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[Cat Thread] Felines not feminists (now with pics)
Gihgehls
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, I have a cat, Princess. She loves me to death but for the most part she is a pretty grouchy kitty. My roommate is getting a little tiny kitten and I'm wondering on the best way to acclimate them to each other. Apparently they were introduced last night and it wasn't a very warm reception. Princess went up stairs after hissing at the roommate, but when I came home she came back down. She was walking around with her tail low, and I figured she was jealous of the new kitten so I did my best to ignore the kitten and just focus on Princess. She seemed to brighten up.
Gihgehls on
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*snickers* Obviously, your cat is upset at being named Princess.
Okay, anyhow. Gentle introductions and supervision is the right way. I'd suggest setting up a small litter pan and food bowl in the bathroom, so that when the two of you aren't around, the kitten can be kept in a safe area away from Princess.
And you're doing the right thing with babying Princess as well; pay attention to her, or she'll view the newcomer as a threat. Don't totally ignore the new kitten, but don't ignore her either.
Oh, and make sure your roomie spays/neuters/vaccinates/deworms the kitten.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
And your avatar just gave me a seizure.
The steps to take when introducing cats to each other are:
Separate the cats – keep your new cat in a separate room from the beginning.
Swap scents – rub a clean towel over your new pet and then rub the towel around the rest of the house. On walls, furniture etc. This will allow your existing cat to get used to this new scent. Do the same for your new cat, using the scent of your existing cat.
Affection – make sure that your new cat doesn’t become the focus of your time. It is important that your existing cat does not feel neglected, as this will increase their insecurities.
After a few days and when you feel that your new cat is confident in it’s new environment:
Slow introductions – Put your new cat into a cat carrier that allows visual access and put the carrier in a room with your other cat. Stay in the room and let you cats see each other. Their may be spitting and hissing, but do not react to this.
This first encounter should only last a few minutes. Repeat the process daily, for longer and longer periods of time. Whilst the encounter is happening be sure to use a calm voice towards your cat and stoke them to reassure them that everything is ok.
Repeat - You can repeat the process the other way round, with your existing cat in the carrier and your new cat outside. Gradually over time during the introducing cats process as they are exposed to each other for longer and longer periods of time, the cats reactions should become less and less aggressive.
Final Step - Once the aggression has subsided, it is time to introduce the cats without the carrier. Never leave them alone together during this time. Allow them to get to know each other in their own way. Offer the cats treats, so that they associate each other’s presence with a good experience.
It’s all about making your cats realise that the other cat is not a threat and that they should not feel threatened. However if a fight does break out, separate them, never shout and try again later.
Once cats have gone through this process of introduction in a calm and reassuring environment, they will eventually stop feeling threatened by each other and should stop reacting to each other in an aggressive way.
So basically, seriously, the cats need more than 30 seconds to be introduced, this process takes days or weeks. Yeah, you can just throw them together and maybe they will get used to each other. Or maybe they won't. Or you can go with the above plan for absolute success.
on the other end of the spectrum our friends built a door size screen, and used that to keep them seperated.
i personally would just let them figure it out so long as there is no violence
So, really, it just takes time, keep it gradual, and keep loving Princess.
Here's Princess
And here is The Dude
I second the cat carrier thing though, wish I had done it when I had two cats.
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