Need HELP --My sweet kitty is throwing temper tantrums

I am introducing my sweet 2.5yr old girl Trixie to my sweet 7yr old girl, Bella. After 2.5 wks of quartantine, vet said its ok to introduce. They have separate territories away from each other and dont share anything.

Over the 2wks I swapped scents regularly and no reactions. I traded rooms a few times and it was sniff around and leave. I have been letting Bella sniff more because she is the one upset. They saw each other through the door crack a week ago and some hissing by Bella but I quickly shut the door.

A couple of days ago, I took Trixie in her carrier into living room (Bella's territory). The first time, Bella hissed several times looking into carrier but I had lots of treats and after a few min she went back to her bed and stared at the carrier. The next day, Bella didnt hiss, but ignored the carrier. She was angry though -- wouldnt let me pet her and just angrily pouted until Trix left.

Last night I let Trix out and she moewed & sniffed everywhere. Bella hissed several times when Trix came close but Trixie didnt react. Trix did manage to sniff under her bed, and Bella didnt hiss but watched angrily. Bella was angry at me too for a while after. I only let Trix out for about 20 min then back in the room.

Is it normal for Bella to act this way? Normally she is so tolerant even at the vet.
Should I just let Trix out and stop babysitting so much? Will they just figure out how to share space on their own? Should I be doing something different?

(btw, part of my problem is the work to manage 2 separate kitty households esp when both are on meds right now, both need playtime, etc. And with with my work schedule I need the regular access to my office (where Trixie is) so honestly I am anxious for Trixie to be out and mabye I am pushing too fast?)

Bella is probably more tolerant at the vets because it is`nt HER house.
If they are sick and on meds I`d wait til they both have a clean bill of health, but once that happens ,then , since they have already been in the same house for 2.5 weeks...and you have exchanged sents, IMO I`d open the door and see what happens. By now they both know that the other one is there...and with the door between them it may be causing more stress with the "UNKNOWN" being out of sight.(I would seperate them if they fight too bad or if you are going to have to go away and no one will be there to supervise.... till you know that they have bonded)
I`d expect some hissing and maybe a few swipes and lots of running and hiding from one , the other or both for a few days. Eventually , even after they start playing you may see some rough play and crying as they work out between the two of them which one is the Alpha cat.
Others on this board may have different ideas...i`m only telling you what I would do at this point. Someone else may have a better idea.
I was`nt a memeber of TCS when we introduced our 2 6mo old kitten to one another...and I did`nt know they were supposed to be seperated...so we just brought the new one in and let them work out their differences. (Being both kittens the same sex and age may have been a big help)...but in 3 days they were fast friends.
I hope that your 2 work it out soon and cozy up together before long.
Please keep us posted as to how it`s going.
Also...until you get a clean bill of health from the vet for both of them...how about getting your hands on one of those child gates that fit in the doorway instead of closing the door...at least while you are there and not sleeping....and see how they respond to actually seeing one another?
Please keep us posted as to how it`s going.
Linda

Hi Linda -- thanks for your advice. No worries -- they both have a clean bill of health from the vet. Bella has been on meds for months to help with her IBD. And Trixie has the tail end of earmites -- yeast infection in her ear. Vet said totally fine for them to hang out now.

They have actually seen each other a few times -- and so far its just been hissing by Bella. I just wonder if I should just plow forward with letting Trixie out for more and more time (only when I am here ) and see how it goes?? Or if I am pushing too fast. thanks for your reply.

One of the first things after reading your post that set off my alarm buttons is if you carried Trixie into the room in the carrier under Bella's watchful eye, then you automatically set in motion that Trixie is Alpha over Bella. Height in the cat world represents power. Your alpha cat will always claim the highest spot in your home, so if you carried Trixie into the room with the carrier higher than where Bella was, you have unknowingly created a problem.

Next time, just leave the door open a crack (an accident) and then just go about your business and leave them to find out their way with each other. Hissing, growling and swatting is normal. Have a small heavy blanket available you can toss over them if they go for each other, but it really doesn't sound like they will. And don't get They are responding as nature has intended them to respond. They do not know each other, each has a different scent to adjust to. They are cats and they have their own program to follow. Allow them to do so without much interference from you unless they really go to war-

Good luck!

oooo... good advice Hissy. Thanks so much. Should I establish Bella as Alpha by picking her up in front of Trix? I actually have done this 2 times--picked up Trixie in front of Bella. oh dear
I will open the door and see what happens too.. thanks

The key is NO interference from you. None at all, the door gets left open accidentally. You have no knowledge you did this, you go about your day as if that door was shut. You do not lift either cat up in front of the other, you have no idea who is Alpha, but they know.

What people seem to fail to understand is if either one of these cats accidentally got outside, they would eventually meet up. They would find their way with each other, and there would be no human around to stop them growling, hissing, swatting, tussling, or chasing. Eventually the one who is Alpha will prevail and the message sent and received would mean the cats are in harmony together. You look at any large feral cat colony and you will see this balance. The pariahs live outside the group, coming in after everyone has eaten and cleaning up what is left. But the cats (if fixed) all live together in a group and there has been no human interference except for the all important TNR. We need to give the same consideration to these intelligent creatures inside a home. They will figure it out, because it is now understood they have to live together and they will. If you are stressed, they will pick it up in a heartbeat. When I recently let all the cat doors down in the house and released the 4 new ones who had been in isolation for a month, there were no conflicts because I didn't expect any. Two will still run from us if we walk in on them unexpectedly, but I don't pursue them, I let them run. I am not the threat here. They will come to understand that in time-

Understood.. thanks alot Hissy. I will open the door and just go about my biz.
I sent you a msg too, but thanks for replying here.