the INTRODUCTION in progress

[newsguyatl]

and folks, it ain't pretty...

nikko's acting even worse than i thought he would...

hissing and growling... and even hissing at ME!!! (which he's never done)

i feel pretty hopeless at this point.

first seeing the kitty:


30 seconds later:


don't let the pic fool you, nikko was hissing and growling here:

[Robeson]

1. Did you just bring the little guy home from the shelter today?...

...If so, you really need to give him his own little place like in a bathroom or another room if available. In that way, he can feel safe, and the two cats can get used to each other and each other's smells from under the door. How long have you had him home?

[newsguyatl]

2. yep, he's in the bathroom now

b/c i really have nowhere else to put him...


he's been home about 30 minutes...

and nikko is PISSED.

[Beaverhausen]

3. That's where I kept my kitten 4 years ago

I had her in there about 3 days. She and my older cat pawed at each other under the door.

Then I put her in my bedroom and slowly let them see each other. It turned out OK.

Good luck.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. He is a cutie...looks like a little monkey here.

Patience. When I brought home my kitten I thought my older cat was going to murder her. Eventually they became best friends.

[Eurobabe]

25. Don't fret, take it slow - there

will be lots of piss & vinegar. Just give it time, think s-l-o-w. Hang in there, don't give up. It's very natural for the old timer to feel jealous.

[Beaverhausen]

4. Another thing

Be sure you remain calm. Don't yell at Nikko or let yourself get upset. Cats are very sensitive to our emotions. If you remain calm he will calm down.

[ET Awful]

5. Just be patient.

Quinn was pissed off at me for 3 weeks after I brought Althea home, now they're buddies :).

[bvar22]

7. Went through the same thing a few months ago.

I seriously thought that the new kitty would have to go back because the older cat was soooo hostile.

They managed to work things out, and now are best buds.
Good Luck!

Their story is here:

***When Worlds Collide****
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=243&topic_id=2668&mesg_id=2668

[newsguyatl]

8. how long did it take

before the hissing and growling stopped?

nikko still hisses when he even smells the kitten's scent on something, my hand, a blanket, etc...

he's still VERY hostile... so much so, i'm afraid to take the kitten out of the carrier when nikko's around... he's too unpredictable right now...

to top it all off, the new kitten ISN'T litter trained i'm finding out... and DOESN'T seem to care one bit anything about litter...

any suggestions?

[Lorien]

11. Try "cat attract" litter (PetsMart carries it)

some kittens just take longer to figure out the litter box thing.

It took Oberon and Puck two weeks to get past the hostile phase. Puck was barely a mouthful to Obie at the time, so I was pretty worried!

[newsguyatl]

12. thanks lorien!!!

[Lorien]

13. This was a scene from the first day

they managed to be together without Oberon threatening to eat her:



Puck was three months old, and Obie was eight months. When he hissed at her, he sounded like a much larger species of cat! His growls are pretty chilling, too. Don't rush it-soon enough you'll have a scene like this:



Are you using Feliway? That can help to calm Nikko's nerves.

[newsguyatl]

14. wow, you made good progress on the first day!!

nikko still growls at the site of him, and hisses when he smells him... it's still really bad... but i'm going to be patient...

about feliway, no, but i've been thinking about getting something to calm him down... i'll go get it tomorrow when i get the cat attract cat litter.

thanks so much for all this advice lorien, you're saving me!!!!!

[Lorien]

15. Oh no, that was the first day of NO growling

we had two weeks of growls and hisses before that photo was taken. Oberon would throw himself at the French doors that Puck sat behind before that-he was a howling ball of feline fury!(Didn't mean to mislead you there). ;-)

[newsguyatl]

21. ahhhhh

well there IS hope then ;-)

((oh and btw, the kitten suddenly started using his litter box... yay))

[Eurobabe]

29. rescue remedy works well too...

[bvar22]

16. It took about 3 weeks.

Your mileage will vary. Bug and Maggie got very sick with an upper respiratory infection. Maggie brought it home from the shelter, but didn't show symptoms for a few days. Bug came down with it about 5 days after Maggie, so their feud was put on hold. Maggie recovered before Bug, and had about 3 days to make parts of the house "hers" without interference from Bug who was too sick to object.

