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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / June 2007Isolating Buster
"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: >Good luck with all this, but please try not to lost patience - either with >yourself or with the situation - after such a brief period of time. Give it >some time, lavish attention on both of them, and it *will* work out. Believe >me, I have had experience both with the consequences of trying to move too >quickly and with the wonderful results of a "take your time" approach. > >MaryL We'll do our best. :) I spoke with Megan over the phone today, and I'm a bit heartbroken, but it seems that best way to do this is to isolate Buster completely in a seldom used room. I know that the majority opinion here has been to just give them free run of the house and let them work it out themselves, and I'm sure that in many cases, it works - many happy kitty families here attest to that. But because of Dot and Buster's personality clash, there is the danger that Dot will become a perpetually hidey-cat, and she's the much less settled of the two. So what I'm going to have to do is to give Dot free run of the current main living areas - kitchen, living room, and den. Buster will be confined to a room that currently has miscellaneous junk and exercise equipment in it - I'll clean it up and make it livable for him. He may have to be there for weeks, certainly at least several days. Because of the way the closet there is installed, I think I can set up a little glass vestibule there to thwart escape attempts, too. One of my concerns about that room is that when it's closed off, it can get very hot, because it's part of a single floor extension (as is the den). The room that really maintains its temperature well is the living room, because it's sandwiched below the second floors. Rooms isolated from that room heat up quickly. So I've turned on outdoor air circulation in that room, and installed a USB thermometer to send temperature updates from the room to my computer. It's still a bit stuffy in there right now - 76.2 F / 24.6 C. Maybe that's just me - I hate temperatures above 70 F :) but I know that kitties like it a bit warmer than Takayuki of the North. Another possibility is giving Buster the upstairs, but being upstairs and closer to the roof, it heats up just as quickly as the downstairs miscellaneous room but doesn't have an AC unit like the misc room does, I won't be able to hear him well from downstairs, and giving them separate floors is really, really isolating them, so there will be no scent transfer. Buster is such a sweet kitty, all curled up with me. I'm so sorry little one! I know that this plan is different from what many of you recommended, but I *do* certainly appreciate everyone's advice very much - I did read and listen, and I did consider all the arguments as carefully as I could. I know it might not turn out to be the right decision - this is the first time I've introduced two cats, so it's all still new to me. > "MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: >>Good luck with all this, but please try not to lost patience - either with [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > is the first time I've introduced two cats, so it's all still new to > me. Each cat is different, so each experience is different. You're obviously doing the best you can, and it's all anybody can expect. Joy >Each cat is different, so each experience is different. You're obviously >doing the best you can, and it's all anybody can expect. Thank you Joy, well, I'll just have to see if this works. I sort of luv them, you know. :) They're both so cute when they're sleepy and content. I want them to someday be like this with me every day, together: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Takayuki9z/sleepykitties.html >>Each cat is different, so each experience is different. You're obviously >>doing the best you can, and it's all anybody can expect. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Takayuki9z/sleepykitties.html Awwwwwwwww <melt> I'd say if each of them can relax like that, you're in pretty good shape. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh Make Levees, Not War > "MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: >>Good luck with all this, but please try not to lost patience - either with [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > is the first time I've introduced two cats, so it's all still new to > me. Be sure to spend a lot of time with Buster so he won't feel isolated, and turn a radio on when you are out of the room (classical or "easy listening" music at moderate to low volume). Leave lots of toys with him plus a scratching post. I know how hard this is, but I'm sure it will work out if you are careful to give Buster lots of attention and not just leave him alone -- and I'm sure you will do that. MaryL >Be sure to spend a lot of time with Buster so he won't feel isolated, and >turn a radio on when you are out of the room (classical or "easy listening" >music at moderate to low volume). Leave lots of toys with him plus a >scratching post. I know how hard this is, but I'm sure it will work out if >you are careful to give Buster lots of attention and not just leave him >alone -- and I'm sure you will do that. Oh yes, I'm spending time with him, but it's definitely hard, you know, having to live two separate lives. :) Buster is always on my mind when he's shut in his room, and it feels perfunctory when I let him