Assimilating a stray

Agreed. I think sometimes you have to go with your gut too - to gauge how things are going when you use the 'by the books' recommendations. I have a thread currently where I'm letting my 11 month old cat interact with his feral momma. It's a little nerve wracking hearing growling/hissing if you've never heard that before with cats. I'm basically learning as I go.

Hoping you'll post an update.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try to be more patient (not one of my strong suits)

So yesterday Molly was sitting in front of the door like she wanted to go in again. I opened it. Little One was standing on the bed. Molly immediately jumped on the bed with her and got about six inches away. They both stood there frozen for a few seconds - Little One seemed very calm, almost respectful. Finally Molly hissed so I took her out. Both cats seemed fine after the encounter - no agitated behavior or vocalizing, just back to business as usual. Not sure what to think but I don't believe it was a negative experience for either.

so far, I'm just playing this by ear.

Sounds like a typical reaction. So did you do the scent swapping techniques, where you rub kitty a with a towel and put that towel by kitty b's food, etc? I think playing it by ear like you're doing and doing brief intervals of introductions is just great. Watch their tails and ears and read their body language. There are links here about doing cat intros - if you want a link let me know and I can post.

I think things are going great.

Originally Posted by killerapple

Sounds like a typical reaction.

So did you do the scent swapping techniques, where you rub kitty a with a towel and put that towel by kitty b's food, etc? I think playing it by ear like you're doing and doing brief intervals of introductions is just great. Watch their tails and ears and read their body language. There are links here about doing cat intros - if you want a link let me know and I can post.

I think things are going great.

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Thanks, killerapple. A link would be great. Still finding my way around.

Haven't tried to towel method yet.

Here is an article:

http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/4...cing-Cats.html

And here is a really helpful thread:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67321

The scent swapping is really important so I would recommend you start that asap honestly. Things sound like they're going ok between them, but that will really help.

Since they have already met without big issues, I would try to let them meet each other a few times a day, even if it's just through a cracked door. Also do the scent swapping thing. Rub one down with something fabric and give it to the other, and vice-versa. They will let you know if you are taking things too fast, lol.

As far as intros go, "playing by ear" is the best way to go.

Originally Posted by KatKisses

Since they have already met without big issues,

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Right, some little hissing now and then is no big deal. You can usually hear if it is mostly "duty ful" hiss or a real warning hiss...


Here by the description I guess it was a dutyful hiss..

I know what you mean Stefan, lol. There is the "serious" hiss and the "half-hearted" hiss, lol.



I just thought of another idea: Once you get cat #1's scent on a towel, give it to cat #2 and put her dry food on it. This way "funny smell=good things."

Thanks for the links, killerapple. Very helpful.

Stefan & katkisses: I'm pretty sure it was duty-ful LOL. More like - 'hey whoever you are, this is MY house and don't you forget it.'

I've got a towel working in LO's room right now. I love the idea of putting dry food on it. Thanks for that!

Your welcome, if I can think of anything else I will post it for you. I am introducing a new cat to my household either today or tomorrow, so I have to see how that goes, lol.

Originally Posted by KatKisses

I just thought of another idea: Once you get cat #1's scent on a towel, give it to cat #2 and put her dry food on it. This way "funny smell=good things."

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If you can, get one towel and put it under the food dish and then user the other for treats or playing with wand toys, etc. When you rub the towel on the kitties, especially focus on base of tail & cheeks. Then watch the reaction to the smelly towel.

Some people have had success putting a dab of vanilla extract at the base of both cats tails - so they all smell the same. Haven't tried it with my 2 (can't touch my feral) but it may be worth a shot later down the road if there are issues.

Hi orpheygene

Im actually going thru the SAME issue right now - you are farther along though - but this thread has helped me figure things out.

I felt I first had to introduce the new stray to my dog. Felt they may have a problem since the dog lunged at the cat a few times - even growled but today they were practically sleeping next to each other. SO HAPPY!!!! :

ANYWAY... just wanted you to know I post a LOT of questions here about ferals (i stress VERY easily and come here for support). I myself have felt like you... (now, I personally MAY annoy some here) BUT i know there is ALWAYS someone here willing to help. (as by now Im sure youve found out). So in the future you dont need to feel that way. Its ALL about helping these cats.

So I tried the towel thing. I rubbed Little One (the stray) down with it. (She seemed to like the towel. It occurred to me she'd probably never had one of her own before LOL) Anyway, she slept on it and rubbed her face all over it. So I took it out to Molly and put dry food on it. So far, she's sniffed it a few times but seems basically uninterested - in the towel or the dry food! I'll keep watching.

Originally Posted by m935

Hi orpheygene

Im actually going thru the SAME issue right now - you are farther along though - but this thread has helped me figure things out.

I felt I first had to introduce the new stray to my dog. Felt they may have a problem since the dog lunged at the cat a few times - even growled but today they were practically sleeping next to each other. SO HAPPY!!!!

