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Have I ruined this cat introduction?



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 11th 04, 11:02 PM
Brian Link
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Have I ruined this cat introduction?

We have two cats, a mutt Maine Coon lookalike (10yrs) and a bengal
(2yrs). The mutt has lived with a total of four different cats
uneventfully. The bengal grew from kittenhood with him, and no other
cats. These two are best friends, and play and sleep together.

We recently adopted a stray mutt, another mutt Maine-Coon clone. He's
ridiculously loving to humans, a true lap cat who will sit on your
chest to nap and plays happily. We took him in the house a little over
a week ago after getting him tested and vaccinated. He was neutered
last Monday (little less than a week ago). He has taken up residence
in our master bedroom. He is larger than the other two cats (~13
pounds and growing, with our other cats at around 9), and quite
strong, probably due to the fact that he reached maturity without
being neutered.

Early in the week I let him wander, closely supervised, out with our
other cats. Our current 10yr-old is scared of him, but has not
challenged him. He'll sit warily while the new cat carefully walks
past him.

The bengal is another story. When the other cat was about, he would
revert to full Leopard Cat mode. This involved making an incredible
growl that seemed to be coming from a cat 10 times his size..

Finally the bengal calmed a bit, and the two were sitting rather
close. The new cat suddenly struck at the bengal like a cobra, and I
had no time to react. The bengal howled, ran away with a bloodied ear,
and I scooped the new cat up in a blanket and brought him back to his
quarantine.

Now, here's the question. First off, I obviously rushed the
introduction. Other cats we've acquired, for whatever reason, have
seemed to become integrated fairly quickly.

I've read that "first impressions" are important with cats. Is there
any hope that with a lot more time and patience these two (the bengal
and the stray) will ever become friendly? Or have they established
their relationship already as hostile? Though the bengal is very wiry,
it seems pretty obvious that he would get his butt kicked in a scrap
with the stray.

The stray is probably a little over a year old, and is very playful.
I'd thought that if things worked out, he'd make a great playmate for
our bengal when the other cat begins to slow down.

Thanks for any info you can pass along.

Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor
----------------------------------
"Sola Perfecta in Coelis"
  #2  
Old July 11th 04, 11:16 PM
MaryL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Brian Link" wrote in message
...


Now, here's the question. First off, I obviously rushed the
introduction. Other cats we've acquired, for whatever reason, have
seemed to become integrated fairly quickly.

I've read that "first impressions" are important with cats. Is there
any hope that with a lot more time and patience these two (the bengal
and the stray) will ever become friendly? Or have they established
their relationship already as hostile? Though the bengal is very wiry,
it seems pretty obvious that he would get his butt kicked in a scrap
with the stray.

Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor
----------------------------------
"Sola Perfecta in Coelis"



No, it is not too late, but I do think you may need to go back to "square
one" with your introductions. I sent a rather long message to your email
addy a couple of days ago. I know you won't want to use all of it, but
perhaps you can pick through it and find some information that will help.
My Holly had always hated other cats and would attack any in my vicinity --
to such an extent that we called her "the black tornado." The information I
sent to you came from when I decided to adopt Duffy and take the slow,
measured approach to introductions. It worked! The two get along
beautifully now, something that I once thought could never be done with
Holly.

Part of the problem probably lies in your statement that other cats have
seemed to introduce rather quickly. That is the mistake that many make --
it works for some, so we assume that it will work for all. However, cats
are individuals (just like people), and what works for one may *not* work
for others. It is much safer to take the opposite approach. That is,
assume that time and care will need to be taken, then be pleasantly
surprised if the introduction actually goes smoothly.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")


  #3  
Old July 11th 04, 11:16 PM
MaryL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Brian Link" wrote in message
...


Now, here's the question. First off, I obviously rushed the
introduction. Other cats we've acquired, for whatever reason, have
seemed to become integrated fairly quickly.

