby gate? I feel like Whiskey needs to be able to get closer yet feel protected and also having a layer of protection for Bunny. Be forewarned that some cats clear a baby gate in zero time if they want, but it at least allows you to guard the doorway better. Do the feeding or playing (or whatever they like most) on either side of the gates so they associate positive things with each other.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Despite your living quarters, I think under the circumstances 2 weeks is not nearly enough time to be placing them both in the same location at one time. First off, Bunny needs to get acclimated to a single room to start with. That is usual protocol for sighted cats as well, but more important to Bunny because she is blind. Secondly, letting her then get used to other rooms - one at a time - so she knows the layout before having to deal with Whiskey. That doesn't mean that you can't do some introductions steps in the meantime, that involve visual access (at least for Whiskey) through a see-through barrier. Their scents will also be exposed to each other in this step.

Expect some time to be involved before they begin to 'accept' one another. Whiskey is older and hasn't been around other cats, so his adaptation time could be lengthy.

I have included 3 things below, two are links to TCS articles having to deal with new cats and introductions. The 3rd link is for a DIY blockade that is relatively simple to make and can be used in doorways, hallways, and even across a room to make it into two separate spaces. It is made of shelving you can find in most home improvement stores, whereby the shelving is placed on its 'ends' and segments are connected using zip ties. It creates a folding door that can be folded back to allow for easy access to/from each side of the blockade. It can be secured, across a door or room, with Command Strips and rope to help it stay in place and the rope is just removed from the Command hook when you want to fold it back for access.
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home - TheCatSite
How To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite

 

[Mamanyt1953]

And at some point, you will need to allow BOTH cats access to every space, but only one at a time. It is called "site swapping." This allows for two things...1) Bunny will have time to explore the entire area without interference, and 2) BOTH cats will have their own scent all over the area. It implies, to them, "shared territory."

 

[Alldara]

Two weeks and he was still yowling when he saw her, which is fine, but yes it's too soon to have them in the same room.

He feels protected when you hold her. He's acting aggressively because he's scared. It's normal for many cats to act aggressive when scared.
If you hold her and bring her out like that, have your husband give him a treat when he looks at her. If he looks at her without hissing, treat. If he looks at her with hissing, use the treat to get him to turn his attention away and once he's looking away from her and not hissing, treat. (You can use just a different type of cat food for this which is better for not giving too much extra calories). We did this with Nobel and Magnus and it helped.

I would also begin taking a shirt you and your husband have worn and rubbing it on each of them each day.

 

[kirathecat]

Anyone got a recommendation for a baby gate? I was thinking of maybe getting this one? Amazon.com

they have been smelling each other on me for 2 weeks pretty much non stop (both lay on me and nap a lot) and for about a week I have been swapping the same type of toys between them, giving each of them to sniff each others brushes with floof on them. They don’t really care about each others’ scent when presented. They sniff but no particular reactions. I still give treats or brushing as rewards.

Im a bit in a time crunch which doesn’t help, we’ll be moving again in about 1.5 months and when we do we will be driving all in one car, so I can’t have the cats going crazy with each other on a long drive.

I can see Whiskey is the one that is stressed out by the “invader”. I’m trying something similar to what Alldara suggested by having Whiskey walk and sniff around Bunny’s room while I hold her and show her to him from a distance and then give him some bonito flakes which he like.

I’m just very unsure if I will be able to make it all work in time before we have to move and right now it feels like I am failing both cats which is depressing and frustrating.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Try that gate and see what happens. Tbh, you are not likely to get them to a cohesive point by the time you move. So, you will have to take precautions on the actual move, to keep them separated as much as is possible during it, and prepare to start over a bit. Another member is dealing with a pretty similar situation and this is what I suggested to them -

If you follow what some consider 'standard protocol' with a cat being introduced into a new home, they should have a safe zone that allows them to get use to a single room first before exploring other parts of the home. On that note, you have two options, although I am guessing the second one is probably the better of the two - 1.) put them both in the same safe zone to get them comfortable there first, or 2.) put them in separate rooms for the acclimation process. I say the latter because it doesn't sound like Whiskey is ready to be in the same place full time. If they could get along more cohesively, they could have been given the same room to start with.

This might delay the introductions, or even reverse them, a bit in terms of not really making either cat leave their new room until you think they are adapting. Then, the introductions can commence with the site swapping step - letting them get used to the other room, and picking up on the smell of other cat as well. Once that is done, the baby gates can be put up, and the usual expanded site swapping where one is in their safe zone and the other is allowed to explore the house should be able to be resumed. Just MO.
How To Move With Your Cat To A New Home In A Safe Way - TheCatSite

Hope that helps some.

