Screwed Up Cat Intro? Help! They Met after a day!

[jopua]

Hi, so I think I may have screwed up my cats introductions

Stay with me here, because this may be a long post.

I live in a studio apartment -- just one room and a bathroom. It's not cramped, and isn't a bad living space, but I know for cats you need to keep em separated at first, yeah? Read up on all the intro how-to's and I was super ready with the scent swapping and everything, door feeding, slow introductions.

Before I get into the scenario, the two cats in question are

Luci -- A 10 month old cat who I think has cat PTSD or just has trust issues. Had her for 3 months now, and I've been unable to pet her yet. She eats out of my hand at times, plays and everything but yeah. No touching. She's spayed and has ARV, but that's all. No other meds. A few weeks ago, I followed someone's advice her since I've been concerned about her health (and since i knew my 2nd cat was coming) and tried to get my friend to get her into a carrier (the same friend who brought her to me in the first place). After an hour of trying to catch Luci or lure her out of hiding, and her looking freaked as hell, we gave up.

She's been eating and meowing since then, but hasn't really played ever since. She used to be a total hunter and would love cat wands. Now not so much. She eats and hangs around the house normal though, at least. Even more vocal now actually.

And the second cat

Zuko -- rescued him 6 weeks ago. He's around 7 months old. He's got all his shots, is neutered and everything. He's been living with my girlfriend's sister and her dog ever since and he even became friends with the dog, often chasing each other around and playing. He's a loud, needy sweetheart.

I brought Zuko home yesterday, isolated him in the bathroom. Did the whole scent swapping thing for the first night, fed them their first meal behind the door awhile ago and they ate. The thing is, i suddenly found a roach infection in my bathroom (which is weird since its usually immaculate) and fearing for zuko, i put him in the shower as i sprayed the roaches.

Long story short, after the roaches stopped crawling around (and zuko was relatively safe since my shower has a glass sliding door, but he was freaked out and wanted to get out of the shower asap), I was forced to remove Zuko from the bathroom as i cleaned up the aftermat. Put zuko in his cat backpack and he met Luci.

Luci started sniffing the carrier, tentatively approaching, but Zuko kept meowing for me to get him out. Not sure if he cared about Luci. There was no hissing at least? Luci just looked... curious? Tentative? After an hour of clean up, i let him out and now he's hiding underneath my bed (one of Luci's favorite hiding spots) and is sleeping and is quite scared. Luci is sleeping behind my TV now, her other hiding spot.

Have i screwed this up? Should I force Zuko into the bathroom again (its immaculate and bug free now) or let him stay under there for a bit? Its been a few hours and all is quiet for now.

My place is big enough for two cats i think (even added more bookshelves for vertical space) but the only "other" room is the bathroom. What do i do? have i screwed this up? I really can't afford to have them fighting and hating each other and i'd really want this to work... Help?

 

[ArtNJ]

Having lived in NYC for many years I know YOU shouldn't spray for roaches, because they don't come from your apartment. You need to tell your landlord and he needs to figure out where they are coming from and make the spraying decision from there. That might include spraying your apartment, but that won't be the primary area sprayed. Spraying on your own might kill a few, but they will be back.

Your cats are both young, good chance it will be fine. Not like you are going to do a three week introduction in a studio. Just impossible, as once the cat in the bathroom gets comfortable it will bolt out the door every time you try to use it. So you never had much choice but to let them work it out. Maybe you could have kept one cat in the bathroom for another day or two, but I wouldn't lose much sleep over it.

Millions have introduced cats the primitive way. It doesn't always make any difference, and with 2 very young cats, you still have a very decent chance they work things out and end up friends. It maybe isn't the smartest decision to get two non-kittens in a studio because of the potential for problems, but at least you did so with two very young cats and again, millions have done it. At this point, you don't have a ton of choice but to see how it works out. And again, it probably will be fine before too long.

 

[jopua]

Having lived in NYC for many years I know YOU shouldn't spray for roaches, because they don't come from your apartment. You need to tell your landlord and he needs to figure out where they are coming from and make the spraying decision from there. That might include spraying your apartment, but that won't be the primary area sprayed. Spraying on your own might kill a few, but they will be back.

