Introduction - Am I doing this right?

  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #21

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Update:  Things are still progressing slowly.  I've raised the blanket about an inch halfway through the week and then again last night.  It is now about a foot above the ground and they can see each other almost completely.  The first meal at the gate with the new blanket height wasn't smooth.  I didn't expect it to be.  Sophie had to be coaxed to eat and finally settled in when I moved the plate back a bit.  When they both finished, there were a few hisses and a pounce or two.  She was obviously not comfortable with him so close without the added blanked.  But breakfast this morning went fine.  

We will continue this way for another day or two.  My husband has been helping by monitoring one side while I monitor the other so I'm hoping we can keep the door open longer each time.  any tips on what to do at this next stage?
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
Once they are totally chilled with full visual access, you can start controlled meetings without the barrier. This really is best done with two people. The idea is for them to be in the same room but not focusing on each other. Food or play is the best way to achieve this. Asha was more nervous than Baxter, so I used plates of chicken. Same principle as feeding with the gate, but keep a greater distance to start with.

Baxter might do better if you're using play as a distraction. A wand toy of some sort is ideal - you need to be able to lead him away from Sophie with it if needed. Sophie, being older, might do better with an edible distraction. You know your own cats best though.

As far as timing goes, read the cats and trust your instincts. If in doubt, stop. It's so important to end each session on a good note.

It sounds like things are going wonderfully. A bit of hissing is still to be expected. Sophie doesn't have to love Baxter - she just has to be willing to coexist with him. The important thing is not to let hissing escalate. There'll be an extent to which Sophie is just exerting her authority with Baxter...she's the adult, and she's perfectly within her rights to tell him to get out of her face! ;) The problem will come if he either doesn't respect her wishes (but he will, in time) or if she then wants to go after him. Basically hissing is fine, growling and chasing isn't.

Keep doing what you're doing. So great your husband is now on board :clap: That must make life easier. I have no doubt that you'll get there with them. Slow progress is exactly what is needed :D
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #23

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Thanks for the info!  How long do you recommend these meetings?  I assume the meeting ends if either of them misbehaves and we try again the next day.

Things are definitely smoothing out.  This morning went well and we had an impromptu screen meeting this afternoon.  Both were on each side of the door meowing so I thought I would open the door and see how it went.  They both paced around, approached, smelled, paced around some more, sat, checked each other out, then back to pacing again.  Sophie spit in his face once but it seemed almost half-hearted.  Her body language is much more relaxed.  She doesn't seem as agitated.  I'm so relieved!   I am very hopeful for a unified house in the near future.  
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
I don't think there is a set time really - its more a case of reading the cats. If either gets too focused in on the other then it's definitely time to stop. You'll probably find that one or other of them naturally moves away, indicating that they've had enough.

Maybe start with the kind of time the feedings last and go from there. With Asha and Shadow, they decided that 5 mins was long enough at the start (one or other of them would leave the room after that usually). The important thing is to go into it with confidence - if you expect fireworks you may end up creating them!

It all sounds like it's going wonderfully :D I'm sure you'll have an integrated, happy fur family in the future. :catguy:
 

solotown

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jun 28, 2015
Messages
3
Purraise
1
Location
St. Louis Missouri, USA
I just found this site and found this thread.  Kristine thank you so much for sharing what is going on, and Columbine thank you for all the suggestions.  I will be following what is happening with Sophie and Baxter, as I am having similar issues with my Bernice and Katie.  Both are so good individually but Katie, my newbie, age 5 (got her in April 2015) does not seem to want to get along with Bernice,age 6,  (resident cat as of January 2015).  They are still not sharing a common space at the same time.  I can see from your talk I need to get the bowls even closer on each side of the barrier.  And I'm feeling some "moral support", as I live alone and have no one to help me.  This has to work itself out.  I do not want to have to return Katie to the shelter.  So thank you very much!  I will be "staying tuned".  I hope that's OK.
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
Hi solotown solotown :wavey: Welcome to TCS.

I'm glad you've found this thread useful. If you need any specific advice about your two, feel free to start your own thread. We'll be glad to give you all the support you need :)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #27

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Welcome Solotown!  

I was glad to find this site as well when my introductions weren't going well.  I'm happy that my ordeal can be of help to someone else!  
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #28

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Oh boy, major disruption in my cat routine this morning when a pipe burst in our ceiling and was dripping onto my sofa.  I had to remove the screen setup and confine the cats (separately) while furniture was moved and plumbers were stomping around making repairs.  I hope I can get things back to normal tonight when I get home for mealtime….  The house is a wreck so I may have to put it off a day. 

Columbine, how long did your introduction take from beginning to end and do you think the final stages got easier?  I seem to think Sophie is doing better seeing Baxter, even walking up close to nose him.  (There was a major hissing episode this morning though but I blame the pipe burst commotion.) How long did the Meet in Person stage take for you?
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
What a nightmare! Burst pipes can cause a totally disproportionate amount of disruption. I hope you can get everything fixed and back to normal soon. Don't be surprised if the stress has put Sophie and Baxter back a little though. Don't worry if it has...they'll soon get over it and be back on track.

I got Asha at the beginning of March. She was in isolation for a month (she was a stray in really bad shape, and I had to be sure she wouldn't pass anything on to Shadow). I did lots of scent swapping in that period though.

