Introducing adult cats.... any bright ideas?

[Jan4a]

It usually depends on temperaments. What are your original cats? Is either a she cat? I'm not sure what you can do really, with adult cats they'll make their own minds up.

 

What do you think would happen if you shut the cat flap/their escape route?

 

Are they just hissing at each other or spitting and growling as well?

[Jan4a]

Good idea! mine love coley. I just buy the frozen stuff in Tesco's (cos its boneless) and microwave it - usually when its on offer. They like the white fish too though.

 

I always think if any are going to be difficult its the she cats. So I think the kitten will be OK when his turn comes as long as you can get the two she's sorted.

 

At least you haven't had growling yet.

[Jan4a]

Bach's Rescue Remedy.

 

Is that an alternative to, or the same as Feliway? Just wondering if you could put a few drops in water and spray around the house. I do that with natural oils to make air fresheners as the bought plug ins & sprays irritate my hay fever/allergies and I can't use candles - too many long tails in my house!

[Jan4a]

Feliway is a pheremone based product which costs a fortune

 

Yes it does! Used it once years ago but not something I'd use permanently.

 

I'll stick with lavender on the home made air freshener front then. Could have done with it when I got the kitten (she has attitude and was a nightmare when she first arrived, even went for my cats who were great, but it all settled down even though it took a couple of weeks with one of my she cats who wasn't being dictated to by a tiny baby thing!).

 

thanks

[Jan4a]

That sounds like a good start. At least no fighting and only growling when she got too close.

 

When my 4 month old kitten arrived she was awful and actually went for the adult cats if they got too close. Luckily they were really good and more or less ignored her and it took 2 weeks for her to stop hissing every time she walked past one of them, but even they are fine now.

 

She thinks nothing of attacking the 2 Toms when she wants to play fight, but knows better than to do that with the 2 she cats so they've obviously put her in her place. They do sort it out between themselves in time.

[Jan4a]

That's often the case with rescue cats, they are so grateful its very sad.

 

I ended up with the kitten because it was me or the cat sanctuary but as she hadn't been through the cats home process, she didn't know to be grateful. She loved my house as the person who had her previously wasn't cruel but totally clueless about cats, and used to lock her in the kitchen on her own with no toys to knock around so she wouldnt' knock her water dish over and then used to complain she was jumping up to look out the window!

 

The last thing I needed was another cat, already having 4, but she was going to take her to the cats home and I felt so sorry for her I took her in.

[Jan4a]

I've used the water pistol idea quite succesfully in the past when one of mine wanted to poo in the indoor plants. She eventually associated going to the plant pot with being squirted and stopped doing it. She was only squirted once each time... and that was enough.

 

Used to have a cat years ago that did that. I had to cover all the plant pots with tinfoil to stop it. As I have house cats now, I just err on the safe side and don't have any plants. A friend's cat chewed on a lily plant she had and it was in the vets for days before she was sure it would survive.

 

I use a water spray on one of mine as he has a thing about chewing wires, but wouldn't use it on introductions for same reasons as Hightail gives.

 

I think they have to get through the growly phase to sort out who will be boss cat - but it isn't easy to watch!

[Jan4a]

Cats rarely cause that much damage to each other. Don't assume that the 'growly phase' is going to turn into a teeth and claws battle. It's a warning sign with dogs but a far more complicated communication with cats.

 

Yes, its never turned into flying fur with any of mine ... I've had them growl and threaten with arched backs but one always backs off. Never had actual fighting. So, fingers crossed that yours are the same.

[Jan4a]

ALL parts of lilies are horribly poisonous to cats. The pollen is the worst bit but even chewing a leaf is going to make a cat very ill. Cats v lilies = cats losing most of the time. This particlar case was very lucky

 

She was very lucky. It made me so paranoid that I don't have any flowers in the house, mum does well out of it as any flowers I am given go straight to her house! Most people know to buy me chocolate instead though.

[Jan4a]

It is very early days yet and that could change when they settle. A lot of mum cat's aggression will be from fear and nerves, so when she starts to feel a bit more settled and secure she may calm down.

[Jan4a]

Me too!

[Jan4a]

It does sound as though it is getting slightly better though. I think you will get there in time.

 

I do wonder whether opening the door of the room where she is kept and shutting the cat flap and leaving them to it would help speed things up as they're not fighting. Or isn't that possible because of the kitten?

[Jan4a]

My stress levels, on the other hand, are sometimes through the roof!... lol

 

yes, animals have a tendency to do that to us!!!

 

I've spent the afternoon trying to calm my mum down because her cat was run over today and she is devastated.

[Jan4a]

Thanks.

 

Cat was killed but at least it was outright so she didn't suffer. She was only about 5 but was a cat that wouldn't be kept in. Some are OK as housecats, some are miserable so you can't force it. All you can do is give them a good life whilst you have them.

 

I know she will miss her a lot. I can guarantee she'll be asking me to take her to the cat sanctuary for another one - hopefully an older one that is happy staying in or one that's had an hard life and appreciates staying in.

[Jan4a]

Thanks, I will spend lots of time with her and she can visit mine. She calls herself their "grandma"!

 

Mine are all housecats - Norwegians were bred as showcats so they were used to it so no problems, kitten hasn't been out but does try it on so will have to be watched - hopefully having 4 friends will keep her occupied! Felix is 15 and isn't bothered what happens as long as he gets food/sleep so I'm lucky I don't have to worry about traffic.

 

They do have a big pen in the back garden with a couple of hutches in it that they can sit in if it rains though. Think I'd struggle without that! They love it and I get to hoover in peace/have the windows open in summer etc.

[Jan4a]

Mine have the option of going in and out as they please, but I back onto farmland.... so don't have the worry of lots of traffic racing past. That's part of the reason I've taken Mum cat & kitty on... 'coz providing they get on with the others, they'll have a good life here.

 

I live in hope.... lol

 

they are very lucky cats! and I am sure they will be OK in time, if not best friends, at least tolerate each other.

[Jan4a]

Great news. Hopefully it will get even better in time.

 

Mine used to manage to bulldoze their way through a locked cat flap. The ones where you slide a piece of plastic in behind the actual cat flap to completely block it off stopped them in the end. It is a staywell. I haven't had one for years though as I have housecats nowadays.

[Jan4a]

It does of course depend on the temperament of the cats involved. I have always found that putting new cat in a room of their own to settle and then opening the door for an hour or so whilst I am around and giving them the option to hide out or wander at will works best - ie in their own time.

 

They do need supervision though - on one occasion I did have a ripped ear tip to deal with when one of my she's took exception to a 9 month old tom. He had already been here months though and I'd thought they were fine - he must have just annoyed her that particular morning.

[Jan4a]

Agree. Stress was cause of my cat's FLUTD. I think it was down to catflap, they'd been OK for years but after my dog died next door's cat started to come in and stressed him out so much he got FLUTD although at the time I didn't think he was upset. Hard to tell sometimes. Closed catflap off though and everything went back to normal once he was better.

 

I think now that you need either a very tough cat or a dog if you have a catflap!

[Jan4a]

it is slowly getting better though ......