How Long to Assess Cat(s) Together?

[carrie640]

I've never had more than one cat at a time until Ashie died and then we adopted 2 at the same time (it was 2 for one at the humane society! You can't turn that down!). Both of them did fine together after like a day (male and female)....and it's been 2 years now.

Last week, I took my 3 year old to a shelter to "visit"...he LOVES doing this...so we went. Well, there was one cat that just stuck out at me...she is a HUGE lover....and was crazy about my kid (over me!). She had been found by one their volunteers w/ kittens and she had been there since June. Added bonus: all cats were $15 INCLUDING the current shots, spay/neut/fel. luk. testing, etc.

UGH. That made it harder..and normally I do ok when I go into these places, but I was a sucker for this cat.

We went home and the next morning I asked my son, "What about Sally, Trevor?" ((Sally=cat)). He said without a thought, "We need to bring her home".

That was my sign. So we went back down there and brought her home.

As expected, the resident cats were sketchy on the whole thing for a day or two, but now could care LESS about Sally. But SALLY......this girl is NOT "into" my resident cats....AT ALL. She doesn't go and seek fights, but she will "guard" the food dishes (and my resident female will "guard" our bedroom...it's bizarre, but it's HER bedroom). ANYWAY...my cats don't care, really that she is around, but Sally will hiss and growl whenever the residents get within a few feet of her....even when just passing by.

There is no aggression (other than that) and it will be a week on Wednesday since we brought her home.

If Sally were going to be ok with being around other cats, would she have calmed down by now? Or...do you think maybe she is just a type that needs to be the "only cat"?

As I said, my cats were not happy for the first couple of days, but now could care less about her.

I just am not sure how to handle this. I want Sally to be happy, too...and I just don't know if she is UNHAPPY or if it's an attitude or what.

 

[stephanietx]

Did you do the normal introduction steps? If not, you might want to start there. Having said that, it took my older girl 2 YEARS (!!) to finally accept Hannah 5 years ago. We adopted a new little guy about 5 weeks or so ago and they've been together for 2 weeks now. They're doing great, but we still have hissing and swatting. They're making progress, though.

 

[carrie640]

Oh goodness, yes...totally did the entire "getting used to smells" in the isolated room, etc.....Sally (the new one) hasn't done any physical attacks..just likes to hiss and "play tough".....Lucy and Tom are just like, "What is YOUR problem, you freak!!!". I kind of laugh at them watching her....they just are soooo 'over' her newness already yet Sally is just paranoid.

Just the same....I don't want her to be unhappy here, either.....BUT, I TRULY don't want to break my own heart by having to re-surrender her

 

[stephanietx]

We are still having to referee time together, especially with Tumble (the new guy) and Hannah (the alpha). We use a towel to separate them if it gets to be too much and we provide Hannah with plenty of places to escape from the little annoying one.

 

[darlili]

How long has it been? Just a week or so? I'm thinking, if there's no blood or fur in the hallways,

things are actually progressing pretty well....when I brought my boy in, I tried to be absolutely sure to always greet the resident cat first, but also, every single time I saw them in the same room together without hissing, to give them both a treat and tell them what good babies they were, and I tried feeding them fairly close to each other....so that they'd start thinking good things happened when they're being 'nice'.

I'd say give Sally a chance to realize that her food will always be there, that no one else will eat it and leave her hungry, and to let her establish her role in the pecking order. It can take a little bit, but it doesn't sound like things are going badly to me.

 

[2furgirls]

... and if you constantly do "kissie-face" with your resident cats as part of a daily bonding routine, then carefully, slowly put your face between the new cat and one resident cat (works best for me e.g. if they are on a bed where all the their human smells are, and you are leaning over them) "kissie face" the resident cat, and turn your face and kissie face the new cat. Their cheek glands have their scenting apparatus, so you are marking them to each other and yourself. Rub their cheeks with yours. Kiss their cheeks. You are (hopefully) saying they both belong to you and each other in the smell language they use. Eventually you remove your face.

If successful, you emerge with all your face pieces intact

, and they are actually a bit calmer in each others presence. Repeat with second resident cat, then put all three up there and repeat. Keep one hand on each cat until you are ready to kissie face, but release while doing doing this, as if they are not ready they can escape, instead of taking it out on your face.

It's how I stopped resident cat from batting the tiny newcomer in high arcs across the ceiling... fan.

 

[alpine'smom]

I'd say things are progessing just fine. The new cat will calm down once it knows there's nothing to fear.

I introduced a new female (Cricket) into our home that already had a resident female (Alpine) in mid June of this year. The first couple weeks were pretty stressful for both cats, lots of hissing and swatting, but no big fights, just posturing. Alpine didn't want to be near Cricket, but she did want to be able to see her at all times. Cricket wanted to engage Alpine all the time, but Alpine wanted none of it. Well, it's been 2 months and they are much better acclimated to each other. They are not best buddies, but they can be near to each other, touch noses here and there, chase each other a bit in a playful way, with an occasional paw swat, but nothing more.

It just takes time in most cases. I agree that if there's been no blood shed, or inappropriate peeing/pooping issues, the cats will work it out.