Breaking in a new cat on the old cat.

[swag]

We went out to the humane society to get a pal for 8 year-old Barney, whom we adopted about 10 months ago, and who seems quite happy but gets bored during the day when nobody's home.

Came home with year-and-a-half-old Chopper, who has got Barney quite pissed off. So we're doing the recommended thing and keeping Chopper in his own room for a week or so until he starts to smell more like our house, and so he and Barney can sniff at each other through the crack at the bottom of the door, and Barney can get a little more used to the idea of having another cat in the house. He has lived with another cat before, and seemed to get along fine, but disliked very much living with dogs.

Barney's doing a lot of hissing and growling at the door to the room where Chopper is. We'll see how this goes over the coming days, with some supervised visits in the evenings. I expect Barney to start pissing on the furniture soon if his agitation continues. I hope he can get used to Chopper, but if not, Chopper will have to go back or go somewhere else.

So that's the deal.

[bertha katzenengel]

1. idea

put an old t-shirt in with Chopper, best if you can get him to sleep on it. After a few days take it out to where Barney sleeps, see if he will accept it. Just a way to introduce Chopper's scent so that it's non-threatening to Barney.

Good luck!!

[swag]

4. Thank you very much. Will do that.

[blueraven95]

2. one thing we've always done when introducing a new cat...

is on the first (and if necessary, second and third) introduction, we've put a little (and I mean tiny) bit of butter on one of each cat's paws. They tend to lick it off and by the time they've finished cleaning themselves, the initial aggression has passed, and it's a treat so they (hopefully) will associate the other cat with getting good things.

I've never seen this recommended anywhere else, but it's always worked for us.

[swag]

5. Nice idea. Thank you.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

3. Does it have that terrific new cat smell?

:hi

[swag]

6. I think Chopper smells to Barney like he just got out of jail.

[applegrove]

7. That door thing worked for me but I was dealing with a kitten and an older cat. And kittens are

irresistable.

[swag]

10. Yeah, kittens are rough stuff.

That's why I stear clear.

Too addictive. Too snurflable.

[applegrove]

11. Snurflable...what a word! LOL.

[bettyellen]

8. someone suggested the butter thing to me, but said to coat the cats head to tail

so that they would lick it off each other. kinky, eh?

i just capped 'em and went on vacation. ;-)

[swag]

9. Well, it's much better tonight. They're playing a chase game all around the house.

Still a little hissing and growling, but mostly Barney seems fascinated to have a playmate, and Chopper can't believe how much space he has outside of jail.

How are the girls?

[bettyellen]

14. the girls are good. i have finally trained them to beg silently for food and it's great!

they still mew other times but if they want kibble they STFU and make like sad (and quiet) looking Keane paintings. It's very funny to see them trying so hard to be quiet, heh heh.
and I switched to feeding last thing at night so they don't wake me at 6AM for more. so, i love them even more now that i am firmly in control. ;-P

[swag]

15. Teach me that shit real good next time we babysit, 'kay?

[bettyellen]

16. just wait em out and when they are quiet feed and pet them, little by little they make a connection.

positive reinforcement (well timed kibble) is all that ever works. you just have to be careful + never reward them for annoying you.
i was doing that in the mornings, until they pushed it to before 6 am, so then i started this massive re education program.

coming back to the east coast soon? you;d better call on us when you do!

[begin_within]

12. Have a catnip party

They'll be best friends in 3 weeks anyway.

[swag]

13. I need to get some fresh stuff for them.

They're both pretty giddy on the stale, though.

Maybe they each need an entire plant to destroy.

[Lorien]

17. Always make a fuss over the old cat when the new cat is around

The Humane society has more great advice here: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/cat_behavior_tip_sheets/introducing_pets_to_a_new_cat.html

[DeepBlueC]

18. yep, that is good advice

[swag]

19. Update: they're getting along famously now.

Barney quit hissing and batting so much on their second night together, and this morning he seemed really pissed off when Aitch put Barney back into the guest room before we went off to work.

He seems pretty happy to have a buddy. I think they'll both have the run of the house starting Saturday.