where the first (supervised meeting) should be

[hell603]

Ok back to the saga of Loki and Piper.

One question - based on your experience where do you think is it best to have the "first
supervised" face to face meeting. In the Den where she have been residing or in a more open area where she has "escape routes" if need be.

The reason I am asking is that the 2 times when Loki snuck past me to get to her - the time when she was in the den she was a lot more let me use
"intimindated" for the lack of a better word.
What do you think? As always your advise and experience is very much appreciated.,


Helen

 

[lotsocats]

Helen,

I would stay in the den. This is probably where Piper feels safest and, since it is an enclosed area, it will be easier for you to intervene if necessary. Trying to stop a mad chase through the house can be a bit much, so staying in a smaller room with the door open might be better.

Again, remember to have lots of fun distractors around. Have the toys you can hold and play with (feathers on sticks or cat dancer) and a few balls or mice to toss to break the tension. If they are staring at each other rally hard (an intimidation technique) try to distract them with a different toy. Basically, during the introduction, try to make it as pleasant as possible with lots of toys, gentle talking, and treats (if this works).

It will be stressful in the short run, but it will get better as they spend more and more time together.