Sorry if these have been covered already...I've been trying to research so many different things that I'm getting overwhelmed, particularly with some contradictory information out there.
We're on Day 3 of the Jack-Sophie-Togetherness time, and thus far, no one's lost an eye, fur, tail, or any blood.
Now that Soph's had some time to get used to the idea of a second cat in the house, she's behaving more like I expected her to - the dominance-seeking, territorial female trying to lay down some ground rules.
So, here are my questions:
1. Is it okay to let each cat into the other's "home base" at this point? Since I only really have 2 rooms that are "mine" (and right now, one cat in each of the rooms!), this seems inevitable, but I can't help but wonder if this may cause additional territorial issues.
2. They seem to be making a big show of using, sniffing, and digging around one another's litter boxes, which is one of the things they will spat over consistently (mostly Sophie will - Jack just sits down in his "Perfect Angel Cat" pose and watches her). Should I be keeping them out of each others' boxes?
3. Most of their "arguments" consist of Sophie hissing/growling or pawing (no claws that I've seen so far) at Jack to warn him off one of "her" particular spots. On one occasion though, she exhibited classic "territorial aggression," hopping on Jack's back and giving him a nip on the neck (no real pressure, and no marks left). I've read conflicting opinions as to whether to allow this (as long as they are not causing injury to one another) or immediately step in. Would love to hear the TCS community take.
4. Does male cat urine normally have a much stronger smell than the female's? I have never gotten even a HINT of a cat smell from Sophie's box, but Jack uses the box one time, and it overpowers even the scented litter which has worked so well for me up until now. Is this just typical for males, or is he actually "spraying" in the box to try and claim territory?
These two have an odd dynamic. Jack isn't really submissive, but he's very...passive, for lack of a better word. If she warns him off, he will usually back off a few paces and then sit down on his haunches with his tail wrapped around him. He keeps up a running dialogue the entire time the two are together (and cries his poor head off whenever I separate them). For her part, Soph watches him like a hawk, but will often make a show of lying down on her side, all stretched out (which surprised me because it shows her belly, at least in part).
Anyway, sorry for the question spam and my typical extremely-wordy posts...additional advice/suggestions and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Things seem mostly normal/smooth for now, but I don't want to do things incorrectly and mess up what could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
We're on Day 3 of the Jack-Sophie-Togetherness time, and thus far, no one's lost an eye, fur, tail, or any blood.
Now that Soph's had some time to get used to the idea of a second cat in the house, she's behaving more like I expected her to - the dominance-seeking, territorial female trying to lay down some ground rules.So, here are my questions:
1. Is it okay to let each cat into the other's "home base" at this point? Since I only really have 2 rooms that are "mine" (and right now, one cat in each of the rooms!), this seems inevitable, but I can't help but wonder if this may cause additional territorial issues.
2. They seem to be making a big show of using, sniffing, and digging around one another's litter boxes, which is one of the things they will spat over consistently (mostly Sophie will - Jack just sits down in his "Perfect Angel Cat" pose and watches her). Should I be keeping them out of each others' boxes?
3. Most of their "arguments" consist of Sophie hissing/growling or pawing (no claws that I've seen so far) at Jack to warn him off one of "her" particular spots. On one occasion though, she exhibited classic "territorial aggression," hopping on Jack's back and giving him a nip on the neck (no real pressure, and no marks left). I've read conflicting opinions as to whether to allow this (as long as they are not causing injury to one another) or immediately step in. Would love to hear the TCS community take.
4. Does male cat urine normally have a much stronger smell than the female's? I have never gotten even a HINT of a cat smell from Sophie's box, but Jack uses the box one time, and it overpowers even the scented litter which has worked so well for me up until now. Is this just typical for males, or is he actually "spraying" in the box to try and claim territory?
These two have an odd dynamic. Jack isn't really submissive, but he's very...passive, for lack of a better word. If she warns him off, he will usually back off a few paces and then sit down on his haunches with his tail wrapped around him. He keeps up a running dialogue the entire time the two are together (and cries his poor head off whenever I separate them). For her part, Soph watches him like a hawk, but will often make a show of lying down on her side, all stretched out (which surprised me because it shows her belly, at least in part).
Anyway, sorry for the question spam and my typical extremely-wordy posts...additional advice/suggestions and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Things seem mostly normal/smooth for now, but I don't want to do things incorrectly and mess up what could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
It seems to depend on whether she catches him in the act of going in to what she feels is HER box, or if she sees him when he's already in there. If she catches him going in, she'll try to head him off (or bat at his tail as he goes in); if he's already in there, she'll try to "spy" on him from afar, then scold him a bit when he comes out. And if he gets curious when she's in the box and comes too close, she'll come flying out hissing.
