I'm sure this question has been asked before.
But...
I recently took in a stray kitten, perhaps 8-12 months old. He is semi-feral I guess. It took him a long time to warm up to us, like a few months, before we could pick him up and bring him in the house. We got him neutered. He really adjusted well to my greyhound, as they had 'met' and sniffed on a daily basis when I took him out to do his business. The cat, Midnight, always rubbed up against the greyhound, Dash, before he would ever come near us.
We have another cat, Weasley, perhaps 4 yrs old, we found abandoned on the parkway one night. He was skinny but very loving and friendly. He is neutered also. All our pets are. He also loves the greyhound. But Weasley is fearless, and curious like a typical cat.
We did everything we were supposed to when we brought Midnight in, to better the chances of the two cats getting along. We kept midnight in Dash's room (without Dash in it of course), with his own food and litter box. We let both cats roam free in the house, on their own, to get the scent of the other cat. We put one cat in a safe location that the other can sniff and all that. This went on for a month. Midnight, is so skiddish about everything, except the dog, that he jumps at any sudden movement or sound. He'll lay and cuddle with us, but will run away if we try to pick him up off the ground. we have to let him come to us. If we are sitting there and he is cuddling and we reach down to pet him, he jumps at first. He plays, and we play with him, but still is skiddish about everything.
Now whenever we let the two cats together, at first there was a fight. Weasley isnt looking to fight, he wants to play, but is so brutish and gung-ho it usually ends up in a chase. Every time weasley comes near midnight, midnight hisses and growls. we are trying the feeding together thing, but not sure if we are doing it right. There are times when weasley ignores midnight, but then there are times he just wants to torment him.
I dont expect them to be best friends. I just want midnight to feel safe and secure that no one will harm him in the home. I want him to be less afraid of everything. What should I do?
But...
I recently took in a stray kitten, perhaps 8-12 months old. He is semi-feral I guess. It took him a long time to warm up to us, like a few months, before we could pick him up and bring him in the house. We got him neutered. He really adjusted well to my greyhound, as they had 'met' and sniffed on a daily basis when I took him out to do his business. The cat, Midnight, always rubbed up against the greyhound, Dash, before he would ever come near us.
We have another cat, Weasley, perhaps 4 yrs old, we found abandoned on the parkway one night. He was skinny but very loving and friendly. He is neutered also. All our pets are. He also loves the greyhound. But Weasley is fearless, and curious like a typical cat.
We did everything we were supposed to when we brought Midnight in, to better the chances of the two cats getting along. We kept midnight in Dash's room (without Dash in it of course), with his own food and litter box. We let both cats roam free in the house, on their own, to get the scent of the other cat. We put one cat in a safe location that the other can sniff and all that. This went on for a month. Midnight, is so skiddish about everything, except the dog, that he jumps at any sudden movement or sound. He'll lay and cuddle with us, but will run away if we try to pick him up off the ground. we have to let him come to us. If we are sitting there and he is cuddling and we reach down to pet him, he jumps at first. He plays, and we play with him, but still is skiddish about everything.
Now whenever we let the two cats together, at first there was a fight. Weasley isnt looking to fight, he wants to play, but is so brutish and gung-ho it usually ends up in a chase. Every time weasley comes near midnight, midnight hisses and growls. we are trying the feeding together thing, but not sure if we are doing it right. There are times when weasley ignores midnight, but then there are times he just wants to torment him.
I dont expect them to be best friends. I just want midnight to feel safe and secure that no one will harm him in the home. I want him to be less afraid of everything. What should I do?