Putting two together

[smokytopaz]

Putting Koko and Rajah into the same house is taking some planning. He arrived on 31 April so its only three days!

They have met, albeit briefly face to face and that turned a bit hissy so this is what I am doing now. Koko spends most of her time in her favourite room. She is in there overnight, but then thats where she always slept even given the whole house to choose from. He can roam but chooses to sleep with me. So far so good.

The are four litter trays around the house, two main areas for feeding and separate feeding times.

For a couple of hours I switch this arrangement around, he goes in the sitting room and she comes with me...hopefully this mixes the scents up.

This morning was a first, when I went into the sitting room she opened one eye and ignored me, so I sat beside her and for the very first time she let me pet her, scratch under her chin, stroke her back and rolled over on her back for a tummy rub! Whilst purring very gently. In other words she could have got out of my way very easily which in the past she has always done.

He is sitting right behind me now sleeping, which doesn't give me much room on the chair!

Oh and they both have full on race about playtimes with me and their own toys for solo play.

They are occasionally meeting, which right now means Koko expands to a huge fluff ball hissy miss! He flops down flat on his tummy and chirrups.
Given time this arrangement will ease.

Any further steps I can take?

[Leesy]

I think that you are doing exactly all the right things that need to be done and in time things will improve it will just take abit of patience, love and understanding for each of their temperaments which I know that you have got from previous threads that I have read.
Keep up the good work you are doing great and hopefully in the future we may see a pic of them sat together ;)

[smokytopaz]

Oh Leesy! I would love to get a pic of the two together, they are both so stunning!

I really want this to work because I would like to have a couple more cats.

I guess I am just a cat person and life without them is horrid!

[Leesy]

Oh Leesy! I would love to get a pic of the two together, they are both so stunning!

I really want this to work because I would like to have a couple more cats.

I guess I am just a cat person and life without them is horrid!

You will in time beable to get a pic of the pair of them together like I said just give them time, and yes they are both such stunning cats;)

Yes you will make it work as you are the kind of person who will give it all that she has got until you see success:D

Life without cats would just be a life I could not even contemplate:shock: :shock:

[dinahsmum]

This sounds good. I'm sooo pleased - there were a couple of posts from you in the previous thread which seemed to indicate you were reaching the end of your tether. Maybe that was rock-bottom and you're now into 'Onwards and Upwards' mode? I do hope so.

[pookyandjo]

im with you both... couldn't live without cats...
ST your post today sounds like Koko had a good morning...it will take time... and she may take a few steps forward and then one backward..but im sure she will get there in the end...
This coming Thursday it will be 6 weeks since we adopted Harri...Her and George still aren't the best of friends...Harri sounds a bit like Rajah... in that she wants to be near George. Harri just bounds up as if to say..."hi!... Im your new friend" and George is now more accepting for her to be around now as long as she doesn't get in his space all the time...
They haven't curled up and had a sleep together yet... but Harri ALWAYS wants to play... and they do chase each other around a bit until George tires of it and then most of the time he'll just go and sit in his favorite chair and have a snooze...a couple of times Harri decided that she would jump up on the chair and he hissed at her... she hasn't done that since as she's obviously realised that that particular chair is HIS territory...It will take time for Koko and Rajah to sort out whos spot belongs ot whom and which areas can be shared.. who knows... once day soon the may even suprise you and start sniffing each other without any hisses.. do keep up with the tranferring of scents.. as that will help Koko become accustomed to having Rajah around... especially if she seems to have a bit of a memory problem...

[smokytopaz]

I suppose I was at the end of my tether with Koko DM, but deep breaths and we will be fine. She just vvv nervous and quite honestly seems very happy being in the sitting room. I went in a while ago and she was sleeping curled up in her cat bed:shock: which she studiously ignored when I bought it for her. She peeped over the top and looked at me with that catty ability to say 'and your problem is??'

And he is so bouncy, you're right PJ, he just thinks everyone is lovely and they just need an extra bounce to realise how much they need to be his friend!

I did say to Jenny when I took him that if it didn't work then he would have to go home, and I would think in the event of total disaster, he would be easy to rehome and she won't be. See? I can be sensible.

Mostly I am afraid they will get hurt, those claws and teeth and do a lot of damage.

[dandysmom]

ST, if there's been no physical violence yet, just hissing and fluffing up it sounds very encouraging; if it were going to happen I think it would have by now. You do sound so much more upbeat today! And that was a big step forward with Koko this morning. Hang in there!

And I cannot imagine a house without a cat also ...when my childhood cat disappeared (at 17! ), my Mom wouldn't let us have another; she was convinced he was going to come home .... so some sad catless years for me till I was an adult and got my own.

[Elaine]

Sounds like things are moving in a more possitive direction, nice one xxx

[smokytopaz]

OK today was the third day they were mostly separated. Three or four times I left the door (well propped) ajar so they could see each other. The last couple of times Koko didn't hiss or spit so tonight I left the door wide open. Well they didn't fall into each others arms but raced about at high speed, who was chasing who?

