Intro

We decided to bring Tommy in last night. We sometimes don't have the brightest of ideas. I know the proper way to introduce cats. You put the new cat in a separate room. Sometimes for days. Let the cats smell through the door. Eat on the opposite sides of the door. You get the picture.

Of course, last night we just let him walk right through the door.

Ol' G was unconcerned. (I say "Ol' G" because my vet always asks me: "How's Ol' G doin'?" That's what he asked me the last time I brought in a new cat - basically, "Do you know what you're doing to your old, nervous cat????") Well, as I said, G couldn't have cared less. Lucky - our easygoing, everfriendly, never-scared kitty was...well, I heard sounds coming from him that I'd never heard before. I've heard growling from some of my other cats (usually when they are growling at Lucky). We have five cats. Never has an introduction gone so strangely. Lucky growled for probably the first time in his life. And never stopped as long as Tommy was in his sight.


Aggie (our most frequent growler - she's very shy) made a new noise I'd never heard: "OoooOooOOOoooooo" and puffed herself up. I'm surprised she was even brave enough to be in the room. Tuffy (our 20 lb. cat) hid under the bed - skeered. Little Ally just peeked around the corner occasionally.

Tommy wasn't the least bit aggressive. Until he felt cornered. Lucky and G usually follow us around the house. Tommy was trying to. Lucky blocked Tommy's path toward us. G came up behind him to try to follow and I could see Tommy looking for a way out. He didn't find one - so he swiped at G.

I'm not sure that Tommy is happy as an inside cat. He likes us. He likes to be held. But, I was trying to let him explore the house and all he wanted to do was yell at the back door to go outside. I mean, he really wanted out. We were outside for a few moments and he climbed the door and hung from the window in the door. Like a li'l kitty chin-up. He is a ster-rong cat. We finally let him walk outside and he followed Mike to the garage. He spent the night out there. It's a stressful time introducing a new cat. You'd like it go smoothly. You'd like them to get along. You'd like to have your life back to normal. And your cats' lives. I feel for them the most. They're truly frightened. Their lives are completely disrupted. They can't understand what's happening. Mike tried to explain it to Lucky:

"This kitty needs a home. Like you did. Remember?"

We'll try it again later. Maybe taking it slower this time.