Reintroduction question

[rosietosie]

Good morning!

We have having some trouble with our female 8 year old cat and our male 6 year old cat.

About a month ago we started to foster 3 kittens and the male cat did pretty well with them and the female cat just basically ignored them. Things were going quite well when we noticed that the female cats eye was infected and her right side of the face swollen. Took her to the vets and she had a bad upper respitory infection. We had to keep her in another room for a week to monitor her and give her meds.

When we opened the door to let her out that is when our male cat began to stalk her. We haven't had fights per say but if she moves he chases. She had been hiding under our bed for about 2 weeks when I decided we needed to reintroduce them.

I got our dogs crate (big black lab so very big crate) and put a litter box with a pillow and food and water and stuck her in there in our office which is right off of the living room and the main source of action. Had her in there for a day or two and then let her out in the office which has two sets of glass French doors so that everyone can see each other and smell each other.

My boy cat is smart and knows how to stick his paw under the door and pop them open so despite me blocking them with chairs and books (lol) he gets in there a lot.

She growls and hisses when he comes near her but again no fights.

I have been leaving the doors somewhat open to give her a chance to come out if she wishes. I was in the kitchen when I heard growling and found that she had come out into the living room and he had her in a corner. I called his name and he walked away. She just jumped up on the couch for the first time in over a month and seems scared but ok.

Am I doing this reintroduction correctly? Does anyone have any tips on how to bring more peace? I have a calming collar on the boy cat but that isn't mellowing him out at all.

Also worth noting we kept one of the foster kittens. The foster kitten really wants to love on our female cat and she is just annoyed by him (much like how she was with our boy cat when we got him as a kitten)

Thanks so much for any help you can give me. My biggest concern is making sure my girl cat has a good quality of life. She has been hiding and not roaming free for awhile and it just breaks my heart.

 

[shadowsrescue]

So there is a lot going on in your home.  First you had the foster kittens, then the female gets sick and is taken to the vet (funny smells came home with her) and then she was isolated for a week.  Now you have a new kitten out and about.  This is all a sign of major major stress for cats.  Your male cat is upset as his usual day to day routine has down awry.  His buddy was sick and then sent to the vet.  Once home he could smell the scent of the vet and other animals.  Then she was isolated for a week.  Her scent is very different as she was to the vet, sick and on meds.  She no longer smells the same.  Then the new kitten is out and about.  He just wants  his old life back!!

I would start by scent swapping between the two resident kitties.  Take 2 clean wash clothes and wipe each cat down with a separate cloth.  Be sure to hit the scent glands under the chin and on the pads of the feet.  Then swap each towel and wipe the other cat down with the others scent.  You may need to do this over and over.  I have also heard that you can bathe each cat and then wipe them down with each others scent.  My cats would freak with a bath!!

You can see if scent swapping will help.  If not, you might want to start by feeding them on opposite sides of a closed door.  I will include a video that shows how to do this.  After a day or so you can place a baby gate in the door way and cover it with a sheet or crack the door.  Then gradually raise the sheet so they are eating on either side of a baby gate.  You want there to be no hissing, growling, chasing etc.. You just want them to eat. 

You also might need to do proper introductions with the kitten.  It is rare that you can just plop a cat down and expect all to be friends.  Cats are very territorial and routine oriented.  The hierarchy has now been disrupted.  If you want peaceful living and for all to coexist, try the techniques from the video. Here are a few articles too

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-ultimate-yet-simplified-guide-to-introducing-cats

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/a-simple-little-trick-to-use-during-new-cat-introductions/