Well, today was the big day we've been waiting for for 2 months now! We got to go pick up our new Ragdoll kitten, Ghost, from the breeder and bring him home with us
But, there seems to be some serious issues that I've never really had to deal with before, so any advice and help would be appreciated. We have a 3 year old male Ragdoll, Buster, already, and he's our issue right now. Ghost is phenomenal, mellow, already using the litterbox, eating food, purring and playing in his "safe room". When we were first getting things settled with the kitten, Buster sauntered in and mewed a few times, crept closer to Ghost in the carrier cautiously, then LUNGED on it, grabbed the carrier and spit and hiss into it! SO aggressive!! I poked his behind to divert his attention, which he then turned on me and good a good chuck out of my arm.
So kitten is alone but we visit him frequently. He is SO lovely! But Buster...he is hiding, and neither my husband and I can get within 10 feet of him or he hisses and spits at us, and if we get closer, he comes after our legs. He's never acted aggressive in his life and has always slept and laid with us. Now he's a terror, and I know it's the kitten.
So I'm looking for advice on how to get them along. The breeder just told me today that Buster's mom was similar to this (picked the cats she got along with and had issues with others) and that he probably gets it from her. What we're working on is feeding them near one another with the kitten in our Aussie's large mesh dog crate so they can see one another. But during the day, kitten will be in his "safe room".
I guess the violent aggression just really makes me nervous
What else can we be doing?
Wow, usually resident males don't act quite that aggressive. I'd say you've royally spoiled your Buster, which is good for Buster, but now you've got to pay the price. I would suggest you leave Ghost in the safe room all the time and let them sniff under the door and hopefully play some pawsie under the door until Buster calms down some. He will have to be the one to give you signs when you can try to start over with introductions. Maybe if Ghost stays in the safe room Buster will let you give him some good attention. You need to have some bedding for Ghost and some for Buster that you can switch back and forth so they can smell each other without actually being face to face. Might also want to try some little stuffed toys that can go back and forth also.
Your dog and cats are gorgeous. Good luck with the boys and please keep us posted. Welcome to the forum!
This is not uncommon and you have learned how not to do introductions. ; )There are a number of strings discussing it. You start out with a safe room for the kitten and move very slowly before you start face to face introductions and then slowly on supervised face to face visits. Letting the cats set the pace - which they have done.
Be sure to praise the resident. It is normal for the resident to need to assert himself over the newcomer. Since the newcomer is usually not interested in being dominant, things should progress well if you take it slow and careful.
Look for strings about introductions, often in this section, which will include more specific advice.
It is not likely the interaction has caused any lasting problem that will slow things too much. If one of them gets hurt in such a case, then things can become VERY complicated, so avoid that at all costs. On the other hand, do not assume things will not go smoothly, if slowly.
In the saferoom, with nothing except under the door contact for the first few days, let them get each other's scent. Give them each a bit of bedding with the other's scent so they start to recognize it. Next pen the kitten and allow Buster to see him from a safe distance while he is penned, repeat this a few times a day (I did the penning introductions in our master bathroom so that our Katie had to be in proximity for short periods even though she didn't want to be anywhere near Dexter.) Do this a few times a day until the growling and hissing on both sides is at a minimum. Hopefully, like happened with us, you will start to see a natural curiosity on both sides. Offer both of them treats and play with their favorite toy so that they associate being together with something pleasurable. When this happens, do a face to face, very controlled with safety at the forefront for the kitten. As Jan said, make sure you praise Buster during the process and comfort the kitten too.
Go slowly at the pace they set themselves and you will know when each is ready to accept the other. We were very lucky, all in, it took 2 weeks and three days and within a month they have become firm friends. I have read on here of some that only ever learn to tolerate each other but I think that if you go slow and make sure it isn't overwhelming for either of them, they will become buddies. Growlies, hisses and swats are all a part of the process
Have the little one in an area where you have to return to him often provides a unique one on one bonding opportunity that can be incredible. I also used the time away from kitten to lavish our big girl with lots of extra love and attention.
Much good luck to you, Buster and your new baby!
I had a friend who had an "only" raggie for a couple of years and then brought home a kitten. I remember how upset she became because the resident raggie also became aggressive towards them, trying to bite at them and growling at them. She was sure she'd done the wrong thing bringing home a kitten. It took a while, and VERY slow intros, but they are good friends now. I'm sure it will work out - and remember, they can pick up on your stress, so don't let it stress you. Just realize it will take a while and take it all slow.
Do NOT pen the kitten. He is likely to feel like a staked goat, become frightened and slow the process. Hold him when face to face introductions start. He will feel and be protected. Since you have already seen aggression, you have to be more careful to make sure contacts stay safe for both.
Keep in mind that Buster's response is fear. He also needs to be reassured.
(07-25-2010 09:50 PM)JanH Wrote: [ -> ]Do NOT pen the kitten. He is likely to feel like a staked goat, become frightened and slow the process. Hold him when face to face introductions start. He will feel and be protected. Since you have already seen aggression, you have to be more careful to make sure contacts stay safe for both.
Keep in mind that Buster's response is fear. He also needs to be reassured.
On the contrary, Dexter was never scared in the pen and I found it gave them both the confidence to approach each other with the barrier in place. I'm talking an 8x6 by 4' high here. It worked beautifully for introductions with our other kitten and with the dogs too. Dexter was safe and sound but they could see each other and sniff, at their own pace and in their own time. After they were comfortable this way, they were ready for the real face to face with Dex being snuggled on my lap.
Rather than the "staked goat" feel, it was obvious to me that he was in a safe and secure environment and it showed in his reactions and ability to play and enjoy himself while the "bigger" furkids were in close proximity.
Some cats will be fine just being put into a room together.
YOU know the pen is safe. The kitten does not. In this case, the resident was so frightened he attacked the carrier - and then the owner when he was grabbed by the "kitten's accomplice." The kitten had no way of knowing he could not be reached. On the other hand, the kitten WILL know he is being held by someone and can be quickly moved away if an attack happens.
It seems to me your approach has been tried for this pair and has already failed.
It is quite possible that a barrier - baby gate, pen, carrier, etc. - is a very good idea at some stage of the introductions - and the barrier of a door is exactly where introductions should start. However, a barrier in which the kitten may feel at risk is not appropriate until the cats can be calm together and you are just not totally sure that a counterproductive interaction will not happen before you can reach them. If the barrier is something the resident is throwing himself against while growling and hissing, then it is too early to be using that barrier.
Jan, I think that we can both agree that a slow and patient approach with the kitten's safety and security at the forefront will help achieve the desired result. We are all as individual as our new kittens and resident cats and by sharing what has worked well for each of us, we all benefit. That has certainly been my good fortune since finding this forum
Absolutely. However, one needs to tailor the advice to what we know of the situation or it can be good for us or most cases, but bad for that particular situation.
I would not confine a kitten. (And I mean something like a carrier, not confinement in a room.) I would more quickly confine the resident in this way if confinement seemed something to try. (And I would not confine the resident if he was the one who was showing fear at the time.) A frightened kitten wants to slowly move away from the threat and hide in a safe space - that is the reason many will end up under a bed. One wants the kitten to be able to respond to his "flight" instinct.
It sounds like you used this technique when they seemed to be getting along and you were just not totally confident. I understand that and understand how it would work. However, its working is probably the indication that the additional protection turned out not to be needed. Had you not advised this "next" after the under the door introductions, my reaction to it would have probably been more benign. ; ) To use this, I think one needs a better idea that the cats are likely to be getting along very well and this is just belt and suspenders protection.