I opened the door and she came in. I went to the kitchen to get her some food, and Tonka heard the bag and came out. When I looked, they were nose-to-nose sniffing each other. Then Creamsicle hissed and they both made left one-eighties. But at least she got close enough to sniff before she hissed. That’s progress.
Excellent progress.
Our indoor cat gets two occasional visitors at the windows. One is a very nice grey & white that she seems to almost enjoy. The other is an orange & white that she absolutely hates, howling and launching herself at every window s/he appears at. After each getting bitten just by being to close to her we stay clear and just go outside to chase until it’s gone.
I wonder why there are those two very different reactions to two different cats that she only sees through glass…
They’re going to get along just fine. Consider adding a litter box or two, since she’s not used to sharing. Maybe even a temporary one near the door she’s used to using until she figures out she’s staying. Doesn’t sound like she’s going to need much convincing!
It does sound like they’re progressing nicely. I picked up a stray black kitten from my sister’s apartment complex this weekend. Very sweet kitten, hopefully to be a barn cat once the vacs and neuter are done. My dogs are very curious, and one cat is hissing but they’re separated until a clean bill of health.
I stopped at my sister’s to get a bottle of water and my nephew told me about this sweet kitten hanging around. Feral cats don’t have a good time at this place, so I said I’d take him. He’ll have a dry home in the barn with food daily and all the rodents he can kill.
StG
You’ll probably be amazed at how quickly they go from hissing and pouncing to grooming each other and snuggling together.
And then they will go back to hissing and pouncing for a bit, then snuggling, but that happens. They’re cats.
Yesterday morning I stumbled into the kitchen to find Tonka waiting for me as usual. He put his face into his dish and I stroked his back. Then I see orange and white to my left. The SO had brought Creamsicle in, and made her stay all night. The cats were in close proximity, and there was no drama. After my shower they were well awake and back to not liking each other. Tonka still wants to play, and Creamsicle wants her space. The SO said that when she let Creamsicle out, Creamsicle very quickly went into the yard to urinate. Apparently she isn’t comfortable using Tonka’s litter box, but she’s nice enough to hold it until she gets outside.
I let Creamsicle in this morning, and ‘mom’ let her out again later. I went out on the patio, and when I came back in Creamsicle beat me to the door and I let her in first. She wanted to sit on my lap, but I’m working. I heard a hiss as she was looking out the front door and Tonka went over to check her out. But as long as she’s not prowling around, Tonka isn’t looking for a playmate. I’ve let her outside again.
The so mentioned last week (or several days ago, anyway) that ‘Creamsicle’ is too long a name. She didn’t like my suggestion we call her ‘Creamy’. She said it sounded rude. I’m still calling her Creamsicle. (The cat; not the SO.)
Bacon!
The SO bought a cat tree. I put Tonka in the top cradle, and he knew exactly what to do. Sharpen his claws! He jumped down and sharpened them on the rope-wound upright as well. The SO put Creamsicle in the upper cradle, and she didn’t seem to grok it. She jumped down the smooth wooden side.
Tonka went to sit by the back screen door. Creamsicle went over and hissed at him because he was sitting where the door opens. Then they sat next to each other in the sun. Tonka got squirmy – without getting close to Creamsicle – saying ‘Let’s play!’ Creamsicle hissed at him.
Tonka’s loving the cat tree. He climbed up to the top, then reached under to bat at the feather toy. He hopped down onto his cylindrical ‘perch’ (as we call it), then up to the lower cradle to scratch on the upright. Now he’s settled in. At least one cat likes it! 
See, it takes getting a second cat for Tonka to get a cat tree. He probably thinks it’s a good trade.
StG
Pictures, huh? 
Black cats are best… 
Creamsicle (for want of a better name) is apparently our cat. She spends most of her time in and around the yard, and in the house. She still doesn’t like Tonka to get too close, but there is progress. Last night after I went to bed Creamsicle was on the back of the couch. Tonka hopped up on the seat and tried to play with her. She hissed, and they exchanged clawless bats at each others paws. Tonka did his ‘Linda Blair’ thing (Squirmy kitty!) and then they both went to sleep.
Creamsicle sleeps inside the house, but otherwise comes and goes as she pleases – which is a problem. See, she comes and goes as she pleases; not when it’s convenient for the hoo-mahns. She plucks at the screen doors with her claws when she wants in or out, which we do not appreciate. I have no idea how to train her. If we do nothing, we risk the screens. I don’t care bout the back ones, as they’re crap and I’d like to get rid of them. The front door is another matter, as it’s more expensive. If (when) we do let her in or out, it reenforces her behaviour. sigh
The SO says she’s going to be a big kitty, based on the size of her paws. I guess we’ll find out. As I said earlier, Tonka is three times her size. He seems to be getting bigger. I think he’s eating more since Creamsicle has been here. It seems like we’re going through cat food faster. The SO says she might take Creamsicle to the vet tomorrow to be inspected and for shots, and we’ll have to see about spaying. We have the carton we brought Tonka home from the shelter in (only used that one time), but I think we should use the cat carrier that had been used for Vel(cro), Harvey, and Tonka. Best she gets used to the smell of other cats.
If the SO would let the kitty wear a collar, you can get electronic cat doors that only open when the key-holding cat goes through. Too bad they don’t make one that uses the cat’s microchip. I don’t think.
ETA: what do you know? They do make one for microchips!
My new adopted stray has been vetted and is fortunately free of all killer diseases.
StG
They do make guards that you can put across the bottom of screen doors to protect them from small animals. The house I moved into recently has them on the back screen doors (they had small yappy dogs). My cats occasionally leap the 3 feet over the guards and make like bats or something (clinging to a cave wall) and try to scale the rest of the screen. I usually resort to a spray water bottle at that point. They are not amused. 
There are very heavy-duty pet screens available that are cat-proof. We have them installed on the shelter windows and the cats can’t tear them. I’m pretty sure they’re just from a place like Home Depot.
I’m betting she’s really wanting to go out to eliminate more than anything else. I stand by my litter box advise posted upthread. Yes, it’s inconvenient to put a box near the door. It doesn’t have to stay there forever, just until kitty gets the idea she can potty just fine/safely indoors, then over about a week, move it a bit every day until it’s in the spot you want it to stay. Two cats need to have at least two litter boxes and ideally three. Sometimes two right next to each other and the third in some other spot works well.
She wants to come in to eat, and then go right back out again. I don’t think its a urination/defecation thing.
Tonka still wants to play, and Creamsicle still doesn’t want anything to do with him. She’s still hissing at him. This evening she even hissed at him as she was walking away. She’s taken to jumping up on a side table and onto the back of a chair, and jumping off the back so that she doesn’t have to walk by Tonka.
But guess who’s sleeping on one corner at the foot of a queen size bed, and who’s sleeping on the other foot corner. They went in about the same time, and Creamsicle doesn’t have to be there.
