Multi-Cat Household - how am I doing?

[heycattercatter]

BACK STORY - 

I am a first time cat owner and adopted my cat Ludo about two and a half years ago. 

For the first year of Ludo's life he lived in a huge apartment with four other roommates and another roommate's cat. For the second year he lived with no other animals but was constantly loved on by myself and three other roommates in the same apartment. However, in July of this year me and Ludo moved in to our own 1 bedroom apartment. After about five months of living in this apartment, I decided that I wanted to get another cat and adopted Avi from a local shelter. This was about a month and a half ago. 

I won't get in to the whole story of why they weren't property introduced but in summery I can say that the second day after I brought Avi home I found a stray (and not cat-friendly) dog that I briefly hosted in my bedroom before giving him to an adoption center. This unfortunately meant that the cats were not only living in a stressful situation with a dog but were also very quickly forced to share a space with each other. 

Luckily, Avi was only a young kitten at the time (4-6 months) and Ludo has always been a friendly and well-socialized cat so I was hopeful that they could still become friends. 

There was some initial tension between the two of them. At first, Ludo kept trying to sniff Avi's behind which would make Avi start hissing and swiping but Ludo didn't seem bothered. After a day or so the roles reversed and Avi started pouncing on and trying to play with Ludo - who, to his credit, would play along for a few minutes before he got annoyed and started growling and hissing at Avi to make him back off.

It's been a month and a half now and the two play together. They take turns chasing each other around the house, the jump out and scare each other, and they wrestle all the time. The only concern I have is that I heard that the difference between cat fighting and cat playing is the noise level. I heard that cat play fights are always silent  and Avi does make noise while they are wrestling. Ludo is silent but Avi will make sort of whiney meowing / growling noises while Ludo has him pinned. But as soon as Ludo lets go and walks off Avi will bound after him and tackle him again so I don't know if they really are playing or  fighting.  Avi seems to be the one who usually initiates play but I think that's because he's a kitten and Ludo is almost three and has always been more of a cuddle-er. Should I be concerned about this? Is this play or are they fighting? 

The two of them also seem to mainly stay in their own parts of the home while I'm away. For instance, Ludo typically stays upstairs in the bedroom while Avi hangs out in the living room and kitchen area downstairs. This isn't a hard rule as I've come home to the two of them in the same space on multiple occasions but the majority of the time when I come home they are hanging out on different floors of the house. When I'm home they almost always both stay on whatever floor I happen to be in at the time. 

I've seen them bathe each other occasionally - usually immediately after play - but it's not a normal thing. 

There has also been a slight problem where Avi will try and bite at Ludo's tail or play-attack my hands while Ludo and I are laying in bed (as a side note - I sleep in a hammock and both cats typically now sleep on the floor)  cuddling together. Ludo used to sleep on my chest while I slept but now Ludo will only stay in bed for a few minutes after Avi jumps in. Yesterday I did wake up to both cats cuddled with me on the hammock (Avi curled up in a nook in my arm near my face and Ludo curled on my stomach) but I have no idea if this is the new normal or a one time fluke. 

Ludo still VERY occasionally hisses at Avi - typically when Avi tries to bite his tail or entice him in to play when Ludo doesn't feel like it. 

The vast majority of the time the two cats ignore each other and beyond that seem relatively happy. There hasn't been any litter box avoidance, serious fights, or door dashing that would make me worry that one of them is super unhappy  but like I said I'm a first time cat owner and really have no idea what any of this means. 

Can someone who is used to having a multi-cat household tell me if these are good or bad signs? Also, any tips or tricks to making two already-introduced cats closer? 

 

[moorspede]

I think they are doing really well after being together for a month and a half.  They sometimes seek each other out, they have been known to bathe each other and sleep together.  

Rough play is normal for kittens and very young cats, and I think Avi is just trying to deal with Ludo's behaviour. That they have lots of space to get away from each other is great. 

Food and play is the best way to get them together, it's also a great way to release some of their energy. An interactive toy like a laser light or a fishing rod toy and and then a meal together will help (if they won't eat together at first place their bowls apart and gradually move them toward each other). They love the food and the play so each should feel more positive toward the other cat. 

Cats can be jealous so if one cat gets a bit of attention be be sure to do the same for the other. 

 

[orientals]

Sounds okay to me. Don't forget to make time daily to play with them. Get a toy like "da bird" and set 15 min or so aside for a daily play session. Make them 'hunt' the toy, don't make it to easy to catch! Also cats like to pounce, playing with them does not mean to make them run the whole time.

This playing will bond them with you, give them a chance to 'hunt' together, it releases stress and when you give them their main meal after or a treat, they'll feel really good about themselves for hunting up their meal.

Cats are very close to their wild ancestors. They can live in your home but to be happy and healthy long term they have to able to behave like cats naturally behave.