Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Arcanegirl on August 10, 2014, 19:49:36 PM
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Thought id start a new thread for this one.
Bane is the resident cat (20 months), Harvey is the new kitten (10.5 weeks).
So far both cats will be in the same room, but if Harvey gets too close to Bane then we have hissing and growling from Bane. I have tried feeding them in close proximity to each other, if Harvey is closer than 2 metres then Bane will abandon his food and go back to it later but he will eat if I place Harvey further away but still in view.
I have been swapping about blankets that Harvey has been sleeping on and rubbing them around Bane, also placing them where Bane is sleeping to get him used to scents.
Is this normal so far for as far as we have got introducing them? How do we proceed from here or just carry on as we are doing?
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Today Bane has been into Harveys "safe room" but whilst he will go sit on the windowsill, his favourite place..he is growling at Harvey. Is this too much too quick? Should I go back to keeping Bane out of this room? Harvey seems to be reacting by soiling and peeing anywhere but the litter tray in this room.
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It could be that Harvey feels threatened by Bane being in the safe room.
Can you give us more information about how you're currently doing the ite swapping and scent swapping, and what times you have the boys together and where?
You could try placing the litter box on the bed on top of a protective cover (I know it sounds gross, but if Harvey is "defending" his space, then it may help to break him of the habit).
The good thing is Bane will eat within sight and sound of Harvey. That's fine for now. Getting them closer and closer may just take time. It's really natural for us to want these things to happen quickly, and sometimes we're fortunate and they do, but we have to allow things to happen in the cats' own time, otherwise we risk putting the process backwards rather than forwards. Still fixable, just often means starting again from scratch, by keeping them apart and then gradually re-introducing etc.
Have you tried shared playtime with them, and if so, what were the results? Any interest from Bane?
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Currently introducing a 2 yo vets estimate in the the Clan he is called Cody and although we have some narkiness I have mixed the litter from several boxes through the ones he uses and the same with the ones my own lot use and have had no issues with using the bed
Sometimes kittens need a couple of extra boxes outside their saferoom as it can be a long walk to one when they are so busy exploring, I have had them in my lounge before when introducing kittens and find my adults use them as well
I have a very mutli household and 3 Border Collies so do introductions fairly regularly - it might also be an idea to try some Zylkene capsules sprinkled on to food for Bane as this does take the edge of them - its is a natural substance and I tend ot use it on my ferals when they first come in
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We are keeping Bane out of the bedroom still if Harvey is feeling threatened, though with the bed issue still. I have the bed covered up (to save on washing duvets mostly!) and the litter box on top, he has used it for a poo but not yet a pee. We still need to clean up the mattress properly which we hope to sort tomorrow with my bigger son back in school.
The evening wet food meal is the only sitting i try them together to eat, mornings are just too hectic with the kids and not easy to keep an eye on them and give the cats some peace and in the evening for an hour Harvey has run of the rooms whilst Bane is still in. This is when we try to engage them in playing together then Bane will go outside for the night and Harvey continues to have run of all of the rooms to play and explore.
Bane will play but its individual at the moment, I can play with one and the other will watch.
Scent swapping, i have two socks and rub them over faces then swap over to the other cat who will be rewarded for having a sniff and investigating it. I am also swapping blankets about where I can (as they are getting used up to protect my bed at the moment too),
Litter boxes wise, I have Harveys in the bedroom with him, Banes in the living room and the kitten tray in the bathroom. My place isnt huge so hopefully this should be enough to prevent accidents though they are only happening in the bedroom.
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We seem to be at a point now where Harvey can roam around the rooms and Bane will sleep in his chosen spot. At feeding time they sniffed each others noses for a brief second then Bane growled. Looks like we are having some progress.
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Sounds good, ket them go at their own pace ;D
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Definitely making progress by the sounds of it. :) I suspect Bane was simply telling the little un not to push his luck. ;)
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Heres the progress today:
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f328/karoline1246/2014-08-16195453.jpg) (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/karoline1246/media/2014-08-16195453.jpg.html)
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That's closer than my 2 like to get and they've been together for more than a year! ;D
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Loving the photograph. Real progress there for sure. ;D