in case you have not noticed, i have adopted a new cat to my brood and her name is mocha (click her name for pics).
i have two other cats that have been in the house for 2-3 years (one 2 and one 3 years). the introduction of them was quite a learning experience for me. mocha is proving to be an interesting challenge in different ways.
when i introduced rocky to my resident java, i had to deal with a resident wench and a very tolerant boy. the mixture proved to be mostly easy to deal with in terms of rocky not fighting back too much and java wasn't extremely aggressive (unless rocky was trying to rough house in a playful way, java is just not that type of girl...he still doesn't understand that).
on to mocha.
first two weeks
i kept mocha in an isolated room (office/spare room) exclusivly. mocha never saw rocky and java and vice-a-versa. they would smell, hiss and scratch at the door crack at the bottom but that was it.
second week
i began to allow mocha to stay isolated in different bedrooms for about 20-30 minutes at a time. after which i would return her to her room. there was no visual or physical contact still.
after about 3 days of this, i began to hold mocha and walk around the house a bit. this is something new i wanted to try provided mocha would allow it. all would be able to see each other but that was it. i kept a good amount of distance and would return mocha within 5 minutes.
third week
uh oh, here it goes. i made a goof, what can i say. mocha was being so lovey dovey and i thought speeding things up a bit would be ok...i should of waited. at this point, i was supposed to just switch positions a couple times a day for an hour or so at a time, but i got ambitious.
i let mocha out to roam while rocky and java were on the back porch. they could see each other through the glass doors. even at that, mocha appeared to exhibit some hostility. i was anticipating java being the most hostile.
when they finally were on equal ground, i began to see the social dynamics. mocha was a terror almost from the get go. java held her ground at first and even dominated to an extent, but would sometimes just give up and run for high ground (she is a jumper, but so is mocha). rocky being the kick back tolerant boy he is, mostly cowarded out to mocha's intentions. he did however hiss and growl for the very first time that i have ever seen/heard.
picture of the three of them, brief moment with no claws. left to right: java, mocha, rocky.
well, i messed up a bit...going to take two steps back and do the rotations in a few days once the nerves have totally calmed down.
i need to read my page again, sigh. i will update as something new happens.
mocha's introduction
Re: mocha's introduction
Good luck Jason. I know that ansty feeling all too well when Molly came to join me and Keeks.
And now to introduce Guinevere and her four kittens to residents Keeks and Molly. I'm afraid ... I am very afraid! I don't have an extra room and the only rooms with doors on them are my bedroom and the bathroom. The bathroom is very small plus thier litter box is in there and the bedroom is where they mostly hang out with me. I haven't a clue as to how I'm going to work this but have to come up with something fast as I'm imposing on my Mom big time.
Keep us posted and let me know if you come up with any new tricks!
And now to introduce Guinevere and her four kittens to residents Keeks and Molly. I'm afraid ... I am very afraid! I don't have an extra room and the only rooms with doors on them are my bedroom and the bathroom. The bathroom is very small plus thier litter box is in there and the bedroom is where they mostly hang out with me. I haven't a clue as to how I'm going to work this but have to come up with something fast as I'm imposing on my Mom big time.
Keep us posted and let me know if you come up with any new tricks!
Re: mocha's introduction
so far mocha has managed to create enough tension in the house that rocky has what looks to be an early uti. getting tests done tomorrow morning.
they are doing better in the sense of being able to be around each other longer before mocha instigates aggression type behavior (not real aggression, just looks a little like that).
mocha stays in isolated room all the time except for a couple hours here and there each day. im going to do the tuna trick a few times this week with just rocky and mocha, java is hard to tempt.
they are doing better in the sense of being able to be around each other longer before mocha instigates aggression type behavior (not real aggression, just looks a little like that).
mocha stays in isolated room all the time except for a couple hours here and there each day. im going to do the tuna trick a few times this week with just rocky and mocha, java is hard to tempt.
Re: mocha's introduction
How many times do I have to tell you, dear, patience, patience, patience.
..........Traci
Re: mocha's introduction
save it woman. 
Re: mocha's introduction
Hey, sweetie, follow your own advice!! Um, refer to step 2, then 3, then 4, and if you revert back to 2, then remember who wrote the article.
..........Traci
Re: mocha's introduction
cutie names in public??? who's advise are you not following now?
Re: mocha's introduction
oh, that's right...you do have a way with words.