out for a little while to play with him. I can take comfort in that it's at least better than the cage at the shelter, but it's probably also the case that his situation is not as good as if he had multiple slaves and playmates his age. He's a real cuddler. >>Be sure to spend a lot of time with Buster so he won't feel isolated, and >>turn a radio on when you are out of the room (classical or "easy [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > probably also the case that his situation is not as good as if he had > multiple slaves and playmates his age. He's a real cuddler. I definitely know that feeling from Duffy, but it was well worth it. I had Duffy in a separate bedroom (the guest bedroom), and I would alternate sleeping in my own bedroom with Holly and the guest bedroom with Duffy. I don't know if you could fix up anything like that as a temporary measure, but it would be worth considering. I also was careful to praise *each* cat *extravagently* when I entered or left the room because I did not want either to feel neglected. Also, turn a radio on in Buster's room when you are not there to give him the feeling of some companionship. MaryL >>Be sure to spend a lot of time with Buster so he won't feel isolated, and >>turn a radio on when you are out of the room (classical or "easy [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > probably also the case that his situation is not as good as if he had > multiple slaves and playmates his age. He's a real cuddler. Just remember that cats spend 18 - 20 out of every 24 hours sleeping, so he's probably not missing you *quite* as much as you imagine! ;> Hugs, CatNipped | I know that this plan is different from what many of you recommended, | but I *do* certainly appreciate everyone's advice very much - I did | read and listen, and I did consider all the arguments as carefully as | I could. I know it might not turn out to be the right decision - this | is the first time I've introduced two cats, so it's all still new to | me. You might also want to consider the sources of the advice you've gotten, with particular emphasis on how many times the advisor has been through a cat-merging process (two dozen or so times in my own case). I am seriously afraid that the way you've chosen to proceed is going to result in you returning one or more kitties to the shelter from whence they came :(( > | I know that this plan is different from what many of you recommended, > | but I *do* certainly appreciate everyone's advice very much - I did [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > afraid that the way you've chosen to proceed is going to result in you > returning one or more kitties to the shelter from whence they came :(( We need to give Tak some time to work this out. Megan also helped me when I adopted Duffy, and I can guarantee that she is the reason I had such success with Holly and Duffy. In 29 years of rescue, Megan has probably introduced well over 100 cats. Very few people have had as much experience as she has had in introducing cats with a wide variety of needs. It is important to give Dot time to become comfortable with the house and claim it "as her own" before bringing Buster into the mix. He has already chased her into hiding, and she needs extra time to adjust. She is already under a great deal of stress from losing her home, living in a shelter and now coming to a new home. She doesn't need to be placed under any more stress before giving her some time to get to know Tak and her new surroundings. Isolation for a week (or two or three) is a very short time in their lives together. Buster is young and adaptable. He has already shown that he can easily fit into a new situation. Dot is older, and she is the one who needs to be the focus for the short term. If this were my situation, I would do things exactly the same. Just like with Holly and Duffy, I occasionally would close the door while Holly was sleeping. Duffy would have the run of the house at those times, and each would be aware of the other's scent. From Tak's description, Dot was obviously scared, did not like being chased, and that is not a good way for a cat to be brought into a new situation. Tak dearly loved Betty, and he will do what is best for these two newcomers. Given time, I am sure they will blend into a happy household, but Dot needs to be given extra time in this early period. MaryL On Jun 17, 8:46 pm, "Pat" <patricia251.catlit...@centurytel.net> wrote: > | I know that this plan is different from what many of you recommended, > | but I *do* certainly appreciate everyone's advice very much - I did [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > afraid that the way you've chosen to proceed is going to result in you > returning one or more kitties to the shelter from whence they came :(( Pat, Megan is right. Minor swatting/hissing/tail puffing is one thing. But when one cat is timid, and the other is aggressive, isolation is the only way. If he allows Buster to terrorize Dot, she *will* turn into a chronic hidey-cat. And worse, the timid cat can become so afraid of being jumped by the aggressor, they'll start peeing/pooping behind the couch, under the table....all places where they feel "safe". Cats feel very vulnerable when they're in the litterbox. Sherry > On Jun 17, 8:46 pm, "Pat" <patricia251.catlit...