I moved into a room in a house a little over a week ago, bringing two cats,
a small older (13+yrs) male and a slightly larger (8yrs) female, but still
not large (and both fixed). My cats are 'nice' - not fighters at all or the
kind to automatically challenge other cats. The owner of the house has one
cat, a male, around 6yrs, and quite timid. I say quite timid, because my
older male is about as timid as they come - would run from a mouse - but
sensed the timidity of this new cat and walked right up to it (or at least
towards it) on one opportunity when they were both outside once - something
that really surprised me. Currently the owner's cat for the most part
'hides' from my cats and is reluctant to come into the house if my cats (or
me) are around.

The owner is going to go on vacation soon and I will be 'house sitting', so
it will just be me to take care of her cat, along with mine, and she
understandably would like to get her cat acclimated to both me and my two
cats before she leaves (in August). How best to do this?

Her cat is very timid around me, but has shown signs of relaxing a bit now
that he's seen us (me and the owner of the house) talking together some over
the last week or so. This morning I put his food in his dish but he wouldn't
come out of the bedroom to get it. I'm worried about 'forcing the issue' too
soon, both with me or my cats, yet we haven't got a whole lot of time. And I
really don't know much about 'the issue', i.e., what ways are there for
getting a cat used to oneself, and other cats.

Any advice on how best to get a timid cat introduced and put at ease with
both a new human and new cats would be greatly appreciated.

-dg