I have to take this matter into my own hands. . . please advise

[rubysmama]

That is great news!  What a wonderful Christmas gift for you all - felines & humans.   I'm sure tomorrow will be a Christmas day to remember when your 2 kitties officially meet.  Keep us posted on their progress.

 

[katefriday]

I couldn't wait, and they had met prior to now when Tabi slipped in once and slapped Ms. Cockshutt on the head, that was about 3 weeks ago. . . . so, I clipped Ms. Tabi's claws and removed the screen door from Ms. Cockshutt's room. . .towels and water spray bottles on hand. . Tabi entered the room, ate some of Ms. Cockshutt's treats. . checked out her food station, checked out her shelter box, going right inside of it. . . checked out her litter pan, getting right into it, then laid about 4 ft from her. I stroked each of them, telling them they were good girls. . They were like that for about an hour, dozing, but fooling no one lol Then Tabi got up and walked out of the room. . . I am not so naive as to think there won't be a scrap between the two, but for now I have put the screen door back in place and we are all having a rest.

I will keep you posted, but for now I would like to say Merry Christmas!

 

[feralvr]

Wonderful news about Ms. Cockshutt already being spayed! :bigthumb: I guess that is your MERRY CHRISTMAS from her. resent: Boy - that is something that very rarely happens with stray kitties. You are one lucky lady!

Good luck with the girls becoming friends over the holiday too. :cross:

 

[katefriday]

Yes indeed!  It's a very merry Christmas here for sure!  What luck I have had with Ms. Cockshutt from the first step and right to the moment!  I was hoping she was spayed, but never believed for a moment that she would be.  And after the third dewormer they gave her on the day she was in to be spayed, I have noticed that she is no longer swollen.  I can't tell you enough how pleased I am to see her feeling better, and she clearly is feeling better.

Last night, I carried out the same routine, letting Tabi in the room at her leisure while I went in to Ms. Cockshutt's room to feed her and spend some time with her.  Ms. Cockshutt again gave her warning moan and Tabi checked everything out again but came within 3 feet of Ms. Cockshutt.  When Tabi left the room I replaced the screen when I left the room.  I am taking baby steps here.  Today I will leave the screen door open while I am at home.  If Tabi goes into the room while I am preparing food, the kitchen is a fast flight of stairs to Ms.Cockshutt's room, so my ear will be on alert.  I'm sure things will heat up a little because I am not in the room right away. . . but this I know is a necessary step in the introduction.

Tabi was thrilled with her Christmas present. . . she got a new wand toy with feathers and felt on the end and a new mouse and a bag of her favourite treats.  Ms. Cockshutt will get her gifts this morning, and they are identical to Tabi's with the exception to the treats being a different flavour.

I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas.  I got two of the three things I asked for. . 1. That Ms.Cockshutt was in good health and to be introduced to Ms. Tabi, 2. to attend a Christmas eve service and 3. world peace. . . I never get world peace, but always continue to ask.

Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy your day! *HUGS*

 

[AbbysMom]

That's wonderful news! Merry Christmas!

 

[mani]

Merry Christmas Kate.. I'm so glad things are going so well.

 

[ritz]

Ritz (my first cat ever) and her litter mates were abandoned in November 2009 and rescued/trapped by a friend of mine the day after Christmas.
Best. Christmas. Present. Ever.
And I bet this will be Ms. Cockshutt's best Christmas ever.
I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread; thank you for sharing. And caring.

 

[katefriday]

Hi all!  This is day 5 of the introduction.  So far Ms. Tabi is the aggressor and Ms. Cockshutt lays low and gives a gut moan to tell her to stay away.  Tabi has slapped Ms. Cockshutt in the head several times. . . after charging at her.  The first couple of nights I have put the screen back in place and the last two nights I have slept in the guest room with Ms. Cockshutt.  I decided yesterday that I would not leave Ms. Cockshutt's side at all when Ms. Tabi has access to her, and am now either spraying her with water or showing her the bottle when she appears to be going to charge her.  Today, Ms. Tabi did not charge her or slap her, she layed at the foot of the guest room bed while Ms. Cockshutt laid beside me.  I cannot wait for this to be over with.  

Tabi continues to have trips to the barn, I continue to have one on one play time with her and she gets some cuddle time on our bed before she has a day sleep. . . so nothing in her life has been affected by the presence of Ms. Cockshutt.  Even her litter pan is cleaned daily as per usual, so I pray she's paying attention to this and taking freaking notes! lol

Ms. Cockshutt is a true darling.  I'll post another update in a few days, and I really should get some pics eh?!!!!

