When To Let New Cat Interact With Resident?

[Jmiller1011]

Hi! Thought I should start a new thread on even to start integrating my cards and have them meet. My new 6 month old kitty is starting to get antsy in the bathroom. I've been thinking about moving her into the spare bedroom I have and keeping my resident kitty roaming. They are playing through the crack of the door now with minimal hissing from Grey (new kitty) it will be 2 weeks tomorrow that I've had her now. Should I start face to face introductions?

 

[Jmiller1011]

Typos galore! Sorry! Lol. "Start to integrate my cats and have them meet"

 

[SDerailed]

If they are playing through the door then they are aware of each other and seem to be ok with it. I think it is time to put up a baby grate in the door and let them have face to face time!

 

[Jmiller1011]

I let them meet for about 2 minutes. The gates I got aren't small enough for the bathroom door they seemed to be ok with each other. I think I was more scared than they were, lol! The gates didnt want to hold properly. Actually, I noticed that the bathroom door is narrower than the bedroom door. I may have to improvise or move Grey (new kitty) to the bedroom, also so that she has more space to roam.

 

[rubysmama]

I let them meet for about 2 minutes.

How'd it go between them?

 

[Jmiller1011]

They did really well! No hissing or growling they went to smell each other without any issues. I was so happy there wasn't any issues right off the bat

 

[KarenKat]

You are so lucky! When we introduced Olive it was months before they could be even in the same room together (although she was an adult cat). How happy that the first intro went well! Congrats!

 

[Jmiller1011]

I can't wait to see them chill together they both have the same energy, I hope they eventually wear each other out with playing.

 

[jen]

Oh they should be fine together then. I would go for it! Just let them be together for the day on your next day off. Remember that growling and hissing are OK and you need to let it happen. If they start just watch them closely to see if it is just one being vocal to the other or both are being vocal to each other. This is just mainly for your own benefit. If it escalates separate them again for a bit. But don't freak out if they "talk" to each other like that. This is how cats communicate and I almost worry more if there is no vocalizations lol.

 

[kissthisangel]

First, I'd swap the area between them to mix smells and environment. and then do another face to face. How old is your resident? younger cats will generally be able to form bonds more easily but a young and older cat can still get on well if things are controlled.

If there has been sniffing, and no biting or hissing then that is really great. Before you let them have another face to face get down to cat level and make sure there are no areas either one can be cornered. That's so important. Chasing, hissing and some slapping is normally part of play anyway, but a cornered cat can be more aggressive so to remove the possibility (if you can) of a cornering situation should help with smooth transitions.

 

[Jmiller1011]

My resident is 1 and a half. Both cats are female. They had another face to face today and after a minute there was hissing from the new cat. Also I ended up putting a gate blocking off the spare room and bathroom from resident kitty to new cat and let new cat explore the spare room where I usually put resident kitty. Everything was ok then new kitty started hissing at resident kitty through the gate and even lunged at it. Resident kitty didnt do anything except cower a bit and move backwards.