I've read that "first impressions" are important with cats. Is there
any hope that with a lot more time and patience these two (the bengal
and the stray) will ever become friendly? Or have they established
their relationship already as hostile? Though the bengal is very wiry,
it seems pretty obvious that he would get his butt kicked in a scrap
with the stray.

Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor
----------------------------------
"Sola Perfecta in Coelis"



No, it is not too late, but I do think you may need to go back to "square
one" with your introductions. I sent a rather long message to your email
addy a couple of days ago. I know you won't want to use all of it, but
perhaps you can pick through it and find some information that will help.
My Holly had always hated other cats and would attack any in my vicinity --
to such an extent that we called her "the black tornado." The information I
sent to you came from when I decided to adopt Duffy and take the slow,
measured approach to introductions. It worked! The two get along
beautifully now, something that I once thought could never be done with
Holly.

Part of the problem probably lies in your statement that other cats have
seemed to introduce rather quickly. That is the mistake that many make --
it works for some, so we assume that it will work for all. However, cats
are individuals (just like people), and what works for one may *not* work
for others. It is much safer to take the opposite approach. That is,
assume that time and care will need to be taken, then be pleasantly
surprised if the introduction actually goes smoothly.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")


  #4  
Old July 11th 04, 11:24 PM
Brian Link
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 17:16:09 -0500, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote:


"Brian Link" wrote in message
.. .


Now, here's the question. First off, I obviously rushed the
introduction. Other cats we've acquired, for whatever reason, have
seemed to become integrated fairly quickly.

I've read that "first impressions" are important with cats. Is there
any hope that with a lot more time and patience these two (the bengal
and the stray) will ever become friendly? Or have they established
their relationship already as hostile? Though the bengal is very wiry,
it seems pretty obvious that he would get his butt kicked in a scrap
with the stray.

Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor
----------------------------------
"Sola Perfecta in Coelis"



No, it is not too late, but I do think you may need to go back to "square
one" with your introductions. I sent a rather long message to your email
addy a couple of days ago. I know you won't want to use all of it, but
perhaps you can pick through it and find some information that will help.
My Holly had always hated other cats and would attack any in my vicinity --
to such an extent that we called her "the black tornado." The information I
sent to you came from when I decided to adopt Duffy and take the slow,
measured approach to introductions. It worked! The two get along
beautifully now, something that I once thought could never be done with
Holly.

Part of the problem probably lies in your statement that other cats have
seemed to introduce rather quickly. That is the mistake that many make --
it works for some, so we assume that it will work for all. However, cats
are individuals (just like people), and what works for one may *not* work
for others. It is much safer to take the opposite approach. That is,
assume that time and care will need to be taken, then be pleasantly
surprised if the introduction actually goes smoothly.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")


Thanks Mary - I just found your email and will take a look at it.

(I post using a live email addy just on the principle of the thing,
but in reality it means I'm constantly walking the line between
filtering almost everything and wading through lots of spam. This
means that sometimes newsgroup followups languish or never arrive.. =/
)

BLink
  #5  
Old July 11th 04, 11:24 PM
Brian Link
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 17:16:09 -0500, "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote:


"Brian Link" wrote in message
.. .


Now, here's the question. First off, I obviously rushed the
introduction. Other cats we've acquired, for whatever reason, have
seemed to become integrated fairly quickly.

I've read that "first impressions" are important with cats. Is there
any hope that with a lot more time and patience these two (the bengal
and the stray) will ever become friendly? Or have they established
their relationship already as hostile? Though the bengal is very wiry,
it seems pretty obvious that he would get his butt kicked in a scrap
with the stray.

Brian Link, Minnesota Countertenor
----------------------------------
"Sola Perfecta in Coelis"



No, it is not too late, but I do think you may need to go back to "square
one" with your introductions. I sent a rather long message to your email
addy a couple of days ago. I know you won't want to use all of it, but
perhaps you can pick through it and find some information that will help.
My Holly had always hated other cats and would attack any in my vicinity --
to such an extent that we called her "the black tornado." The information I
sent to you came from when I decided to adopt Duffy and take the slow,
measured approach to introductions. It worked! The two get along
beautifully now, something that I once thought could never be done with
Holly.

