Kitty Update

[AChiOAlumna]

Hi all...

Well, my other cat, Smokey, has become EXTRMELY lonely and we decided that another cat needed to be integrated into the family so...

I went to a no-kill shelter today and found the perfect cat for Smokey. They had me fill out an application, which they denied when I answered "??" to the question "Will you have this cat declawed?" Whatever...

Then I went to a 2nd shelter, which had all kittens and they were all sick!!!!

So then I went to the shelter where I first adopted Smokey and Sasha to start with, I found her!!! A 3-y.o. Manx all gray and totally cute!!!!!! They''re even giving me a 14-day trial and if she doesn''t get along with Smokey, then I can take her back!!! Smokey has already perked up!! He knows another cat is isolated in the bathroom and he sits outside the door and meows to her...it''s so cute!!!!

DH learn it was a Manx and he said, "You got me a defective cat?? One without a tail?" I sent him camera phone pix and he hasn''t called me back yet. I didn''t realize that he thought Manx cats were ugly...

She has a room in the bathroom and she knows Smokey exists. Every time she sees him, she growls and occassionally hisses. I let them see each other but I do not let Smokey get near her...I want her to feel more comfortable. Fortunately, the shelter has a 2-week policy where if she does NOT get along with Smokey, I can bring her back and get a credit for another cat...I hope it works...when I sit in the bathroom with her alone, she is such a lover!!

Here''s pix for you guys...tell me what you think...I think she''s adorable!!!!

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Here''s another...

 

[AChiOAlumna]

And another....

 

[moremoremore]

OH WHAT A SWEETIE!!! I'm so glad you got her!!! Give them time and with a proper introduction period and I bet they turn into cuddle buddies!!! I'm so glad that your heart has opened up to another baby... I LOVE Manx..they are such special cats...so smart and I love their bunny butts!! Look at the last pic how kitty is kneading- she feels so safe and happy!!

P.S. I would have turned you down too if you said you might declaw

But I digress ... It's a painful horrible amputation ... I'll stop preaching now

 

[AChiOAlumna]

MMM....

I DO hope this one gets along with Smokey!!! I have been giving them face-to-face introductions, but she's usually in the bathroom (her room right now) and he gets to see her from the doorway (I won't let him get any closer right now!)....that's when she growls...then if he takes ONE paw into the bathroom...she hisses...but in the midst of her growling/hissing, she'll let me pet her to clam her down...

Strange girl....LOL

 

[Blue824]

Poor Smokey, just wants a friend! Your new kitty is very cute, and I hope she works out!

I do sort of worry about this if they don''t get along with in two weeks...I started with 2 cats, integrated a kitten, took about a month...we lost a cat, and integrated another kitten about a year later, and two of them get along, for teh most part, after about a month, and my eldest and the youngest just don''t, they tolerate each other but they''re not friends! I have friends where the process has lasted even longer...and sometimes they''re not going to be buddy buddy, but they tolerate each other. Maybe other people have had better luck, but for us it has been a delicate and lengthy process, but worth it. So the best of luck with that! It would be sad to have to give her up after having her for two weeks!

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Blue...I agree and I need to monitor 2 things to determine if this will work:

1) If she''s taken to Smokey at any time...if not, then I can''t take that risk (as much as I would like to!)
2) If she shows any interest in Smokey...he needs a playmate, not just another roommate...he so desperately wants to play with another cat!!

Any suggestions??? I''ve integrated cats into the household before, so it''s not foreign to me, but I could always use extra advice!

I''ll keep ya posted!!!

 

[Scintillating]

What a pretty girl.
And what a considerate "mom" you are.

Scintillating...

 

[moremoremore]

What's her name???

Or have you not thought about that yet waiting to do the introduction???

I would let Smokey and let's call her Bunny Butt LOL....change rooms tomorrow for a few hours...let Bunny Butt out to sniff around and they can get used to the other's scent...Then I'd go buy some of those tention baby gates a day later and stack them up and let them see eachother but not touch...also, put the food bowls right by eachother outside of the gates...hissing is totally normal...as long as their is no aggressive chasing or serious fighting they'll be fine! THey may have a quick rumble to establish the pecking order...I'd stand by with oven mitts (totally serious LOL) I took in a stray male manx off of the street and tried to put him with my mel...both were alpha so right away there was a lot more than hissing...it was a clash of the titans (the manx has been happily adopted for several years)

... I don't know if IVillage still has the Pam Bennet Johnson Think Like a Cat Chat...That is a GREAT message board ...