I was never able to do the feeding together - neither cat would eat at the doorway. I did a couple of feeds with Asha in a dog crate, but she got really spooked (she'd been badly bullied when living rough), so I had to abandon that phase altogether. I think it was the middle to the end of May before they totally accepted each other, and I no longer felt I had to be on guard when they were near each other. They both had the run of the house before that, but they kept out of each other's way almost all the time - Asha was our upstairs cat, and Shadow was our downstairs cat.

I will say that my introductions were pretty quick compared to many, and I'm very lucky in that Shadow was so unflappable about the whole thing, and just gave Asha the space she needed to work things out for herself.

The final stages definitely got easier, as Asha learned that she was truly safe here, and that no one was going to attack her again. I think your situation is pretty different as Sophie is more resistant to Baxter (I think it's a girl thing :lol3: ), and Baxter is more inclined to push his luck...he sounds like such a confident little thing.

I have every faith that your two will integrate happily...they're making huge progress for sure. Hissing by itself really isn't a big deal. I really do think it's females vs males though...I've mostly had boys, and have had very little hissing even at introductions. All the girls I've known gave been much quicker to hiss when irritated. No idea why. Asha still hisses at Shadow and the dogs when she feels they're too close. It never goes any further though. I think that's just who she is. It may be part of who Sophie is too. After all, she's got to be allowed to tell Baxter when he's overstepped the mark, just as he has to learn to respect Sophie's space.

Hang in there!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #30

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Our house is very old, circa 1800. The ceilings are made of actual plaster with steel screening. I don't think our living room is going to be normal anytime soon.  Dust and debris everywhere!  Luckily it's a long, rambling house and the kitties can hang in the calmer parts without being too much disrupted by the mess. The Base Camp is at the front of the house, far enough away that they won't notice any difference.  

Glad your guys are living happily together now.  Gives me hope for my two.  We just finished Week Three of the Reintroduction.  We've come a LONG WAY.  3 weeks ago, Sophie wouldn't dream of eating right next to Baxter and now she does it twice every day! 
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #32

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
A break through?  

Since my house is a shambles and I had to take down my elaborate screen/board system, I've thrown caution to the wind and fed the two kitties with just the fireplace screen hastily put into place - no blanket, no board.  And they were fine!  In fact, Baxter seemed a bit nervous at first but I am guessing all the noise during the day upset him.  Sophie is used to occasional upsets.  

Later in the evening I found them both playing on each side of the door.  Meowing and pawing while laying on their backs.  

This morning they touched noses and pawed each other through the screen after breakfast.  Sophie pounced a few times and was pawing the screen as if she wanted to get on the other side. No hissing. No angry posturing.  No spitting.  They both seemed curious like they wanted to play.  

Yay!  
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
:clap: :party2: :banana2: :hyper: :woohoo:
Definitely a breakthrough :nod: You're well on the way to an integrated fur family :D Just remember not to rush things...always let the cats tell you what they're ready for.

Keep doing what you're doing - its definitely working :catguy:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #34

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
so even if they seem to be clamoring to be together, I should hold off?  

I'll see how the next few mealtimes go....  I definitely feel much more comfortable about them seeing each other now. Sophie is more relaxed and even Baxter seems less bold.  Let's see if it continues.
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
No, you can let them be together while supervised if that's what they're wanting to do. All I meant was don't get over confident and push them faster than they're ready for. Let them tell you what they want to do...its by far the best way, and you're pretty damn good at reading them :nod: :D

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #36

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Okay!  Just wanted to make sure!  Thanks again for all your advice.  It really helped to keep me on track.  I hope to be posting a two cat pix soon.  
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #38

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
It's been a few days of eating right next to the screen fully exposed and things were going fine.  Sophie meows at the screen and paws it as if she wants me to open it for her.  I don't trust her yet. 

This morning she stopped eating halfway through breakfast and paced around.  She walked into the next room, then sat there until Baxter approached the screen.  Sophie charged through the kitchen and stopped short of the screen.  Then paced, then hissed at him.  Then paced some more then spat at him.  I'm not happy with her behavior.  She's been so good up until today. I was planning on having them meet face to face today but this changed things.  Let's see how dinner goes.

I think it is going to be very hard to keep them occupied when the screen is removed.  They both seem too interested in each other.  Baxter backs down now.  He'll still brazenly approach Sophie at the screen but will walk away after a sniff and a nose (or a spit or a hiss - gladly the spits and hisses aren't very frequent) 

I got Sophie a new bed.  She LOVES it.  I thought she deserved a treat (until today! Bad kitty! Bad!)

 
 

Columbine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
12,921
Purraise
6,224
Location
The kitty playground
I love that bed too. What a lucky girl!

Don't stress too much about today - progress is never straightforward when working with animals. You've had a lot of upheaval recently. Maybe they're just cottoning on to reacting to it :rolleyes: Trust your instincts with them. You will get there in the end.

When you come to remove the screen, start with them much further apart, and if possible get your partner to help. That way, each cat has a person to reinforce the distraction. There's no rush though. You'll know when they're ready for that stage.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #40

kristine

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Dinner went well if well means they both ate eagerly and then walked away. Both apparently had better things to do so I closed the door. We'll see how tomorrow goes......
 
Top