Spicey is coming around!

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know that Spicey is coming around nicely with our new kitten, Selena. I've been using the vanilla extract as was suggested and now that the 3 of us smell the same, it's really helped. Spicey doesn't seem as threatened anymore and lets me pet him and even hold him a little bit.

The two have not have been fully introduced just yet...it's only been 6 days so far. However, I have noticed some great changes...one that Spicey hasn't hissed at either the kitten or me (or anyone else) for the past 2 days!!!

he's lying down next to me while I type this post...taking a little cat nap! So, things are definitely improving with Spicey and I and Selena. My husband hasn't really been around too much (he went away for a few days) so he hasn't spent as much time with the cats as I have. but, I told him to also use the vanilla so that Spicey knows we're all in the same family!

Thanks again for everyone's advice and useful information. I really appreciate it. so far, I'm taking this introduction phase slow. I can see how it can get rushed b/c we're anxious to have us all be together, but it's realy important for us to be patient and give Spicey time to adjust.

I'll keep you posted as things develop. Keep your fingers crossed for us!!!

Elisa

Keeping these fingers crossed for you! Hope it continues to go well.

Keeping fingers crossed! Thanks for the update!

Hi again...more update and Question

Spicey hasn't hissed at all the last 3-4 days now. I still have them separated, but yesterday (by accident), the two actually met each other face to face b/c
my husband opened the door where Spicey was and I had Selena running around to
stretch her legs, so to speak. anyway, the meeting was actually good. Spicey
didn't do anything to her...thank
goodness...I think now this week, provided I'm in the room with them, I'll have them together for a little while so they can get used to each other more and
more. B/c Selena is a kitten, she's a little more jumpy and "in your face". so, sometimes, you see Spicey jumping back from her. it's kinda funny, actually.

This a.m. Spicey kept scratching at the door today so I decided to let the two of them meet again ...do you know that he
used Selena's litter box???? I don't know if that is good or not, but that was kinda strange. no other reactions from
either one, though. he didn't seem so interested in her this a.m. just sniffed a little and then left. weird.

What do you make of that???

It is a normal thing for a cat to do. Because cats are so scent driven, Spicey wanted to add his scent to her box so that everyone would know that he is there! I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Overall, it sure sounds as if the introductions are going very well.

I've noticed that sometimes my older kids will get intimidated by a kitten's "lack of size". You would think the kitten would be intimidated by the older cats "big size", but often it is the reverse. A lot of kittens are "in your face", and the big cats don't know what to make of it. My big ones appear to be afraid that they might hurt the little guy so they are shy with them at first.

Sounds like this is working out great! Wishing continued success!

Wow, that sounds great! I hope to get a friend for Amber as well and now I know a little more about what to expect. I've known for a while, since finding this board, that the two should be separated at first but I hadnt thought that your resident cat would get upset with you. I only figured it would be with the new arrival. Vanilla just became my top priority on the grocery list! I'm glad its working out for you!

Oh, that is so interesting! Thank you for mentioning it to me!

Hi all...

Thanks for all the responses as usual. This is such an awesome forum...I'm so glad to have found it.

Okay...a few days have past since my last post...here's the latest and greatest saga with Spicey and Selena.

I've decided to have little mini meetings with Spicey and Selena (supervised of course!) just so they can get used to one another. usually twice a day (once in the a.m. and once in the evening) well, all is pretty dandy...Selena is jumping around and Spicey is just smelling her and all the stuff around in her room.
So far, so good.

Now here comes the strange and somewhat scary part. At some point (within 5 mins or so of them being together) Spicey will actually pin Selena down...Again, to remind you that he's a big cat...almost 15 pounds. and Selena, well, she's a baby...only 9-10 weeks...so you can imagine the discrepancy in size...

So, he pins her down and she's on her back, stomach exposed...I then notice that he starts to bite her...but, not to the point of drawing blood or anything, but she starts screaming, so of course, I separate them right away and end their meeting session.

Momofmany said that larger cats are intimidated by the "lack of size", so maybe this has something to do with his behavior? I was thinking that maybe he was trying to show who is the boss or is it b/c she's a female (spayed)? could this be playing??? if it is, it's a little rough for baby Selena.

Like I said, he doesn't seem overly aggressive (he isn't hissing or making any noises and doesn't have his ears back or anything)...it just seems that he likes to pin her down and "bite".

Thoughts???