After Bug recovered, Maggie had already established herself. They picked up the squabbling, but it wasn't nearly as intense as before, and their spats diminished steadily after that. I haven't heard a growl or a spit for a couple of months. Going into the 3rd week, we felt safe enough to leave them alone. We were pretty sure that Maggie could and would take care of herself, and Bug wasn't going to hurt her.

I was very worried the first 3 days. I was sure that Bug would kill her if he had the chance. It wasn't pretty. Your pictures reminded me of Bug during the first few days. In retrospect, I believe that their illnesses were helpful in defusing a tense situation.

Now, they are inseparable. Bug has become maternal. He checks on Maggie. He gets upset if he can't find her (she hides from him), and calls and searches for her until he knows that she is OK. He also grooms her, and the favor in not returned by Maggie. She absolutely loves it when Bug grooms her.









I wish you luck and love. I hope your situation mirrors mine.
I am very glad we took the chance. Bug is much happier, and Maggie is a delight.

[newsguyatl]

20. thanks so much

what a wonderful story... i remember reading about their first meeting when you posted it a while back, and it's given me hope...

the kitten has brought home a uri as well... doesn't seem too bad, but sneezing here and there... he's on meds now, i'm just prayin' he doesn't give anything to nikko...

thanks again for your thoughts and advice!

[Eurobabe]

30. Aww, so sweet, look at those two...

I think everybody kind of panics at first, thinking, oh shit, did I do the right thing?? (Cats included) I have introduced 3 males with the in the bathroom trick, and took it really slow. After a couple of weeks, they were best buds like yours. When I had three, the two younger ones would trample all over the house like a herd of wild elephants, and the big fat cat would go looking for them.

Glad Maggie and Bug are so compatible.

[China_cat]

9. Dampen a cloth in a little vinegar water and wipe both of them

down with it. That way they both smell the same and they'll make friends faster. Or just take one cloth and rub the older cat with it and then transfer the scent to the kitten. It won't make them instant buddies but it will cut down the time they spend hating each other.

[newsguyatl]

10. thanks, i'll give it a try

[Princess Turandot]

17. Don't worry!

Here was Ivan when Sasha came home:

(Ick. Girl Germs..)






Within a week, they pratically needed a chaperone!





Here was Khan, who was just abt 12 weeks old. (Sasha was abt 8 months old.) Ivan acted as if he was an exotic bug lol. Khan was fearless!




Khan & Sasha mixed it up a bit more. He was about 2 when I adopted her.I think she won that round!

[newsguyatl]

19. great pics! thanks

that ivan, man he's a looker

[newsguyatl]

18. ok, so an update

i finally get up the nerve to let them around each other where i'm NOT holding the little one...

well, i'll be damned if the KITTEN started chasing NIKKO around!!! i couldn't believe it... nikko was running scared like a little girl (no offense to girls) ;-)

then he started chasing nikko up the stairs, i couldn't believe it.



how cute is he?!?!


so nikko's still really stressed, but i think with time, we'll be ok...

i hope so at least...

[Princess Turandot]

22. do you have any possible names for him yet?..

he is so adorable!

Just don't leave them together when you are out of the house, okay?

If you don't want to dab them to vinegar, people say vanilla works. You can also take a small towel and rub it on each of them, then rub them each again to mix up their scents.

The most I kept my current cats apart from each other was when I brought Khan home, because I was afraid that he might have a cold, and also because he came with one flea, which thankfully had not started doing its flea-thing yet. I had him in the bathroom abt 5 days, until I could see my regular vet.

Razpy was not even 8 weeks old, and I really could not sequester him for long. I carried him around in a shoulder bag when I was home.

Here's some Ivans for you!

[newsguyatl]

26. beautiful!

as for names, i have a list of about 9 right now... i really like jesse so far though... no one else seems to like it though :-( but i think that's what i'm going with.

also thought about bj, short for bijou which in french means little jewel...

[Lorien]

23. SO cute!!

Look at those baby blues! He looks really soft, too.

Poor kitten just wants to play, and Nikko is being a total pussy, lol! I have that going on with my foster kittens and Oberon, too. Obie is totally freaked out by them, and they just want to use him as a jungle gym. ;-)

[demnan]

24. True Siamese personality

Your new baby is a little aggressive but it probably won't be a problem. He's just showing the big guy that he's no push over.

I never met a Siamese that was.

