Introducing old cat to new cat?

#17
The newbie was a foster cat so I just separated them until he found a home. But I do have 14 cats and everyone gets along at least reasonably well. Some ignore others and some will swat ones they don't like as they walk by. But there are no actual fights. Nothing I have to break up and none that cause any harm. I have a lot of experience introducing new cats both foster and permanent and I am telling you your guys sound like they are doing great. Just relax and keep an eye on them. Have a squirt bottle nearby just in case but I really doubt you are going to have any problems. Also if you are really freaking out cats can sense your mood. Try to be calm. Some of my guys that have ended up being best friends started out hissing and hiding. They will be fine.



rkmc12 said:
A fight is my biggest fear. Did your cats ever get along?
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#19
Thanks again. I let them near each other and a brief skirmish of yowls and flying fur broke out. Old cat is sitting in the doorway of a nearby room while new cat is growling and hiding behind my dresser. Do you think time will help them get along?

Thanks again
 
#21
Cindi said:
The newbie was a foster cat so I just separated them until he found a home. But I do have 14 cats and everyone gets along at least reasonably well. Some ignore others and some will swat ones they don't like as they walk by. But there are no actual fights. Nothing I have to break up and none that cause any harm. I have a lot of experience introducing new cats both foster and permanent and I am telling you your guys sound like they are doing great. Just relax and keep an eye on them. Have a squirt bottle nearby just in case but I really doubt you are going to have any problems. Also if you are really freaking out cats can sense your mood. Try to be calm. Some of my guys that have ended up being best friends started out hissing and hiding. They will be fine.
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Thanks again for your advice. We've been keeping my door open (with supervision) so they can interact. She growls and hisses and hides under the bed while the old cat just sits there and stares at her until he gets bored. I know I'm being overly worried but they will eventually have to tolerate each other right?
 
#22
The behavior is totally normal. Old cat just told New cat that he is the boss and doesn't take any crap. New cat is going to test the boundaries just like a little kid. They will eventually work everything out. They will probably become friends if Old cat is tolerating New cat so well. Worse case they will just ignore each other and co-exist. I wouldn't even think about the final outcome for at least 4 weeks. After 1 month whatever the situation is at that time will probably be where it will stay. I know it is hard to wait to see what happens but everything is going well so far.



rkmc12 said:
Thanks again for your advice. We've been keeping my door open (with supervision) so they can interact. She growls and hisses and hides under the bed while the old cat just sits there and stares at her until he gets bored. I know I'm being overly worried but they will eventually have to tolerate each other right?
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#23
Cindi said:
The behavior is totally normal. Old cat just told New cat that he is the boss and doesn't take any crap. New cat is going to test the boundaries just like a little kid. They will eventually work everything out. They will probably become friends if Old cat is tolerating New cat so well. Worse case they will just ignore each other and co-exist. I wouldn't even think about the final outcome for at least 4 weeks. After 1 month whatever the situation is at that time will probably be where it will stay. I know it is hard to wait to see what happens but everything is going well so far.
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Thanks again. New cat finally ventured out of my room and older cat ran at her and a fight broke out. I guess I'm just concerned he'll do this every time she comes out and she won't want to leave my room (or stop growling at me).
 
#24
You know what...I would leave them alone together and go out. Leave all doors/boundaries open and let them work it out. You are probably feeling very tense, which they probably pick up on. Really. Go out and let them figure it out.
 
#25
Ah, I have been through this one before. We adopted a brand spankin new kitten a couple of years ago while our "older" cat was about 4 at the time. We also have 1 foster kitten at any given time so we have had to introduce our 2 to a new kitty ever so often We followed these steps and have never had fighting or trouble. Hissing is NATURAL and NORMAL. Attacking and fighting is not. Sometimes playing looks rough, but as long as neither cat is hissing or growling or making scared sounds during romping around - then it is just play.

We followed this with much success: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/introducing_new_cat.html

Best of luck to you - keep us updated :biggrin:
 
#26
Thanks again to everyone. Every time she comes out our older cat runs at her and there is a scuffle of flying fur and howling. The new cat then retreats under my bed and growls. Right now the older cat is sleeping in my sister's room with the door shut while the new cat has the run of the house. She has not left the bathroom, I just feel bad that she is stressed out and hoping this will improve.

