your opinion would be nice...

ok i know there's a couple of sticky threads that says how to intruduce an old cat to a new one and vice versa. but the new cat (socks) has been living with us for MONTHS, and the two of them just REFUSE to get along. alot of the time Socks stays in my room and we let peanuts run around the house, but sometimes I'll switch and let Socks run out while peanuts is in my room. it works fine if i do it that way, but if i let the two of them out together its a hiss fest, and they take swipes at each other.

so what should i do? will they EVER get along? any suggestions will be appriciated!

I thought that our old cat Hollie would NEVER get along with the new kitten we brought home just about two weeks ago. I mean, Hollie used to attack stuffed animals. I figured she would NEVER get along with a REAL cat and I was afraid that she would hurt the kitten. Anyway, we brought the kitten home and confinded her to her own room. Hollie would sit next to the door and hiss at the paws she could see under the door. I thought it would never be good. We did eveything on the post about introducing new cats to old but I was heartbroken to have to leave this little 4 month old kitten crying by herself at night. So only three DAYS after we brought the kitten home we decided to let them see each other. I held the kitten in my lap in the doorway of the room she was staying in while Hollie sat just outside of it. I sat there until I could no longer hear Hollie growling. After that I brought the kitten out to the living room and began playing with her. Hollie would sit in a corner and wait until the kitten was not looking and CHARGE at her and hiss and spit and growl and raise her paws like she was going to hurt her but she NEVER did. In doing that though, the kitten learned that Hollie was the alpha cat of the house. After that day, they have been fine.

My advice to you is to try holding the new cat where the old cat can see it, and see that its not as big of a threat as it thinks it is. I also think you should let them take some swipes at each other. As long as there is no blood you should be fine. If one of your cats wanted to hurt the other, they would do it. If that happens and the fur is flying, then you have to take the new cat away and confine him until the old cat settles, and try again the next day. I think many times, cats need to work it out by themselves and they need to establish a hierarchy and right now since they haven't really seen each other for a long period of time, there is none and that makes them both nervous. I am by FAR no expert, but I did manage to get a cat who hated even stuffed animals OK with a kitten in 3 days

I personally only tried the separate room thing once, and with my cats I think it only stressed them out more...because they couldn't see what they were smelling. I'm a sucker for strays so when I decide to introduce one to the family I just bring her in and keep an eye on her. Yes, there is hissing, batting, posturing but I've never had a fight. They are just setting the pecking order straight. I brought in 3 kittens in May and one of my adult cats still hiss and give that warning meow if they get in her "space", but she's never hurt them. In my opinion there is a hierarchy in the cat world that we don't understand and they have to get that straight before everyone can get along. Just keep an eye on them and after a few days they may not be friends (they may never will be buddies) but I'll bet there will be an understanding and things will be peaceful. Well, as peaceful as it can be with cats

ok thank you thank you thank you both of you for your ideas!!! i will try them...definately. yeahh im just so worried that a major fight will break out...espaecially scince the new cat is bigger than the old one. i guess i will try and let them hiss it out. maybe they need to let out the steam...

Let us know how it goes. They are both gorgeous babies!!