 

[AChiOAlumna]

MMM...no...no new name yet...DH''s students were coming up with a contest, but I really want to wait until the cats are properly introduced.

I was thinking about allowing them to change rooms tomorrow...so I''m glad we''re on the same wave there. I''ll sit in the doorway (opened) and allow Smokey and "Bunny" to see each other. Smokey will meow asking her if he can come in..she replies with a growl or a hiss, but she doesn''t physically move from her spot (which is usually laying on the carpet). So I "think" she''s saying to Smokey..."I don''t know if I like you or not, but I''m not scared of you enough to move." This is the reason I wanted a female cat, since Smokey is male...so the pecking order may not be "as" complicated?! (I hope)...I''ll stand by with those oven mitts! Thanks!

 

[Blue824]

Edited after I saw MMM's post. I'm such a slow typer haha!

Oooh! Good, I'm glad you've been through that before! Its a hard thing to give advice on because cats are all so different. Most important is lots of patience!

With my cats, it was always a kitten being introduced, so the older ones had to sort of show the kitten who was boss. Kittens have that endearing quality of approaching big old cats not knowing what may happen! and doing it over and over again until the oldies give in to their cuteness! I'd be curious to know how it worked with an older one and if the process was quicker or slower. I'm also convinced two of mine just tolerate instead of like each other because of the age difference...Rock is 13 years older and just likes her space, and he's an attention hog who's always attacking her tail and jumping on her and butting in on her attention, there's of course the occasional cuddle that makes you go awwwww though.

The gates may work, except they could easily jump over it. I was trying ot think of something comprable to the huge dog crate we'd put the kitten in occasionally to be in the same area and could interact with out being in danger and our constant supervision...it allowed them to see each other, watch each other, with out really being as threatened. My vet always said a little fighting was ok, swatting, just not like full out attack mode. She said as long as there is no blood it is showing who's boss.

Best of luck with this process! I really hope it works out! The hard work and frustrations pay off, and I know you're all excited to have a new member in your household! I think once she gets more comfortable, it'll go smoothly, because he seems excited at the prospect of a new kitty!

 

[movie zombie]

i absolutely adore grey kitties! what a gorgeous gorgeous cat!

peace, movie zombie

 

[Maya Moonstone]

Hi

We have two cat kids too.

I do hope that Smokey and your new girl get along after a while because every kitty needs company!

Maybe you should put something that smells of Smokey, like a blanket he likes to nap on with "bunny" in the bathroom. She will get use to his smell. I once read of a lady who tried to let a feral kitten get use to her by putting her night shirt (one she has worn a few nights) with him in the room she kept him for the first few days. After that he got use to her and didn''t have hissy fits. Cats depend a lot on smell.

Kitten kisses.

Maya

 

[FireGoddess]

OMG she is GORGEOUS and I just want to HEAD BONK her!!!!!!!!!

L

ve at first sight! She looks so soft and fuzzy.

I hope the kitties get along alright as buds and I hope you don't declaw her.

GORGEOUS KITTY!

 

[allycat0303]

AChiOAlumna,

Congrats on the new addition to the family! I''ve never seen a manx in real life but I think it''s cute that they have no tail.

By the way, my boyfriend''s cat is named Smokey too

.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Congratulations and best of luck with the new girl! Manx cats are an old breed - very healthy and hardy. There are 2 Manxes my neighborhood. One of them is 16 years old and still rules her block.

 

[fire&ice]

Good luck! Even my kitties that sleep together curled up in a ball will have some tumbles!

An alternative to declawing - you may want to look into something called "soft paws". The vet applies some sort of small pad. The cats can claw w/o any damage. Probably not recommended for an outdoor kitty though.

 

[AChiOAlumna]

F&I ... thanks for the tip on "soft paws." I''ll ask my vet about them!!!

Maya...the blanket she is sleeping was used by Smokey for about 2 days before she came to the house. He laid on it and played in it, which I thought was perfect!

This morning, we let him go into her room and gave her run of the house (supervised of course!) for about a 1/2 hour. When she returned to her room, she found Smokey there and she began to hiss. I picked her up and even with her hissing, she still let me hold her and never got physically defensive...would this be considered a good sign?????

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes...I also hope that she works out. Even DH said, "She is awfully cute...for a tailless cat!) LOL

 

[FireGoddess]

AChi - RE: the soft paws, I mentioned them in the No Dogs Allowed thread. I love them. It''s a long thread, so I won''t direct you to it, but check out their website http://softpaws.com/. They''re great and each application lasts over a month on my cat. Definitely worth it.