Body language is good in cats, both had their ears well up and forward, no raised hackles.

He is singing to her now, outside the door but I felt after 20 minutes that was enough, we did have a hissy spit from Koko, and she rushed into her room (how did that happen? I thought it was my room!).

So we made a little progress.

Oh Rajah went to the vet today for his post op check up and he is in fine fettle. I said to the vet that Koko would not get into the basket (or be tricked forced or any other way without huge upset) to be checked and she said if there was no apparent probs then that was fine and the little bit of string she has pulled out will fall off any way so not to worry.

Phew.

[dandysmom]

I'm soooo happy to hear the latest news!

[Mags]

Pleased to hear things are looking better...:D

[Moli]

Sounds like they are going toi get on fine, I have one who is very aloof and one who is extremely friendly, its a good combination....

[Leesy]

Sooooo glad to hear that the freindship between them is coming along nicely, my gut feeling is that they are going to be OK;)

[pookyandjo]

sounds like they are coming along nicely... keep up the good work :)

[smokytopaz]

Well Rajah has been here for nine/ten days and all I can say is that he is the most enthusiastic cat I have ever known. He does everything BIG. He plays big he dances big, he is hugely busy in the litter tray - and he luvs ya big too. :-D

Koko is not overwhelmed, she is totally in charge and puts him in his place very quickly. She is not in the least frightened of him. In fact she is more frightened of humans than she is of this boy who is twice her size. She plays coy then swipes him when he least expects, smiles nicely and prances away! He has had his bum bit more than once!

She has got more confident and allows strokes and chin tickling (only at her pleasure) and he just wallows in strokes and ear tickling.

Are they friends? Well at the moment it is more a battle for social heirarchy than a bid for friendship. I however am chief mamma and they both know it.

So maybe they will end up friends. Right now they still have their wary moments. I still split them up at bedtime, more for my time of rest than their pleasure but there you go.

[smokytopaz]

Phew - no worries now

[dandysmom]

This has turned out so much better than I'd expected! I was really worried how Koko was going to react...what good news ST!

[Leesy]

That is such good news ST glad that things are settling down, I just love happy endings:D :D

[smokytopaz]

They are beginning to get on or at least accept each other. Our biggest bone of contention is the cat bed, which Koko would not use before and now they both want it and it isn't big enough for two! Squawks of indignation and often it gets pulled off the chest it sits on, complete with the cat it happens to contain at the time.

Koko has taken his love of strokes and sits beside me purring now and he is a little less bouncy as she has shown him his place more than once, but all in all settling down nicely!!

Isn't this nice? I was sitting reading last night, and suddenly became aware of an undercurrent of noise, two happy cats one on each side of me dozing and purring like little outboard motors! :-D

[dinahsmum]

Awwwww
That's so good to hear

[angieh]

Puuuuuuurrrfect! I am so happy for you - you have persevered and the outcome sounds wonderful. More pictures would be great!!!!

[random]

Good news!

[dandysmom]

Excellent news!!!

[Gumby Cat]

That's brilliant, well done ST, you obviously did all the right things!

[Leesy]

That is brilliant news to hear I am so so sooooo pleased to hear this it sounds like one HAPPY household;)

[smokytopaz]

Well whaddya think? Did I win?

http://i689.photobucket.com/albums/vv255/lyndapiper63/everything026.jpg

[cats' staff]

Well whaddya think? Did I win?

Wow, yes you won- WELL DONE YOU! How cute is that?

[dandysmom]

I can hardly believe my eyes! That is ......wonderful!!!

[pookyandjo]

yep... they are certainly relaxed and snuggled up...well done!

[Leesy]

Awwwww bless that is one big achievement you must be soooooo pleased, they do look so sweet together;)

[smokytopaz]

Hi, its now nearly a month since Rajah came to live with us and its all working out beautifully!

They do occasionally fall out, but who does what to whom? They are both eight months old and full of joie de vivre. Sometimes its like the Keystone cops - Koko flashes past with Rajah hot on her heels - squeals of indignation from under the bed/sofa/ whereever and then he flashes past with Koko trying to catch him. She is truly out of her shell and she is such a loving wee cat now and he is just gorgeous. Mind you I sometimes have to call time out and separate them for a while, but nothing serious.

I bought a bigger cat bed for Rajah because Koko's was quite small. So they both sleep together in the small one. Sigh.

[jan]

Just read this thread and so happy that alls turned out so well! They look perfectly content together and its lovely once they make good friends with one another, is nt it?! Just shows perseverance pays off!Jx

[dandysmom]

That is such happy news ....never thought the day would come! I was so afraid Rajah's coming would make Koko more stressy and reclusive, and it was the best thing that could happen!

[Moli]

Sounds exactly what Koko needed, a pal, she was missing her litter mates...