Hey again all!
So I found a kitty to adopt, and brought her home 5 days ago.
She was in a hoarding and abusive situation, so the 6m old new kitty looooooves other kitties, terrified of people.
I've progressed with her (all set up in the bathroom) to where she's now playing, eating more and lets me pet her without cringing. The work with her is going pretty well actually, as I got a purr out of her this morning when I pet her!!
The issue is my resident cat, Petunia.
8yr old female, stubborn as they come. Sweet, cuddle bug, fearful of what's in the bathroom honestly, nervous around strangers.
Who will NOT go near the bathroom door. At all still.
Yes, I know it's only been 5 days, but the kitten is used to being around over 50 other cats, and yowls for company after too long alone. I don't want to amp up her anxiety (she has a prescription for it), and from what I've read, kitties like this shouldn't be kept isolated too long. From what I've read, she needs the company of a kitty.
Now, I've tried swapping toys, Petunia (resident) ignores them. I've tried moving her food bowl closer to the bathroom door (where the new cat is quarantined), and she'll just stop eating. Entirely. When I started moving it closer, she went 2 days with no food. I've tried playing with her favorite toy there, even getting a new toy with catnip - if it's near that door, she walks away. Even treats, once they get close enough to that door, she will ignore and stay away from.
How on earth do I get my Petunia to ease up and relax enough to start being curious about the new kitty?
To be fair, Rose (the new girl) escaped out the bathroom because she heard Petunia on day 3, and with tail in the air made a beeline for who she must've considered an ally. Petunia hunched down, ears flat, hissing, spitting, growling and when Rose kept walking towards her, batted at her as well. Petunia is *not* a fan yet, let's say.
I have Feliway running in the apartment.
I have those 'calming' treats for Petunia.
I've tried food (huge motivator for her), scent swapping, toys, catnip, treats - ugh I don't know what to do to start moving Petunia towards accepting the new kitty. The only progress here is that I don't have to wash my hands and change my clothes after seeing Rose now, and Petunia will hesitatingly come close to me.
I even have anti-anxiety meds for the kitten that I'm starting to get tempted to give a smattering of to Petunia just to calm her fat ass down.
If this was a well socialized kitty in the bathroom, not particularly in need of a new companion, I wouldn't be feeling a bit frantic right now.
But Rose's mews can be intense and heartbreaking to hear, knowing she's calling out for company.
I visit Rose about every 2 hours right now - never when she's calling, so I don't accidentally encourage it - and I can get her to pause the yowling by playing with her and bringing food.
I'm just a bit at a loss as to how to push Petunia a bit to get closer to that door - or am I approaching that wrong? Should I be swapping blankets out more, putting them everywhere out here so Petunia *can't* avoid them?
I did have Rose out in the living room, and Petunia in the bedroom, when Rose initially escaped so the kitten could run off some energy - do you think it's too soon to do that for more than just an hour? Or might that be a better way to 'scent swap', kind of forcing Petunia to deal and not allow her to just avoid it?
Any ideas on how to get Petunia on board would be much appreciated!
She's as stubborn as they come, this one, though super sweet once she decides it's what she wants.
This is Rose, and Petunia (looking abjectly horrified)
So I found a kitty to adopt, and brought her home 5 days ago.
She was in a hoarding and abusive situation, so the 6m old new kitty looooooves other kitties, terrified of people.
I've progressed with her (all set up in the bathroom) to where she's now playing, eating more and lets me pet her without cringing. The work with her is going pretty well actually, as I got a purr out of her this morning when I pet her!!
The issue is my resident cat, Petunia.
8yr old female, stubborn as they come. Sweet, cuddle bug, fearful of what's in the bathroom honestly, nervous around strangers.
Who will NOT go near the bathroom door. At all still.
Yes, I know it's only been 5 days, but the kitten is used to being around over 50 other cats, and yowls for company after too long alone. I don't want to amp up her anxiety (she has a prescription for it), and from what I've read, kitties like this shouldn't be kept isolated too long. From what I've read, she needs the company of a kitty.
Now, I've tried swapping toys, Petunia (resident) ignores them. I've tried moving her food bowl closer to the bathroom door (where the new cat is quarantined), and she'll just stop eating. Entirely. When I started moving it closer, she went 2 days with no food. I've tried playing with her favorite toy there, even getting a new toy with catnip - if it's near that door, she walks away. Even treats, once they get close enough to that door, she will ignore and stay away from.
How on earth do I get my Petunia to ease up and relax enough to start being curious about the new kitty?
To be fair, Rose (the new girl) escaped out the bathroom because she heard Petunia on day 3, and with tail in the air made a beeline for who she must've considered an ally. Petunia hunched down, ears flat, hissing, spitting, growling and when Rose kept walking towards her, batted at her as well. Petunia is *not* a fan yet, let's say.
I have Feliway running in the apartment.
I have those 'calming' treats for Petunia.
I've tried food (huge motivator for her), scent swapping, toys, catnip, treats - ugh I don't know what to do to start moving Petunia towards accepting the new kitty. The only progress here is that I don't have to wash my hands and change my clothes after seeing Rose now, and Petunia will hesitatingly come close to me.
I even have anti-anxiety meds for the kitten that I'm starting to get tempted to give a smattering of to Petunia just to calm her fat ass down.
If this was a well socialized kitty in the bathroom, not particularly in need of a new companion, I wouldn't be feeling a bit frantic right now.
But Rose's mews can be intense and heartbreaking to hear, knowing she's calling out for company.
I visit Rose about every 2 hours right now - never when she's calling, so I don't accidentally encourage it - and I can get her to pause the yowling by playing with her and bringing food.
I'm just a bit at a loss as to how to push Petunia a bit to get closer to that door - or am I approaching that wrong? Should I be swapping blankets out more, putting them everywhere out here so Petunia *can't* avoid them?
I did have Rose out in the living room, and Petunia in the bedroom, when Rose initially escaped so the kitten could run off some energy - do you think it's too soon to do that for more than just an hour? Or might that be a better way to 'scent swap', kind of forcing Petunia to deal and not allow her to just avoid it?
Any ideas on how to get Petunia on board would be much appreciated!
She's as stubborn as they come, this one, though super sweet once she decides it's what she wants.
This is Rose, and Petunia (looking abjectly horrified)