Jackson Galaxy’s “Eat, Play, Love”

[Jessica_Merlin_Meep]

Hi all,

we are reintroducing our cats together again and are almost at the “eat, play, love” stage of Jackson galaxy‘s introduction process. My husband and I are pretty nervous. They’ve been separated a long time and we don’t want things to go wrong. I know we are supposed to separate them in the room and distract them for a set amount of time, but how do we know when things are going bad? Do we cease the session if there is a swat of a paw? If there is a wrestle? How can we make this as stress free as possible for us and for them?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Admittedly I don't know anything about JG's tactics, but do they not address how to handle various reactions? No one process works on all cats. Have you checked out TCS' articles to see if a combo of both techniques might give you some additional clues/ideas?

Is this a reintroduction due to something like non-recognition aggression or re-directed aggression? Maybe more details about what is going on would help. Depending on what is going on, a 'swat' may be nothing.
How To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite
How To Deal With Non-recognition Aggression In Cats - TheCatSite
Re-Directed Aggression In Cats [Insight And Solutions] - TheCatSite

 

[Mamanyt1953]

As upsetting as it may be, an occasional swat, claws in, is no big deal. Nor is a certain amount of hissing. Those are the feline equivalent of a heated discussion, and that can happen even when cats are very firmly bonded.

And try to breathe deep and relax. Cats are little energy sponges, and will easily pick up on your anxiety.