Bread & Butter — Integration 1

After meeting Peanut, Buttercup met GB (Ginger Bread) face to face. The very first time Buttercup laid eyes on GB, she froze for a long moment. I took mental note of that and made sure GB wouldn’t overwhelm her. Later, my vet mentioned that Buttercup may have been injured by another animal in the past, which reinforced how important it was to take this introduction slowly.

GB doesn’t get as excited as Phoebe when meeting new kittens, so I usually entice him with treats. Allowing him to take treats during introductions helps the kitten feel more at ease since his attention is on the treat rather than on them. As soon as GB picked up Buttercup’s scent, he was very interested in her. At this age, and given that he’s neutered, this interest is innocent. His reaction to Buttercup’s scent was very similar to how he reacted the first time he sniffed Nutmeg.

Buttercup responded well to GB’s gentle approach and seemed comfortable fairly quickly. Even so, I was careful not to let GB get into her space too fast. We don’t know exactly what Buttercup experienced in the past, but we do know she’s sensitive and needs a delicate, thoughtful approach. 🩷