attention catladies! advise on introducing new kitteh!

notpoodle

notpoodle

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Jul 16, 2003
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rather excitingly, we will be moving flat in april :D to a ground floor flat with a secure garden (eg cats can get out but not out onto the roads of central brighton - very high walls all around!). will be taking over the flat from a colleague who's moving away and can't take her kitteh, so we offered to take her cat as well as the flat!

what is the best way to introduce the two cats?? ours is an almost 2 year old neutered gent, the other cat is about 3, and a spayed lady cat. lady cat has lived in said flat for 2 years so it's safe to assume that flat is 'hers'!

whilst I don't mind them having an initial barney, i dont want to completely freak ladycat out by dumping our (very playful ...) little hooligan right in there without warning?

one idea i had is to pack both parties off to a cattery together (in adjacent compartments, maybe in the same one for the last day or something? or one of those bigger 'family' compartments for the two) so they can meet on neutral ground? other plan was to put ladycat into the cattery for a few days and give ours a head start in the new flat before ladycat returns and finds all new furniture etc., as well as a little sidekick?

ive had cats all my life but never really had this situation ... when i was little we had a lot (20 sometimes ...) of cats sort of coming and going, sometimes they'd fight a little but it was always ok somehow ...

what do you suggest?

Julia
x

ps: soo excited about moving! been sharing a (large) studioflat with the OH, cat and (pet!) rats for 2 years now, we've been waiting forevere for somewhere to rent that has an ourdoors and allows cats!!
 
I think the idea about the cattery sounds very sensible (subject to what others say). Then when you bring them home - here's what we did when introducing our new baby (girl) kitten to our 12 year old (male) gentlecat:

  • choose a room to be the junior cat's. Equip with toys, litterbox etc.
  • Senior cat has run of place apart from junior cat's room, together with own litterbox etc.
  • If they were playing together at the cattery - allow together time under supervision. If they weren't, allow them to sniff under the door. Then allow senior cat in to visit junior cat. Expect howling and swearing.
  • After a week or so, try allowing full interaction. Be prepared to intervene with a water pistol if necessary.

I believe it is important always to have at least as many litter trays as cats, and to keep them clean.

Naturally you will make a great fuss of the existing ladycat and make yourselves her favourite staff.

How exciting! Good luck!
 
Ditto Jane's comments. By keeping your cat in his own room, but in "her" flat, he will start to acquire the scent of the flat, and she will be aware of and start to get used to his presence without the initial major confrontation and the under door communication should help with this too.

It will probably be a big change for her - a new family and a feline interloper. I bet she will sulk to start with, but if you give them time to get used to the idea of each other hopefully all will be fine!
 
I am turning into a mad old cat lady, currently with latest rescue up to 4!!

We always start with the newcomer in a large dog crate so they can smell and interact but not fight. Hard to decide in your case if new cat to you or new cat to property should go in the crate but it probably doesn't matter. Then we let them together in one room only while we supervise, provided this goes well we let the new cat (probably your old one) explore the rest of the house cats are allowed in and then just leave them loose.

I personally wouldn't take them to a cattery ..they have to live at home and that is where the socialisation needs to take place
 
they have to go to the cattery in any case (ladycat for the week between other lady moving out of flat and us moving in and ours so he doesnt get in the way when we're moving stuff), but the room idea sounds good!

eml - havent got a dog crate, unfortunately :redface: but good point about socialising them at home where they have to live!

Julia
x
 
My dog crate cost about £35 from a pet superstore and is great for dog travel and cat if ill etc.

Concerning beds/litters etc. We have dog bed plus a corner with cushions and tend to leave doors open to TV room with animal friendly sofa. One giant (pets at home) litter tray with 2 bags of silica litter changed weekly and skipped out daily. Terrier and four cats seem to coexist happily....although foul terrier 'helps' clean the litter if we are not fast enough yuck!

Latest addition is challenging part Bengal and we still use crate as 'time out' when he uses the plot!!
 
eml said:
I am turning into a mad old cat lady, currently with latest rescue up to 4!!
Click to expand...
Some good advice here, I would let the 'resident' cat have the run of the house, and the 'newcomer' live in one room initially.

Oh and....You lightweight eml! ;) Quadruple your number of cats, and you get our rescue hoard! :giggle: If that's not 'mad cat lady' syndrome, what is? I can't help it if people keep throwing them from cars (literally!) outside the place. :(
 
we have had up to 10 cats all introduced at different times, different ages as well.

if you have a kitten pen, you can put your cat in it, in a room and allow resident cat to sniff but not hurt. then see how it goes and slowly allow them to mingle and tingle but only while you are there. overnight put them in separate rooms with litter tray and food and drink so there is no rumble in the jungle over night.

then gradually let them share more of the flat. best thing is for them each to have a comfort zone where they feel secure and can't be hurt.
 
Not poodle ... in the light of you being a newbie to more than one cat, i have a gift for you ........................



cat-lady-starter-kit.jpg



:biggrin:
 
:giggle:

excellent!!

like i said, when i was little, we had up to 20 (parents couldnt resist a nice tabby! or grey! or black! or white! or speckled ....) :redface:
 
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