Hi,
Weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve recently introduced our two cats to one another and to put it bluntly, it ainâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t working out! We followed the excellent suggestions on the behaviour section of this site and it worked to a point…the point being until they actually caught site of each other. Hereâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the problem:
Zita (incumbent) is three-years old, neutered and very territorial, given what Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve seen with her other cats that wander through the yard. Coco (the new comer) is one-and-a-half years old, neutered and doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to give two hoots about either territory or all the hissing she is receiving.
We kept them in separate rooms for about a week although Zita figured out there was another cat around about 0.2 seconds after we brought Coco in. On first meeting, Zita sat and hissed and hissed until she tired herself out and hid under the sofa. Coco looked like she got bored at all the hissing and started to walk round the place as if she owned it. Weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve been keeping them apart in general (and especially at night) and only gradually increasing their time together. Zita is allowed the run of the house at night and is the only one allowed to use the cat flap; Coco has her own room and is allowed out on a lead for now.
We also tried the old-towel technique, which Coco loved but Zita attacked on first sniff. Playing cat games with them worked for Coco but Zita just used the time as an opportunity to hiss some more at Coco but this time at close range.
The thing is, Zita is a cuddly, soft-hearted puddy cat that Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve only rarely even see hiss. Moreover, all her little quirks and foibles (sleeping between us, greeting us when we come home etc) have gone and she just mooches round hissing at everything that moves! Coco looks as if she wants to play and be friends with Zita but Zitaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s having none of it and looks sad and lonely now.
On the plus side, there is no blood (yet) and the number of hisses per day is going down but is still at an alarmingly high rate!
Is there another technique anyone knows that would get Zita to be a bit friendlier to Coco? I can never, ever see them grooming each other like the behaviour piece suggests but all I want Zita to do is to stop hissing at Coco!
Anyone got other ideas?
P
Weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve recently introduced our two cats to one another and to put it bluntly, it ainâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t working out! We followed the excellent suggestions on the behaviour section of this site and it worked to a point…the point being until they actually caught site of each other. Hereâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the problem:
Zita (incumbent) is three-years old, neutered and very territorial, given what Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve seen with her other cats that wander through the yard. Coco (the new comer) is one-and-a-half years old, neutered and doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to give two hoots about either territory or all the hissing she is receiving.
We kept them in separate rooms for about a week although Zita figured out there was another cat around about 0.2 seconds after we brought Coco in. On first meeting, Zita sat and hissed and hissed until she tired herself out and hid under the sofa. Coco looked like she got bored at all the hissing and started to walk round the place as if she owned it. Weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve been keeping them apart in general (and especially at night) and only gradually increasing their time together. Zita is allowed the run of the house at night and is the only one allowed to use the cat flap; Coco has her own room and is allowed out on a lead for now.
We also tried the old-towel technique, which Coco loved but Zita attacked on first sniff. Playing cat games with them worked for Coco but Zita just used the time as an opportunity to hiss some more at Coco but this time at close range.
The thing is, Zita is a cuddly, soft-hearted puddy cat that Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve only rarely even see hiss. Moreover, all her little quirks and foibles (sleeping between us, greeting us when we come home etc) have gone and she just mooches round hissing at everything that moves! Coco looks as if she wants to play and be friends with Zita but Zitaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s having none of it and looks sad and lonely now.
On the plus side, there is no blood (yet) and the number of hisses per day is going down but is still at an alarmingly high rate!
Is there another technique anyone knows that would get Zita to be a bit friendlier to Coco? I can never, ever see them grooming each other like the behaviour piece suggests but all I want Zita to do is to stop hissing at Coco!
Anyone got other ideas?
P