- Joined
- Dec 20, 2008
- Messages
- 114
- Purraise
- 14
Hi all, I need your thoughts!
Cats:
Skye (resident cat), 3 YO purebred male ragdoll, neutered, 17 pounds. Lived with our other male cat until 6 months ago when he died @ 16 YO. Independent, not a cuddler, but always in the room with us and follows us around at all times, confident with new people and most situations.
Max (new adoptee), 4 YO male, neutered 8 weeks ago, 9 pounds. Pee doesn't stink so I think the hormones are gone. He is extremely affectionate with people, OK with our dogs, and loves to cuddle. He is a little anxious and runs under the bed with new noises, etc.
We picked Max strictly because of his personality. Our cat that died this year was the sweetest, most laid back, easy going cat we have ever had, and we were trying to find a similar cat and Max fit the bill.
Week 1: total isolation in safe room. Followed intro protocol to a T after lots of research; scent and room swapping all went fine. Toward the end of the week, they saw each other through the door crack and under door. Both ate without issue on sides of door. Fed lots of treats. There was slight hissing from Skye occasionally. Feliway diffuser in place.
Week 2: they met in person. Skye hissed and growled but no other signs of aggression. Max just lays down and let's Skye come up to him. Skye does occasionally approach him boldly; walks confidently right up to him as if to say "I'm the boss here", they sniff noses and he walks away. Max just looks away and lays down. They are eating together and comfortably hanging out in the same room for the most part. Then Max went to the vet, and things got a little dicey.
Week 3 (now). The cats are out together when we're home but still sleep apart and apart while at work. They appear to get along for the most part, but Skye is becoming occasionally aggressive, but there have been no fights...yet. Skye approaches Max with ears back and slinking and growling. This happens randomly. They eat together fine, hang out in same room fine. One place I have seen it happen a few times is Skye appears to be guarding the "cat room" which has 2 litter boxes and food bowls. He lays in the doorway but Max goes on in! Then Skye will block him from leaving. This morning, Skye walked up to Max while he was just laying in the middle of our bedroom floor, ears back and growling. He is easy to distract, though, I just stand in between them and he walks off. This is happening a few times a day. 20 minutes later, they are laying 5 feet apart grooming themselves.
I thought we had an end to this a few nights ago. Skye corned Max in the bathroom and walked up to him in his usually way and Max slapped him in the face. After that, Max seemed to be a lot more confident and Skye seemed stunned. Things were perfect for a day, and now we are back to this posturing/growling/ears back thing.
I am scared to let them work it out, because I have never had any of our cats fight in all the 20+ years we've had cats! Should we take a few steps back, or is this normal? Will he calm down? Should I just let them work it out? My gut tells me that Skye won't actually attack him, but the ears and growling are making me second guess that. He is easy to distract though.
That picture is typical of them hanging out when not having an episode.
Thoughts?
Cats:
Skye (resident cat), 3 YO purebred male ragdoll, neutered, 17 pounds. Lived with our other male cat until 6 months ago when he died @ 16 YO. Independent, not a cuddler, but always in the room with us and follows us around at all times, confident with new people and most situations.
Max (new adoptee), 4 YO male, neutered 8 weeks ago, 9 pounds. Pee doesn't stink so I think the hormones are gone. He is extremely affectionate with people, OK with our dogs, and loves to cuddle. He is a little anxious and runs under the bed with new noises, etc.
We picked Max strictly because of his personality. Our cat that died this year was the sweetest, most laid back, easy going cat we have ever had, and we were trying to find a similar cat and Max fit the bill.
Week 1: total isolation in safe room. Followed intro protocol to a T after lots of research; scent and room swapping all went fine. Toward the end of the week, they saw each other through the door crack and under door. Both ate without issue on sides of door. Fed lots of treats. There was slight hissing from Skye occasionally. Feliway diffuser in place.
Week 2: they met in person. Skye hissed and growled but no other signs of aggression. Max just lays down and let's Skye come up to him. Skye does occasionally approach him boldly; walks confidently right up to him as if to say "I'm the boss here", they sniff noses and he walks away. Max just looks away and lays down. They are eating together and comfortably hanging out in the same room for the most part. Then Max went to the vet, and things got a little dicey.
Week 3 (now). The cats are out together when we're home but still sleep apart and apart while at work. They appear to get along for the most part, but Skye is becoming occasionally aggressive, but there have been no fights...yet. Skye approaches Max with ears back and slinking and growling. This happens randomly. They eat together fine, hang out in same room fine. One place I have seen it happen a few times is Skye appears to be guarding the "cat room" which has 2 litter boxes and food bowls. He lays in the doorway but Max goes on in! Then Skye will block him from leaving. This morning, Skye walked up to Max while he was just laying in the middle of our bedroom floor, ears back and growling. He is easy to distract, though, I just stand in between them and he walks off. This is happening a few times a day. 20 minutes later, they are laying 5 feet apart grooming themselves.
I thought we had an end to this a few nights ago. Skye corned Max in the bathroom and walked up to him in his usually way and Max slapped him in the face. After that, Max seemed to be a lot more confident and Skye seemed stunned. Things were perfect for a day, and now we are back to this posturing/growling/ears back thing.
I am scared to let them work it out, because I have never had any of our cats fight in all the 20+ years we've had cats! Should we take a few steps back, or is this normal? Will he calm down? Should I just let them work it out? My gut tells me that Skye won't actually attack him, but the ears and growling are making me second guess that. He is easy to distract though.
That picture is typical of them hanging out when not having an episode.
Thoughts?
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