 

[fountainfairfax]

Achi-

Congratulations on your new kitty, she is beautiful

!

I''ve brought adult cats "into the loop" a few times already and it has always worked out- yes, there''s always a little weird hissing, growling and swatting at first- but they never really got into biting or all out fighting (that of course came later, after they fall in love with each other

)

Because of the anxiety of keeping them separate for a long period of time (and the anxiety was probably mine- having cats on either side of the door throwing a fit drives me nuts) I only did one overnight in separate rooms...then I opened the door a little bit and let them figure out their relationships on their own- no one ever got hurt or was denied food or access to the litter box. I did have a cat who freaked over his favorite toys getting touched but the other cats learned quickly not to touch his stuff.

I should also add that so far I''ve introduced adult cats of both sexes to each other and it''s always the girls who throw the biggest fits, whether they''re the new cat or one of my old guys. Bitches

!

(and I''m very anti-declawing, too- it seems so cruel- there''s a reason it''s illegal in other countries)

 

[Lorelei]

I''m sure that little darling is smiling and can''t believe her luck in finding such a nice home

Well done Achio, she is gorgeous and you have done a great thing for her. Don''t worry about any swearing and cussing that the cat''s do, they will sort themselves out fine. I have done this many many times and it has always worked out well. She looks so happy now that she has finally come home, I hope you and Smokey have many happy years with her, and I am sure she will give you all much joy.

 

[AndyRosse]

Congratulations, she is gorgeous!!

I sure hope they will learn to be best friends, so Smokey won''t be so lonely anymore, and that beautiful girl won''t have to go back to the shelter.

Congrats again and please keep us updated on her integration into your family!

 

[moremoremore]

LOL- "Bitches" LOLOLOL.... Cat fight!!!

 

[FireGoddess]

I just love that 3rd picture where it looks like she''s kneading the carpet!!!

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Day 2 -

Well, we let her out this morning to explore the house...Smokey ran into her room to take up more of her scent. We''ve determined she''s a GREAT lap cat as she''ll sit in your lap all day as long as you pet her!!! DH was her lap of choice and when Smokey entered the room, her hissing and growling began. Smokey kept going closer and closer and we saw that her body began to twitch from anxiety, so we put her back in her room to calm her down...

FFF-Smokey keeps trying to open the door (but it''s locked)! He doesn''t like having doors closed to him!! LOL

She knows Smokey is in the house...she also knows that she cannot get away from him...so little by little we keep introducing her to him and vice versa. He''s feeling a little intimidated by her, but he is still curious to meet his new friend.

 

[dixichick983]

Congratulations!! That is very exciting. It will help you ease the pain of losing Sasha. When we first put Pancho to sleep I didn''t want another cat at all. Now after two weeks I have been wanting one, not to take his place, but just to have a new friend that I can have to keep me company. The problem I have is the other cat we have tested a faint positive for FelV. We either have to find another cat who is positive or not get one at all. Hopefully everything will work out. Congratulations again on your new addition. She is very cute.


Patience

 

[Lorelei]

Sounds like they are doing fine! Remember the old saying " familiarity breeds contempt?" it is so true! Carry on the good work, in a few weeks it will be as though they have been together for years.

 

[Kerbear560]

Congratulations! What an adorable kitty! It''s so nice of you to adopt an older cat

. sadly, many of them don''t get homes!

As for the introductions, you are doing everything right! Here is an article from the Humane Society of the United State''s website on introducing pets to a new cat: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/cat_behavior_tip_sheets/introducing_pets_to_a_new_cat.html. It basically tells you to do everything you are already doing (it''s also what we tell our clients who are bringing a new cat into their household).

One thing you didn''t mention...has your new kitty been tested for Feline leukemia and FIV? If not, they shouldn''t have contact with each other until she has tested negative.

Good luck with the introductions! Hopefully they''ll be buddies soon!

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Well, we continue to allow "Bear" (her possible name?!) out to explore and she''s fine as long as she doesn''t see Smokey...but she likes to stay close to "home" (the bathroom where she sleeps). Occassionally, she''ll venture further out, but she''s playing timid right now. We lock Smokey in our room as he''s not as interested in smelling her scent as he is in wanting to smell her directly....

I know it takes patience, but I hope works!!!

 

[moremoremore]

Great point kerbear!!! When newly infected (such as when they first get to a new shelter and get it from another cat who slipped through the cracks), they will test negative. It takes about a month to come back correctly. That''s what happened to my scotty...he was neg at the shelter...but is now positive for fiv