Here's new link, I hope this works.
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#27
gsmom said:
You know what...I would leave them alone together and go out. Leave all doors/boundaries open and let them work it out. You are probably feeling very tense, which they probably pick up on. Really. Go out and let them figure it out.
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I have been trying to not be tense around them but it is hard. Every time they see each other they fight. I've been keeping doors open and old cat will walk by my room, remember new cat is in there and run at her. They fight briefly and there is a lot of hissing and fur goes flying. New cat just hides under the bed. I'm hoping they eventually get used to each other but it looks grim right now.
 
#28
Please don't give up on them. I adopted my new kitty in June, 10 months after my old cat Maxine lost her best friend and litter mate from CRF. Maxine wanted no part of it. For the first couple of weeks there was a lot of hissing and growling and the occasional fur flying encounter. Eventually, they started to co-exist more peacefully, with Maxine simply trying to ignore/avoid Lana. 8 months later, they are just now starting to become friends and have started sleeping together on the bed with me. I even caught them grooming one another the other day. Believe me, at the beginning I had my doubts that they would ever get along.
 
#29
inspiredgem said:
Please don't give up on them. I adopted my new kitty in June, 10 months after my old cat Maxine lost her best friend and litter mate from CRF. Maxine wanted no part of it. For the first couple of weeks there was a lot of hissing and growling and the occasional fur flying encounter. Eventually, they started to co-exist more peacefully, with Maxine simply trying to ignore/avoid Lana. 8 months later, they are just now starting to become friends and have started sleeping together on the bed with me. I even caught them grooming one another the other day. Believe me, at the beginning I had my doubts that they would ever get along.
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Hello,
Did you separate them for some time or just let them together?
 
#30
OP, the separation thing works best but it can take a long time for Old Kitty and New Kitty to get used to the idea of living together. I would re-confine New Kitty to one room and start over--it will save everyone involved a lot of stress. No one is happy with the current situation.

I don't want this to evolve into a long post because I'm a little tipsy and need to go to bed but I can speak from the position of the housemate of ten cats, ages 12 to less than 1 . A slow, supervised introduction is key. I would like to recommend a book to you: Cat Vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat., by Pam Johnson-Bennett. It's truly a miracle. I know you're pressed for time so reading the chapters about introducing a new cat is the most important but you can you can't go wrong by reading the whole book. Cats are surprisingly complex little creatures who are territorial and don't like change; keeping that in mind is the first step. Re-confining New Kitty isn't going to do anything but relieve tension so please start there. Simply tossing a strange cat into the mix and hoping for the best works eventually because the cats have no choice but think how you'd feel. No one likes to be blind-sided and cats cope the only way they can which is "fight or flight"-- very unpleasant.

I have had experience using PJ-B's method and I can tell you, it WORKS. I am ashamed that I used to just chuck a new cat into the herd without a thought. At the risk of anthropomorphizing, i have to state that cats do have feelings. Please don't give up and please do a little research. Right now I am lounging on the couch with Laszlo,, my 10 year old alpha male, and on the back of the couch are Zuul (12) and Lucinda (<1); playing together quite nicely on the rug are Tiny Rufus (3) and Cosmo (6) . Arthur (3) and Clarence( (6) are snuggled in bed with my husband. Dolores (10) is snoozing on the other couch. It's so peaceful! And I really feel I owe this peace to doing the legwork necessary, whether it's reading the aforementioned book or just doing online research or asking for advice on tPF. I skimmed this thread and much as I love and respect all cat ladies I jhave to disagree with the " let them fight it out" approach. It's just too hard on the cats, KWIM? It can work for some cats but not for all cats and I really believe the goal should not be eventual tolerance but complete acceptance. It can happen.


There I went, right onto my soapbox when I swore I wouldn't! OP, take or leave this post in the spirit it was intended. In your first post it sounded like you were doing everything right, I think you may have just rushed things. And sometimes cats will just never get along. In spite of everything, my Gozer (12) and Hector(3) hate each other and just this past week Hector has taken to living on top of the bookcase--he only gets down to potty. I am overdue for some research, myself. I'm no expert!

Anyway---best of luck to you and your kitties. Everyone just wants a happy home, right? Keep trying! Shutting up now!

*pours one last glass of wine*
 
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