Trying to get cats to socialize

[spooky_dookems]

I need some help. I’m trying to introduce cat A male who is very active to cat B female who is sedentary.

Cat A is very interested in cat B but is stalking cat B through the gate and won’t leave cat B alone when we do no barrier intros. Cat A will get in cat B’s face, swat at cat B, and watch her from across the couch for any movement (at which time cat A will rush over to cat B. I can distract cat A but once the toys stop he’s right over to cat B. Cat A will also nip us if he is touched (or bumps into us) when cat B is around during no barrier sessions. No traditional signs of fear or aggression from cat A though.

Cat B WILL NOT interact with cat A through the gate but will eat her food right up against the gate even when cat A is eating on the other side. Cat B will hiss and growl if cat A get too close whether through the gate or without the barrier. She just lays in place, hisses at cat A if he gets too close and swats at cat A if he seats at her.

I’m starting to get disheartened and have stopped no gate meetings because all cat B does is lay in her bed while watching out for cat A, while cat B harasses cat A. I feel like no progress is being made and the constant staring that cat A does makes me think a fight will break out. I’m still determined to figure this out and will not give either cat up. I’ve taken a step back to through gate feedings everyday.

I feel like if cat B would just interact with cat A through the gate, things would start to get better but I don’t know what I can do to make that happen. Or cat A needs to calm down but I wouldn’t know how to start with that. Please help. I’m stuck in a rut.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. How old are these cats, and how long have they been together? The older they are, the longer the introduction process is going to take. The shorter the time they have been together also has a bearing on the progression. Some cat introductions can take months and months. I also take it both are spayed/neutered? And, who is the 'new' cat?

It is also the 'rule of thumb' that introduction steps can only proceed at the level of the slowest adapting cat. Cat B is not going to interact with Cat A if she feels threatened by him. So, your slowest adapting cat is Cat B and you will need to take your cues from her behavior in order to determine when you can move on to the next step. If you've gone back to gate feedings, you might take that step back a bit more, by making each of them eat further away from the gate than they currently are now.

Taking steps back and giving more time to get through each step, as it seems you are in the midst of doing, is the best way to try to reverse the negative process and move forward with more positive results.

A couple of TCS article links below might help you devise a plan going forward.
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

 

[spooky_dookems]

Hi. How old are these cats, and how long have they been together? The older they are, the longer the introduction process is going to take. The shorter the time they have been together also has a bearing on the progression. Some cat introductions can take months and months. I also take it both are spayed/neutered? And, who is the 'new' cat?

It is also the 'rule of thumb' that introduction steps can only proceed at the level of the slowest adapting cat. Cat B is not going to interact with Cat A if she feels threatened by him. So, your slowest adapting cat is Cat B and you will need to take your cues from her behavior in order to determine when you can move on to the next step. If you've gone back to gate feedings, you might take that step back a bit more, by making each of them eat further away from the gate than they currently are now.

Taking steps back and giving more time to get through each step, as it seems you are in the midst of doing, is the best way to try to reverse the negative process and move forward with more positive results.

A couple of TCS article links below might help you devise a plan going forward.
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

Thanks for your advice! Ill try moving the food back a bit tonight and see how they react. Should I expect cat B to meet cat A at the gate when shes ready or do some cats just not do that? I keep expecting them to be interacting at the gate but cat B runs away if cat A is at the gate and watches him at a distance. Cat A is at the gate ready to see cat B usually (although he’s been stalking around the door frame recently and popping out which...I can’t figure out if that’s playful or bad behavior honestly).

Cat A is about 4 or 5 and cat B is about 6. Both cats have been spayed and neutered (cat A was still pretty much a kitten when he was fixed from what his previous owner told me, if that matters at all). Cat B (the female) is the new cat. My partner moved her in about 4-5 months ago. Cat B lived with 2 other cats before who left her alone for the most part.

Admittedly we’ve made great progress up until this point. Cat B has made leaps and bounds in her confidence and generally seems happier here than at my partners old place. We had one big fight early on between the two but that was definitely us moving too fast with introductions.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Oh, yeah. All that is good information to know! Cat B should have been totally acclimated to her new home before ever having been introduced to Cat A. That can be a hassle, but she needed to be totally comfortable with all of her surroundings, before starting an introduction to Cat A. She should have been acclimatized to the entire house before even laying eyes on Cat A (yes, she would smell his scent on things, but still be able to get comfortable with the entire home before having been exposed directly to him).

Cat A is in his own home/surroundings, but that doesn't really tell you whether he wants to play or senses the fear in Cat B and is capitalizing on that. I presume Cat A was a sole cat before this? If so, that makes things just a bit different in that he probably doesn't understand another cat being in his territory.

I don't know if/when Cat B would just approach Cat A at the gate, but it would be helpful to see her growl and hiss less before moving on. Being able to eventually eat near him at the gate without more than a casual glance his way would demonstrate signs of a more confident Cat B.

 

[She's a witch]

You may need to adjust your expectations, S spooky_dookems . Introducing two adult cats with opposite temperaments rarely ends up with them being friends or even playmates. It seems to me that cat B is not really interested in any kind of interaction and it’s possible she never will be, especially that she wasn’t social with other cats in her previous home, but that’s ok. Good thing is that she doesn’t seem to be stressed either. If I were you, I’d be happy to get them to the point where they simply coexist together without any conflict. It’s also understandable that cat A is overly interested in her if he wasn’t around any other cats. Just give them plenty of time till they’ll get used to each other’s company. It may be a long process so your patience is key. Good luck!

 

[Katy Perkins]

• The younger the cat coming into the household the more open the current resident(s) seems to be. When we added an adult cat to our household it took almost a year for the other two to get used to the idea. But when we added the kitten it only took a couple of months for the three previous residents to settle into the idea.
• Be sure the current resident has a place that is all theirs. They need an area where they do not have to share food or a litter box. It's best if both the new kitty and the current residents have this separate set up.
• Let the current resident approach the enclosure you have the new kitty in. If he shows obvious signs of dislike (hissing, arching back, attacking the bottom of the door) then wait to start letting the new kitty explore until these have subsided.
• Have a room or area where each cat is allowed to wander and let them into this area separately for a few hours each day. When they seem comfortable with this you can start thinking about supervised time together.