Introductions

[Moondust]

How long does the average introduction go?  What methods have you guys used to intro two cats each over a year old successfully?  I've bolded my ost important questions for skimmers because I know this is a monster to read!

I've had my first cat, Merlin, since May. He is about a year and a few months old. I work and go to school, so I am away long hours at a time, as is my housemate.  While he does interact a lot with the rats (they're in a Ferret Nation with 1/2 by 1/2 in wire which is small enough even his toes can't go through) I felt he needed a companion to help enrich his life. I've tried many different kinds of solo-play toys, while he enjoys them he prefers to play with them when someone is around. He has a very sociable personality, and I actually discipline him by turning my back to him. It works well. He is very well behaved, though he didn't come that way!

So I went to the shelter and got another cat, right around his age and looked for one that had a lot of energy.  Her shelter name is Piper, though I am thinking of a new name. She's much, much smaller than him at 5 lbs, 14 ounces to his 13 pounds 8 ounces (both are about full grown and have paws that match their body size. Her paws are almost the size of my thumbs!) but she has the energy to match him. 

Now everywhere I read about intros seems to assume that it's the resident cat that has the problem, and that is why I am writing. I currenlty have them seperated and am slowly cracking the door for 10 minutes at a time only big enough for Merlin's paw.  In this case, Merlin is actually pretty excited about the newcomer.  He eats right next to her door and when she meows pathetically he tries to get my housemate and I's attention to try and help her. 

He's handling this amazingly well and the only problem he caused was trying to paw at her with claws out, though there wasn't any hissing or growling involved.  She however, is creating a problem.  She's been getting better and better each time but after a few minutes of being cheery and playful she'll press herself to the floor and growl at him.  He's pretty calm about it but the growling does make his tail go horizontal and twitch.  I close the door when the growling starts, and I've been able to stretch the time from a minute before the growling starts to almost a full 10 minutes. 

Now, getting into her head, Merlin is a monster compared to her size. Is deep growling just a sign of aggression or is it fear?   Whe she does this there is plenty of space to run, but she goes right up to the door when he's there.  She also plays very roughly; she came from a family with little kids and it shows.  She nips and claws a lot, though it never breaks the skin.  Could this be a problem?  Merlin loves to play, though I trained the worst of the roughplay out of him a long while back (he's just too big and clumsy to tolerate any kind of behavior like that.  He has no control over his claws and gets extremely upset when I or my housemate get hurt so he naturally stopped all together). He's not an older cat and has a very high tolerence level so I honestly don't think she's going to annoy him.  I just worry that if he tries to play back he'll hurt her! Can I clip his nails to help prevent this?  How can I get her to stop growling, or is it just a case of "time will tell."

When is it okay for me to let them out with full-body contact?  Most places are really vague, and some are even contridictory!  I've heard everything from the third day to when they can eat next to eachother with a door between without problems.  I'm at the fourth day now, and still only am doing 2 ten minute or less sessions with the door cracked.  The last one the growling didn't start until about the 10 minute mark, which I thought was pretty good.  I am also rubbing them both with towels scented with the other about twice or more each day and placing the towels next to their food, and feeding each wet-food as a treat, with the food dishes on either side of the door.   The resident cat is doing fantastic, the introduced cat, not so great =/.

[KellyNZoo]

I'm a skimmer! 

How long does the average introduction go? 
Introductions are never "set". Some cats get on right away, while others take YEARS to accept one another.

What methods have you guys used to intro two cats each over a year old successfully?
Mostly, I just keep the new cat segregated for a day or so and then let everyone out together ONLY when I am home.. until they won't kill one another then I just let them all get on.

Is deep growling just a sign of aggression or is it fear?
It can be both. Imagine everything in your world upsidedowninsideout and a newstranger plus another cat!

How can I get her to stop growling, or is it just a case of "time will tell."
She'll stop when she's good and ready. Just give her time and NEVER get either cat in "trouble" for anything they do. EVER.

When is it okay for me to let them out with full-body contact? 
Whenever you feel safe. Never unsupervised, and always have a towel and a spray bottle in hand incase they get fighty.

To be honest, I think you're main problem is that you didn't get a kitten. Kittens are SO much easier to intro (not that it's SIMPLE and everyone LOVES each other, just easier) because the kitten is never really going to try and establish dominance, whereas two adult cats will do this.

We had a 13 year old male, added a 4 year old female (both altered) and they still hate each other, but will sit side by side for food.    They took months to get over the "hisshisshiss" at each other, and they did have a few tussles (which I stopped), but it never got violent.. just a lot of staring and hissing, and some following to intimidate. She is the main hisser/growler. He was the one who instigated the following/intimidating.

Then we added two kittens (all under 3mths) and everyone was fine with them!  Except when they started to playfight with any tail/bodypart/oldperson.

I'd say just take your time, don't expect them ever to be friends (and if they do become friends, bonus!), and give them time!! Feed them good foods together, play with your first cat FIRST, give your first cat attention FIRST. This will let him know he IS the boss, and not to bother trying to intimidate the lil one.