quarantine room questions

[flyswatter]

Its been 3 weeks since Maverick started quarantine and for the past week i have opened the door to allow him to explore. Except he doesn't! Only a few times has he taken a few steps outside the door and as soon as he sees movement from anyone (humans/cats/dogs) he runs back under the sofa in his quarantine room.

I find myself sitting in the room with him on a night -as well as our daytime sessions - as i feel like he will be lonely if i sit in the lounge with the rest of my family.

Should i move his things out of the quarantine room and shut the door so he can't get in?( I thought that this might scare him if he can't get to his 'safe place')

I just can't get him to merge with us

This is a spare bedroom and don't want him here forever - how do i go about getting his litter box beside the other cats??

 

[WitchyWoman]

You're skipping a few key steps with introductions. When you let Maverick explore, the other pets should be either outside or shut in Maverick's quarantine room. This gives Mav the chance to get to know the house and spread his smell around and the existing animals to get to know him through his smell in the quarantine room. Let him roam for a few hours each day then put him back in his room. Set up tiered baby gates on his room and let all animals explore each other through the gate. Keep letting him roam with the other animals closed in his room. You should engage him and the others in play through the baby gates. Try feeding the other animals outside his room and put his food dish close to the door. When they are comfortable eating that way, you can move on to the next phase. Try it for a week.

Then try introducing him to the other animals, one or two at a time. Use harnesses and leashes on the others if they are not calm or well-behaved. Do this slowly. If he is frightened by any of the others, it could take a long time to undue the damage. Be sure that he has escape routes, vertical space, and access to his safe place at all times.

 

[Patti]

It sounds like he needs his safe space right now so I would not shut the door to his room if it makes him even more frightened. You might want to work on introducing him to the other animals first as Deborah suggested. Alternatively, if possible perhaps you can put the other pets away for a few hours a day and leave Maverick's door open so that he can explore in his own time without worrying about others who might scare him. However, until you sense he is bonding with you I would not give him free reign of the house, he will just find more ways to avoid you.