Help introducing blind cat to new cat

[Crash]

I know there are plenty of threads on this but I think we have a slightly different issue. Here goes...

The wife and I have a 4 year old cat named Crash, blind since birth, who we have had her entire life. She is petite, about 7 or 8 lbs. Very playful and overall a good cat. She also has asthma and is on medication and an inhaler.

We recently introduced a rescue cat, Zoe, into our small apartment. Zoe is also 4 years old but twice the size of Crash and has no impairments.

Listening to a friends advice we just let them sniff each other out and did not separate them except for at night. We just kept a close eye on it since we dont want our blind cat being bullied around. The blind cat, Crash, would always be the first to approach the new cat. They would get about a foot apart before they both start hissing and growling and Crash would scamper off. By day 3 the new cat Zoe would not hiss or growl anymore. When approached Zoe would lay down, look away from Crash, and sometimes even roll over. Crash, being blind and all cant see any of this so she keeps hissing and growling. They have separate eating areas and there are two litter boxes in the apartment. On day 3 Crash wandered into the litter that Zoe has been using and Zoe attacked Crash. After that incident we have kept them 100% separated. Our place is small and we had to make a barrier to keep them in different areas of the apartment.

Thats when I looked for help online and found this site. The general consensus is that we should have kept them separate since the beginning. So far the two cats have been separated for 4 days. In this time Zoe has gotten out of her area twice, and both times she ran straight for Crash and attacked her. So now it seems that all Zoe wants to do is beat up on Crash.

We would like for this to work, but obviously our loyalty is to Crash. Both cats are very nice when separated and we spend plenty of time with them, but we're a little over a week in now and it seems like this isn't going to work out. We think that we messed this whole thing up for them since we didn't go about it the right way. So what now, do we just do a better job with keeping them apart and ride it out for a couple weeks? Or has Zoe tasted blood and its all over? Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Alex

[critters]

It'll take time, but I think you can turn this around. I'd make their time together fun--food, catnip, interactive toys, etc, then keep them separated when not doing so. Go slowly.

[Cadnil]

When cats meet initially and hiss, that can be overcome. When they fight, there is far less forgiveness. Give the cats time and gradual introduction, but yes, this relationship may be beyond repair. That does not mean you'll never have two cats--just that this specific pairing may not work out.

[Pixxchick]

Do not give up hope. Time will tell, and with patience I believe they will both be accepting of one another.

Perhaps there is a certain time of day and day that you and your wife can each take a kitty and play with each of them in the same room, while still keeping them seperated. This way they can smell one another, and get used to one another's sounds and scents.

The next time you do this task, switch the cat you had during the previous playtime. This way each cat gets to know both you and your wife equally, and there are no feelings of favortism.

Offer treats for "good behavior" and give lots of love and kisses. Talk calmly and don't get over excited or yell out. This may cause anxiety for both cats.

Crash will always be your #1. But make sure the new kitty feels equally as important to you.

Good luck, and stick with it!!!!!!!