Integrating Ginger to other cat

[Natasha]

Using another's computer and it hates me so "lost" your Ginger plight. Hope this helps you (and anyone else). This works best from Day One, but worth starting over and see what happens. Yes. it's a bit of work, but usually the results are worth it.

(1) Put new cat in separate room with food, water, litter box etc. CLOSE the door and keep closed. 

(2) Rub and old sock or whatever all over the new cat. Take it out and rub all over present cat. Take another sock and do this process in reverse, thereby transferring odors. Repeat a few times a day while keeping cats apart.

(3) Feed both cats close to the door, but keeping the door closed as a barrier to them. They can hear and smell the other, but are getting used to the idea that new cat is not a competitor for food.

(4) Pay LOTS of attention to present cat during/after feeding. Of course, go inside room from time to time and ay attention to new cat, but always keeping door closed. Do NOT do this at feeding time.

(5) After a few days, crack the door while feeding so they can see each other a little bit, but be ready to close door if problems arise. This would include screaming, really aggressive spitting, fluffing out of tail etc.  Ordinary hissing is a positive sign if the others are not happening.

(6) Continue the odor-interchange. Now open the door a crack without food present, and see what happens. If hissing is the WORST that happens, you might be ready to open the door and stand back. (Broom used to gently separate might be advisable, using a gentle brushing-aside motion.)

(7) Success? Close the door again and repeat later. Do this a few times, then the leave the door open and see if this has worked.

(8) IF new cat is now permitted by present cat to be in the general living spaces, continue to fuss lavishly over present cat and ignore new cat. Make new cat earn the right to its place in the pecking order. Then you can integrate it fully. (You can always pay attention in the meantime when present cat is not around!)

I know this is time-consuming, but will be worth it in the end unless these two are just not destined to be together. But it is usually very successful.

GOOD LUCK!

[moderator-2]

Just so you know, that discussion was at the bottom of the Anita's Animals Update thread.

Good advice here, thanks!