HELP!!! I need help introducing my new cat

Hi Everyone

My husband and I have a wonderful DSH lovebug named Lexy we've had her for about 3 years. We adopted a 2 year old DSH on Sunday Chesapeake and I'm scared to introduce them. They are seperated from each other now but I'm afraid to introduce them because they have hissed and growled at each other under there door. Please give me some tips on how this can be done and how long it should take before I can have both the cats in the same room. I was crying the other day because I thought that we were going to have to give him back to the adoption agency.

Thanks
Jess

Hi Jess Welcome to TCS!!

Here is really good info on introducing new cats with your other cats!!
I hope this helps!!
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67321

Thanks so much!!!

Hi Jess and firstly Welcome

Eva has given you a great link to read up on in regards to introducing your new kitty into the household. There ARE going to be some hissing and growling - this is all normal behaviour. Introducing a new cat into the household can be a slow process but if done right then you will find that your cats will benefit from this. You will not have to give Chesapeake back to the adoption agency - you have come to the right place and we will walk you through it if need be

Please send me a pm if you need any further help

Hi there Jess we're so happy to welcome you, Lexy and Chesapeake to TCS. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay with us - we're one great big family and you'll find loads of friends here. If I can help at all while you're finding your way around TCS just click on my username and send me a Personal Message - I'll do what I can to answer your questions

It's always stressful introducing a new cat. I think we all go through the phase whether we've done the right thing, but with patience and taking it carefully like you are doing, things come right in the end. Just hang in there

Hello and welcome.

I'm glad you came here to ask questions about introducing your cats. There are many knowledgable people on this forum that will have the answers for you. Let us know how it all works out.

This past spring I took in an adult cat as a foster. I kept her in my basement and my husband and I each took turns visiting her. I had no intention of keeping her, because I had always been told that introducing adult cats is very difficult and I already had two adult cats. Anyway, Mew was sooo lonely down in the basement, I brought her up and kept her in my spare bedroom/den. The cats did a lot of hissing under the door. I started feeding them on either side of the door, so that they associated each others scents with food. Then I started putting each others poops in each others cat boxes (I know -- gross) to get them used to each others scents. I also switched around the towells that they laid on. I waited about two weeks and then started letting them have supervised viewing of each other by feeding them with the door open so they could see each other, but I would sit in between them on the floor so they had no physical contact. After another two weeks I started letting them interact. There were a few swats, hisses and growls, but I let them do that, I only intervened if they were actually fighting, in which case I squirted them with a water gun and separated them. I was still separating them when I wasn't home or I was sleeping. About a month later, I noticed the hissing and growling stopped. They are all getting along fine, all three sleep on my bed together now and she plays with my youngest male cat. She no longer needs to be seperated from the others and we have adopted Mew officially. She is a great cat and I'm glad I took the time to ensure they got along. It might take a while, but it is definitely doable. My best advice -- don't rush anything. Cats need time to adjust, and in time, they will. Feel free to PM me for advice.

Hi welcome to the site.

Hi Jess, welcome to TCS!!!

Hi and Welcome to TCS!!!

See you on the forums!!!

Hello and Welcome!!

Hope to see you around!

And don't despair! It took me two months for me to get my two to not want to kill each other!