new kitties!!!

[bethany]

hello everyone - i am new to this forum, and have a pretty serious question. My boyfriend and I are moving in together in two months. i have a seven year old male (neutered, and front declawed) cat that has lived his whole life alone with me. my boyfriend has a nine month old male (neutered, but has all claws). His cat currently lives with another male cat that is 2 years old. they get along wonderfully. My cat loves my boyfriend, and his cat loves me, but the two kitties, who will soon be roomates have never met one another.

we are worried about bringing the two together in a new place (for both of them). If anyone has any suggestions, we would love the help of how to introduce the two!

thanks

 

[dragonlady]

There are many great articles in this site regarding your question! I know you will get a ton of answers! Welcome to this site! Feel free to send photos of your kitties!

 

[valanhb]

Welcome to the site! I wish you luck in introducing your kitties.

Please take a peek at this article I'd Like You To Meet.... which was written by one of our behavioral experts here. Follow those steps and you've got a really great chance that things will go smoothly. The biggest key is PATIENCE!!!

I'll move this to the Behavior Forum where our experts can give you more help.

 

[bethany]

thanks so far. . . i have read that "i'd like to introduce you . . " article, and that's what we are pretty much planning on. I was worried that the new place being new to both cats, and my poor Fred doesn't adjust well to new surroundings very well, or to new kitties, that he might develop behavioral problems. He is such a good kitty right now, and I don't want to upset him so much that he changes.

See, he's pretty set in his ways currently, and is pretty much of a baby when things are new to him. he puts on a pretty good "poor me" show to all that will listen.

Ralph, my boyfriend's kitty, is really outgoing . . . i don't expect him to be too much of a problem, especially since he already lives with another kitty.

i read the post where it mentioned that having a perch for him might help, but he's scared of high places, and we made him a really nice platform tree, and he won't go anywhere near it. He likes the floor, under the bed, and anything soft.

i guess i'm just a concerned mommy . . .

 

[valanhb]

There's nothing wrong with being a concerned mommy.

Actually, it may be better to have a whole new environment for the kitties to meet in. That way no one automatically has the upper hand, with it already being their territory. That method has worked wonders for many, many people.

Fred is probably reacting to the fact that he doesn't have his natural defenses being declawed. That's not chastising you, just explaining why he may be withdrawn. When you are doing the introduction process, be sure to spend extra time with him to reassure him of his place with you.