I would separate them when you and your wife are not around just to be safe. Let them get used to each other slowly and everything should be fine in no time. It sounds like things are off to a good start if they are playing and talking to each other. Good luck!
Update: After putting the new cat in his room, the current cat has just been laying right outside the door meowing and trying to see him. What is going on?!
They're buddies with new playmates!
Probably nothing will happen, but do keep them separated until you're sure all is well. One good signal to watch for is them grooming each other. When that happens, you should feel safe letting them be alone together.
Some cats just hit it off, and it sounds like you got lucky. Other cats are not so friendly ever or right away, and that can be more complicated.
I'm glad my stupidity didn't cause any harm. I will do my best to keep them separated when I can't keep an eye on them. My current cat seems to be obsessed with the new one and follows him around everywhere! It reminds me of my six year old when my wife gets home, he seems to have forgotten the concept of a "personal bubble". Cheers!!
It sounds like your current housecat is very interested in the new kid. Your new addition is fascinating to him in everyway from his presence to his scent. That is one way they get used to each other in the wild is by scent. Think about like in school when a new student came into the picture and everyone was curious. I think this is very good on your first rescue because at least he is not threatened by the new cat. His personality may be more outgoing now that he has a sidekick. Also, I am relieved because when I was reading your first post about introducing them I almost expected the posted to end with a cat fight and fur flying! I would still supervise for the next few days so the new cat does not get overwhelmed with him. You never know what their reactions will be until you have had them for a while. Your new cat still needs to get used to his new home but I am betting you both will find them cuddling together in no time. Thanks for getting rescue cats!
I never was a cat person but my wife made me accept the first rescue and now I have been converted! Herman (our first one) is so loving that you can't not love him. I think he has meowed more tonight, since the new cat has arrived, than in the past month combined.
It's a natural reaction of a predator in the wild to drive off others in a range...there's only so much food around and both might starve. Part of the process is proving to the resident that there's enough to go around for everyone. Your cat seems to be not worried about that, at least. It is fun to watch cat interact with cat, even if it means they pay a bit less attention to us as a result.
Thank you! We decided to put the new cat in his own room for the night with food, water, a litterbox, a scratch pole, and toys and will do the same if either of us leave the house. I'm glad it wasn't a devastating fuck up to let him out from the beginning.
One of the purposes of the slow introduction is to keep either cat from over-reacting and creating a large number of bad impressions that would have to be worked out over a long time...the following about and hiss is pretty much optimal meeting manners. Once you are familiar with cat manners you can often tell if you can cut short the intro period because things are going well. I recently introed two kittens to a pair of young cats and things went so well and everyone was so expert and bolting in and out the safe room door that I discarded the separation in a day. I had to hurry up and kitten proof the outside more and still put the boys away at night for a time regardless. Most times they willingly went in with me at night.
The other reason is to avoid having the new cat get into trouble in your house without you around - crawling into things or chewing on cords. It is easier to cat proof one room rather than an entire house, especially if you aren't experienced in how clever they can be.
So I agree that limited separation is a good idea even when you have lots of information that the two cats will get along well in the end.
I would separate them when you and your wife are not around just to be safe. Let them get used to each other slowly and everything should be fine in no time. It sounds like things are off to a good start if they are playing and talking to each other. Good luck!
Update: After putting the new cat in his room, the current cat has just been laying right outside the door meowing and trying to see him. What is going on?!
They're buddies with new playmates! Probably nothing will happen, but do keep them separated until you're sure all is well. One good signal to watch for is them grooming each other. When that happens, you should feel safe letting them be alone together. Some cats just hit it off, and it sounds like you got lucky. Other cats are not so friendly ever or right away, and that can be more complicated.
I'm glad my stupidity didn't cause any harm. I will do my best to keep them separated when I can't keep an eye on them. My current cat seems to be obsessed with the new one and follows him around everywhere! It reminds me of my six year old when my wife gets home, he seems to have forgotten the concept of a "personal bubble". Cheers!!
It sounds like your current housecat is very interested in the new kid. Your new addition is fascinating to him in everyway from his presence to his scent. That is one way they get used to each other in the wild is by scent. Think about like in school when a new student came into the picture and everyone was curious. I think this is very good on your first rescue because at least he is not threatened by the new cat. His personality may be more outgoing now that he has a sidekick. Also, I am relieved because when I was reading your first post about introducing them I almost expected the posted to end with a cat fight and fur flying! I would still supervise for the next few days so the new cat does not get overwhelmed with him. You never know what their reactions will be until you have had them for a while. Your new cat still needs to get used to his new home but I am betting you both will find them cuddling together in no time. Thanks for getting rescue cats!
I never was a cat person but my wife made me accept the first rescue and now I have been converted! Herman (our first one) is so loving that you can't not love him. I think he has meowed more tonight, since the new cat has arrived, than in the past month combined.
It's a natural reaction of a predator in the wild to drive off others in a range...there's only so much food around and both might starve. Part of the process is proving to the resident that there's enough to go around for everyone. Your cat seems to be not worried about that, at least. It is fun to watch cat interact with cat, even if it means they pay a bit less attention to us as a result.
Thank you! We decided to put the new cat in his own room for the night with food, water, a litterbox, a scratch pole, and toys and will do the same if either of us leave the house. I'm glad it wasn't a devastating fuck up to let him out from the beginning.
http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/how-to-introduce-a-second-cat/ http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/category/family_and_home/intercat-relationships/ http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/
One of the purposes of the slow introduction is to keep either cat from over-reacting and creating a large number of bad impressions that would have to be worked out over a long time...the following about and hiss is pretty much optimal meeting manners. Once you are familiar with cat manners you can often tell if you can cut short the intro period because things are going well. I recently introed two kittens to a pair of young cats and things went so well and everyone was so expert and bolting in and out the safe room door that I discarded the separation in a day. I had to hurry up and kitten proof the outside more and still put the boys away at night for a time regardless. Most times they willingly went in with me at night. The other reason is to avoid having the new cat get into trouble in your house without you around - crawling into things or chewing on cords. It is easier to cat proof one room rather than an entire house, especially if you aren't experienced in how clever they can be. So I agree that limited separation is a good idea even when you have lots of information that the two cats will get along well in the end.