I am hoping that you all can help me!
I have recently (5/14) adopted two non-related young cats (approx, 6-7 months old, both female: Izzy and Lena) as -- hopefully -- companions for my senior girl (14 years old; Frannie). Everyone is separated at the moment, and I am having some challenges with introducing the two littles to each other, which I think is a necessary first step before introducing them to Frannie.
I have one urgent issue, and a future concern as well.
The urgent issue is with the two young cats. They came home 5/14 and were kept in separate spaces for the first 10 days or so, as Lena had a URI. However, I did work on having them eat their meals on either side of the door separating them. As the URI cleared up, they began to eat with the door open a crack, and for the past 6-7 days, they have been eating in the same room with no issues. I added joint playtime, with them separated by a see-through barrier, last Friday. They have been successful in playing for 15 minute segments 2-3 times a day, in addition to their two mealtimes. They have also had some successful unseparated playtimes, but they cannot occupy the same space without me playing with Izzy, as she will almost immediately attack Lena (hissing, swatting, growling). The aggression is always from Izzy towards Lena. Tonight I let it go on a little longer and it did not seem like it resolved anything between them.
How do I transition from supervised play to cohabitation? I assumed it would be easier to introduce the littles to the resident cat if the littles were in one space.
The future concern is that introducing Frannie (my senior girl) will be a whole other set of issues. She has been smelling the new arrivals for three weeks and still hisses at the towels I am using for scent swapping. Today I did a room swap with her and one of the littles and Frannie hissed the whole time.
Overall I am starting to feel very discouraged and like I have made a wrong choice for my current cat as well as for these two otherwise very lovely kittens.
I have recently (5/14) adopted two non-related young cats (approx, 6-7 months old, both female: Izzy and Lena) as -- hopefully -- companions for my senior girl (14 years old; Frannie). Everyone is separated at the moment, and I am having some challenges with introducing the two littles to each other, which I think is a necessary first step before introducing them to Frannie.
I have one urgent issue, and a future concern as well.
The urgent issue is with the two young cats. They came home 5/14 and were kept in separate spaces for the first 10 days or so, as Lena had a URI. However, I did work on having them eat their meals on either side of the door separating them. As the URI cleared up, they began to eat with the door open a crack, and for the past 6-7 days, they have been eating in the same room with no issues. I added joint playtime, with them separated by a see-through barrier, last Friday. They have been successful in playing for 15 minute segments 2-3 times a day, in addition to their two mealtimes. They have also had some successful unseparated playtimes, but they cannot occupy the same space without me playing with Izzy, as she will almost immediately attack Lena (hissing, swatting, growling). The aggression is always from Izzy towards Lena. Tonight I let it go on a little longer and it did not seem like it resolved anything between them.
How do I transition from supervised play to cohabitation? I assumed it would be easier to introduce the littles to the resident cat if the littles were in one space.
The future concern is that introducing Frannie (my senior girl) will be a whole other set of issues. She has been smelling the new arrivals for three weeks and still hisses at the towels I am using for scent swapping. Today I did a room swap with her and one of the littles and Frannie hissed the whole time.
Overall I am starting to feel very discouraged and like I have made a wrong choice for my current cat as well as for these two otherwise very lovely kittens.
