sugar bear and shadow and their human Sharon

Hi there. First time posting here and am looking forward to the interaction with other cat lovers.

I'm also looking for some insight. I've had Sugar bear for about 3.5 years, I spotted her when she was about 18 months old. Shadow is the newcomer. He pretty much adopted us. Started living outside our house. He was such a scrawny, skinny little thing. We feed him for a few weeks and then made the decision to bring him into the family. He went to the vet and got a clean bill of health, including getting neutered. The vet estimates him to be about,9 months old.

I did a lot of reading before bringing him home, internet and book so I would have done idea of how to proceed with the introduction process. Set him up his own little kitty heaven in a spare bedroom...last Thursday. Been trying to do scent tests, and have tried a couple of face to face (sort of) meetings with some treats. Most recently, put him in a bathroom and let Sugarbear explore his room a little. During the face to face, she is just and growly...he is curious but wary. Looking for insight into other ideas to try our suggestions. Really want things to work out well so I'm trying very hard to be patient. I'm already attached to him, but am of coursedevoted to her.

Thanks

Hi rona4u and welcome to TCS! 

It's wonderful you've taken in this little boy.

I'd really recommend having a good read through this article.. if you follow the steps it's a great process:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats

We'd love to know how you're getting on.  And we'd love pictures if you have any!

Hello,

Good luck with your cats.

Slow going that's for sure.  So hard to be patient.  Still trying meet and greets through the a crack in the door.  Sugar Bear the princess still hissy and growly.  Have her locked up and am letting him explore a little.  Hoping for a successful integration because already can't stand the thought of it not working out and having to find a new home for him.  Patience, patience, patience.

Oh yes.. patience is definitely the key.. . Just make sure you do all the stuff....

It's really tempting to push it, but it just doesn't work that way and this will pay off.

Come here and chat to us whenever you need to...

Welcome to TCS!! SO glad you found us. And, thank you for rescuing and giving a loving home to Shadow. GOOD NEWS is that Shadow is the curious one and not being hissy like Sugar Bear. Please, please know that there is no rush for introducing them, right? The slower you take things the better their lifelong relationship will be. Let Sugar Bear be your guide on this. You are doing everything right and doing an excellent job. Allowing them to go into each others living quarters without the other around is a good start. Keep Shadow in his room for as long as it takes Sugar Bear to begin to accept that there is another cat in the house and accept his smell.

Have you thought about putting up a temporary screen door to Shadow's "little heaven" room? That is how I always do intros. It can take weeks for some cats to accept a newcomer, even months. I find that the real problem lies within the guardian's wanting to rush along their little happy cat family. That is when things can go wrong and you don't want any bad experiences between them to scar their newly developing relationship/friendship.

Things you can do:

1. Switch out their cat beds.
2. Brush each other with the same brush.
3. Use a sock to rub each cat down and then leave sock in their quarters.
4. Plug in Feliway in Shadows room and in the part of the house where Sugar Bear spends most of her time.
5. Put up the screen door.
6. Feed the cats on either side of the screen door.
7. Play with the cats on either side of the door.
8. Offer both VERY special treats on either side of the door. Yummy - like Halo's Freeze Dried Chicken soaked first in a little water. Or even a little tuna!!!!! Just a little for this special time.

There may be some hissing/growling on Sugar Bears part no matter what you do initially or no matter how long you prepare them. BUT, that will not be anything upsetting to her at that point, it will just be her "way" of dealing with any anxiety/fear or control over Shadow. She will already be used to seeing him through the door, knowing his scent. Any leftover hissing/growling is going to be totally normal and to be expected upon initial face to face, nose to nose, or butt to butt :lol3: meeting. As long as Shadow doesn't seem to care, then you are WAY ahead of the game. :nod: If you take things slow and have much patience and love and desire for this to work out, then it will. I promise you!!!

Tonight's special treat meet and greet went pretty well.  Sugar Bear seemed uninterested in the little piglet in the room.  Then she played some with her laser pointer.  There was one point when she got close to the door and hissed...he wasn't anywhere near the door, it was just her being hissy.  My latest question is how do I know when it's appropriate to attempt a true face to face (or other body part  ) meeting?  Thanks for the info and the support.  This is the first time I"ve ever owned two cats, previously I've always been a single cat household.

S and the 2scatz

Hi there welcome along to TCS

rona4u said:

  My latest question is how do I know when it's appropriate to attempt a true face to face (or other body part

 ) meeting?  Thanks for the info and the support. 

S and the 2scatz

Click to expand...

When Sugar Bear is not so wide eyed and offended by the presence of Shadow. When she is eating calmly by the door, taking treats by the door with him watching, when she seems bored with him so to speak....Then, and only then, would I recommend moving on to the next step. Again, there is no rush, right?! But do expect to have some hissy spats from Sugar Bear when Shadow is allowed freely into her territory. Don't worry yourself about that as long as Shadow is accepting of his lower status then I would just let them be and don't interfere which would cause more anxiety, fear and stress for S.B. All my best to you and please feel free to start your own thread in our Behavior Forum http://www.thecatsite.com/f/5/behavior

There are many threads on the subject and don't be taken back if you read one where things did not work out. Nine out ten times they do and will work out with proper steps and slow intros. There are very, very few cats that need to be ONLIES. Usually, the problem lies within the guardian not the cats. :nod:

Excellent advice from Feralvr..

Keep us posted!