[Carrotcake]

Hi

I'm hoping someone will have successfully been through this and come out the other side!

We are looking after our friends boy cat (Badger, 2 yrs old) for a while (up to six months) and are really struggling to get our existing girl cat (Star, 10 yrs old) to accept him.

I've tried the softly softly approach, letting them see each other through a glass door followed by a sniff through a slightly open door, followed by Star attacking the door.

I've tried having them in each others space so they can get used to their smells followed by the softly softly approach followed by Star attacking the door.

I've tried feeding Badger in his cage (he travelled to France recently so it is luxury accomodation) and Star in the same room followed by a feigning of acceptance and disinterest from Star. (Thought we were getting somewhere here but was later followed by another attack!)

I've tried opening every door in the house and standing back followed by Star attacking Badger!

All the info I've found suggests a gradual introduction but this has been going on for two months now and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. We've never had this sort of problem before and we have introduced two cats to our existing cats at different times.

Anyone got any tips before poor laid back Badger packs his bags and leaves?

[raeburg]

I use a big dog cage to introduce a newcomer - usually works as they can acclimatise gradually

[Caralou]

Try to get some feliway if you can as that will help to calm both cats - almost all cats protection fosterers use it. I swear by it to get my cats and the newcomers settled. You mention you have tried the cage and slow introduction methods for two months? Usually by now you should see some improvement in behaviour. When Star attacks how bad is it? I have been known on occasion when slow introduction has failed to throw them in together and just involve myself in breaking up the fights when they get too bad. In the end with Evie (my pregnant mum foster kitty who couldnt settle with my parents cats) we threw her in with the others at a friend's house and after a couple of fights it settled. Is Star an outdoor cat? Will Badger be going out too? If so you may find that once Badger is out and about Star clams down as they have more space to get away from each other.

Cats can be very strange creatures and sometimes settling a new cat just doesn't work. Mine have hated some foster kits and yet they happily accept the local neighbourhood feral tom who keeps coming in a peeing everywhere  Just like us, sometimes they just don't like someone and although you may get an eventual grudging peace you will still have occasional spats 

[Carrotcake]

To be fair I have only tried the cage twice so will give that and the Feliway a go. I'm sure we've got some from when we came over. Should have thought of that.

The fights aren't too bad but are noisy and happen everytime they meet and poor Badger has a couple of battle scars on his nose.

They're both going out, but in shifts  I'll try them outside together and see if that makes a difference. Hope it's not a personality clash 

Thanks for your help.