About how long the introduction process takes? We have kept our new kitten and resident cats seperate for 2 weeks now. I'm not ready to take the next step which probably will be feeding them on opposite sides of the door. Maybe another week or two. In the meantime I've mostly been exchanging sleeping blankets back and forth. So far that's working.
I'm very worried about our Smuj because he's still hissing if the kitten's scent is real strong on something. We tried the vanilla and it didn't work but I still put it on them every other day (seems to last quite a while). I'm determined to make this work!
I have had my new kitten a little over a week and introdued them right away and the play togther sleep togther eat togther... Mija growls a little bit sometime if I hug and kiss on her while the Lola is jumping on her but they are fine and enjoy each other. oh but don't get me wrong it was **** for 4 days.
I would say just let them handle it with each other, your older cat will relize she it just a little kitten. You should try and talk to them and explain why you have brought a new kitten in to there home.
I sat down and talk to mija when I finally got feed up with her attitude. I layed on the floor two feet from her, to be on her same level and told her to stop acting silly and to try and rember when she was little and how she lived with all kind's of cat's and how they played and sleeped togther and eat togtherand reasured her that i was not replacing her and showered her with love and affection. I feel it really help the next day she was already acting diffrent towards Lola she getting closer to her smelling her ect.
Mija now try's to clean Lola like she is her mommy.
I know i'm new but I just went thought the same ordeal maybe I helped But the best of wish to you... try the vanilla thing. I had to give them both flea medication that gose on the neck, this was before they played nice nice and even then they looked after each other because you know that stuff makes them feel a little weird at first. this helped there bonding. It also made them smell the same.
I think you're probably safe for a face-to-face introduction at this point. I've always kept my cats separate for just a few days, and then I let them meet. It's always gone well, and within days they are interacting together and playing.
Two weeks! Phew!! I wouldn't put off the inevitable anymore! Let them meet - just make sure that you stay close to separate them if things get heated 8O
Thanks for the advice. I probably should try the intro but I'm so worried that it won't go well. I'm having company the end of this week and they'll be here for 6 days. I was thinking it might be best to wait till they leave.
This kitten is so small. She's only about a 1/16 of my resident cats size....maybe even smaller. For some strange reason we always end up with very big cats. I've had 7 cats all together and every one of them...well...huge....not necessarily fat, just big!
But anyway, I'm afraid Smuj will hurt her....I'm not worried about Bagheera, he's been great with her. Smuj is very big and very heavy and strong. By far the strongest cat I've ever had.
I think it's safer to be careful. I guess it ultimately depends on Smuj's personality. Is he pretty adaptable? If not then it's better to do this on his terms.
I had one introduction (that started just like yours - two weeks separate and my cat was still hissing - she hated even going past the closed door where the kitten was!) that took a long time to settle down. My older cat wasn't back to her normal personality for almost a year. So I think it's wiser to wait and be sure. The good thing is that MOST introductions go better than that! It was a traumatic experience for us all.
Thanks Heather. Smuj is doing exactly what you said.....won't go near the door where the kitten is! We brought her out for just a minute earlier today and he ran into his room and hid on top of the cabinets. He's such a scaredy cat!! :lol:
We're going to try supervised visits starting tonight for only about an hour. We'll see how that goes. :|
Try putting the kitten in a carrier where Smuj may feel safe and the kitten is safe. Let Smuj check out the cage at his own pace, when he feels comfortable. Barnaby was a scaredy cat too.
Read my recent thread on the cat introduction. I was a wreck for a while but it's much better now.
Thanks! It just so happens that we borrowed a kennel from my brother to use for the kitten when our guests come. It's a perfect opportunity to try this out. I was going to use the kennel only at night when we are sleeping but I'll try it for a bit during the day.
We brought her out last night for about 45 minutes. We put her in the living room and shut all bedroom doors. This way our resident cats could only go in the livingroom, dining room, kitchen and playroom and thier own room (the laundry room). Bagheera was actually sitting with her and watching everything she did. He would jump back a bit if she accidentally touched him but other than that he was fine. The minute Smuj saw her he hissed and then ran into his room and hid on top of the cabinets till she went back to her own room! :roll: He's the biggest scaredy cat I've ever seen! :lol:
I've heard that most adult cats will make a lot of noise, but won't hurt a young kitten... I don't know how true it is, but that's what I'vebeen told. I do know that there was a lot of noise from Otis when I first brought Jazz home, but no physical fighting. I'd say your cats have got to meet some time - no time like the present. Just make sure you have a water bottle or towel around to break them up in case they do become physical, them separate them in their rooms to calm down and thry again later....
Gee, listening to all of you with your kitty-meeting stories makes me realize how lucky I was. In less than one week my two were grooming each other.
Wow...you WERE lucky. It's so funny that when we have brought her out, the minute Smuj sees her he runs into his room. So I guess I don't have to worry too much about him hurting her although I wouldn't take the chance...I'd still watch them like a hawk.
Thanks everyone for the advice. We're trying the kennel thing tonight. Wish me luck!
Wow...you WERE lucky. It's so funny that when we have brought her out, the minute Smuj sees her he runs into his room. So I guess I don't have to worry too much about him hurting her although I wouldn't take the chance...I'd still watch them like a hawk.
Thanks everyone for the advice. Wish me luck! We're trying the kennel thing tonight.
Those of us that have indoor cats - I guess a fair few of us have cat trees. Lukas is very much an indoor boy (always has been apparently - I adopted him about two weeks ago). So anyway. I'd love to see cat tree pics. Here are the ones I brought for Lukas.
Hello all,
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