Thread: Integration *sigh*

I have been through the Mordor of integrating new cats. Mandy Coon loved Rose, our Bengal mix and they were instantly friends. Then we adopted Sampson, a giant ginger tabby. Mandy HATED him and it took a solid four months to stop her from terrorizing him to death. He was so scared of her that he began spraying the house and not using his box at all. Finally we had to allow Sampson to go outside as he pleases, if only to get a break from Mandy.
We adopted another cat in November, this time an older male Coon. Mandy was a tangle of hissing and claws for a few days and then she was fine with him!!
Now, Merlin and Sampson had some male cat domination issues to sort out and we had some really ugly fights here for a few weeks. However, Merlin appeared to be instigating but it turned out that he was quite ill with a bladder infection and also recovering from serious starvation and the extraction of most of his teeth. Now that Merlin is healthy he is a peaceful cat and there are no more big blowouts. So, it can take a long time or it could take a few days, you just have to see. However, if your cat seems really unusually out of sorts I would check with the vet. Mandy is an anxious cat to start with so the constant grooming and picky eating is normal for her. She can't eat around the other cats. Maybe try feeding yours alone until she adjusts to the newcomer?