I know this has been dealt with before but any advice from experienced TDKers would be appreciated as always - miso, now almost 6 months old, has been with us for 4 months, adores us both and her home, and has made it entirely hers. But I always thought I'd get her a companion for those times when we're both out and the little scrap is alone for hours. She's the happiest little kitten in the world, always running, jumping, exploring and very communicative, despite not really having a mew. (she's sitting inspecting the screen as I write-loves to sit on the keyboard and generally take part in all activities in the house)
Last friday I went to see a beautiful long-haired tortie girl, one year old, just spayed, tiny part-persian at a rescue centre several hours drive away. She is beautiful, reminds me of my old girl who died last May, and is a calm and quiet personality. I thought it would work, and so I brought her home with me. Now, I know it's early days yet, but the tension is terrible in the house. Miso is so upset and distraught at her territory being invaded - I think it makes her fearful because of her feral background (her entire colony was trapped and brought in to the welfare clinic last november) and her whole world is being rocked, after having found a safe haven. miso is spitting (such an alarming sound, and I hadn't really heard a cat do it before) and hissing and throwing both front paws, claws well out, out from her little body when I pick her up. If I take her well away from new girl's 'safe room' (my house is large and I'm lucky enough to have the space to provide a haven for both cats) she is fine again and acts as she usually does. But anywhere in the vicinity of the intruder's lair and she turns into a tasmanian devil. It's so upsetting, because I can hardly recognise the sweet little darling that is miso when this happens, and she's even hissed at me when she's detected the new girl's odour of my hands or clothes.
Miso is due to be spayed within the next week or two, and I think this might calm her a little, though I confess I would be sorry to see her personality changed in any way, as she is a delight from her whiskers to her little black velvet paws. New cat (no name yet) is a stunner, and I was hoping so much that her calm presence might be a sort of refuge for miso, a motherly figure she could cuddle with, and who she could also liven up a bit (though new girl is only young, I don't think her former owners played with her as a kitten, as she doesn't seem to know what to do when I roll a ball, or swing a fishing rod toy - but I hoped miso could show her the ropes..)
Obviously I haven't let them out in the same room yet, have done all the sensible things (though the rescue ladies told me just to let them at each other, that all their cats had always eventually got on, but I thought this was kind of a no-nonsense approach and not one that would necessarily work).
The only thing is, miso is endlessly curious, and I'm hoping that's what will eventually lead her to new cat. So far, new cat is not showing aggression, only a few minor throaty tortie growls when the little miso minx spits her stuff through the door - I think she's a bit bemused by all this shape-throwing.
Is there anything else I can do?
