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I'm looking for a bit of advice. Some background: our original cat (Zoey) was adopted by us when she was 3 or 4 months old. She's now around 1.5 years old. She's a bundle of energy, always loves playing, not super affectionate, just an all around cat lol. Sometimes she seems a bit lonely, or we just don't have the ability to play with her as much as she'd like.
Do we decided to take a cat in as a foster (hoping to adopt if they end up getting along ok) around the same age as her. We have the new cat (kit kat) separated in her own room with her own stuff. She's been in there for about a day or 2. We've been doing some scent swapping but Zoey seems like she's getting upset/annoyed. She seems to not want to eat (she eats a little bit but much less than normal), let alone eat on the opposite side of the door where the new cat is staying. She's also started growling and hissing at us, which she has never done. Some of her other behaviors have changed as well.
I know this is a stressful time, but I want my original cat to still feel like she is loved and for her to be comfortable. What are some things I can do to help ease her anxiety?
You have done all the right things so far, and I wouldn't be too discouraged yet. Those kinds of reactions are to be expected. Question... Have they been able to actually see each other yet? I've seen feeding rituals done where they are fed at the same time, but at a distance and where they can see each other. Gradually they are brought closer together at feeding time.
You might also try a controlled play session with both of them together. They are going to have meet and decide for themselves whether they get along or not. Most of the time it works out, but there's always the rare chance it won't.
The behavior of Zoey you described is because she knows there's another cat in her territory, and she doesn't have access to be able to learn about it. She may very well be growling & hissing out frustration, rather than fear or aggression towards the new cat. You are probably close to the point of putting them together with supervision, and seeing how it goes. Good luck.
Thanks for the advice. They have seen each other once or twice through cracks in the door. Interactions were ok, there was no fighting and everyone's ears were perked up nice and high. That being said, Zoey has resumed her eating habits, but refuses to eat anything within around 5 feet of the door (not even wet food or treats). We've been putting scent sponges close to her food bowl to get her used to the other cat.
You are doing things right, and catdad7x is on point also.
Patience is the name of the game, this is something you do not want to rush.
Get them use to each other, treats by the door, etc. Swap rooms, get them use to the scents. The biggest moment is when you first introduce, very stressful, sometimes they do nothing or nothing more than a hiss of "stay away", other times it erupts into a fight and chase, all hell breaking loose.
If you can have someone else with you, one the cats trust, when you introduce, that would be good. have a big towel.blanket, some water, treats, and some toys, for introducing. Get their minds of the toys, activities, the moment they start a little aggressive posturing, separate them, may have to do this several times. If all hell breaks loose, just some water, a towel, get them separated.
I have had cats that love each other right away, and some that want to tear the throat out of the other, absolutely no way to tell beforehand sometimes. I have one cat that is neurotic and hates all cats and even the sight of them. He is kind of friendly to people though, but has severe displaced aggression issues, he was off the street as an older kitten, but he is not adoptable, so he is stuck with me, has his own large room, plenty of attention. I have another cat that loves everything and everything.
You are doing things right, and catdad7x is on point also.
Patience is the name of the game, this is something you do not want to rush.
Get them use to each other, treats by the door, etc. Swap rooms, get them use to the scents. The biggest moment is when you first introduce, very stressful, sometimes they do nothing or nothing more than a hiss of "stay away", other times it erupts into a fight and chase, all hell breaking loose.
If you can have someone else with you, one the cats trust, when you introduce, that would be good. have a big towel.blanket, some water, treats, and some toys, for introducing. Get their minds of the toys, activities, the moment they start a little aggressive posturing, separate them, may have to do this several times. If all hell breaks loose, just some water, a towel, get them separated.
I have had cats that love each other right away, and some that want to tear the throat out of the other, absolutely no way to tell beforehand sometimes. I have one cat that is neurotic and hates all cats and even the sight of them. He is kind of friendly to people though, but has severe displaced aggression issues, he was off the street as an older kitten, but he is not adoptable, so he is stuck with me, has his own large room, plenty of attention. I have another cat that loves everything and everything.
Very good advice, and thanks for mentioning that all important thing that I forgot..... patience
You've gotten good advice so far. If they will eat five (or 10) feet apart, start with that first. Tempt them with treats or dabs of chicken baby food. Don't push anything and proceed slowly.
Both cats are young enough that they will likely accept each other in time. And before you know it, they'll be playing together!
I wanted to give an update. So for the past week we've been doing slow introductions leading up to a same room meeting. Over the past 7 days one of the main things we've learned is that Zoey is absolutely terrified of the new cat (she's always been a bit of a scaredy cat under the best of circumstances).
During the introduction while the two cats were in the same room they were mostly indifferent. Zoey was perched on our window (partly because it's her favorite spot, but also because she's still scared of the new cat) and Kit Kat was in another area playing with a toy. After a while, maybe an hour or so, Zoey felt brave enough to come down from the window. As soon as she was on the ground Kit Kat pounced on her and Zoey made a scream that seemed like it was straight out of a horror movie. She ran away and Kit Kat didn't pursue, but it's clear to see that there's a great deal a fear.
I don't think Kit Kat is trying to fight, I'm hoping it's playful aggression, But Zoey is having none of it. We're using a "multi-car pheromone diffuser" but that seems to be doing next to nothing.
We really want to keep Kit Kat, but if we can't find some middle ground we might have to put her up for adoption.
Any advice or words of encouragement are greatly appreciated!
Big positives in your above update. The fact that when first together in the same room neither cat immediately approached the other, even though both were fully aware of the other, means that neither cat felt an immediate threat or alert. Both were doing the same thing in subtle ways - observing from afar. Awesome! Then when Zoey courageously made the first approach (perhaps she's not as timid after all in all situations), Kit Kat responded with the equal - went forth to meet. Awesome! Zoey's reaction to "scream" and run wihout Kit Kat pursuing taught both cats something: Zoey learned that because she was not chased, this newcomer may not be a threat (more experimentation needed); and Kit Kat learned that her reactive with-contact approach to meet Zoey was inappropriate (either try again or change tactic). That brief moment was a huge communication moment. Awesome!
The two need lots more time to sort things out which can only happen when they are allowed to fully see each other and be in the same space, to try different things, to learn what's accepted and what's not. Hissing, swatting, pouncing, chasing may all be part of the process, and each of these are the cats' ways of telling each other what each can and cannot do.
The more we humans micromanage introductions, the longer it takes and more stressful it becomes. The only time we should step in is if there's fur flying and blood.
Hissing. We sometimes forget that a hiss is not always directed at a human or at another cat or animal, that the hissing is a vocal communication that could be directed at a situation (such as a weird energy in the air when there's something new and unknown).
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