My Cats in the House "Hosting" New Cats (HOW? -I Need Help!)

FreeRepublic ^ | 2/11/05 | self

[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!!!

[NH Liberty]

It's only supposed to be for about three months. But as the two new cats coming here have been constricted to being "inside cats" all their lives, I would like to eventually let them out her on my very private and large property. I would like them to see the real world......

Have you told the owners about your plans? If they're "indoor" cats, the owners probably want them to stay that way. Outdoor cats need different vaccinations, etc.

I would *definitely* consult the owners before letting "indoor" cats outside.

[AnAmericanMother]

Three Viking Kitties in heated pet bed built for one . . .

(it's a state secret, but it's actually a 110v charger for their Troll Lasers . . . )

[AnAmericanMother]

I would counsel against allowing the "inside" cats outside. Cars, dogs, and disease mean that the life expectancy of an outside cat is significantly shorter. Also, older cats who have never been outside are not as aware of the dangers.

I bred and showed Siamese for about 15 years B.C. (Before Children). I have never allowed my cats to go outside except under supervision -- but my big male developed to a fine art sneaking out of the house. He would hide behind the door and then whip around the jamb when it opened. He went out specifically in order to chase dogs off our property - every canine in the neighborhood walked in terror of this cat. Of course, in those days he was a 3 year old Siamese tomcat with muscles of steel and an attitude. Now he's 15, and he just can't beat up those dogs the way he used to. (He has our chocolate Lab in complete subjection, though.) Also, he's lost a couple of steps on his 10-yard dash, so I can catch him as he tries to slip around the door.

[Deetes]

Very good one LOL !!!

[radu]

I've tried different methods of introductions over the years and have found it easiest to just put the newbie(s) into the house with the others and let them meet face-to-face. I stay right there with them to monitor everything. I usually have an interesting toy or the laser pointer handy for distraction and interaction and that's seemed to help a bit.

Another trick I've learned is to pet each one and pet another and another....intermingling all their "smells".

There's going to be some hissing and fussing, no matter what. Cats are territorial by nature and the newbie will be seen as an intruder. With time, things will settle down.....to what degree and how long it takes varies.

With 44 cats, I've been through this over and over again. LOL!! Some of our cats are best buddies, others ignore each other, a few still hiss but none actually fight.

Good luck with this. There's really no sure-fire easy way.....it's a play-it-by-ear thing with cats, I've found. Contrary lil critters but I can't imagine life without them. :-)

[Bacon Man]

If you're referring to the smell, ozone generators work extremely well, although they're a tad expensive. We have eight cats and two generators and with the exception of the litter room (utility room with four litter boxes) and just outside the litter room, there's no smell. Also I recently bought one of those Lysol plug in scented oil thingies for the litter room as an experiment and it's neutralizing the smell in there better than I thought it would. Might wanna try that also.

[Slings and Arrows]

very serious, here!

Deja vu!
---
Kitty Ping List alert!

[Freepmail me to get on or off the Kitty Ping List.]

[humblegunner]

I've always let the kitties fight it out/ figure it out.

They have a very complicated protocol for such things that works fine.

Alice says so.

[Rightfootforward]

I've been the proud owner of a series of principally male Siamese cats for many years. In case you don't know, by definition Siamese boys tend to be super macho and have extremely high opinions of themselves. Translation; any cat or kitten who enters their domicile had best be prepared to shape up and pass initiation. Other point being, they can also be some of the toughest customers when it comes to accepting new feline "friends."
First and foremost, do not, make that DO NOT throw them all in a room together to "get acquainted." People will tell you that's a nifty idea but I promise you it will only set off territorial upset that won't be good for anyone. Including you.
About a year ago, we were given a beautiful, sweet, 5 month old Meezer named Rhys. Elliott and Taylor were 9 years old, had been a team for many years, and easily could have gone off the deep end. Though inconvenient, I knew the best thing to do was to headquarter Rhys in one room for about a week. That way, they had time to become familiar with each other's smells, which is very important to cats. They also learned that aside from knowing they were in the presence of strange cats (or cat), nothing bad happened.
This arrangement didn't prevent Elliott from walking around growling and swearing under his breath, but no one got hurt.
A day or two before the three of them met under their own steam, I carried Rhys around the house any number of times. That way, they also got to see one another before having to interact. Once again, nothing bad happened. Vets and breeders have told me the "nothing bad happens" business is a serious issue to cats.
The afternoon they met went very smoothly. Amazingly so, actually. Following the suggestions I'd been given by cat people far wiser that I am really did the trick. Approx. three days later, Elliott had stopped swearing and I found the three of them piled up in a chair napping in the sunshine. Haven't had a single problem since or ever.
Hope this helps.