 

[katefriday]

p. s. I'm back already to say that Ms. Tabi came in from the barn and went upstairs to Ms. Cockshutt's room, she played with her toys and did not come into the guest room where Ms. Cockshutt and I were and this is a first!  Tonight I am going to stay in the guest room with Ms. Cockshutt but will leave the door open and see what happens. . . I think we are on track, my spidey sense is tingling lol

 

[betsygee]

 
p. s. I'm back already to say that Ms. Tabi came in from the barn and went upstairs to Ms. Cockshutt's room, she played with her toys and did not come into the guest room where Ms. Cockshutt and I were and this is a first!  Tonight I am going to stay in the guest room with Ms. Cockshutt but will leave the door open and see what happens. . . I think we are on track, my spidey sense is tingling lol

Good luck!  

 

[stewball]

I hope Ms. Tabu isn't jealous of you sleeping with Ms. Cockshutt. That could be a reason for the head slaps.

 

[katefriday]

Hi Stewball, et al,  The head slaps started days prior to me sleeping in the guest room.  I was trying to show Tabi that I wanted Ms. Cockshutt to be a forever member of this family, but I'm sure jealousy reared it's ugly head.  The next three days I let them duke it out a bit because by then I was convinced that there wouldn't be any blood shed, feeling that if it were to come to that, I would have seen it escalate by then.  Tabi and Ms. Cockshutt did sleep with me on the bed one night with no incidence until 330 a.m. when the slapping commenced.  Ms. Cockshutt doesn't even sleep where Tabi falls into place when she sleeps with me on the bed.  Tabi is always the aggressor.

 I had been leaving the screen door off the room and they had only a few squabbles, but the night before yesterday it seemed pretty loud and heated and as I got to the top landing, Tabi ran out of the room, all puffed up and I entered the room to find a little more fur on the floor than usual.  I checked them both out and they have no scratches, but I think Ms.Cockshutt finally let Tabi have it.  All day yesterday, Tabi would go up to see Ms. Cockshutt but there were no confrontations.  I gave both of them treats at the same time and was petting them at the same time and praising them as I've done before when they've been close enough for me to pet them at the same time.  Today I am hoping for another day without a squabble, but I will be putting the screen door in place at night for the time being, until I am certain that they have settled their differences.  I think Tabi is close to hanging up the gloves.

Thanks!  I'll post again in a few days!

 

[katefriday]

Well, there's no longer any fighting going on. . . Tabi is trying to make friends with Ms. Cockshutt and Ms. Cockshutt is playing hard to get lol.  The screen door is no longer in use, but Ms. Cockshutt is sticking to the top floor of the house.  I have started to feed her on the landing and next week, I will be placing it at the foot of the stairs, so she'll have to come down to the main level to eat.  She really loves to sleep on the bed in the guest room and has taken it over lol

 

[katefriday]

Hi all!  Well, I'm afraid this part of the process is going to take a lot longer than initially expected.  While there may not be any fighting going on between Tabi and Ms. Cockshutt, Tabi continues to charge her periodically and there's just a little hissy fit and paws go up in the air but seldom make any contact.  Ms. Cockshutt has decided that the Guest Room is more to her liking than the studio and I'm sure it has something to do with the big bed.  Not only does it make for a comfortable sleep, she probably feels at an advantage while being elevated when Tabi enters the room.  I moved her litter pan and scratch post into that room and her food station.  I put her food station just inside the door for a couple of weeks, then moved it to just the threshold and thought I'd creep it out slowly onto that landing between my studio room and the guest room.  But upon doing so, Miss Cockshutt did not eat for three days and did not eliminate and I can't have that.  So, I have moved her feeding station back into the room and she has been eating and eliminating.  

I play hard with her everyday, making sure she gets enough exercise but she shows no sign of wanting to leave the room, not even to chase a feather across the landing and into the studio, which is the room she was in initially.  I continue to get both Tabi and Ms. Cockshutt on the guest room bed, about 2-3 feet from each other and give them some treats and pets and praise.  Tabi likes to nibble Ms. Cockshutt's dry food and use her litter pan and scratching post occasionally.     I clean the litter pans twice a day of any elimination.  

I just don't see this happening soon, I believe Ms. Cockshutt is a true fraidy cat and my never been exposed to other cats in confined quarters, as well she most likely didn't have a desirable encounter with humans in the past.  To the best of my knowledge she was outdoors for 2 years.  Initially I thought she belonged to neighbours across the way, but the last year proved otherwise and she shows no sign of wanting to leave.  So we will have to do the next step on her terms,

p.s. I forgot to get some pictures, I will work on that.

 

[katefriday]

Ms. Tabi, my bully-bitch lol

IMG_1471.JPG

• katefriday
• Jan 28, 2015

 

[katefriday]

Ms. Cockshutt, my fraidy-cat! lol

IMG_1466.JPG

• katefriday
• Jan 28, 2015

 

[ondine]

Oh, they are both beautiful! Hang in there; they will becomes roommates, even if they aren't besties.

 

[stewball]

They are beautiful. I.love tabbies

 

[bbdoll22]

Update on how they're getting along?