I had written a few days ago about our new cat BooBoo not getting along w/the resident cats after their "introcution" phase of about 2 weeks. So the past few nights I had left BooBoo's bedroom door open so she could explore the house. The first night there was a small fight in our bedroom around 2am, so BooBoo ran back to her bedroom & I shut the door. Last night there was another small fight in our bedroom, but it broke up & when BooBoo went back to her room I didn't shut the door... well about an hour later I heard MAJOR cat screaming downstairs in the living room & when I went to check BooBoo was on her way upstairs w/a bloody leg.
I checked all the cats out & it appears BooBoo took a claw to her front leg. I cleaned her leg up, the blood made it look worse than it actually was.. but now I'm afraid to open her bedroom door at night. Should I lock her up at night again??
I don't know how else to socialize the cats because BooBoo REFUSES to come out of her room during the day... it's only at night when we're sleeping. How can the cats get to know one another & establish their heirarchy if they don't interact... except at night & I'm afraid to let them because I can't supervise.
The good news is that the incidents appear to be less frequent, this is progress.
I would suggest paying special attention to BooBoo during the day and doing whatever necessary to coax her out during the daytime. Interactive toys, getting her a new kitty perch, kitty tree, special toy, anything that would be just hers. Try introducing a kitty perch near a window she can sun herself in, watch the birds etc out of the window, etc. and supervise the other cats but keep interference to a minimum. I find that with my cats and new introductions, the introduction of something new in the house, just for them, (kitty tree, etc), they tend to focus on those things more than each other and they usually work out their problems amoungst themselves.
Have you tried slowly involving them all in playtime together? If you can somehow introduce activity amoung them, and keep it consistent (especially toward the time you retire at night), this might tire them all out so that they are less likely to be active and agressive during the night.
I would still not recommend keeping BooBoo's door closed at night, she might feel she is being confined or reprimanded for reasons she doesn't understand. While this room seems to be her haven or retreat, she does need to get out and start feeling comfortable and secure in her environment. If it happens to be that the other cats seem intimidating or exhibiting agressiveness toward her, then you have to focus on the agressor/instigator with reprimanding the behavior (such as short time-outs, seperation for short periods of time)
Don't give up, sometimes it takes more time than usual with a skittish kitty, be consistent, and do whatever necessary to help her feel that her environment is a safe and secure home. You have to find whatever works for you and her.
I'm not sure what BooBoo's situation was with her previous owner, but she doesn't engage in interactive play. We have catnip toys, balls w/bells, feathers on strings... shoelaces... and nothing works. She has her very own kitty condo/scratchy post.. bed, window perch etc. But I just got a laser pointer today, so we'll see if that works.
But I do spend time w/her every night before bed & we play w/the other kitties downstairs w/their favorite feather toy till they're worn out. But the wee hours of the morning seem to be their active time.
I also bought cat nail clippers today too. I think the resident cats need a trim to keep damage down to a minimum.
Thank you again soo much!! I'll keep you posted and I will try whatever is necessary because I love all three cats.
You're right, it's impossible to know her background, but part of the problem may be because of their ages...since each of them is probably pretty set in their ways (and probably alittle bit of the female alphacat heirarchy).
Since she was initially interested in exploring her surroundings and the two other kitties, this is still a good sign that time will prevail. It's only been alittle over two weeks, so this is still a good time to keep trying and try not to interfere unless there is direct physical harm upon one of the cats through fighting. Remember that hissing, growling, swatting with paws etc is perfectly normal cat behavior during introductions, the only time you should intervene is when claws, teeth are used or when blood is drawn.
She may not be yet interested in play because she may be nervous or feel apprehensive if the other two are nearby. This would also be a normal reaction and she may feel this way until she develops her own sense of security, and feels more comfortable with her environment. With my own, when involving them together in playtime/exercise, I usually only use one toy, like a string dragged across the room, this usually gets their attention focused on what I'm doing, instead of them putting too much focus on each other. Consistency is the key, as well as routine. Don't give up after failed attempts, you just have to keep trying and eventually, each kitty will feel less threatened by each other. Also, if you intervene too much, they will rely on this and may become passive or submissive in their behavior---you want each of them to maintain their individual personalities, yet you want them to become eventually receptive of one another. Your interaction and involvement with bonding and trying to get them interested in activities together can help greatly.
There's no harm in loving your cats as you do, you're doing all the right things by spending quality time and attention with each of them. Just remain patient and try to let them work out their differences amoung themselves. As hard as it is to watch the hissing and growling, it is normal behavior at this point. BooBoo probably needs alittle more attention right now than the other two, but don't make it excessively so, or the other two may react to the attention you're giving her.
The wee hours of the morning are prime time for cats to get on owners' nerves...one reason is their nocturnal nature, another could be boredom (not your fault). As time goes by, you should find the cats will develop more of a routine that you can live with during the night. At this stage, they are simply learning how to adjust to one another, so do expect some late night awakenings.