[newsguyatl]

27. another thing i'm quickly learning about siamese

their cries -- MY GOD!!!!!! could break glass!!!

tell me that stops!?!

my neighbor has two pure bred siamese, and i hear them wailing constantly from across the hall...


mine's crying in the bathroom as i type this.

[demnan]

28. It stops when they're happy or asleep

Sorry, that's one of the irritating things about Siamese cats. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Robeson]

32. One of ours is a half Siamese/tabby mix.....

...and trust me, she loves to talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, and oh, did I mention, talk! But I love it, and I talk to her right back, and everytime I do, I get a response. Love it.

Looks like yours are going to work out fine...:thumbsup:

[newsguyatl]

31. things are progressing nicely

besides the fact the kitten has brought home a uri, i'm happy with the situation finally.

[BrklynLiberal]

33. They are playing together!!!!! Hooray!!!!!

That is such great news. Great pics. So happy for all involved.

Now you can finally relax and enjoy them.

[Patiod]

34. Siamese talk - a relative had two, and it was constant!

I think kittens are awfully bold with established cats --
We were boarding a friend's big tomcat Andy for a few months when we brought home The Little. The night before, Andy had FINALLY jumped up on the bed to sleep with us - he didn't trust us until then. And then we betrayed him the next day, bringing this bold little monster into the house.

First thing she did was go after Andy. She stalked him like a junior high girl with a crush - she would sit on a chair by the door for hours, waiting for Andy to walk through the door so she could pounce on his back. The poor guy finally found a spot where he could see what was going on, but where the Little one couldn't get at him.

Most mornings at 4, we'd hear screaming and growling, and there would be a big ball of cat rolling around the living room trying to kill each other. S.O. would come out and yell "Hat! Gloves! I'm not f$cking kidding you two! You'll be a hat and gloves by tomorrow night if you don't knock it off!" They would separate and slink off to various corners. Fortunately, Andy's owner came and got him shorting after. Poor guy.

[newsguyatl]

35. more pics

things are going MUCH MUCH better... and i dare say nikko seems happier than before!

the kitten's getting a little sicker though...

[Princess Turandot]

36. you should take the kitten back to where you adopted him..

or to the vet...he may need treatment. You don't want it to get worse: if his nose gets congested, he might start losing interest in eating. If he is having any solid type of discharge from his eyes, please get him to the vet!

[newsguyatl]

37. he's on an anti biotic right now

i'm going to get some for nikko tomorrow -- he's not showing signs yet, but the kitten has sneezed around him and i'm sure he'll have it...

he's taking clavamox...

eyes are ok so far, just clear mucus when he sneezes..

[Lorien]

38. Yep, get Nikko on it right away

it's not unusual for kittens to develop an upper respiratory infection when moved to a new home (it's a response to stress). Both cats will need antibiotics for several weeks, most likely.

[CC]

39. Glad to see you making progress

so fast. As far as Siamese talking, mine was very talkative as a kitten., when he is lonely or wants attention. I have taught him to answer questions, and if I say "What" he not only answers but he has taught all the other cats to answer. He has also learned to show me what. Usually he wants scratch under the chin.

[superconnected]

40. thanks for posting those pics

glad to see things are working out, and that the kitten is getting his anti-biotics.

[Eurobabe]

41. yeah pretty soon they'll be best buds...

hope the kitten gets better soon, keep us updated. He's totally adorable!

[newsguyatl]

42. i think we're going to be ok

took this pic just a few minutes ago:


we've come a long way from this:



and is it just me, or does me new kitty look more like a monkey than a cat?

[Beaverhausen]

43. Great news

Glad its all working out.

What are you naming the monkey-cat?

[newsguyatl]

44. i think i'm naming him jesse

:-D

[Lorien]

46. Wow, that was fast!

it took me WEEKS to get Oberon and Puck that comfy together.

Lol! The new kitten has a face just like my foster Osiris, who I nicknamed "monkeyboy". Don't worry; he'll grow into a very handsome kitty. :-)

[BrklynLiberal]

52. Ahem. See my previous post # 6.

But he is adorable..and I am so happy to see how they are getting along.
They are friends!!!
hey will now provide you with endless hours of amusement.

[bvar22]

45. Keep posting pics of the new kitty.

I can't get enough of that little guy and how the relationship is evolving.
Love the updates.
Looks like the start of a beautiful relationship.

