Posted on 02/11/2005 2:36:18 PM PST by beyond the sea
OK girls and boys, please help me.
I have two 10 year old cats living with me. A friend with a problem is asking me to take his two cats (five year olds) to live with mine in our house.
I am begging you for any advice on this!
I have two floors in the house, but you all know cats, the smell will be there. They will know.
How is the best way to deal with this?
The cats are coming here in about 36 hours.
Please tell me what you may know on this matter!
I've has cats all my 58 years, but this is a first situation like this with me.
HELP!!!
Pinging you two - cat advice needed
Those new crystal litters are a REALLY big help - and if you get them at the dreaded Wal-Mart, they cost even less per month than an equal amount of clay litter. I've been really impressed with them...
I don't want any of these animals to be more unhappy than they need be in this situation.
Thank you.
Meeoing.
We occasionally take in a stray, and I can tell you, it's not easy. Our vet advised us to make the "introductions" gradually, and increase the time spent together a little more as time went on. It might have helped, but it still wasn't easy. The two cats we already had wanted to trounce the newbie, and we had to keep them in separate (but of course equal) spaces for a time. These days they curl up together all in a pile (all three of them) in front of the fireplace--so eventually it gets better.
And stir a couple of teaspoons into your coffee in the morning and the rest of your day will be just fine. . .
Have the new cats in separate pet taxis. Introduce them to your cats that way. Leave them in the taxis for a few minutes until everybody settles down. As far as the smell goes, you're going to have four cats so you can't get around it. Just keep the litter boxes clean.
It's best if you have all four cats spayed and neutered. They'll be calmer around each other that way.
My wife and I have 6 cats (was 9 at one point). Some get along. Some don't. Some get on each other's nerves every now and then. That's just the way it is. Don't try forcing them together because they won't like it.
Again, unless they are fighting to the point of drawing blood, simply introduce them to each other slowly and let the cats work it out.
One last thing is to have at least one litter box per cat and get a container of enzyme-based cleaner in case they have a urine accident or try to mark territory.
If you have any specific questions, please let me know.
The Hapster and Bacon can tell you what to do.
I've had cats not quite as many years as you, but almost!
What I do when introducing a new cat (or kitten) is to toss the newbie in the bathroom with the door shut. That way they (the cats) get to sniff each other out for a while. Five minutes? Ten minutes? About that.
Then I open the bathroom door. The newbie runs for cover, hiding somewhere and well... I just let nature take it's course. You might hear some hissing and howling, but w/i a couple hours things will have settled down.
I tried the gradual introduction thing. Again, it might have helped a bit.
Mine, unfortunately, still fight regularly. Sometimes they get along and sometimes they don't.
Is that you, Stimpy?
ping
I was going to suggest that you overfeed them and hope for the best. How can you be sure that they won't get along?
No problem. . .have a laser pointer handy and when they decide to go after each other, point the laser at a nearby spot on the floor or wall and they immediately forget about each other and go "hunting" the light.
Works in this house.
Otherwise a fews days of separation should work. Let them meet at the crack under the door to the "quarantine" area..
Thanks.
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