@centurytel.net> > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > when they're in the litterbox. > Sherry Only thing I wonder about. Dot is already seven years old. She may already be all of the above. Jo >> Pat, Megan is right. Minor swatting/hissing/tail puffing is one thing. >> But when one cat is [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >Only thing I wonder about. Dot is already seven years old. She may already >be all of the above. I've managed to see her true personality when she's not around Buster. She's a confident cat that will not take rebuffs, and will boldly barge into a room that is being vacuumed. She likes sleeping in chairs and on top of my desk, and likes to play with her cat dancer and occasional toys. Even when frightened, she'll come out of hiding when she's called, and she likes being held, and will purr her loud purr. She a curious explorer that will sleep in a new room five minutes after she's seen it for the first time. That's the Dot that I want to continue to see when she and Buster are integrated. >>> Pat, Megan is right. Minor swatting/hissing/tail puffing is one thing. >>> But when one cat is [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > minutes after she's seen it for the first time. That's the Dot that I > want to continue to see when she and Buster are integrated. You will! You will! I have confidence. >You might also want to consider the sources of the advice you've gotten, >with particular emphasis on how many times the advisor has been through a >cat-merging process (two dozen or so times in my own case). I am seriously >afraid that the way you've chosen to proceed is going to result in you >returning one or more kitties to the shelter from whence they came :(( I wouldn't return either of them, particularly as it's kitten season! Right now, Dot needs some space, and I'll be treating her as the resident cat. The next stage will be setting up a screen door or some other kind of partition between them once Dot is in a state where she's confident and not looking anxiously over her shoulder anymore. > >You might also want to consider the sources of the advice you've gotten, > >with particular emphasis on how many times the advisor has been through a [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > partition between them once Dot is in a state where she's confident > and not looking anxiously over her shoulder anymore. This sounds like a sensible plan. Hang in there. Call me if you need to talk. Suz&Spicey >This sounds like a sensible plan. Hang in there. Call me if you need >to talk. > >Suz&Spicey Thank you Suz, I may do just that. Maybe you can talk some sense into them. :) > >This sounds like a sensible plan. Hang in there. Call me if you need > >to talk. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Thank you Suz, I may do just that. Maybe you can talk some sense into > them. :) LOL, cats, sense? I'm not a miracle worker ;) Suz&Spicey > We'll do our best. :) I spoke with Megan over the phone today, and > I'm a bit heartbroken, but it seems that best way to do this is to [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Because of the way the closet there is installed, I think I can set up > a little glass vestibule there to thwart escape attempts, too. Gosh, don't jump to weeks before you KNOW that is the case. Think positive. I'm really hoping that you are going to have trial together time. > One of my concerns about that room is that when it's closed off, it > can get very hot, because it's part of a single floor extension (as is [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > C. Maybe that's just me - I hate temperatures above 70 F :) but I > know that kitties like it a bit warmer than Takayuki of the North. Wowzers you are high tech! > Another possibility is giving Buster the upstairs, but being upstairs > and closer to the roof, it heats up just as quickly as the downstairs > miscellaneous room but doesn't have an AC unit like the misc room > does, I won't be able to hear him well from downstairs, and giving > them separate floors is really, really isolating them, so there will > be no scent transfer. Hmm. How are they supposed to get used to each other with no scent transer at all? > Buster is such a sweet kitty, all curled up with me. I'm so sorry > little one! I hope you will be dividing your time between them at least? This does sound extraordinarily isolative! My goodness. I know Megan has a lot of good results with her knowledge but I hope that you are not over analyzing what is going on too. > I know that this plan is different from what many of you recommended, > but I *do* certainly appreciate everyone's advice very much - I did > read and listen, and I did consider all the arguments as carefully as > I could. I know it might not turn out to be the right decision - this > is the first time I've introduced two cats, so it's all still new to > me. Well, there is more than one way to crack a tough nut. Keep us posted. >> Another possibility is giving Buster the upstairs, but being upstairs >> and closer to the roof, it heats up just as quickly as the downstairs [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >of good results with her knowledge but I hope that you are not over >analyzing what is going on too. That part was just a possibility that I rejected, so Buster is in an adjacent room now. He does cry a bit sometimes after being put back in, but he does get his play and cuddle time too. He's a very very good boy. >>> Another possibility is giving Buster the upstairs, but being upstairs >>> and closer to the roof, it heats up just as quickly as the downstairs [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > in, but he does get his play and cuddle