Help and advice for introducing new cats...

[ResidentFeline]

We have inherited my parents’s cat who will be coming to live with us hopefully tomorrow. The problem is we already have a resident cat and I’m very nervous about this. I have read lots about this but also grateful for MNers’ wise advice…

Resident Cat was rescued by us when I found her locked in an empty property to die by previous owners She has the most pampered life possible 9 years on but understandably she Has Issues and is very jumpy, nervous and scared of lots of things like her own paws and tiny ants for example

Newcomer Cat was rescued by my parents from sleeping on the streets She also has the most pampered life possible three years later but is Hard As Nails and does stuff like smacking small dogs in the face completely unprovoked. She does know us all very well but has never been to our house (we do live on the same street) She has also lost her mum and dad (my parents) within six weeks of each other and is missing them.

I have prepared as best as can, separate food and litter areas and a nice base camp in a bedroom where Hard As Nails Cat will be initially - with her current possessions from her own house but also new scratching posts, Feliway, toys, catnip etc.

I will introduce them gradually and use things like the Eat Play Love strategy but I just know MNers will have great advice so over to you guys….

I’m worried about them obviously conducting some sort of dirty protest so have enzyme cat urine thing. I’m worrying about Hard As Nails Cat injuring Nervous Cat With Issues so we are all on standby to prevent this (I also have lots of insurance and vet plans arranged!) I’m worried about either of them running away from home - Hard As Nails Cat wears a harness and lead without complaint so I was going to use this when it’s time for her to go outside. Nervous Cat With Issues tends to stay very close to home and has safe spots in our garden. We also don’t have a cat flap as NCWI is scared of them and frankly doesn’t have the intelligence to work one, plus HANC doesn’t have one as my parents rushed to do her every bidding including opening the back door for her 12000 times day. So we can control their access to outside and supervise them.

I’m desperate to make this successful…any advice wise MNers? Thank you in advance!

How are your kitties getting on @ResidentFeline

I'm so sorry I forgot to come back and update! Luckily I got a ping from MNHQ from your post @AuntieJoyce and thank you for asking

Well HAN cat has been out in the front and back garden, on her harness (and carried round in our arms too ) investigating everything! The postman did scare her once, and Nervy Cat came upon her once and there was some minor hissing but no fights.

In the house, Nervy Cat has been outside all day and only coming in for food but this is normal for her in this weather. HAN cat has been exploring the house in the day and mostly lying in "her" room next to the fan. At night she has been in "her" room with the door closed and Nervy cat has been walking around the house fine and sleeping in my room as usual.

Today Nervy Cat was in the kitchen and HAN Cat in the lounge with the door slightly ajar between them. There was no yowling or hissing, HAN Cat was totally unconcerned and my cat stared at her for five minutes and then went back outside.

So I think it's going OK, we are just taking it very slowly (and spending a lot, bloody hell how expensive is Feliway?!)

Also, DH who was a bit about taking on another cat has been the most attentive to her He dismantled the kitchen table without consulting me so there is room for her litter tray/feeding station separate to my cat, and walking her round the garden on her harness.

Now we have no kitchen table to pile the clean washing and lots of post on but the cats seem happy and have been eating happily albeit at separate times!

Placemarking, mostly for stories of HANC beating up the evil staffie. Sounds like it’s all going swimmingly.

Sounds good. Good weather is probably helping if they’re not around each other so much

I’m just investing in some “feliway friends” as recommended by the vet. Yep not cheap

I just wanted to say sorry about your parents.

Glad the cats are doing well

Placemarking, mostly for stories of HANC beating up the evil staffie.

I‘m glad I‘m not the only one

Thank you @ItsJustTheOneSwanActually. I'm finding the cats are distracting me slightly but in some ways it's hard as I keep finding myself thinking "oh I must tell mum" about her cat's antics...Thank you everyone for advice too...

Well newcomer HANC has settled in well inside the house, using litter tray correctly and eating food, no dirty protests etc yet! She has been out on her harness a few times with no issues. I'm wondering when is the best time to let her out now without the harness? I don't want her to run away but she does like to be outside a lot more than this...and has pulled up a carpet scratching whilst telling me this Also if she is out, Nervy Cat may be more likely to stay in...

You see Resident Nervy Cat has been staying outside and isn't coming in the house except for food - this is usual for her in this weather but it worries me that she is a bit scared and will get into the habit of staying out to avoid HANC. When she has been in for food we have kept them on different sides of an ajar door etc. There has been some plaintive miowing but no attempts to get to each other and fight.

Before I had Nervy Cat in my arms rocking her and singing her songs and HANC came in the room and was unfazed but Nervy Cat hissed a little and legged it out of my arms and outside.

So it's been just over a week now. I feel we are making good progress with HANC cat but I want to be able to let her outside! And I would like to just let them both be in the house without trying to "zone" them or make sure back door is closed to stop escapes (we are a big family and there is always someone coming and going!)

When do people think is the best time to just get a bit more "normal" with it all?

Also..if I can let HANC cat outside and (literally) off the leash I can come back and tell you all how she got on with Evil Staffie. Which is actually driving me mad as it just doesn't shut the fuck up ever. Ever.

Also...if they can get together properly now I could take a photo of them together and post it here! You guys can guess which cat is which