Need a refresher course on introducing a new cat to the house

[csziggy]

I just had a call - and I will be adopting a new kitty!

Lily is not really new to us. She was adopted by the family that takes care of the farm for us with the idea she'd be a barn cat. Lily is NOT barn cat material. She is sweet, fluffy and not a hunter at all. But she did OK at the barn for a couple of years, so long as she had food, a bed, a litter box in the tack room, and lots of cuddles.

A few months ago she was attacked by some dogs, not hurt seriously, mostly just slobbered on with a few nicks that bled enough to scare the family. They took her to the vet to be checked over and since then she's been living in their house. Meanwhile a feral kitten showed up and claimed the barn as territory. It's much more fitted to being a barn kitty and the biggest problem will be to catch it to get its vaccinations.

The living situation in the family's home is not ideal for a cat. They have two Labradors and a Blue Heeler. The Labs are cool with the cat once they understood she was part of the family, but the Blue Heeler has not adjusted and has gotten more and more agressive and attacks Lily any time she can.

So the family called tonight and asked if we could take Lily. We'd offered before, once when it was obvious Lily was not barn cat material and again when she was attacked. So I've just told them we can take her after Christmas. We'll be gone on Christmas Day so I thought it best to wait until then to bring her over.

The problem is my cat, Tashi. He and Lily had stand offs and fights back when Lily first moved into the barn. They reached some sort of accommodation - my cat stopped going to the barn and Lily would visit the exterior of our house but wouldn't come onto the porch. Tashi used to be really aggressive, but he's almost 14 years old and has mellowed.

Tashi has not had to share our house with another cat since our old cat Edmund was put to sleep in 2009. When Tashi was a 4 ounce kitten he terrorized 20 pound Edmund and the two cats never got along. Eventually they learned to tolerate each other - as in stay in the same room without one of them snarling or attacking - but they never were friends.

I need some advice in how to introduce Lily into our house without upsetting Tashi too much. It's been so long since I've put two cats together, I don't even remember what I did!

Pictures will posted once Lily gets here.