Need help bringing 2 feral females together

Hi I trapped a mama cat Sadie and her two babies and I'm currently trying to socialize the mama, her 2 babies are being fostered and well cared for and will be placed up for adoption. Sadie to my surprise is quickly coming around. She rarely hisses at me anymore and comes out as soon as I enter the room and she hears my voice. She hasn't let me touch her yet I'm waiting for her to let me know when it's ok. My question is I have another feral cat named Lilly in the other room who I've successfully socialized and she's become a very playful and loving cat. I really would like to place them together for companionship and with the hopes of Lilly helping Sadie come out of her shell more. What would you suggest? Is it too early since Sadie is just beginning to come around? I know I should do short visits with me in the room and see how it goes but I want to do it right because I don't want either Sadie or Lilly to revert back to their feral ways. I can handle Lilly but only for a short time, and she's so used to being in her room she may take awhile to come out and adjust in Sadie's room. I would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Hello!! You are wonderful to being caring and taking action for feral cats . Absolutely!!! Most likely Lilly and Sadie will become fast friends. Most feral cats will get along with other cats quite readily. And Lilly will help bring Sadie around quicker since Lilly is far more advanced in the socialization process than Sadie. Start scent swapping their beds. You can also put Lilly in a cat carrier (if you are at that point with her) and put her in Sadie's room for about ten minutes to start. Short sessions would be great. OR you can try to get Sadie in a large dog crate (with a carrier inside for a hideout, litter box and food dishes) and put Sadie in Lilly's room for two days. After a couple of days of them living in the same room, but separated by the crate barrier, they will already feel comfortable with one another. At that point, just leave the dog crate door wide open for Sadie to come out as she pleases. I know many people who do it this way and have great success with the cats becoming friends immediately. Also, it will be much easier on you to have them both in the same room for feeding, cleaning, socializing and playing with them together. I think it could work out just great

Thank you so much Feralvr for your advice! I began with swapping their blankets, Lilly smelled Sadie's blanket with much interest and then began kneading or what I like to call baking biscuits. Sadie knows her blanket looks different and seems curious but hasn't smelled it yet. The hard part will be getting Sadie in the crate. I placed her food, water and litter box in there and just have to wait around until she goes in so I can lock it. Lilly never did very well in a crate and it would be more difficult to get her in a carrier, plus I don't have one that large. Once I get Sadie in the crate I'll begin the 2 day visit in Lilly's room and hope it goes well after that. Thanks so much and I'll keep you posted!

Great!! This will work out just fine. Just feed Sadie in that crate today and I bet tomorrow you can shut her in. That is a real good sign about Lilly sniffing the blanket first and then started making the biscuits . She wants a friend . Please do report back!! Can't wait to hear how it goes

O.k so I was able to get Sadie in the crate yesterday after witholding food and enticing her in with tuna fish and placed her in Lilly's room. Lilly seemed to be fine, she was playing and being her normal self although anytime I open the door and bring something new in her room she freaks out a bit and hides. So after playing with her for awhile in front of Sadie, and Sadie did seem interested and came to the front of the crate and watched her, I left then came in the room awhile later and found Lilly hiding underneath her bed like she did alot when she first came here. I tried really hard to brake her of this including taking all her blankets away and taping up all doors so there was no hiding places for her. Then today I found her hiding again underneath her bed and noticed she didn't eat. She was acting very nervous when I walked in and ran from me and hid and normally she runs up to me rolls around wants to be loved and plays. She's acting feral again like she did when I first tried to work with her. I'm afraid to leave Sadie's cage door open w/o me present in the room. What's the best approach to this? I have 2 of my own cats who fight all the time and never get along and I guess I'm just very nervous if I leave them alone together when I'm not home. I don't want to come home and find they were fighting. What do you think???

Give it a couple more days of Sadie in the crate. This is quite normal for some cats to regress a bit with something new, especially a new cat in her room. Don't give up too quickly. Has there been any hissing or growling going on? When you decide to leave the crate door open, make sure you leave the crate in the room for quite awhile. Have two to three litter boxes available, one in that crate the way you have it now and one or two others. Keep feeding Sadie in the crate too. Keep everything in it's same spot. Also, you could take away the bed frame and put the bed on the floor so Lilly can't hide under the bed. Offer some other places for her to hide away, like a small cat carrier without the door or those small tents that Walmart sells that Velcro together. Cats love those. It really could take the girls a few weeks to feel comfy with eachother. Some cats will take to eachother quickly and others much longer. In my experience, they always work it out and become friends. Especially in this situation of them being strays, they should bond. Don't worry, Lilly will come around again after she feels safe with Sadie in her room. It takes patience on your part. They might hiss and growl the first time they meet face to face. They will get past that and become to rely on eachother for companionship in that room. Do you have any vertical space set up in that room, like a cat tree or shelves for them to climb on, or a tall dresser? You could put some blankets on the dresser to make it comfy. Hang in there, I think all will be just fine

Thanks so much Feralvr! Sadie and Lilly seem to be getting along great! I have a big scratching post and a perch on top and this has really helped them to become fast friends. I used it to socialize Sadie in her room and when I placed it in the room for them both they joined in watching each other scratch and climb up the post like monkeys. Sadie is very curious and wanted to get close to Lilly, but after one little hiss Lilly seems to be accepting her now. I tried everything to stop Lilly from hiding underneath things removing all blankets and beds, she even hides under the bed frames. She's very apprehensive of crates so I think she will always hide but as long as she comes out when I call her which she does I'm not really going to worry about it, especially since her and Sadie have taken to each other. I can't thank you enough for all your great advice, it has help me tremendously!

AW Judy, I am just beaming that the two girls are becoming friends . And, yes, don't fret over Lilly hiding and such. Believe me, in the weeks to come as those two get closer, they will also become closer to you, their wonderful caretaker . Some kitties, even hand-raised, have a more shy and independent nature and some are lap cats and some never will be. They are all so different! It just takes time and just more time , lots of love and patience . You are doing a great service for these two lucky girls