new kitty woes

[transgress]

So recently I got an apartment with my girlfriend. I brought my cat with me when I came. She decided to let her mom keep her's. Well she has been missing her kitty and everytime we visit her mom she just loves on her. So i finally insisted we bring her with us. Today was the day.

So I blocked off the bedroom from my kitty, lil bit. She freaked out assuming I was about to give her a bath, and the bedroom is her normal hiding place. And she's been hiding since I shut the door.

I brought her kitty, Zoe, over and put her in the bedroom with food, water, and litter. She's taking the move well.

Lil bit finally calmed down after I showed her zoe through a very slightly opened door. They hissed a good bit, but lil bit started coming out more. She's still a little annoyed, but she is not running from me or anything.

It's going to be a long few days hopping from room to room. But they are so sweet. I'll show photo's soon.

[FemaleCheetah]

I can't wait for pics :)

Yeah it will take some time for them to get to know each other but you are doing everything correctly.

Something you might want to do before you let them in the same room together is cut their nails in case they try and fight, it will prevent injury to the other cat.

I've never introduced cats before so I don't know what else you could do but it seems like you are on the right track.

Again, I can't wait for pics!

[transgress]

[img=http://img241.images.us/img241/4739/1112062320tk4.th.jpg] (http://img241.images.us/my.php?image=1112062320tk4.jpg)

[img=http://img177.images.us/img177/3097/1123061720aje1.th.jpg] (http://img177.images.us/my.php?image=1123061720aje1.jpg)

the first is lil bit and the second is zoe. I'll try to get a brighter one of lil bit when she decides to come out of the cupboard.

[Nell]

I'm not able to get the pictures to work....any chance you could try again?

Keeping the cats seperated is a very good idea, but it was probably premature to allow them face to face contact already.
A slow and proper introduction is one of the best things you can do to ensure a healthy relationship between the cats. Don't rush it because its an inconvenience to you to keep them seperated. Take it slow and go at their pace and you'll all be happier in the end.

When introductions are not done right, it'll often work out in some way, but despite that, I know of quite a few people who have had some serious problems with their cats getting along because they weren't introduced properly. With adult cats, its even more important that you take things slow.

here are a couple of good references on introducing a new cat:
http://www.cuhumane.org/topics/catcat.html

http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/catintro.pdf

you can also google "new cat introductions" for more ideas.

good luck!

[Punkygirl0101]

Yeah, the pictures don't work for me either.

Since I have 30 cats, you can imagine how many times I have introduced cats to each other.. many, many times. Sometimes they love each other the same day, sometimes it takes months, and there are even some cats who STILL hate each other. Our cat Stephanie, who I have had for about 6 months now, I got her off the street with her 7 kittens (we only have 3 now), hated every other animal when she first came. She hissed and tried to attack anyone that got near her. Now, after forcing her to be in the same room with the animals she hated, she doesn't attack them anymore. She still doesn't like when some get near her, but she won't attack them, just growl. its funny, she has always been a skinny outside cat who only had kittens.. now she is a fat lazy house cat. :)

[FemaleCheetah]

I also cant see the pics

[transgress]

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q102/transgressing/1123061720a.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q102/transgressing/1112062320.jpg

let's try the bucket

first is zoe and second is lil bit

[FemaleCheetah]

aw they are so adorable!

[magick29]

Are they maine coons?

[transgress]

that's what they look like but neither is pure bred.

[Punkygirl0101]

They look like my cat Smokey, who also resembles a Maine coone, but is not purebred! Very cute!