- Joined
- Feb 28, 2020
- Messages
- 16
- Purraise
- 4
Hi all,
I apologize for the long post (people on reddit recommended I come here!).
We adopted a new cat for our resident male cat (Walter, 8 months old).He is very sweet, social, and playful- he can get rough sometimes but never aggressive.
We adopted the 1 year old female cat (Phoebe). She is very cuddly- like Wally, but I've found that she is actually a lot more calm/ sedentary. When we brought her home he saw her before we could put her in a separate room, there was no hissing from either of them. Once we put the new cat Phoebe in her separate room Wally came to sniff the door.
I got excited because Phoebe was rubbing up against the door and very curious, Wally was also curious (still no hissing).
The second step we took was to put Wally in his bed/carrier with the door slightly open so he didn't feel trapped ( we incorporated lots of treats). I was so excited because there was no hissing, growling, or upright hair. Wally did stick his paw out to tap her but it seemed more curious than scared. The new cat rubbed up against the carrier.
After the separation and scent introduction my fiance and I held each cat in our lap and let them smell/lick each other. Phoebe was purring and Wally was licking her/ nibbling? He did tap her with his paw, no nails, and to me it seemed playful.
We let them roam on our laps and he gripped her neck with his paw and bit under her neck, which seemed sort of rough to me.(no upright hair, ears normal, no hissing or growling) The second time he did this was a little more rough and made me worried. She gave a little hiss and I separated him.
Today I tried by myself and brought both of them onto the bed, giving them treats when they laid close to each other. Wally seems like he wants to play. Phoebe purrs when around him, which is good- there was no hissing.
Wally still is being too rough and will bite her neck/ under her neck and then roughly groom her head. she didn't hiss but did let out a sad little meow while swatting at him- no nails. He stares at her like one of his toys, which worries me- it seems like he wants to pounce. When they settled and got comfortable with each other I played with Wally- Phoebe wanted to join so I let it happen. This was their first time sharing a floor space together, at first they just walked a little and then Wally pounced, bit her neck, she hissed at him and swatted. There was growling from her too.
After being separated and put in her own room it seemed like she really wanted to get out to him, now when I put them together I hold her in my lap. Wally groomed her head but still seems like he wants to pounce. She is very sweet and accepting despite the little spat they had. I have no idea what to do, she wants to be friends with him but he is so rough, i'm scared he'll hurt her!
Someone said they could be playing but Wally biting under her neck really worries me. They're both good cats- I've already fallen in love with phoebe and would hate for this to not work out. I don't think he knows how to play gently.
What can I do, does this sound okay? Am I being over dramatic? What is my next step?
I apologize for the long post (people on reddit recommended I come here!).
We adopted a new cat for our resident male cat (Walter, 8 months old).He is very sweet, social, and playful- he can get rough sometimes but never aggressive.
We adopted the 1 year old female cat (Phoebe). She is very cuddly- like Wally, but I've found that she is actually a lot more calm/ sedentary. When we brought her home he saw her before we could put her in a separate room, there was no hissing from either of them. Once we put the new cat Phoebe in her separate room Wally came to sniff the door.
I got excited because Phoebe was rubbing up against the door and very curious, Wally was also curious (still no hissing).
The second step we took was to put Wally in his bed/carrier with the door slightly open so he didn't feel trapped ( we incorporated lots of treats). I was so excited because there was no hissing, growling, or upright hair. Wally did stick his paw out to tap her but it seemed more curious than scared. The new cat rubbed up against the carrier.
After the separation and scent introduction my fiance and I held each cat in our lap and let them smell/lick each other. Phoebe was purring and Wally was licking her/ nibbling? He did tap her with his paw, no nails, and to me it seemed playful.
We let them roam on our laps and he gripped her neck with his paw and bit under her neck, which seemed sort of rough to me.(no upright hair, ears normal, no hissing or growling) The second time he did this was a little more rough and made me worried. She gave a little hiss and I separated him.
Today I tried by myself and brought both of them onto the bed, giving them treats when they laid close to each other. Wally seems like he wants to play. Phoebe purrs when around him, which is good- there was no hissing.
Wally still is being too rough and will bite her neck/ under her neck and then roughly groom her head. she didn't hiss but did let out a sad little meow while swatting at him- no nails. He stares at her like one of his toys, which worries me- it seems like he wants to pounce. When they settled and got comfortable with each other I played with Wally- Phoebe wanted to join so I let it happen. This was their first time sharing a floor space together, at first they just walked a little and then Wally pounced, bit her neck, she hissed at him and swatted. There was growling from her too.
After being separated and put in her own room it seemed like she really wanted to get out to him, now when I put them together I hold her in my lap. Wally groomed her head but still seems like he wants to pounce. She is very sweet and accepting despite the little spat they had. I have no idea what to do, she wants to be friends with him but he is so rough, i'm scared he'll hurt her!
Someone said they could be playing but Wally biting under her neck really worries me. They're both good cats- I've already fallen in love with phoebe and would hate for this to not work out. I don't think he knows how to play gently.
What can I do, does this sound okay? Am I being over dramatic? What is my next step?