 

[Alldara]

I think that will be a good one.

I know it's so discouraging when it's slow or going backwards.

Try the rubbing shirt thing. It's not to get them to get used to one another's scent. It's for building a family smell.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OK, you have about 6 weeks before you move. Take a couple of old sheets (now) and throw one down in each area for the cats to lounge on. The day before you go, take each sheet, cut it up into squares (12-18"), and fold, fur-side in, place in plastic bags. When you get to the new house, place a few from EACH bag in every room. That puts BOTH cats' scents into every room, telling them that they both belong everywhere. It's kind of "instant territory." I suggest this even with only cats, as the rooms smell like them when they get there.

 

[kirathecat]

Just wanted to share an update.

Bunny was seen by an ophthalmologist Friday; unfortunate the news are not what we hoped for and there is nothing that can be done to help her see. The doctor said she was born with eyes like these probably due to her mama cat having a herpes virus and the eyes did not develop properly. She “can” see out of her right eye but the white cloudy stuff is obstructing the majority of the vision (pupillary membranes between irises and cornea never separated properly during her development). Left eye never developed properly at all - too small, same kind of membranes but affecting the whole eye). Other than that she is healthy as could be and doesn’t seem to be bothered by the eyes.

Pet gate has been purchase and installed Monday, that thing is massive. Luckily neither of the cats is interested in trying to scale it.

I also got feliway multicat plugs in each room, not sure they are doing anything but its been a week with those things on.

Whiskey gets brushings and bonito treats when he is good and doesn’t start a fuss after seeing Buns. I also let him come in to Bun’s room while I hold her and let him sniff everything and give him treats after. Bunny just wants to go everywhere and explore Whiskey’s domain.

Whiskey is still pretty grumpy, Bunny is very interested in making a friend.

Usually when they are near the gate at the same time Whiskey hisses, does a grumpy yowl and swats through the gate, then he would sit and watch for a bit and then goes away.
Bunny has been chirping and meowing (I think calling Whiskey to come out?) and if he hissed and swatted she would jump away but stayed a couple feet away “watching”.

This evening they did something new - they slapped each other for a good couple minutes. Neither had the claws out and both have the nails trimmed. Whiskey eventually walked away and is now chasing a mouse toy. Bunny has been waiting by the gate and chirping to play the slapping each other “game”.

Not sure if I got the video uploaded correctly. hopefully it works

First “touch”

• kirathecat
• Sep 13, 2024

First time Whiskey and Bunny physically interacted

The saga continues…

 

[Alldara]

I'm sorry to hear about her eyes, but hopefully she will have a healthy and fullsome life without vision.

Boxing is good fun for cats!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OH I LOVE THIS VIDEO! Ears are forward and alert, tails are not bottle-brushed out...these guys are PLAYING! ALL play in cats is practice for "The Hunt," but their bodies say it all. This is NOT serious stuff, this is FUN!

 

[kirathecat]

One more update from Whiskey and Buns

after 1.5 weeks of being separated by the gate, having interactions through the gate (mostly Buns trying to engage in play and Whiskey begrudgingly playing footsies with her while quiet often still hissing and yowling at her) and having some of the toys swapped I let them be in the same room for short periods under close supervision until Whiskey’s good will towards Bun ran out.

Whiskey continued to be his usual grumpy self until 2 days ago they “worked it out” somehow.

They just started playing “tag” with each other, scratching the same scratching post at the same time, drinking out of each other’s water bowls and just be ok with each other.

Whiskey does an occasional hiss or angry meow now and again when she startles him or when they get carried away with their nigh time shenanigans and Buns might be picking up some of the Whiskey’s tactics - like swatting each others butts which she weren’t trying before. all in all its been 2 full days of pet gate being open and i think i will be taking it down today.
Buns for some reason really likes Whiskey’s litter box and goes to pee in it but goes to poop in her own. Whiskey doesn’t mind her using it. And she also taken a liking to Whiskey’s spot in the closet on a blanket. Each of them vies for that spot but they don't fight. Whoever gets in there first keeps it.

they don't cuddle or clean each other yet but maybe with time they will bond. But i am very pleased with how far both cats have come and in such a short time. It’s been truly amazing to watch them go through the introduction and especially witness those breakthrough moments when their relationships went to the next step.

It was hilarious and I wish I got a picture - last night after I got out of the shower and opened the bathroom door I was greeted by two felines patiently waiting a foot or so apart from each other right by the bathroom door for me.

 

[FeebysOwner]

All good news, and I am as pleased as you are with where they are at now!