Your cats are both young, good chance it will be fine. Not like you are going to do a three week introduction in a studio. Just impossible, as once the cat in the bathroom gets comfortable it will bolt out the door every time you try to use it. So you never had much choice but to let them work it out. Maybe you could have kept one cat in the bathroom for another day or two, but I wouldn't lose much sleep over it.

Millions have introduced cats the primitive way. It doesn't always make any difference, and with 2 very young cats, you still have a very decent chance they work things out and end up friends. It maybe isn't the smartest decision to get two non-kittens in a studio because of the potential for problems, but at least you did so with two very young cats and again, millions have done it. At this point, you don't have a ton of choice but to see how it works out. And again, it probably will be fine before too long.

Thanks for this!

Luci wouldn't eat with the other cat around unless it was wet food, and I had to feed her on top of her tower. The other one didn't really care. There was some staring here and there, but otherwise it was... uneventful? She'd nap on her tower, he'd nap either under the bed or on the bed with me.

I'm letting Zuko sleep in the bathroom again tonight. I don't think he'll have a problem adjusting. It's more Luci i'm worried about. But at least she's eaten.

Really didn't wanna do it the primitive way, but I'll see if i can sneak in some of the positive association things as well.

And yeah, agree that non-kittens in a studio is a bit of a problem. Really wasn't supposed to get a 2nd cat, but I just had to rescue the other one. It was raining for days, and he was the friendliest little dude.

Either way, again, thanks so much for this! Fingers crossed they work it out somehow?

 

[ArtNJ]

Sounds like its going fine. Not eating is worrisome, but only if it goes on a bit. Apart from that, watchful hyper-vigilance actually counts as things going well. Hissing, growling and swatting would be more common. Anything short of actually fighting they can usually work through at this age. .

Give it a few days, and I predict they will be running over your head playing at 3 am before you know it. Yeah, unfortunately introductions aren't the only downside of two cats in a studio. But hey, 3 am wakeups build character! Ha ha, well that doesn't last forever and you can get through it. All will be well.

Good luck!

 

[rubysmama]

I've seen posts before with folks with studio apartments, so know the difficulties trying to keep cats separated for "formal" introductions. Your 2 are still pretty young, so hopefully they'll get over their uncertainty with each other, and become best buds.

Got any pics of them you can share?
How To Add A Picture To Your Forum Post

Oh, and ewww on the cockroaches. Hope that's cleared up soon.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

This is not as bad as you fear it is. Let Luci eat high, where she feels more secure.

The biggest positive here is that they are BOTH isolating from each other...stepping back and sizing the situation up. I know it seems bad, but ONE of the other two alternatives would be outright fighting, so you're a step ahead there! I think, given time and patience, that all will be well with these two.

HOWEVER...if any other problems crop up, LET US KNOW, and we'll adjust from there!

 

[jopua]

Hey guys! Tried feeding Luci again on the other side of the door from Zuko, but she caught a glimpse of him and now refuses to eat. She'll eat wet food, but that's it. She's ignoring all her usual kibbles and is all very skittish.

At least she's eating something. I guess I can ramp up the wet food for Luci for now, but i don't want her to get used to it since I can't afford a wet food diet, as much as I'd love to. And I'm just really scared for her general health.

Zuko on the other hand is fine, need and a purr machine. I don't think he really cares about Luci, so long as he gets attention. He was happy to explore the condo yesterday, enjoys looking out the window, and has pretty much adjusted.

I just need advice! I'm about to go back to work tomorrow, so that means I've to leave the kitties at home. I should separate them when I'm not there yeah? Keep Zuko in the bathroom and Luci out and about?

Also, should I maybe buy a cage, a big one, and maybe leave Zuko in there while I'm gone, but at least out in the open so that they can see each other, sniff around, but not hurt each other? I'll let him sleep in the bathroom at night, and let him roam while I'm home. Will that help? I was thinking of doing that so that they could maybe get used to eating with each other as well?

I know the formal introductions are out of the question, and since Luci is a special (still haven't been able to touch her) and is quite scared, I'm trying to think of different alternatives. Open to suggestions as well!!