[newsguyatl]

48. thanks! i will

lol

i could have gotten the money shot last night, but i was too sleepy to get up...

nikko and the kitty felll asleep embracing each other... a definite "aww moment"

[demnan]

47. Nice work!

You have a very handsome pair of buddies there! They both look very happy in the sofa picture.

Your Siamese might have a little Himalayan in him, he seems to be very fluffy for a Siamese. Beautiful little guy (he's going to be a big cat too if the paws are any indication).

[newsguyatl]

49. i think you may be right

he quite fluffy indeed... tho those paws aren't quite as big as they appear in that pic

[newsguyatl]

50. i'm very proud of nikko

he's letting the kitty share his food and milk bowl:


and he's even started grooming him:


and something i never thought possible, nikko's become patient with the kitty, even when he comes behind him and tackles him.


cute story -- i was holding the kitten the other day, examing his teeth etc, and he started crying ((he's got the loudest cry you've ever heard)) ... well, as i was holding him and he was crying, nikko became concerned, came over to my feet, started to meow, and then swatted at me, as if to say, "hey, leave him alone!"

i think he's going to be a very good big brother.

[newsguyatl]

51. SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

good way to end the thread huh?

[BrklynLiberal]

53. FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!

Perfect! Thank you so much!

[newsguyatl]

54. no, thank of of YOU!!

couldn't have made it through without all the support, encouragement and suggestions!!!

[BrklynLiberal]

57. OMIGOD. Each picture gets better and better!!!

How are you ever going to leave to go to work?

[Lorien]

61. Awww...so adorable!

You really got them together in record time! I guess Nikko really wanted a little brother after all, it just took him a while to realize it! ;-)

[Beaverhausen]

55. Kittens are irresistable!!!

So glad this all worked out. Thanks for sharing those pictures. Please keep posting. Those two are such handsome kitties!!!

:loveya:

[Eurobabe]

59. That is SO cute!!! Congrats!

See, a little patience...in the end both cats will be happier that they have a brother to hang with. :)

Good job! Keep posting photos, it's adorable to see the progress. I am thinking of getting another kitten too in the next couple of weeks.

[newsguyatl]

63. thanks all

if you want pics, i'll certainly keep posting :-D i like showing off my little boys to those who want to see... friends and family are usually like, "ok, ENOUGH already!" lol

to brklynliberal --> jesse is doing much better -- the uri has almost cleared up -- just sneezes on occasion now.

interestingly enough, nikko never picked up the sneeze, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Eurobabe]

64. he's really cute newsguy!!

What a precious face, and those BLUE eyes...

[BrklynLiberal]

67. He sure is looking a lot less monkeylike lately & more like a gorgeous cat

[SW FL Dem]

60. Absolutely precious pics

I agree it is a perfect way to end the thread! Isn't is amazing what can happen in a week or two.

[ET Awful]

62. I wish Quinn and Althea were that friendly with each other :)

But alas, they just chase each other around. They don't hate each other, but they don't use each other as pillows either.

Good job :)

[demnan]

56. How precious and sweet they are together!

I'm so happy it worked out.

[Suziq]

58. Great thread!

Great job, newsguyatl. :hi:

Been following your thread from day one. You post the greatest pics. of your boys.

So happy everything worked out.

[newsguyatl]

65. update

things are going extremely well with the two... they're an absolute joy to have... well except for the playing loud in the middle of the night while i'm trying to sleep... jesse sleeps with me every night on my pillow... nikko prefers the foot of the bed.

jesse really rules the roost so far -- not sure if it's so much a personality thing, as it is a nikko-playing-mom type thing... nikko's already very protective of jesse...

jesse on the other hand is a little spoiled rotten thing, and he knows it... gets whatever he wants from me and nikko... but he's into EVERYTHING! i mean, it's incessant... he goes wherever i go, gets into whatever i'm in, tries to eat whatever i eat, you name it... he's glued to me when i'm home... nonstop.

i can't believe how soft he's become in just the couple of weeks i've had him... he went from feeling very course, to feeling just like a cotton ball... softer than nikko, who's extremely soft i thought... i guess it's the 2 baths and brushing that's made the difference...

here're a few pics taken just minutes ago... i never knew two cats could have so much fun with a box with holes... they've been playing with it for an hour straight... but it's worn jesse out, he's now asleep in my lap.


what dad? leave us alone!




jesse's too fast for nikko, he's gone as soon as nikko looks in




jesse tries to pop out of the box to scare big brother, but this time, NIKKO'S too fast




now it's nikko's turn to hide inside, jesse's havin' none of it




jesse looks scared, but in reality, he knows he's the baby and won't get hurt (i swear, his ears ARE there, if you look hard enough)

[Lorien]

66. Welcome to the joys of being owned by an oriental cat!

My Puck-though from Turkey-is the very same way. Follows me everywhere, into everything, rules the roost-it's never dull around her!

