So here's the introduction to this story. I have a cat named Luna. I adopted her from the shelter at four months old. She's the friendliest most gentle cat. She'll go up to any stranger that comes in. The only scratches I ever got was when she falls off my lap. She's never hissed at me except once when she got out and was cornered by my friend. I had her for a year when I started to move to a bigger apartment. I had been thinking of a friend for her since I work long hours and feel like she'd do well with one.
As I'm moving, I get adopted by this little boy named Nico. He's about six months old and the sweetest tom ever. He loves belly rubs and loves being picked up and held like a baby. He's also super friendly with everyone. I say adopted me because he came into my old apartment and wouldn't leave.
Now I know that on top of a move, a new cat will be extremely stressful, but sometimes we can't decide these timings. Luna takes to the new apartment extremely well. I keep Nico in the bathroom during the night and bedroom during the day. Luna hisses at him under the door. After a week and a half, the hissing all but stops. He paws under the door and she paws at his paw. I switch their rooms every so often and they're fine. They see each other through the glass patio door (patio connects both living room and bedroom) and there's no hissing. Just some pawing at each other. I use a screen door and they seem fine. No hissing, just pawing at each other. Nico tries to play with Luna, but she's more cautious of him. Still no negative reactions.
Three and a half weeks into this introduction, since things are going well I have a friend help me with a face to face introduction. Nico comes at Luna and she hisses at him to back off. He doesn't and continues towards her. She keeps hissing and growling while she backs away from him. He keeps coming forward until she's backed herself into a corner. He pounces at her and they start to fight. They get broken up but it happens to more times before the introduction is cancelled.
I go back to the previous step. I've added a pet gate and they're fine through there. They even eat across from each other through the gate just fine.
I also have been training Nico on a harness and leash. He takes it well and isn't bothered by it. I use it to introduce them so he can't pounce at her. She hisses and growls at him when he gets near her and he doesn't back off.
This introduction has been going on for nearly three months now. They're fine through the doors. They're fine through the gate and screen door. But as soon as they can get at each other he comes at her and doesn't heed her hissing. He doesn't seem to have any ill intentions. His tail is up and seems he just wants to play but doesn't seem to take Luna's hint that she doesn't. What should I do? They're fine completely outside face to face.
As I'm moving, I get adopted by this little boy named Nico. He's about six months old and the sweetest tom ever. He loves belly rubs and loves being picked up and held like a baby. He's also super friendly with everyone. I say adopted me because he came into my old apartment and wouldn't leave.
Now I know that on top of a move, a new cat will be extremely stressful, but sometimes we can't decide these timings. Luna takes to the new apartment extremely well. I keep Nico in the bathroom during the night and bedroom during the day. Luna hisses at him under the door. After a week and a half, the hissing all but stops. He paws under the door and she paws at his paw. I switch their rooms every so often and they're fine. They see each other through the glass patio door (patio connects both living room and bedroom) and there's no hissing. Just some pawing at each other. I use a screen door and they seem fine. No hissing, just pawing at each other. Nico tries to play with Luna, but she's more cautious of him. Still no negative reactions.
Three and a half weeks into this introduction, since things are going well I have a friend help me with a face to face introduction. Nico comes at Luna and she hisses at him to back off. He doesn't and continues towards her. She keeps hissing and growling while she backs away from him. He keeps coming forward until she's backed herself into a corner. He pounces at her and they start to fight. They get broken up but it happens to more times before the introduction is cancelled.
I go back to the previous step. I've added a pet gate and they're fine through there. They even eat across from each other through the gate just fine.
I also have been training Nico on a harness and leash. He takes it well and isn't bothered by it. I use it to introduce them so he can't pounce at her. She hisses and growls at him when he gets near her and he doesn't back off.
This introduction has been going on for nearly three months now. They're fine through the doors. They're fine through the gate and screen door. But as soon as they can get at each other he comes at her and doesn't heed her hissing. He doesn't seem to have any ill intentions. His tail is up and seems he just wants to play but doesn't seem to take Luna's hint that she doesn't. What should I do? They're fine completely outside face to face.