[Hap]

As far as integrating them, I would definitely keep them separate from your 2 for a few days. Let them calm down from the move and get use to the new surroundings.

After that initial few days, we usually begin integrating them but only while we're around to supervise. After a couple of days, they stop hissing at each other and become fast friends.

The only one of our cats that method didn't work with was our calico. She came to us at 1 1/2 years old and is very fearful of other cats, even little bitty kittens. She was abused by other neighborhood cats and was practically starving when we got her. But since your 2 new ones are already friends and weren't abused, you shouldn't have that problem.

Good luck with the integration. Let us know how it goes!

[beyond the sea]

and they ignore each other as much as they ignore the humans

LOL!

[beyond the sea]

Send them to Viking training so they'll be ready for the next Zot.

LOL! All I have to do is teach them how to post an image, I can't. ;-)

[beyond the sea]

Do not let them outside if they are going to go back to the original owner. If you let them outside, not only will they have trouble when they go back to the other home -- come to think of it, it wouldbe cruel to let them find out all that is outside, then put them back in a house forever.

Declawed kitties should NEVER be allowed outside unless on a leash or closely supervised -- I have to disagree with you there. In my situation, there are no dogs running in my suburban area, and cats are pretty safe from the raccoons and other things. But I think I understand your opinion.

[beyond the sea]

He went out specifically in order to chase dogs off our property - every canine in the neighborhood walked in terror of this cat. Of course, in those days he was a 3 year old Siamese tomcat with muscles of steel and an attitude ---

I knew a Siamese male like that about 30 years ago, lived next door to my grandmother --- one tough cat, and yes, ......... with an attitude!

[beyond the sea]

Contrary lil critters but I can't imagine life without them. :-) -----

Yep. Thanks.

[devane617]

Slowly introduce them, and expect trouble. They may never completely accept each other, but will eventually get use/tolorate each other.
Good luck and thanks for helping out your friend.

[jocon307]

You've just got to let the cats work it out amoungst themselves. Keep an eye on them at the start, but as long as none are overly agressive it should be OK. These are all full grown cats, with a kitten I'd be more nervous.

[teenyelliott]

I have lots of "street smart" thug kitties in my neighborhood. Very lovey to people, but they get into some serious fights. If a declawed kitty came their way, they would tear it up. I think other kitties, and not being able to climb up trees to get away from predators, would be the main issues. Of course, declawed kitties who are experienced with the outdoors can learn to fight and climb trees without their front claws, but it takes time. And I agree that it's great for kitties to go outside. They have soooo much fun, and it's adorable to watch them stalk bugs and roll in the dirt. In the past, I have just had so many run over, injured, and die from leukemia that I decided living in the city, you have to choose between shorter real kitty life, or longer indoor kitty life. Of course, if I lived in the country I would have them outside with me. I used to live in a house that had a really tall fence, and I had a fat calico kitty (who could never jump that high) and a siamese with a liver shunt (which made her very tiny; she only lived to be 4 1/2 yrs old). They would stay outside with me when I gardened and have a big time. Where I live now, I have a big yard, but we don't have any fences in the neighborhood. There are dogs and cats all over, not to mention the cars. I am not one of those cat fanatics who thinks that there is an absolute way to own kitties, and you must conform. As long as you love them and take care of them, that is all that matters.

[Rocky Mountain High]

Exactly.

[A knight without armor]

Well, good! Think of them as your little zen gardens. I have one cat and three litter boxes.