Can anyone explain this behaviour?

I have got two foster cats in at the moment, they didnt know each other before i took them on. For the first couple of days they were in separate rooms as one was freshly neutered, so i didnt want them fighting. After a couple of days i took her into the room with the other cat and just sat with them for a while. There was growling and hissing but nothing more. They now get on really well, but the eldest of the two (she is 2 and we think she has been an only cat all her life) will go up to the other cats to sniff them, and when they get close to her, will move her head back, put her ears flat and growl or hiss at them. She does seem to have stopped doing this with the other foster, but if she goes for a nose sniff, she will back off first. Any reasons why this might happen?

Hmm. Maybe they haven't "mingled" their scent completely. I think there are some products on the market to help with that, if necessary, but I can't remember what they're called.

Feliway Comfort Zone Room Diffuser, I would buy a couple and plug them in- though they don't sound like they are going to do battle anytime soon.

If you think it's a scent issue, some people have reported this little trick works (although it didn't for me) -- put a little vanilla extract on the back of both cats' necks. Then they smell the same to each other.

Someone on another forum mentioned it could be apprehension, as she has been an only cat and doesnt know what to expect, so when they come close to her, she doesnt like it.

They do playfight a bit now, and the younger of the two will stop and lie down on her side, with her belly facing the other cat, which i find a bit weird. Is she submitting to her?

Originally Posted by coaster

If you think it's a scent issue, some people have reported this little trick works (although it didn't for me) -- put a little vanilla extract on the back of both cats' necks. Then they smell the same to each other.

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I tried that ... my cats didn't like the smell at all. They reacted just like they do when they smell citrus, looking at me like I was evil for introducing them to this wretched odor. Silly kitties.

i dont think it is a scent issue, as the eldest will try and clean the younger one, and managed it quite well!! Think it is because the older one recently had kittens, she came to me after they had been rehomed, so everytime the younger one miaows i think she is a bit motherly.