Hello All.
I posted a few weeks back about a new stray my fiance and I took in. She is doing great, and has bad improvements beyond out believes is such a short amount of time. We are now looking to socialize her with our other 2 cats and I was just looking for a bit of advice.
Our two cats are night and day, our oldest (3yr female) is very calm, and a bit apprehensive in ever thing she does, so it's easy to get her and the stray in the same room to "feel" each other out, a lot of looking (and hissing from the stray). However our youngest (2yr male) is very energetic and whenever the stray sees him she just hides under the bed.
Typically when we are home we will open the door of her room and just let her come and go, though there isn't much going, and our cats can go in there too, but with the stray hiding under the bed I wonder how much socializing is going on. So any tips would be great.
I know this is a process that can, and will take a long time, but any hints to make it easier and quicker would be great because unfortunately we can't keep her as we are moving and can only bring our 2 cats with us so we want her to be comfortable with other pets for when she goes to a new home, which may have pets.
Thanks for the help!!
I posted a few weeks back about a new stray my fiance and I took in. She is doing great, and has bad improvements beyond out believes is such a short amount of time. We are now looking to socialize her with our other 2 cats and I was just looking for a bit of advice.
Our two cats are night and day, our oldest (3yr female) is very calm, and a bit apprehensive in ever thing she does, so it's easy to get her and the stray in the same room to "feel" each other out, a lot of looking (and hissing from the stray). However our youngest (2yr male) is very energetic and whenever the stray sees him she just hides under the bed.
Typically when we are home we will open the door of her room and just let her come and go, though there isn't much going, and our cats can go in there too, but with the stray hiding under the bed I wonder how much socializing is going on. So any tips would be great.
I know this is a process that can, and will take a long time, but any hints to make it easier and quicker would be great because unfortunately we can't keep her as we are moving and can only bring our 2 cats with us so we want her to be comfortable with other pets for when she goes to a new home, which may have pets.
Thanks for the help!!
!!! SO happy to hear that she is doing so well. :bigthumb: Honestly, since you are not going to be able to keep her and will be finding her another home soon. :cross:, then I would not bother introducing her to your other two cat's. That will just cause more stress on all of them, unnecessarily so. Even if she were to get along with your other two cat's, which I am certain she would since she hides from the energetic kitty 
, doesn't mean she will or will not get along with another cat in her new home. But if you really want to introduce them, then I would just keep doing what you are by letting your cat's into her room. If you take away the bed frame, put the mattress on the floor, then she won't be able to hide so easily from you. Just make sure she has a couple of other places to completely hide away but easily reachable by you. Like a small carrier with the door removed, a kitty cube, or kitty cubby. Here is an article written by a veteran TCS member with tons of experience that might be helpful for you too. Good luck and thank you for rescuing this kitty!!! 
