- Joined
- Jan 1, 2021
- Messages
- 72
- Purraise
- 95
Happy NY everyone. I've been reading the threads and would really appreciate some advice.
We have an 8 year old female Audrey that we rescued 4 years ago. She is indoor only. A gentle cat, timid at times. We got a new kitten, a male, Elliot, 3 months old, a week ago (Christmas Eve!). We have kept them apart (no visual contact) since we brought Elliot home. He has his basecamp in a bedroom and Audrey still has the run of the whole house.
We have tried to feed them either side of Elliot's door, but Audrey is used to eating downstairs and can't be persuaded to come upstairs for her meals. We did try putting her food up there, in the hallway (as far away from the door as possible while still being in sight of it), but she didn't eat much of it, and definitely not when we were looking! Audrey used to sleep upstairs during the day, but she has retreated to the downstairs of the house now. She has generally not been quite as friendly towards us.
Today we brought Elliot downstairs in his crate and put him in the room adjacent to Audrey, with the door open. She watched from her perch but didn't come any closer. He was mad about being in the crate. There's a sliding glass door between these two rooms, so we shut it and let him come out and explore. After a few minutes of him happily exploring, Audrey came right up to the glass and hissed and growled at him. All her fur was standing up and her back was arched. Elliot froze and then he arched his back too and started to hiss in response.
We took him back upstairs and I admit I was pretty upset, but they both seemed to return to normal pretty quickly. Audrey then - for the first time in a couple days - went upstairs and lay down on our bed. Does she feel like she's asserted some dominance now?
Audrey is not at all a distractible cat. She will play when she wants to, but absolutely not at any other time. I cannot see us being able to distract them from each other with play. Or, apparently, with food. So how do we stop them staring at one another and creating another stand-off when they see each other again? They're both getting lots of strokes and reassurance and treats, but I'm confused about how to proceed. Should we bring Elliot downstairs for his meals, so we don't have to move Audrey's food station, and just feed them either side of a downstairs door? Or should we insist on putting her food upstairs and she just has to get used to it?
We have done some scent-swapping, and I tried to let Audrey go into Elliot's basecamp to explore, but she didn't want to go in the room. He has been exploring the upstairs when she is safely away downstairs and he seems happy and confident.
I know a week isn't long so perhaps we're going too fast. I was worried that she didn't realise he was just a kitten (since she'd only smelled him) and was getting herself all stressed about there being an adult cat in the house.
Sorry if this doesn't all make sense. We want both kitties to be happy and would love some advice on how to proceed.
We have an 8 year old female Audrey that we rescued 4 years ago. She is indoor only. A gentle cat, timid at times. We got a new kitten, a male, Elliot, 3 months old, a week ago (Christmas Eve!). We have kept them apart (no visual contact) since we brought Elliot home. He has his basecamp in a bedroom and Audrey still has the run of the whole house.
We have tried to feed them either side of Elliot's door, but Audrey is used to eating downstairs and can't be persuaded to come upstairs for her meals. We did try putting her food up there, in the hallway (as far away from the door as possible while still being in sight of it), but she didn't eat much of it, and definitely not when we were looking! Audrey used to sleep upstairs during the day, but she has retreated to the downstairs of the house now. She has generally not been quite as friendly towards us.
Today we brought Elliot downstairs in his crate and put him in the room adjacent to Audrey, with the door open. She watched from her perch but didn't come any closer. He was mad about being in the crate. There's a sliding glass door between these two rooms, so we shut it and let him come out and explore. After a few minutes of him happily exploring, Audrey came right up to the glass and hissed and growled at him. All her fur was standing up and her back was arched. Elliot froze and then he arched his back too and started to hiss in response.
We took him back upstairs and I admit I was pretty upset, but they both seemed to return to normal pretty quickly. Audrey then - for the first time in a couple days - went upstairs and lay down on our bed. Does she feel like she's asserted some dominance now?
Audrey is not at all a distractible cat. She will play when she wants to, but absolutely not at any other time. I cannot see us being able to distract them from each other with play. Or, apparently, with food. So how do we stop them staring at one another and creating another stand-off when they see each other again? They're both getting lots of strokes and reassurance and treats, but I'm confused about how to proceed. Should we bring Elliot downstairs for his meals, so we don't have to move Audrey's food station, and just feed them either side of a downstairs door? Or should we insist on putting her food upstairs and she just has to get used to it?
We have done some scent-swapping, and I tried to let Audrey go into Elliot's basecamp to explore, but she didn't want to go in the room. He has been exploring the upstairs when she is safely away downstairs and he seems happy and confident.
I know a week isn't long so perhaps we're going too fast. I was worried that she didn't realise he was just a kitten (since she'd only smelled him) and was getting herself all stressed about there being an adult cat in the house.
Sorry if this doesn't all make sense. We want both kitties to be happy and would love some advice on how to proceed.