Is it okay to close a new cat into her safe room when she behaves badly?
Some of you might have read my other thread I've opened yesterday.
I have bought a new cat a few days ago, much to my resident kitten (only 4 months old) displeasure. My new cat absolutely hates to be closed in the room (she constantly meows and scratches at the door to get out), so on the second day, I already let her meet my resident cat. They don't seem to be extremely aggressive towards each other. No actual fight has broke out in the last 2 days. That being said, earlier my resident cat approached the new cat in what I'd personally describe as "friendly manner". Her tail was not puffed at all, no hissing. The new cat hit her twice with her paw. I think it was pretty soft, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I instantly took the new cat and closed her into her safe room again.
TL;DR
Is it good to close the new cat into her room when she or the resident cat behaves badly? Or what's the best approach here?
Thanks.
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I read through your previous post, and it sounds like the cats are making headway in their potential friendship. A soft paw hit is nothing to worry about. That may even be a sign of play, since they're both pretty young!
To answer your question: locking a cat up for "bad behavior" is generally not recommended, because cats will respond negatively to negative interaction (i.e., punishment). That being said, when acquainting two cats, this is a necessary action. You want to foster good interactions between the cats, so that's what they associate with being together -- separating them during a nasty fight is the best idea. Instead of locking up the cat who started the fight, lock up the one who got attacked. The victim will, in that sense, be taken to safety. The attacker will not be "punished". A win-win for both cats.
Just as important - let yourself have a breather when the cats are apart. It's stressful for the human, too! Acquainting two cats can take anywhere from weeks to months. It can be extremely discouraging for you to watch them go from a good day to a bad day for seemly no reason at all. This is totally normal, so stay patient and positive, as best you can. Let the cats be together as much as they can be. Give them both lots of pets and treats and playtime when they're both in the same room - any positive encouragement helps.
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