Ragdoll Cat Forums

My baby is here!!! He got home Saturday morning and I'm convinced he is the most perfect kitten ever in life. He is sweet and cuddly. He's happy and playful and wow - I just ADORE him. I think his name will be Newman (not Koda). I'm so happy with him!

I could use some wisdom on the introductions to the other adults.

Day 1 - Everyone sniffed through the door and stayed away from the door. Then the next morning, it was the opposite. Kitten wanted out and adults wanted in. (He's in his own room with his own litter box, water bowl, toys, food dishes)

Yesterday and today I've had a few times each day where I've let him out into the main living area and at the same time by opening the door, the others can go into "his" room.

My adults have been very hesitant to go into his room. They go, but very slowly as if it might be booby trapped! He's just a happy kitten who wants to make friends and explore everything.

So far the adults sniff his face and his butt a lot. (not trying to be gross...but you know how cats are!) Pretty much every single time though, I start to think it's getting better and then they hiss in his little sweet face. Sometimes they growl too. When they do, he lays down right away and purrs as if to prove he's just a sweet little baby and no threat to them.

I don't scold the adults for hissing at him. No one seems like they actually want to hurt him but I definitely stick close by and no WAY would I let baby out unsupervised. I'm right there. I try to reassure my adults and tell them they're good and they let me pet them while Newman approaches them.

It's only been 2 days and I don't really see any improvement with each mini visit yet. (I only let him out for around 10 minutes at a time several times a day). They stare at him really really intently and seem to prefer to stay at a distance from him. I think they may actually be afraid of him (?). They hiss and growl but don't try to hurt him.

I've tried petting Newman with a towel and then rubbing the towel on the adults so they get used to his scent.

I'd be deliriously happy if I knew it would work out in time. Does this all sound normal (even the growling) or is it likely they'll never accept him? Any advice on how to proceed from here?

Is it good to continue to small visits / time with the door open each day and night for 10 minutes or so and hopefully the hissing and growling will eventually stop? Is it fine that after two days of the short meetings the grown ups aren't hissing and growling any less? They fool me because sometimes they sniff him for several seconds before they pull back and hiss (and growl) at him.

Any wisdom would be appreciated. Thanks!

Continue to move slowly. Watch the kitten for signs of potential danger. Hissing and growling is normal and the kitten will show you if the threat is real and you need to break off things for the moment. If the kitten freezes or very slowly moves away, then there is real risk. Consider holding and protecting the kitten, allowing the residents to approach and check him out while you have the kitten safe.

The next step may be to use interactive toys like wands to entice them to play side by side, if not together.

Sounds normal - and many introductions are even slower than this.

Thank you. I was expecting the hissing - but the growling had me worried. Newman sticks very close to me and when they hiss / growl, he flops on the ground in a submissive posture but then gets right up and returns to playing. (he doesn't seem particularly afraid - but the deep growling noises scare ME a bit)

The adults seem to prefer keeping their distance from him. When I first open the door they back away and then may come up to sniff him. They let me pet them and try to calm them. It's hard not to scold them when they growl and hiss at him. I think I'd read that I should reassure them and tell them they're good (not at the exact moment of the hissing) instead of scolding them for the "bad" behavior? I'm not sure but I do think they might be afraid of Newman! This morning I had my camera on the ground and 1 of my adults was playing with the loop / "string" part you can put over your wrist. Then Newman came over to play with it and instead of getting angry with the baby, the adult ran away?

Do you think it's wise to keep Newman's visits in the main living area down to 10-15 minutes at a time several times a day the way I have been until the hissing has eased up a bit before making his time out with the adults any longer?

Thank you so much for the feedback. I hope everyone can get along soon! I don't mind if they aren't best buddies - just hoping to get to the point where I know he's safe and tolerated.

I'm so glad he's home and it sounds like things are going well. Just wait....in a couple of weeks all this intro stuff will be behind you and you'll have one happy family.

They are afraid and are warning him about who is boss. You can praise them while they are hissing and growling. I usually tell them how they are right to put the kitten in his place and that it is working. ; ) It makes some difference to the cats, but also helps you digest what is happening. Obviously, you do not want them to do damage to each other, which would take time to get over, but some limit setting, including a quick slap are not going to do any damage to the process.

Keeping sessions short is fine. You will get a feel from them on what is best - and factor in your supervision energy. ; )

The kitten is showing you the comfort level. He is confirming they are boss and then going about his business. If he were afraid, he would make himself invisible to them.

Thank you SO much. You're making me feel much better

I agree that Newman (kitten) isn't afraid. He's always ready for that door to be opened so he can go out with the "big kids" even though they hiss and growl. He'll flop over and stick very close to me - but then he wants to get right back to exploring and trying to make friends.

One of my lingering worries is that as long as Newman is "living" mostly in his own room with me visiting him and playing with him periodically in there and letting him out for short visits - then he won't fully bond with me the way he would if he were just full time out and about with everyone. But this won't last forever AND so far he seems pretty crazy about me! He's just a very lovey dovey kitten. I still can't believe that he can purr so loud and be so little. He follows me everywhere and even when he's happily playing he runs over to check in with me so I think I have to relax about the time he spends in his own room before he's fully integrated.

Newcomers go through stages. The first is being timid and perhaps even hiding. They then will cling to the person taking care of them - a stage we call "sinking the hook." They then become comfortable in the new environment and with the resident pets and start to explore and meet others. You then worry that they have forgotten you and will not be close. Then they return their attention to you and will have their normal relationship - and with Ragdolls these are very likely to be very attentive to their people. Some will have short stages or may even skip, but this tends to be the normal progression.

He seems very well adjusted at this point (we're only on day 3). I'm just worried that if he has to remain in his room (even though he comes out to visit and explore and I go on to spend time with him) that he may not be as happy and sociable as he could have been.

Hopefully these early days in "his room" probably won't hurt him any. So far he does seem very happy, playful and loving. I'd been hoping he'd be out of his room by next weekend. It's occuring to me now that it may take longer than that but all I can do is stay patient and hope things improve with the other cats sooner rather than later. (and hopefully Newman won't be less friendly as a result of the early days in "his room")

He will let you know if he is too unhappy alone. That concern is the reason to keep him with people as much as possible. Do not forget that HE does not need to be confined all the time you are not doing actual introductions. The residents can be confined part of the time too.

We're making slow progress with the other adults. 1 has mostly stopped hissing and is even playing with Newman now. Now I have to get it through my head that he isn't quite as fragile as I imagine he is. I know to supervise them...but Newman's idea of fun is to climb the cat tree, jump on top of another cat, smack him (gently) on the side of the head, run around the room as fast as he can and repeat. He wants to wrestle and does a lot of gentle hitting with his front paws. I'm a nervous wreck that when he gets the same "play" treatment in return he'll be hurt because he's less than half the size (way less) of the adult kitty he's playing with. Sigh. I must relax (supervise, but relax)

The other adult still avoids him as much as possible and hisses in his face when they get close. But they've only been interacting in the same room (for short periods of time) for 3 days now. Hopefully we're getting there! It's a bit harder now because Newman is fearless and he doesn't want to be confined to "his room". He isn't any happier if he has the run of the place and the 2 adults are on the other side of the door. He cries and cries even when I'm with him. He wants that door open!

But I do think we're getting there. Hopefully soon no one will need to be isolated but we haven't gotten to that point yet. I'm crossing my fingers that it won't be too much longer.