[Dave_ph]

I let new guy Buddha out to meet his new stepsisters for the first time yesterday. Then he let himself out two more times. He's strong and smart. I couldn't believe he pulled open a swinging door that had a book jammed in at the bottom and later a pocket door.

Fay the big girl stalked him. When he cornered himself once out in the pool enclosure he laid down but when she moved in he threw some paws, nothing connected. I stepped between them.

He lays down every time she comes near him.

Mia, half his size, follows him but is terrifed of his size. She was under an Ames Chair ottoman when he hopped on top. She hissed and threw a paw up. He bopped her lightly, almost playfully, on the head.

When Fay chased him behind the couch Mia came to the openning, hissed and he threw another paw at her.

So, I invested in some baby gates and he's in the bedroom now. He stays away from the gates Should I try introducing the others 1 at a time into HIS safe zone?

Is this start a bad start a sign.

I'll probably keep him gated in till next weekend when I have 3 exhausting days to monitor them.

How much should I interfere?

 

[Mom of 4]

It sounds like you are off to a good start. Anything short of a fight is great.
They are sorting out their boundaries and pecking order. Sounds like Fay is going to be in charge and Buddha already recognizes it, which is good. Mia and Buddha may end up fast friends if she is following him around. Hissing is fine, a watch it buddy.

 

[Dave_ph]

He laid down several times when he cornerd himself near Fay. My vet said to expect he's submit to the female.

He's just soooo massive compared to Mia that he scares her. 7 lbs compared to 12 lbs. She cornered herself once in his room and when she hissed he sat and turned his head away.

When he first came out she sat there and he trotted by her to explore the house. When he saw her again he trotted at her too fast and she hissed and ran.

I've been thru an intro with the two girls that lasted about a month and a half and turned out well but I sure don't look forward to it. The difference was that Fay is a big slow cat and Mia is a remarkably fast, bright and agile little cat so she learned to manage Fay.

Buddha is big, athletic, young and confident. A bigger challenge for Mia.

I'm gonna be doing a lot of cuddling and reasuring for the next few weeks.

Another big problem is that right now I only get 1/3 of the bed, there are sometimes tiny spats there for position at night. I may have to learn to sleep curled up.

 

[Dave_ph]

Buddha is a big kitty

Fay guarding the gate

Poor quality from outside the gate but Buddha is loving the cat tree

 

[Goldtanker]

Another big problem is that right now I only get 1/3 of the bed, there are sometimes tiny spats there for position at night. I may have to learn to sleep curled up.

I'm thinking you have done such a good job that you may have to give up the bed and sleep in an insulated box outside. :lol:

 

[dweamgoil]

I only let one cat sleep with me at a time. It is usually Egypt. If not, there will be fighting in the middle of the night. I lock the others out, and she runs in right before bedtime and claims her spot after the nightly petting and headbutts, of course. It is our nightly ritual. The other cats curl up with each other in the living room.

As you know, cats go thru phases so when Egypt is feeling too frisky or wants to be stubborn and won't come in the room with me, then I let another have a turn, but it's always one at a time.

 

[marie73]

Can you feed all of them right on each side of the baby gate? (You've probably already tried this.)

 

[Dave_ph]

Best pic I've gotten of Mr B's face. Thru the screen from outside.

I think I'll give the kids a break for the rest of the day now that the baby gates are up and wait till tomorrow night for the next meeting

Buddha's eaten next to the gate. And during a face-off with Fay. When he started to chase Mia he was distracted when he say a plate of food and stopped to eat.
He's an eating machine. When I offered Fay food near him she wouldn't take her eyes off him to eat.

I've also moved him from room to room so that they can scent each other.

Fay was growling at him thru the gate a minute ago but stopped and relaxed when I started petting her. He stays back from the gate though.

 

[marie73]

What a sweet, soulful face!

 

[doodlebug]

They're doing fine. He's showing submission to both girls...turning his head away when Mia hissed at him is good. That she hissed and then ran is also good. None of them are showing attacking aggression...you should have relative calm in a week or two.

 

[Dave_ph]

Fay was showing aggression until she embarassed herself.

I'd left the sliding door to the pool enclosure openned wide enough for little Mia to escape thru but not wide enough for Mr B or Fay, who was out by the pool while Mia and Mr. B were meeting inside.

Fay tried to get in as Mr B was walking toward the openning from his side. She got her head in but couldn't get the rest of her body thru. When she tried to back out she had her head stuck. She did manage to pull back just before Mr B got there and after that she was more cautious with him.

 

[Dave_ph]

I went to the grocery store to get a rotessiere chicken for Mia to make up for all the excitement. When I got back he was out wandering the house. 47 inches of stacked baby gate didn't stop him.

Looks like no one is the worse for it.

 

[Dave_ph]

Mr. Buddha is still having a problem with the girls and he's hard to contain. I don't want him chasing after little Mia but I think she hisses and encourages him. I want them to see more of each other but when I jammed the door open a bit he was still able to move it and get out. When I left a heavy hard to move pocket door openned a little he was able to move it. He laughed at baby gates stacked 4 feet high but now I have him stumped. At least for a while. And who doesn't need a screen door on an interior room. Home depot: an unfinished wood screen door + velcroe.

Fay is at the door giving him the evil eye. He literaly walked backwards when Mia and Fay approached but maybe time and exposure will help. He's hanging on the cat tree far from the door though.

 

[Dave_ph]

Mia just chased Buddha out of the bedroom, down the hall, across the living room and into the kitchen!!!

As of today she's not intimidated by his size. I think he's been trying to play with her for a while but now he's gonna learn Mia can approach the speed of light when she turns on the afterburners.

I'm not sure if it was play or not. A few minutes before that I saw Mia walking purposefully toward the bedroom and her ears were at 1/4 back.

Funny because I'd just told my Vet on Friday that Mia was intimidated by Buddhas size and his running at her (I think just to sniff her butt) and my was was amazed. Her response was "But Buddha is such a wuss". I didn't know Vets judged cats like that.

I can't wait to get a pic of Buddha and Mia together. His being double her weight doesn't tell the story. He looks like he's 3 times her size.

 

[Dave_ph]

She has serious confidence. Liittle Mia just chased him thru the house twice this morning and has him trapped under a table. She must have heard my Vet say that Buddha's a wimp.

I doubt she'll keep it up though. She's a good girl. He'll end up being a cuddle budy.

This note brought to you by being called by work at 5:15 in the morning.

 

[marie73]

Great updates, Dave!

I'm not sure if it was play or not. A few minutes before that I saw Mia walking purposefully toward the bedroom and her ears were at 1/4 back.

When my twins get going with each other, their ears are sometimes seriously FLAT, but it's just play.