Introduction issues

We brought home my mother's cat to live in our home in August.

We are able to have the cats see each other from a distance. We are also able to feed them close together. My mom's cat is hesitant to eat, but with much encouragement, she will. Both cats seem very afraid of each other. My moms cat has always been curious, so at times we've had issues with her approaching the other cat. She has never made a sound. Our cat hisses and growls. We "think" that since my mom's cat was spending all of her time in our bedroom/bathroom, out cat feels that she can't be in the rest of the house so we've been bringing her down to spend time with us. Last night, for example, they were sitting on furniture across the room from each other. But when mom's cat walked down the stairs and ours saw her from a couch, she went hissing and all. If we pet our cat, she often calms down. If she sees mom's cat sitting, it is ok, but not so much walking around.

Mom's cat is completely declawed and our cat is not. They are both over ten. Ours did live peacefully with our other cat (who now prefers outside) and we just plunked them in the room together because we didn't know any better. We had minimal fights, but he always ate second and he was so docile, we could not keep an dog we tried to adopt because she would chase him and he would not scratch.

Any suggestions?

Introductions and bonding between cats can take many, many weeks/months to finally get to peaceful living and the two cats getting along harmoniously. It sounds to me that you have already made some great progress. Scent is the first thing I always suggest before you move on to the next step of visual. Rubbing the cats with a sock, using the same brush on each cat, swapping out beds that they have slept in. After you have no more hissing, then you move on to the stage of being able to see each other. You are already at the point and there IS going to be some hissing at this stage and even more so when they someday get brave enough to come nose to nose (or rear to rear ). Tricks that I use is to try to feed the cats closer and closer (and on schedule so that they are hungry). Feed a very yummy canned food to start so that their brains are triggered by the scent of the delicious food rather then the scary other cat nearby. Feed yummy treats in the same room with each other. If you have a helper, have them feed your resident cat treats and then you feed the newbie the treats. Use interactive wand toys (but put them away when done - strings!!!) to entice one or the other to play. The more they visually see each other in a docile and relaxed or playful state, the more they will learn to settle.

It is also very important to have vertical space with multiple cats. A couple of cat trees maybe, some cat shelving, or access to a tall piece of furniture (if you don't mind). You could also add in a Feliway deffuser. http://www.feliway.com/us/ I order it from Amazon - great prices. I use them when I make any changes in the house and recently I moved some cat boxes around so had a couple plugged in. Worked very well for us.

It sounds to me that they both are very, very similar in personality and one nor the other is going to really be aggressive. They are more timid and frightened of each other right now. Cats are very, very territorial and get quite stressed when a new cat comes around threatening their resources and space. BUT in time, they learn that life is enriched by the addition of a companion. It take TIME and sometimes, lots of it. You will get there though. I have seen it time and time again and in the end, the cats always/usually become quite close and become friends. for the process to be quick and smooth. Patience is really needed on the guardian's part right now and lots of attention and intervention to see that things remain calm at home.

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