:

ANYWAY... just wanted you to know I post a LOT of questions here about ferals (i stress VERY easily and come here for support). I myself have felt like you... (now, I personally MAY annoy some here) BUT i know there is ALWAYS someone here willing to help. (as by now Im sure youve found out). So in the future you dont need to feel that way. Its ALL about helping these cats.

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Such great news about the bonding between your stray & your dog! Hope it goes as well with the other kitty.

Yes, you're right. I have been impressed with the level of caring about cats that goes on here. It warms my heart as I have a special weakness for these souls. I'm so honored and privileged to have saved my Little One's life. I'm happily responsible for it now. Just don't want my Molly to feel displaced in any way - which is why I'm being careful about the pace of this whole thing.

Originally Posted by orpheygene

Just don't want my Molly to feel displaced in any way -

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Right, this is the next step. Or if you get home a friendly cat who is immediately admitted into the whole house.

It is nice and necessary to cuddle and give the new one much attention. But one of the keys is to cuddle much with the resident!

The point is to keep the resident happy. If the resident is happy, he will easier accept the newcomer. No issues with jelaousy, nor feeling of being displaced either.
The resident must remain nr 1 both in hierarchy (unless he voluntarily step down) - and cuddling.

Beisides, you want also the resident to be friend with the newcomer, not enemy.

The newcomer, being new, is not expecting to be cuddled as much as the resident. So he will probably not even notice he is cuddled less.


Your resident smelled a little on the towel without saying much. This is actually a good sign.
IF she did minded the smell, she would show something. Perhaps even hiss on the smell itself.
She has no reason to love the newcomer yet, so of course, no warm attachment either - as yet.

Sasha, who showed up on our doorstep 3 years ago, Is coping with a newer arrival, Marlow, who came inside 3 months ago.

StephanZ is on target with the advice to give the resident the lion's share of the attention. It is working well here at our home. Sasha is always giving "that look" when we give Marlow attention. Marlow could care less that Sasha is getting way more.

Originally Posted by orpheygene

So I tried the towel thing. I rubbed Little One (the stray) down with it. (She seemed to like the towel. It occurred to me she'd probably never had one of her own before LOL) Anyway, she slept on it and rubbed her face all over it. So I took it out to Molly and put dry food on it. So far, she's sniffed it a few times but seems basically uninterested - in the towel or the dry food!

I'll keep watching.

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That's great!!!!! Molly's lack of interest is good. Little One's happiness with the new scent is awesome.

Does Little One understand what toys are? One thing you may want to try when you have the two together again is to distract them from focusing on each other and try to get them to both play with a wand toy, like Da Bird.

Wow, things have really progressed well! I'm so sorry you felt no one was interested - please do remember that we get busy with other things sometimes... and I hate to say it, when I just have a few minutes for TCS, I tend to check thread's I'm pretty current on If I have two or three pages to read through, when time-constrained, I just can't get to it.

Stefan is so right! The more attention you give Molly - especially when she's in the room with Little One, the better. In fact - the whole idea of scent swapping kind of "transfers" to both attention and play. The root of the idea in scent-swapping is to get each kitty to associate each other with "good" things - and food is a big one (thus putting a Little One scented towel under Molly's dish and a Molly scented towel under Little One's dish).

...but you can take it further. Because in any new introduction, the desire is a) for the cats to get along - it is also b) for the resident to accept the newbie. So you want the resident to think the new kitty means more attention for resident kitty, more fun for resident kitty. If Molly likes to play, during one of the "intro" sessions, play with Molly. Let Little One watch. When done, put treats down on a Little One scented towel for Molly to gobble up (you can give Little One some treats too - on a Molly scented towel wouldn't hurt.)

But having resident seeing you play with and love on resident kitty only helps build trust and understanding of how wonderful YOU are.... and then resident kitty learns that having the new kitty around means ALL kinds of wonderful things!

Buy some new toys - and introduce one to Molly during an intro session. Let her think having Little One around is a total party!

Thank you guys for all your comments. We had the most successful meeting yet. Molly wanted to go into LO's room. LO was inside a big plastic hut and just stayed there and watched Molly sniff out everything. Molly found a scratcher with catnip, scratched on it, then flopped down, rubbing herself all over it. LO got curious and started to creep - every so slowly - out of the hut toward Molly. Molly looked at her. LO came closer. Molly hopped up on the bed, then settled into what I call the 'meatloaf' position - you know. LO sat on the floor. They stayed like that for a few minutes. Then Molly got off the bed and started to examine LO's toys. (Yes, by the way - she is familiar with toys and loves them) LO just watched. Eventually, Molly walked out. It lasted about 10 minutes, I'd say.

My question is - should I go with this approach a little longer - i.e. let Molly guide the way? Or should I start to let LO out to explore Molly's territory. It might be too soon for that, but I'm not sure. Would love to hear what you guys think.

Yup, know the meatloaf.

That is going well! We always had problems with female-female intros.

Personally, I think it's too soon to let LO out to explore. I'd keep this up for a little while until they actually interact a little more. Molly might think she's not here to stay yet, you know?