Posted by:
lunec
at Wed Mar 23 13:27:07 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by lunec ]
I adopted Dexter from a rescue group a week ago. He is about 10 months old and I thought he would be the perfect companion for Josie, my 10 month old female. (They've both been fixed.)
I separated him at first, but my apartment is small and the bathroom has no windows, so little ventilation. I figured that since Josie is very adaptable (she's been on planes, visited other houses with cats, met dogs and adapted within hours or a day, plus she has no fear of vaccuums, strange people, etc) the process could go faster. But the first time she saw him, she hissed and growled, and would do the same on the other side of the bathroom door. I exchanged their scents with a towel. Then a day later I let him wander around and she just growled and chased him back into the bathroom. And once he'd been out, he would howl at being alone in the bathroom so I had to let him out for fear of my neighbors. He has never hissed back at her, he just flattens his ears if she comes too close and hisses. Otherwise he follows her around. I don't think she's even swatted at him, but she hisses, growls, spits and chases him out of the main room. When i tried putting Dexter in the carrier for Josie to inspect, she just growled at him and when he moved she actually jumped at the cage and hissed/spit. But she doesn't hide or act really angry otherwise, just really wary and avoiding him.
I'm taking him to the vet this afternoon (though now I realize i should have done this before they interacted) and I'm also going to purchase some Feliway. But is there anything else I can do to make Josie relax around Dexter? I figure she's very territorial of me and my studio apartment, since we've been alone together for 4 months. I can't really go back in time and keep him isolated from her for longer.
Any advice/hope is appreciated!
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 Is it too late to smooth things out with a new cat? - lunec, Wed Mar 23 13:27:07 2005
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