March 17

Henry seems bored (aka bothering Cali) so I let him explore my bedroom for a bit. I have a few more things to cat proof, so not ready to leave them out all the time. Plus Gwen/Henry integration will be much better at the bathroom door. My bedroom door is at the top of the stairs and I don’t need them or me tumbling down a flight of stairs. Once I cat proof a bit more, I may leave the door open for them more.

OMG his green spring. I gave him one back after finding them all under the ottoman. For a full hour, he was non-stop playing with the spring. He really loves that thing.

We had a very good interaction at the gate between Gwen and Henry. I went in the bathroom and Gwen mostly sat outside while I played with Henry inside. She watched. He looked out. No hissing. Yay!

Later, I played with him with the wand toy while I was in there. He went right back to the spring after I left. Endless energy.

March 18

We had a not great gate interaction. Gwen got too close to the gate and Henry swiped at her, which she obviously didn’t love.

Later Henry was being a pest, he bothered Cali a few times. And with the swipe at Gwen, I decided to look for my old Feliway diffuser. I plugged it in and it seemed to make an instant difference. He had a good interaction with Gwen, with one hiss from each, but not bad. They had plenty of sitting and slow blinking. Gwen actually hissed at me because I tried to pull her away from the gate. (And then turned and realized she hissed at me, and I know she’s a cat that doesn’t have human emotions, but I swear she looked so ashamed that she hissed at me). He was much more chill with Cali, too.

They’re all three going to need diets once they’re integrated since I’ve done so much bribing with treats. I swear their diets now are half food, half treats (not really, but definitely more than they should be having).

Cali peaking out from her spot like “why are you still here?”. She generally waits until I leave to go eat.

She was out at dinner time on the ottoman. She jumped down and checked out the food (!), but went back to her spot in the cat tree.

March 19

I saw overnight that she was out. I even saw her use the scratching post! He did bother her, of course. And early in the morning they got in a pretty good tussle, but his spring was directly in front of her tree, so I get it. More of a sibling fight, than an enemies fight.

A breakfast time he ate, she had her Churu, and then I sat at my vanity by the window. He went right around me and jumped in window. As he came down he stepped onto my bench and sniffed me. He’s definitely feeling more comfortable with me, less jumpy, and more curious.

Meanwhile Gwen. She hasn’t really ever seemed to like the “grilled” cat food. So I give her the “pate” wet food. I’ve been giving Cali and Henry grilled since I had it leftover from Gwen and she doesn’t eat it. Gwen hasn’t been eating as much lately and I worried she was upset. I went and grabbed a grilled can and of course, she ate it right down. I don’t know how she’d know that was the food they’re getting, but maybe she does and just wanted to have the same?

For introductions, I think we have to go back a step. I can use my bedroom as the “swap spaces” step. Which again, I was concerned I can’t do the “normal” way, since I can’t pick up Henry or Cali to physically bring them to whatever space I want. So for now, no more gate dates, just scent swapping, and letting them into my room, then back to bathroom, then letting Gwen in my room. It’s disappointing, but I think it’s the way to go.

Once we move to gate intros, I’ll try the “towel technique” which is to have the door open, the gate closed and a towel up so they can better smell/hear each other, but still not see each other. Then I’ll do the mesh, then we’ll go actual face to face. Basically, adding in more steps than I did before. I wanted this to be farther along than it is, but I need to step it back and go slower.

I’m going to try more scent swapping techniques, too. Like petting Gwen with a sock over my hand, then bringing the sock to Cali and Henry with treats on it.

I let Henry into my room two more times (well technically, the door was open, they both could have gone, but only Henry did).

He explores, by doing big laps, checks in on Cali, then comes out and does another lap. One of the times, he came to me and sniffed my foot, then my other foot, then got in between my outstretched legs to sniff my phone. While he was exploring, I saw Cali go to the open door, sniff, consider a moment, and go back to her spot.

I later got Henry to eat two treats from my hand without swatting to get them!

Cali came out to eat the treats while I was there (I think Henry was as surprised as I was) AND later she was actually walking around a bit (while I was not there). Meaning, not just food to tree or food to litter box with no stops.

March 20

Overnight both cats spent a lot of time walking around the room. I couldn’t even tell who is who based on where they are because there seemed to be a lot of swapping. So more progress of them getting comfortable.

I went in and Henry’s spring was stuck under Cali’s cat tree. He was smart enough to not try and get it. I knew I couldn’t reach my hand over to get it, I’d get swatted. So I used a wand toy wand (the toy long gone) to get it out. She didn’t care at all. No swiping, no hissing, not a care in the world. Of course, as soon as it was free, he then knocked it right back in front of her. So either he’s trying to mess with her or trying to play with her. Let’s just say it’s the latter.

I put a treat out in front of her tree and she came out to eat it while I sat by the window! Cali was sitting at the back of the ottoman, so I dared to put treats on the corner of it. She stood up to eat one, but the other fell off to the floor. I was waiting to see if she would jump down for it, but Henry was playing nearby and I was there, so I think she figured it wasn’t worth it. Ha!

My daughter was home from college and finally got to meet the cats. Unfortunately, the timing was when they weren’t as hungry, so didn’t come out quite as much as they might have otherwise, but at least she got to meet them and they got to see her.

March 21

My son and his girlfriend came over. They had last been over when the cats had just arrived. That time Cali refused to eat the Churu. This time, Cali came out partway for her Churu, not as far as usual, but nice to see progress. Henry came out to eat and played a little with my son throwing toys at him.

Henry being ADORABLE. Cali over it.

March 22

Overnight, play my favorite game, “Where is Cali?” Luckily, her eyes were open.

In the morning, Henry followed me around, observing me during chores. He went out into the bedroom (I left the door open), but quickly came back and patiently waited for breakfast that he clearly knew was coming.

Later I opened the door and Henry explored as usual (wellm the new usual). Then Cali came out! Slowly, cautiously exploring, but still exploring! Henry followed her around like a lost puppy. However this left me in a pickle as I had to leave for a couple of hours. I didn’t think there was any way I’d get Cali back. So I took a chance and left them out. They did well, though Cali didn’t leave from under the bed the entire time.

I stalked the camera and they were both finally in the bathroom, so I could close them in again.

While I tried to give Cali her Churu while she under the tub, Henry came right up in my armpit to see what I was doing.

March 23

Put out a “cat cave/condo” and a small cat tree.

Cali was on the ottoman, and I got too close for her liking in order to put a treat next to her. She hissed at me. It was my fault, but it had been several days, so I figured it was worth a shot. But then she seemed fine after with me, so I think it was just a proximity warning.

I opened the door some more today. Henry likes to come in and out. Cali stayed in the bathroom.

Gwen testing out the new cat cave before Cali and Henry got to it. Cali coming out of the new cat cave (already quickly adopted) to get her Churu. Henry in the new cat tree. Cali trying to sleep on the ottoman while I annoyed her for a picture.

March 24

Four weeks! It’s hard to believe. Time has both flown, and crawled. We’re continuing two steps forward, one step back, with me despairing at each one step back, completely forgetting the two steps forward. I am confident we will get there. Someday I’ll be able to go in my bedroom and bathroom and not have to worry about cats breaking in or escaping. Also, anyone want to contribute to my cat fund? I may need to start a gofundme for all the stuff I’ve bought to make this happen.