Next steps for cat introduction

Zorilane

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Hi guys! Writing to you again about the two reasons I get very little sleep these days 🙂

It’s been a little over a week since we got a new guy home. Last week my girl attacked me after two of them met accidentally. We’re pulling out all the stops on reintroduction.

Both cats are eating well, on schedule and use litter boxes well too.

currently we started site swapping for about an hour. Today is the third time. My resident girl is trying to get out of the room with complaint filled tone. When we let her out she doesn’t attack us - just whines for half a minutes and goes back to her usual routine.

I noticed that when they both approach the door (we got nanny cam on the other side) youngster is being talkative and curious - resident just sits there and hisses at him on the other side.

I noticed she likes to just sit there and stare at the door and hiss when he stars talking.

currently she is in his room, yet instead of roaming the house the youngster is sitting by the door, meowing at her and exposing his belly to the door. She still hisses and then tries to get out, complaints, quiets down (rinse repeat)

I am wondering if it would be appropriate to start introducing door stoppers (one on each side) to give them controlled peak at each other (in hopes that seeing him being friendly - she’ll at least settle down a bit or soften up)

another thing I’d like to try is maybe putting her in a dog sized cage on her territory and allow her to see him around for a few minutes at a time. I wouldn’t want to put him in the cage because she is the aggressor and starts the fight. what are your thoughts on timing and that idea in general?

she is still a bit hissy if I try to pet her right after I pet him. She stopped hissing at his towels in the morning. And she comes up to eat by the door almost right away when called. She’s been definitely a lot more at ease each day. I still don’t want to rush is, nevertheless I feel that seeming him expose his belly to her might ease the tension (I may be wrong)

what would be an indicator that it’s ok to start visual introduction?

thank you 🙏
 

tnrmakessense

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I've never heard of site swapping. Cats generally hate change, so it sounds like it might add fuel to the introduction fire and adding stress for you. I'm the worst as far as wanting resolution quickly, but with cats you have to go at their pace. I'd leave them both where they are and put up a screen door or something like it so that they can get used to each other. Or whatever you're doing at the moment, just leave it for a while. Being attacked is no fun - I've been there - and it's a red flag that the resident cat is either really stressed or really territorial. Proceed as slowly as possible. Make sure they both have lots of places to retreat to. Never force an introduction.
 

ArtNJ

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I don't like the idea of the cage method, but some members have used it successfully. In addition to possibly stressing the caged cat, it just seems much more confrontational than the the other methods. Personally, I'd limit it to situations where there is no good alternative like in a studio. Or also if you have some reason to believe the cat you would put in there (your mellow one) would not be stressed by it, then might be a decent option. Cracking with door jambs is probably better since you mentioned that was an option, or if you are up for the challenge, double stacked baby gates would be my first choice.

If the tension at the door is pretty minimal, just light growling by the one that is a little stressed when the other is near the door, then sure, try allowing visual sighting. Especially with one cat having no stress whatsoever -- that means not a lot of reinforcement for the stressed cat, should help get it out of the system. That said, a week is not a lot of time, and you got attacked with redirected aggression at some point during that week. Early in the week was it? So I think it is a judgment call for you.
 
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rubysmama

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I already posted the TCS introduction articles in your other thread, so I won't post them again, but there's some pics of ways people block doorways, including the stacked baby gates, so if you haven't had a chance to look at them yet, maybe take a peek.
 
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