First contact

Better than anticipated...first Sasha and Tiggy were quietly smelling each other through the pet carrier. Then I opened the carrier...they quietly smelled each other nose to nose for a minute or so... Sasha gave Tiggy a hiss, Tiggy hissed back...

I put the pet carrier down and let Tiggy out, I gave them both kitty treats and made sure I petted them both...Sasha hissed at me twice. Tiggy went exploring, so I fed them both some wet food...Mr Sasha ate his saucerful in bed (hasn't left bed yet) while Tiggy ate at the "food station"...

Then I gave Sasha some kitty malt and Tiggy managed to hop in bed...Sasha hissed but calmed down at I proceeded to give them both the kitty malt. Then I laid down between them and Sasha seemed to relax. As I'm typing this, Sasha's still in bed while Tiggy's sitting on my lap.

I was a bit worried a few minutes ago: Sasha came out of bed and Tiggy went to greet him...they were about a foot apart, staring at each other. I stepped closer and observed, getting ready with the spray bottle... Sasha just backed down and jumped back in bed (without me having to step in).

Tiggy seems enamored with a sheep skin, so I placed it on the futon in the living room and put him on it...hopefully, Sasha's "bed territoriality" won't be threatened if Tiggy uses the futon/sheep skin. He's now hiding under the futon...

Wish me luck, I'm getting the feeling it's gonna be a looong night...

It has been a long night, but they allowed me to sleep a bit: Sasha snuggled up between my left arm and body and Tiggy to my right. There has been some more hissing from Sasha (as they both went to eat around 4am) and one stand-off moment as Sasha hissed and Tiggy growled back...but no fighting, pouncing or fur flying so far...that was just the first 12 hours...thank God I took some time off work!

Okay, so technically this is still day 1 (I brought Tiggy home last night). There's been a bit more hissing and growling from my older little one (Sasha) which I fully expected.

Tiggy has hissed back a few times but has been pretty laid back otherwise. I've been trying my darnedest not to take sides and treat them equally, though I did raise my voice a few times to let them know I don't approve of any nastiness.

In spite of the hissing and growling; no physical altercations of yet, no fur flying or "death bites to the throat"...a good sign I think.

Sasha was once in a household of 4 cats, so I hope his memory kicks in soon...I can't take many more sleepless nights like last night!

Day 2

Well, I slept better! Tiggy seems to want to socialize while Sasha's still a bit stand-offish...there was one moment where Tiggy tried to get close to Sasha yesterday, Sasha hissed and growled, Tiggy backed off and laid down. I stepped in saying "Okay, you made your point Sasha, Tiggy gets it. Let it go now."

It's only day 2...way back when, Sasha was hissing and growling at Geisha (a cat that passed away about 8 years ago) for three days straight before they were palling around again. Geisha had spent the night at the Vet to get her teeth scaled, and Sasha was being all nasty to her (probably smelled like the Vet).

So for a brand new kitten it might be longer...me needs to be patient!

Trying my best...a few times early yesterday Tiggy pounced on Sasha wanting to play...I'd pick him up, saying "Sasha's sleeping, are you trying to upset him?"

Fast forward to end of day yesterday; Sasha smelled Tiggy a few times without hissing (positive sign) and Tiggy pounced as Sasha's tail twice...I'd pull Tiggy away and say "No Tiggy, be nice!"...and Sasha didn't hiss or growl...things are moving the right way!

Fed the boys their food...a positive reinforcement for Sasha is that wet food was reintroduced in his diet on Tiggy's arrival...he wasn't too keen on canned in the past; but he really digs the Chicken Stew Performatrin Ultra. So does Tiggy...so I mix a spoonful of Ultra with Tiggy's wet kitten food - that way I won't waste the canned kitten food I already bought

So...I got a decent night's sleep. Again the cats slept in bed nice and quietly. I pulled this kitty tent from the closet yesterday (bought it at the Toronto CNE last year) which Sasha ignored...I put it on the living room futon and sprayed a bit of Pet-Ease in the tent. Tiggy adopted it right away, sleeping in the tent part of yesterday and part of last night.

And he seems to enjoy lounging on the window sill while he's not raising a storm playing.

This may be my imagination, but Sasha's coat feels softer and thicker since adding the wet food to his diet. Tiggy was protesting a bit the first few times I tried to give him his Lysine supplement, but he's more relaxed now and takes his supplement like a good boy!