Help with Cat Introduction - Wanting to be in the Same Spaces
My husband and I live in Guatemala and we adopted a stray mom, Sabrina, about 3 months ago. Her kittens have been adopted already and she's been adjusting to indoor life, little by little. She's a little skittish, but she does like to eat, play and to be pet. Although we don't know exactly how old she is, the vet calculated about a year and half.
Our resident cat, Olivia, has been with us for about 2 years. And she's about 3 years old too and was also rescued while pregnant. She came when we still had our first cat, but he passed about a year and half ago.
So we've been doing a slow introduction - doing our best to follow the main steps. We've been at it for about two months. The first month was a little irregular because Sabrina was spayed and they didn't have a lot of contact for 2 weeks. Overall, the process had been going well.
- They have been eating well twice a day, with a baby gate between them. They can see each other through the baby gate and there hasn't been hissing for over a month.
- We started short play sessions about 2 weeks ago (maybe more), where they play each on one side of our living room area without a gate. My husband sits between them. Sabrina (new cat) hasn't played much, but she will eat Churus and treats. Olivia (resident cat) will play and eat fully - has been very relaxed. These sessions last about 10 minutes.
- On Sunday and today, they accidentally got into the same space with no toys or treats: the stairs and our bedroom. Sabrina chased and swatted at Olivia and Olivia hissed both times. Body language was very alert and not relaxed.
- We have been keeping them separate at all times besides eating and these short play sessions, but they want to be in the space the other is in when they are separate. Not necessarily together, but when one is in the bedroom the other wants to go in.
- Main issue: Sabrina chasing and swatting at Olivia. How to proceed where we are at? Any tips that have worked for you? We have watched a bunch of videos and have been following them (we think).
TLDR: New cat chasing and swatting at resident cat during two accidental meetings. About 2 months of slow introductions with feeding through baby gate and two weeks of 10 minute play sessions with no gate. How to proceed cat introduction? Advice that has worked for you.