Inside feral introduction not going well??

I feel lost. I have 3 ferals upstairs that I rescued. Trying to bring 2 more in with them. They are all from the same colony but it has been about four months since they have seen each other.

I followed suggestions by putting the new ones in a bedroom, traded toys, bedding, and fed treats outside closed door to each. It's been a week and I put up child gate. My most friendly feral that stays out was not happy with them. They are sisters but I understand that doesn't mean much. I guess they didn't remember each other from the colony either.

One climbed over the child gate and was happy to explore cautiously with me close by. My resident rescue watched for a few minutes then creeped up to new one and hissing began. I just stayed back and watched. When she started toward the new one it looked like a fight might happen. I coughed to distract them and managed to get new one back in her room.

I am putting screen door on the bedroom today so they can "hiss" and visit through the door and get more comfortable with each other.

Should I do something different?

How long should I leave the screen door up before trying again?

The resident rescues have stopped running the halls playing. They play on the floor in the den next to me and in a game room on the opposite end of the upstairs. Will they get back to their old routine?

I feel so bad for them all and don't want to make it worse because I am clueless with cats. New to cats, always had dogs. I only have love and respect for who they are and need any suggestions that you might offer.

This is a wonderful thing you're doing.

First of all - are they all spayed and neutered? That is a must.

And if it's been four months since they've seen each other, they're kind of "old" for ferals - which means you have the issues of them becoming comfortable in your home and with you to begin with.

One week is nothing in this time frame. I would leave the screen door up for a couple of months until the new pair are more comfortable with you and in your new home before worrying about the "cat introductions" per se.

But with ferals that are 5 - 6 months, I would anticipate that working to socialize them would take at least a few months of being confined to one room to begin with. Cats are territorial animals, and when it comes to socializing, it's best done in a small space before giving them free roam of a home.

But if you have more questions or want to clarify anything, please feel free to ask.

Just as an FYI, we rescued two feral kitty brothers. They were about 10 weeks old, and we rescued them one week apart - and we didn't know about separating them and as we lived in an RV at the time so we didn't really have any space to separate them anyway - but we were pretty sure that Lazlo was trying to kill Shelly at first! So them being siblings really does have nothing to do with accepting each other!

Laurie

Thank you for the advice. I have never had cats and am learning as I go, sometimes after the fact. Having feral rescues just adds to the mystery puzzle.

They are all spayed, one male neutered and all vet checked and vaccinated.
The first 3 were in one room and now have a small den, a large game room and a hall to run up and down. New 2 (all from same colony) were moved from a bathroom to a bedroom/cat room, no bed limited furniture.

First group is doing excellent. The youngest was about 6 mo old at beginning and she is my friend. Plays and follows me around and stretches out on loveseat with me. Another one was 2 yrs old and she stays out and plays with the others, me sometimes as well. 4 yr old male will hang around. Slow going, but he is doing well and enjoying life. So be it.

Question: One of the new ones (both about 10-12 mo old) will start crying or whining with some hissing after crying. I feed them all a treat of deli meat on both sides of screen. Sometimes I lie down in front of screen door and she comes over and lies down and will settle down. She seems content as right now she is sprawled out belly up asleep. She is maybe six feet fron me and the other new kid is a foot away from me asleep also. Old group one is a few feet from me on my side of the screen door sprawled out asleep. I understand the hissing through the screen, but what is the crying and whining? She's not hurt and goes to sleep when I get there.

Adding this: I just watched my cryer get on the back of her room mate and bite or hold on to the back of her neck. Like she mounted and scruffed her neck! Maybe some sort of transferring agression or stress. Feliway and Rescue remedy are being used. I worry about the cat in there with her. First time I have seen this. They usually sleep next to each other, although not snuggled.

I am so glad to know that I can just let them be for awhile to hopefully work out the hissing. Do I need to do anything different about the crying/behavior? She didn't cry when they were in the master bath. You are kind to share your wisdom. Sounds like you have many experiences that would make interesting reading. Thank you for your time.

Darlene

So there are four females, one male - and they're all fixed? Just want to make sure I've got it straight.

Originally Posted by Skimble

Question: One of the new ones (both about 10-12 mo old) will start crying or whining with some hissing after crying. I feed them all a treat of deli meat on both sides of screen. Sometimes I lie down in front of screen door and she comes over and lies down and will settle down. She seems content as right now she is sprawled out belly up asleep. She is maybe six feet fron me and the other new kid is a foot away from me asleep also. Old group one is a few feet from me on my side of the screen door sprawled out asleep. I understand the hissing through the screen, but what is the crying and whining? She's not hurt and goes to sleep when I get there.

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The hissing after crying, I've never seen. I wonder if she's hissing at the other kitty with her? One of the cats through the screen? We've had feral kittens cry to get back outside - though I've never actually seen an older feral cry. All that we've worked with were obviously taught by their mums to not talk or make any noise at all. Why she would cry now and not in the bathroom (maybe too afraid - everything too new?) I don't know, I'm sorry.

Originally Posted by Skimble

Adding this: I just watched my cryer get on the back of her room mate and bite or hold on to the back of her neck. Like she mounted and scruffed her neck! Maybe some sort of transferring agression or stress. Feliway and Rescue remedy are being used. I worry about the cat in there with her. First time I have seen this. They usually sleep next to each other, although not snuggled.

Click to expand...

This is definitely a dominance thing. They've only been in there a short while - I expect it's just working out boundaries, though it could be misplaced aggression from the other kitties through the screen. If she's not hurting the other cat and there's not much truly aggressive fighting between the two newbies together in the room (ears back, growling, tail agitated, attack), I wouldn't worry.

As to the crying behavior - I really don't know what to suggest. One thing is for sure - I wouldn't come running every time I hear it. If she's doing it for attention, all you'd be doing is reinforcing that crying gets attention. Sorry I can't be of more help here - hopefully someone else will come along that has experienced this.

for what you're doing!

Laurie