Thanks guys!

As for pics of my two tiny babies...

This is Zuko on the left, Luci on the right, and the closest they've gotten to eating beside each other. They've napped in the same general vicinity of each other though?

 

[ArtNJ]

If they have shown no hint of getting into it, I'd leave them together to work it out. You are likely worrying too much about the not eating given that it hasn't been much time and she has shown you that she'll eat if you baby her a bit. She is a bit stressed by the other cat right now, but even if it is just when the other cat sleeps, she'll eat.

The one with the bandana looks like a little terrier, so adorable. The other cat is cute as well, but in a more traditional cat way.

 

[rubysmama]

Awww... pretty kitties. Have they been out and about together ever since you have the "issue" with the bathroom? If so, have there been any squabbles? Growling/hissing?

 

[duncanmac]

For the first few days don't leave them loose together while you're not home, just in case things go pear-shaped. Wait until the weekend and see how they do with extended togetherness.

The cage doesn't sound like a good idea to me - the resident cat may stalk and torment the new guy, plus - you're in a NYC studio apartment - a large cage would take over the place. Just keep the new guy in the bathroom for a few days to a week more.

 

[jopua]

Awww... pretty kitties. Have they been out and about together ever since you have the "issue" with the bathroom? If so, have there been any squabbles? Growling/hissing?

Well, no hissing, but chasing? Didn't seem like stalking chasing though.

Two encounters today.

First, Luci (the scaredy resident one) saw Zuko after her nap and slowly approached him. When he moved a little, she ran away back to her hiding spot behind the TV. Zuko followed soon after, and so we took him away (that and we were about to leave in a bit anyway)

And after getting home, after feeding Luci and making sure that she's at the very least fed already, we let Zuko out again. She saw him and started following her. He wasn't running at her or anything, it seemed like he was playfully following her? I dunno. But there was following around under the bed and Luci freaked out and escaped. She even destroyed my girlfriend's camera in the process.

Zuko's used to other animals and being an alpha (he swatted away 3 dogs when he lived with em at his foster). I feel like Luci is curious, but scared as hell. Kind wondering what to do next from here, hence playing with the idea of giving Zuko a temporary cage to act as a "socialization box" as they get to know each other safely?

 

[jopua]

For the first few days don't leave them loose together while you're not home, just in case things go pear-shaped. Wait until the weekend and see how they do with extended togetherness.

The cage doesn't sound like a good idea to me - the resident cat may stalk and torment the new guy, plus - you're in a NYC studio apartment - a large cage would take over the place. Just keep the new guy in the bathroom for a few days to a week more.

Yeah, he'll definitely be a bathroom cat for awhile. The logistics of showering and doing everything else is a bit complicated, but i'll make it work somehow.

And will only let him out when I'm around, for sure. Hopefully after tiring him out a bit. I know my other cat is curious about him, but she's too scared to even approach, and now Zuko is chasing her around and she's terrified. He doesn't seem aggressive, there's no hissing, it might even be playful... but yeah.

 

[jopua]

If they have shown no hint of getting into it, I'd leave them together to work it out. You are likely worrying too much about the not eating given that it hasn't been much time and she has shown you that she'll eat if you baby her a bit. She is a bit stressed by the other cat right now, but even if it is just when the other cat sleeps, she'll eat.

The one with the bandana looks like a little terrier, so adorable. The other cat is cute as well, but in a more traditional cat way.

Yeah, i am a bit of worrier haha I just really want it to go well with 'em. And you're right, she eats so long as the other cat is in the bathroom. haha But it takes a bit for her to appear.

 

[rubysmama]

hence playing with the idea of giving Zuko a temporary cage to act as a "socialization box" as they get to know each other safely?

Do you have a cat carrier you could use? Not for long periods, but long enough that they can "meet" without being able to really touch.

 

[jopua]

Do you have a cat carrier you could use? Not for long periods, but long enough that they can "meet" without being able to really touch.

I have a soft mesh carrier and a cat backpack! But it feels kinda cramped so I ordered a two layer cat cage. Something I can put a litterbox in and he'd still have space to move. Or if he's already used his litterbox, something he can chill in and they can "meet" while Luci feels safe enough to approach.