time too. He's a very very > good boy. And remember, they really do sleep a good bit of the day anyway! I > We'll do our best. :) I spoke with Megan over the phone today, and > I'm a bit heartbroken, but it seems that best way to do this is to > isolate Buster completely in a seldom used room. Good luck Tak. My boys are purring up a storm for you and your new kitties to settle into a happy household. You're such a good cat dad to put so much thought and effort into this. Just hang in there! Susan M Otis and Chester >> We'll do our best. :) I spoke with Megan over the phone today, and >> I'm a bit heartbroken, but it seems that best way to do this is to [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >to settle into a happy household. You're such a good cat dad to put so much >thought and effort into this. Just hang in there! Actually, instead of putting my own thought into it, I just borrowed the brain of someone more experienced. Maybe I should have done the Chester test before choosing a pair of cats. :) > "MaryL" <stanco...@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: > >Good luck with all this, but please try not to lost patience - either with [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > the danger that Dot will become a perpetually hidey-cat, and she's the > much less settled of the two. Tak, I hope you did not misunderstand what I had initially posted. The only way I'd *ever* "just let them work it out"....is if there was just some minor swatting & occasional hissing going on. With Dot being chased, that's an entirely different matter. I think yo're doing exactly the right thing. And I know how bad you feel. I had to isolate Bosley for a while when he first came. Sometimes I would shut the doors when the others were off in the bedrooms, and let Bosley have the run of the house for the evening. It was kind of like playing "musical cats". Good luck. Don't stress. And "Happy Father's Day", new cat-daddy! Sherry >Tak, I hope you did not misunderstand what I had initially posted. The >only [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >And "Happy Father's Day", new cat-daddy! >Sherry Oh no, you made a lot of sense. I was actually thinking of Bosley and whether his situation was similar. > >Tak, I hope you did not misunderstand what I had initially posted. The > >only [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Oh no, you made a lot of sense. I was actually thinking of Bosley and > whether his situation was similar.- Hide quoted text - Bosley was really extreme. He was aggressive, but I think it was fear- aggression. He would get so agitated sometimes he would attack *me*. IIRC it look less than 3 weeks separation before he calmed down. He's a good boy now. Megan also helped me a lot with Bosley. I had integrated a lot of cats, but never had one so combative as he was. Never had one that took so long to integrate. They're all different. I want to make a prediction, if I may! I think Dot is going to be a very polite kitty, like Betty & Biskit. I'm very curious about her especially, because she reminds me of Biskit. I am looking forward to hearing about how her true personality comes out, once she's settled in. Sherry > "MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: >> Good luck with all this, but please try not to lost patience - either with [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > is the first time I've introduced two cats, so it's all still new to > me. Hang in there, Tak. I've been there, in both situations (toss 'em in and let 'em figure it out, and separate them in an isolated room). It's been mixed results, but both approaches have sometimes worked out really well. Can Dot and Buster put their paws underneath the door of the extra room? Several of my kitties who have been isolated for a time have found that paws stuck under the door are very much fun to play with (I call it playing "pawsies"). Make sure you give Buster a nice amount of time together with you to reassure him that he is loved. Cats tend to be pretty resilient, and I don't think he will hold it against you. Cats forget a lot, too, so heck, he probably won't even rememeber ;-) Best of luck to you. Ginger-lyn >Hang in there, Tak. I've been there, in both situations (toss 'em in >and let 'em figure it out, and separate them in an isolated room). It's [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >don't think he will hold it against you. Cats forget a lot, too, so >heck, he probably won't even rememeber ;-) Right now, they never see each other at all, and can't play pattycake with each other. I'll try to set up something like that maybe around the weekend, depending on how things go. Buster does get out to get his laptime and playtime. I find myself thinking about him a lot, wondering if he's lonely. >>Hang in there, Tak. I've been there, in both situations (toss 'em in >>and let 'em figure it out, and separate them in an isolated room). It's [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >his laptime and playtime. I find myself thinking about him a lot, >wondering if he's lonely. Hi Tak, I saw an "instant screen door" at our local pharmacy, and thought it might work for you. Here is a link to a site that has it for sale: http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/instant_screen_door.html Good luck with the integration! Patti PS: I have always done the "Hi, he's here, there you go!" type of integration - they usually sort it out in a few days. |
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