So, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I acquired a new kitty on Sunday night, and over the last 5 days I've been slowly acclimating them to each other.
They started on Sunday night, with the new kitty living on the balcony to start out with. Their first meeting was paws up against the glass of the sliding door, with both cats hissing at each other for a half a minute before they backed off.
Then ensued lots of petting one and then petting the other while they sniffed my hands, smelling the other cat. The new cat seems unperturbed by this, while Elizabeth looks at me with mild disgust and betrayal (well, that's what it seems like to me, anyway) but allows herself to be petted. I also fed them where they can see each other on Monday - they both decided to eat facing away, but there was a lot of glancing over shoulders at the other while they ate.
On Tuesday I fed them where they could see each other again, and then switched them. Elizabeth seemed ok on the balcony at first, but then she got a good sniff of the crate the new cat is living in. At which point she ran away from it hissing, and meowed insistently at the door to be let back in. I managed to entice her halfway back to the crate by putting down a trail of treats and then completely ignoring her requests to come back in. The new cat seemed fine exploring inside the house.
Wednesday morning, I wake up and discover the cats looking at each other through the glass door, Elizabeth meowing questioningly through the glass. When I crack the door so they can smell each other, they hiss again though.
Repeat the switch again. Elizabeth gets to the crate this time, but then wants back in.
Thursday, repeat the switch again. This time, I simply put a few treats in front of the crate and a few just inside it, set Elizabeth down in front and opened my book. She seems fine, and eats the outer treats, sniffs around the balcony a bunch, and then cautiously eats the treats inside the crate. Happy with this success, I also thought it was time they started getting used to each other in the same space. So I pick the new cat up, and let Elizabeth in.
Sitting with the new cat in my lap, Elizabeth sits under the coffee table. New cat doesn't like laps, so she slowly squirms her way down to the floor. I hold her still, just in case the two cats decide to fight. New cat hisses a little, but her ears don't go back. Elizabeth watches, hissing back a little too, but neither approaches or seems likely to attack the other.
Next morning, I do the opposite. Elizabeth outside is more frightened than the new cat inside - she huddles on my lap, meowing at me, and hissing once. New cat is laying in the sun and ignoring her. So I put Elizabeth down. She huddles in place to start out with, but new cat ignores her still and eventually she starts sniffing around the food bowls. Robyn comes out and I figure it's enough for the morning. Right now they're switched again.
Their progress at tolerating each other seems good, and they watch each other through the door frequently now. I'm hoping they'll be able to sniff each other face to face without hissing or fighting soon. And after that, hopefully they'll be friends :) I'm very optimistic - they're getting used to each other fairly quickly.
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