I really hope this helps.

I swear, Luci is such a tiny blackball of anxiety and fear, but here's hoping that over time, she at least accepts her new brother and I can start using my bathroom freely again haha

 

[jopua]

So its gone from my resident cat being scared and running away from Zuko whenever she'd come close to her under the bed, to her fighting back. There was hissing and some initial swatting, and that's not counting the new little boy going under the bed then running away from underneath, but going in again.

I guess my timid cat is fighting back?

Whenever Zuko sees Luci though, he really follows her around. I dunno if its aggressive or not. But if it helps, in her foster home, her best friend was a dog and apparently they loved being playing together.

Where do i draw the line of them just working it out, and me stepping in to stop them?

To maybe help, I bought a large 2 layer cage (complete with water, warm blankets, stuff toys and a little basket cave that Zuko can live in during the day so that they can at least stare at each other every now and then.

Any other tips? Is this progress or regression? Thanks in advance!

 

[Taphie]

Do you know anything about Luci's history before she came to you?

 

[jopua]

Do you know anything about Luci's history before she came to you?

Do you know anything about Luci's history before she came to you?

Not a lot. Before I got her, I was told she got along well enough with other cats. Not overtly friendly, she just didn't care much. I was even a shown a picture of her chilling with 2 other cats. It was made to seem to me like she was close to this one cat named July

And after getting her and a week of being unable to touch her, i find out she was bullied by July, who was a very anti-human, fighty cat.

Other than that, that's all i know. She grew up in a multi-cat household, i think some of her old owners were able to pet her (though i think not a lot) and yeah. They wanted to seperate her from July.

Tbh she's my first cat and i sometimes feel out of my league here.

And zuko is the sweetest boy. Playful and just great. I feel bad leaving him in the bathroom and the socialization cage i got him. Though it was either that or leave him on the streets -_-

Sorry said more than i was asked. I'm just feeling kinda bad is all.

 

[Taphie]

Not a lot. Before I got her, I was told she got along well enough with other cats. Not overtly friendly, she just didn't care much. I was even a shown a picture of her chilling with 2 other cats. It was made to seem to me like she was close to this one cat named July

And after getting her and a week of being unable to touch her, i find out she was bullied by July, who was a very anti-human, fighty cat.

Other than that, that's all i know. She grew up in a multi-cat household, i think some of her old owners were able to pet her (though i think not a lot) and yeah. They wanted to seperate her from July.

Tbh she's my first cat and i sometimes feel out of my league here.

And zuko is the sweetest boy. Playful and just great. I feel bad leaving him in the bathroom and the socialization cage i got him. Though it was either that or leave him on the streets -_-

Sorry said more than i was asked. I'm just feeling kinda bad is all.

The more information the better! Just from having spent a lot of time in shelters socializing cats, I know that what people say about the cats they are surrendering isn't always the case. They may say a cat is vicious and it is the sweetest thing or that a cat is very people friendly and it's deathly afraid of people. So, just from my experience, I don't usually trust what people say about the cat they are surrendering or trying to rehome. You have to go by the behavior of the cat. Because, from what you've said about Luci, she did not have many positive experiences with people or cats. She was not socialized to humans or handled much as a young kitten.
I recently took in a cat that has similar issues to Luci, but she had been a loved house cat at one point in her life, and I expect it to take me a YEAR to bring her to the point of a happy, well-adjusted cat. But I have a LOT of cat experience from the countless hours I've spent at shelters with cats and I've picked up an intuitive sense of what an individual cat needs and how best to approach them. So, yes, a cat like Luci, who in many ways behaves like a feral is going to be a very heart wrenching as a first cat. Zuko, from what you've said, is a very normal, well socialized, happy go lucky cat. How different you would feel if you had gotten him first!
The reason I asked her history is because she sounds like, from what you've said, a cat who has had to compete with a lot of other cats for food. This is why she didn't want to eat around Zuko. She has trauma from her past experiences. I've seen cats like that at shelters and they always feed them separate form the other cats.
Now, Luci might not ever accept Zuko as her best buddy, but it is possible they can co-exist like room mates who don't have much in common. And you are right, it's not fair to have Zuko in the bathroom and the cage all the time. I'm sure the reason you have him in the bathroom and the cage is that he's easier to put in there; he's a wonderful cat. What you need to do is swap them out, to give Zuko run of the apartment as well. Easier said then done, I know. You can do a treat trail to the bathroom or the cage, if she's food oriented, and/or use a wand toy to lead her there. This will also acclimate them to each others scent in a safe way.
I can tell you what I did with my cat like Luci. I got a heating pad and wrapped it in an unwashed t-shirt of mine. I put the heating pad on low and put it under the bed. Cats LOVE to lay on a heating pad set on low. I wanted my scent to be associated with comfort for her. Then I would laid on the floor next to the bed and talked to her, doing the slow blink and/or not looking at her. Don't ever stare at a cat, especially one like Luci, they consider it aggression. Another thing about cats is they pick up on your energy and it's important that you are calm and centered when interacting with her.