I love the new pics! Has Jesse tried that nylon box/ tunnel toy yet?

[demnan]

69. I agree - it's always a joy to be owned by an oriental

You'll never lack for entertainment! (But if you have anything really valuable and breakable pack it away for the next twenty years!)

[newsguyatl]

70. re: the nylon toy

OHHHHHHHHHHH yes, those are upstairs in my bedroom, and nikko and jesse keep me up all hours of the night playing with them... those are their favorite toys, i just haven't taken pics of it yet, but i will though. :hi:

[BrklynLiberal]

68. Your latest pictures are a hoot! It looks like everyone is having fun.

Now comes the tough part...how are you going to leave the house to go to work? Aren't you going to want to just stay home and watch the "Nikko and Jesse Show" all day?
It is wonderful that it has worked out so perfectly.

Keep posting those pics.

[newsguyatl]

71. couple accidently funny pics

i was trying to capture a picture of the two of them looking up at me, when i dangle a string in their faces, but just as i snapped a picture, nikko jumped up... i tried a second time, and just as i snapped it again, he jumped... again...


yep, that's nikko about 2 feet off the ground... jesse staring in amazement:




also, like i said, jesse goes wherever i go... when i'm standing, he sits by feet, when i'm sitting, he's in my lap, when i'm eating, he's in my food, when i'm going to the bathroom, he comes. he's never more than 2 feet from me (i guess i'm gonna have to get used to that)

and no, it doesn't stop even when he's asleep... here i am earlier at my computer tonight, and he comes up into my arms and falls asleep.

[Beaverhausen]

72. LOL!!! Those first two are hilarious

I have so enjoyed the saga of Nikko and Jesse.

Please don't stop. They are both soooooooo cute!!!

[newsguyatl]

73. thank you!

here are some more i just took a few minutes ago... i continue to be amazed by nikko's progress...

jesse's practically soaking wet by the time nikko's done bathing him :-)

[SW FL Dem]

74. AWWW!!

Those are great pics. I am so glad to see that things are working out.

[BrklynLiberal]

76. Great pics!! Again!! I just love the look on Jesse's face...and Nikko's

paw on his head..What a riot. They are a great pair. Thanks so much for keeping us up to date on their adventures.
The pic of Jesse sleeping in the crook of your arm is soooo precious.

Thanks Again.. :hi: :loveya:

[funkybutt]

77. Awww!! that's love!

how sweet!

Very cool to be able to follow the progress through your pics. What a cute story to follow.

[Eurobabe]

78. awwwww, so adorable...

isn't it amazing how animals take to one another and its love? I'm sure Nikko is happy to have Jesse. Hopefully Larry (my daughters cat) will be as accepting with Moe when she takes him home next month.

Keep posting photos, they're heart-warming. We may be introducing the ginger fuzzbutts to the crew on Sat. if the vet gives them a clean bill of health tomorrow. I'll take photos of our intro too...

[demnan]

75. Yeah you'll have to get used to it.

I've learned to do things one-handed in the kitchen because Pad Thai loves to jump up on my shoulder and have me support his butt with one hand while he watches me cook with the other. He also helps with computer work. He must sleep against my legs every night and waits in the window for me to come home from work.

[Gregorian]

79. Great story. How cute!

I've found that my cats have modeled after my personality. Tacitly, they've become like me. And I can almost guarantee that if I were mean, they would have fought with each other. I always worried they'd not get along.
Just tonight I was putting fish bones in the garbage, and thinking how odd it is that my cats don't even get into it. It's right in the open, and never would they dig in and make a mess. I find that pretty amazing considering. I always worried they'd jump on the counters. But without ever saying or doing a thing, they never were that way.
I think it's just a silent communication we have. And you can see that things have turned out for you and your friendly cats as well.

I love this stuff. It's the essence of what life is about. :)