(no subject)
Calling all cat people who read my lj.
So, my sister's cat is here for the holidays (with her, of course). He's a very harmless cat, afraid of everything (after today's relocation, he spent a half hour cuddling with my sister in the spare room, and would barely transfer over to me when she went to change her pants... and I've met him before!).
The problem is my own cat. We've never had another cat while we've had her. She's been indoors her entire life. We brought her home from the pound when she was around 8 weeks old, so... she probably doesn't remember ever encountering another cat. We had a dog. A small cavalier that she loved to swipe her claws at.
So, we bring in Chester (Katie's cat) and Jewel freaks out. Not that she attacks him. That she hisses and yowls and runs downstairs and hides in my room. She was just laying on my bed (my room is her "safe space"), as she had been doing all day (we were watching Gilmore Girls together). But then, he was exploring the house, and he came down here and I guess wandered into my room... I was upstairs watching a movie with Katie, and we hear this wicked loud yowl... I came down to find Chester in the other room hiding underneath a tv stand, and Jewel in my room hiding underneath my bed.
My mom, after about an hour, came down and dragged Jewel out from under my bed and brought her upstairs. She proceeded to hiss at every thing that moved (including me!), even though Chester was nowhere in sight (he was still in the basement).
Now it's hours later, Chester's been asleep for at least two hours, and Jewel no longer hisses at me, but she was yowling for a while. At me, at my sweatshirt (I was holding Chester, so it smells like him), at her own reflection in the mirror. Yeah, I spent five minutes holding her in front of the mirror until she stopped making scared noises at it. Once I let her go... yep, back under the bed. For an hour. She wouldn't let me pet her or anything. She just came out and is laying down on top of the bed, but staring at the door. I'd just close the door entirely (it's only cracked open), but she needs to be able to get out, if she decides she needs to use the litter box.
So, my question is... how do I get her to not be so afraid of Chester? Really now. Just lock them in a room together? Because there is no way that Chester will do any harm to her. Or do I just... give her time and let her get over her shyness? Like a person? Haha. I DON'T KNOW. This is supposed to be a trial run to see if she can handle another cat! I want another cat!
Any ideas?
So, my sister's cat is here for the holidays (with her, of course). He's a very harmless cat, afraid of everything (after today's relocation, he spent a half hour cuddling with my sister in the spare room, and would barely transfer over to me when she went to change her pants... and I've met him before!).
The problem is my own cat. We've never had another cat while we've had her. She's been indoors her entire life. We brought her home from the pound when she was around 8 weeks old, so... she probably doesn't remember ever encountering another cat. We had a dog. A small cavalier that she loved to swipe her claws at.
So, we bring in Chester (Katie's cat) and Jewel freaks out. Not that she attacks him. That she hisses and yowls and runs downstairs and hides in my room. She was just laying on my bed (my room is her "safe space"), as she had been doing all day (we were watching Gilmore Girls together). But then, he was exploring the house, and he came down here and I guess wandered into my room... I was upstairs watching a movie with Katie, and we hear this wicked loud yowl... I came down to find Chester in the other room hiding underneath a tv stand, and Jewel in my room hiding underneath my bed.
My mom, after about an hour, came down and dragged Jewel out from under my bed and brought her upstairs. She proceeded to hiss at every thing that moved (including me!), even though Chester was nowhere in sight (he was still in the basement).
Now it's hours later, Chester's been asleep for at least two hours, and Jewel no longer hisses at me, but she was yowling for a while. At me, at my sweatshirt (I was holding Chester, so it smells like him), at her own reflection in the mirror. Yeah, I spent five minutes holding her in front of the mirror until she stopped making scared noises at it. Once I let her go... yep, back under the bed. For an hour. She wouldn't let me pet her or anything. She just came out and is laying down on top of the bed, but staring at the door. I'd just close the door entirely (it's only cracked open), but she needs to be able to get out, if she decides she needs to use the litter box.
So, my question is... how do I get her to not be so afraid of Chester? Really now. Just lock them in a room together? Because there is no way that Chester will do any harm to her. Or do I just... give her time and let her get over her shyness? Like a person? Haha. I DON'T KNOW. This is supposed to be a trial run to see if she can handle another cat! I want another cat!
Any ideas?