 

[jopua]

The more information the better! Just from having spent a lot of time in shelters socializing cats, I know that what people say about the cats they are surrendering isn't always the case. They may say a cat is vicious and it is the sweetest thing or that a cat is very people friendly and it's deathly afraid of people. So, just from my experience, I don't usually trust what people say about the cat they are surrendering or trying to rehome. You have to go by the behavior of the cat. Because, from what you've said about Luci, she did not have many positive experiences with people or cats. She was not socialized to humans or handled much as a young kitten.
I recently took in a cat that has similar issues to Luci, but she had been a loved house cat at one point in her life, and I expect it to take me a YEAR to bring her to the point of a happy, well-adjusted cat. But I have a LOT of cat experience from the countless hours I've spent at shelters with cats and I've picked up an intuitive sense of what an individual cat needs and how best to approach them. So, yes, a cat like Luci, who in many ways behaves like a feral is going to be a very heart wrenching as a first cat. Zuko, from what you've said, is a very normal, well socialized, happy go lucky cat. How different you would feel if you had gotten him first!
The reason I asked her history is because she sounds like, from what you've said, a cat who has had to compete with a lot of other cats for food. This is why she didn't want to eat around Zuko. She has trauma from her past experiences. I've seen cats like that at shelters and they always feed them separate form the other cats.
Now, Luci might not ever accept Zuko as her best buddy, but it is possible they can co-exist like room mates who don't have much in common. And you are right, it's not fair to have Zuko in the bathroom and the cage all the time. I'm sure the reason you have him in the bathroom and the cage is that he's easier to put in there; he's a wonderful cat. What you need to do is swap them out, to give Zuko run of the apartment as well. Easier said then done, I know. You can do a treat trail to the bathroom or the cage, if she's food oriented, and/or use a wand toy to lead her there. This will also acclimate them to each others scent in a safe way.
I can tell you what I did with my cat like Luci. I got a heating pad and wrapped it in an unwashed t-shirt of mine. I put the heating pad on low and put it under the bed. Cats LOVE to lay on a heating pad set on low. I wanted my scent to be associated with comfort for her. Then I would laid on the floor next to the bed and talked to her, doing the slow blink and/or not looking at her. Don't ever stare at a cat, especially one like Luci, they consider it aggression. Another thing about cats is they pick up on your energy and it's important that you are calm and centered when interacting with her.

Thanks for this!

I do let zuko have a run of the apartment so long as i'm around and Luci's eaten and she's either on top of the fridge. If luci's under the bed, zuko tries to go to her

I'm scared one of them will get hurt.

Today i left Zuko in the cage so that hopefully they can work something out while i'm gone. Get their sniffing out of the way.

I'm sure if Zuko stops trying to play with Luci, they can co-exist. At least until i can hopefully move to a bigger place

I feel super bad because at Zuko's foster, he'd sleep on the bed and just play with the dogs. He had a great life.

And I feel like i'm giving him a bad one

I'll try the hot compress thing with Luci tho! Hopefully she'll like it

How far do i let the two cats "work it out" before intervening?