Part of the problem probably lies in your statement that other cats have
seemed to introduce rather quickly. That is the mistake that many make --
it works for some, so we assume that it will work for all. However, cats
are individuals (just like people), and what works for one may *not* work
for others. It is much safer to take the opposite approach. That is,
assume that time and care will need to be taken, then be pleasantly
surprised if the introduction actually goes smoothly.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")


Thanks Mary - I just found your email and will take a look at it.

(I post using a live email addy just on the principle of the thing,
but in reality it means I'm constantly walking the line between
filtering almost everything and wading through lots of spam. This
means that sometimes newsgroup followups languish or never arrive.. =/
)

BLink
  #6  
Old July 11th 04, 11:31 PM
KellyH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Brian Link" wrote in message
...
We have two cats, a mutt Maine Coon lookalike (10yrs) and a bengal
(2yrs). The mutt has lived with a total of four different cats
uneventfully. The bengal grew from kittenhood with him, and no other
cats. These two are best friends, and play and sleep together.

We recently adopted a stray mutt, another mutt Maine-Coon clone. He's
ridiculously loving to humans, a true lap cat who will sit on your
chest to nap and plays happily. We took him in the house a little over
a week ago after getting him tested and vaccinated. He was neutered
last Monday (little less than a week ago). He has taken up residence
in our master bedroom. He is larger than the other two cats (~13
pounds and growing, with our other cats at around 9), and quite
strong, probably due to the fact that he reached maturity without
being neutered.


It may be best to keep the new guy in seclusion for at least a couple of
weeks since he is freshly neutered. He's still got plenty of testosterone
left in him, could explain his lash-out at your other cat.

You haven't ruined it, but take it slow.


--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
Check out www.snittens.com


  #7  
Old July 11th 04, 11:31 PM
KellyH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Brian Link" wrote in message
...
We have two cats, a mutt Maine Coon lookalike (10yrs) and a bengal
(2yrs). The mutt has lived with a total of four different cats
uneventfully. The bengal grew from kittenhood with him, and no other
cats. These two are best friends, and play and sleep together.

We recently adopted a stray mutt, another mutt Maine-Coon clone. He's
ridiculously loving to humans, a true lap cat who will sit on your
chest to nap and plays happily. We took him in the house a little over
a week ago after getting him tested and vaccinated. He was neutered
last Monday (little less than a week ago). He has taken up residence
in our master bedroom. He is larger than the other two cats (~13
pounds and growing, with our other cats at around 9), and quite
strong, probably due to the fact that he reached maturity without
being neutered.


It may be best to keep the new guy in seclusion for at least a couple of
weeks since he is freshly neutered. He's still got plenty of testosterone
left in him, could explain his lash-out at your other cat.

You haven't ruined it, but take it slow.


--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
Check out www.snittens.com


  #8  
Old July 12th 04, 12:08 AM
Cheryl
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.health+behav", Brian Link
artfully composed this message within
on 11 Jul 2004:


Thanks for any info you can pass along.


Congrats on your new kitty. I don't think it is ruined, in fact,
sometimes you have to do a reintroduction even in situations where an
already established cat is either being aggressive, or another is
being aggressive to him. BTDT. Vet visits sometimes bring out this
aggression in otherwise already introduced cats. Starting over
introductions is a calm way for everyone to get a grip and relax.
Good luck!

--
Cheryl
  #9  
Old July 12th 04, 12:08 AM
Cheryl
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.health+behav", Brian Link
artfully composed this message within
on 11 Jul 2004:


Thanks for any info you can pass along.


Congrats on your new kitty. I don't think it is ruined, in fact,
sometimes you have to do a reintroduction even in situations where an
already established cat is either being aggressive, or another is
being aggressive to him. BTDT. Vet visits sometimes bring out this
aggression in otherwise already introduced cats. Starting over
introductions is a calm way for everyone to get a grip and relax.
Good luck!

--
Cheryl
 




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