Tips for bringing another cat home please *UPDATE*

sassyblue

Morning all, l'm hoping you could give me some tips on bringing a second cat into the home.

The one l have is a rescue cat, female, a real softy, very loving and loyal - we tried to bring another rescue cat into our home a few years ago but it didn't work out, the second cat was a nightmare and the pair of them never got on so the second cat had to be rehomed.

Now l've found an emaciated cat (l think female too) who comes to our work and l've put some flea drops on her and been feeding her and she's coming on a treat and lets me pick her up, isn't at all nasty. I was going to leave her as a work cat but there's nowhere for her to sleep when the weather gets colder (l don't know where she currently sleeps but l guess it's rough she's often filthy).

I'm hoping to take this second cat home and give her a good life too but l'm worried about our first cats reaction especially given the disgust she felt when we tried to rescue the other one. :rotfl:

I could find this second cat somewhere else to live but l already love her and want her for our home if possible.

I know to feed them seperate bowls, and sleeping places, but other than that?? and l'm not sure how to introduce them??

Froglet

lots of info here.Bless you for caring.

http://www.catchat.org/hierarchies.html

chez22

Lots of tips here http://www.allaboutpets.org.uk/factsheets/cat/general/introducing-your-cat-to-other-pets.aspx

sassyblue

Some good tips on those pages thanks, given what happened before it's probably wise to keep them is separate rooms then swap scents first..... Funnily enough l haven't seen my potential new cat all day, hope she's alright.

picklepick

Do you definitely know she hasnt got a home?
Before you take her home with you, make a collar out of paper with a note to ask the owner to contact you and put it around her neck. Leave it on for a few days and see if you get a call. Even then id take her to a vets so they can scan for a chip. Someone may be seriously missing this little kitty somewhere.

I agree with the scent swapping and keeping her in her own room for a few weeks. They might not ever get along, but hopefully they will learn to tolerate each other being around.

sassyblue

picklepick wrote: »

Do you definitely know she hasnt got a home?
Before you take her home with you, make a collar out of paper with a note to ask the owner to contact you and put it around her neck. Leave it on for a few days and see if you get a call. Even then id take her to a vets so they can scan for a chip. Someone may be seriously missing this little kitty somewhere.

I really don't think so, she was in a terrible state with fleas and literally no fat on her at all - bones all poking out - if l found out she did live at a neighbours they'd have a mouthful from me and l'd report them to the RSPCA :mad:

l've asked around the neighbours and no-one knows where she came from, but when l take her to the vets l'll have her scanned for a chip, l was planning to anyway. It's one thing if she got lost but another to have been kept like this. There haven't been any posters up in the village for a lost cat, no adverts in the paper or shops, nothing.

Tiddlywinks

picklepick wrote: »

I agree with the scent swapping and keeping her in her own room for a few weeks. They might not ever get along, but hopefully they will learn to tolerate each other being around.

This is something I agree with - years ago I adopted 2 cats at the same time from a rescue and did all the scent swapping, giving each their own space etc but after 10 years under the same roof they still only tolerated each other (first year :eek: was a bit hissy now and again ).

Some cats do best on their own and the most you can hope for is that they can pass each other in shared space without a bundle.

Good Luck

Tiddlywinks

sassyblue wrote: »

she was in a terrible state with fleas and literally no fat on her at all - bones all poking out

Ever so slightly off topic...

My old girl looked and felt like a bag of bones for the last two years of her life - with monthly vet visits and no cruelty I can assure you - she had hyperthyroidism, was diabetic and had kidney problems (but could still motor when she saw a bowl of cream or caught a whiff of roast chicken ).

I know it doesn't seem to be the case here (because of the bad fleas) but not all skinny, tufty cats are uncared for and unloved - just wanted to gently let people (not the OP) know this as I wouldn't have wanted my old girl reported to the RSPCA as neglected .

sassyblue

oooh l know tiddlywinks God bless your cat l did :rotfl:at her 'motoring' for her favourites. This cat is young still growing l think, l'm sure she's not an old lady but will know more when l do take her to the vets.

The first cat l rescued years ago was in a terrible state too, emaciated and even broken fang teeth, again another young cat, the vet said the runt of the litter. She had liver (or was it kidney?) problems and had to have injection every 2-4 weeks to keep her going. She never put too much weight on but got quite spritely as the months went on, we only had her a year when her little problems overcame her and when l took her to the vets for the dreaded injection he said he didn't think she was going to live at all when he first saw her and l'd done a fab job.

Before that l thought cats were stupid animals and didn't have personalities - how wrong can you be! I absolutely adore cats now.... and l'm a sucker for something that needs rescuing and some TLC

Booley

We had four cats. Two of them i purchased within a few days of each other. The other was a cat who adopted us. I found out who owned her and the response was " we're not bothered, you can take her " . She was really laid back and the other two were so tiny that they just grew up around her. Our fourth cat was a bit of a different story. He came some 5 years later and there were hisses and spats with the two younger cats. Our adopted cat treated the new kitten like it was her own but that was only after a week or two of putting him in his place lol. I suppose they're a bit like people in that some get on and some don't. We lost our adopted cat two years ago and since then none of the other three spend much time in each other's company. They don't fight but they just give each other that watchful eye as if to say " Come closer and you've had it " . They do make me laugh and they're all very affectionate when it comes to us humans in the house.

I hope all works out well for you.

morg_monster

OT - sassy - you say your other cat has broken fang teeth, has your vet told you how this might have happened? One of ours has this (upper teeth only), vet says she either fell and broke them on a hard surface, or got kicked in the face. First option seems unlikely as she's very graceful and I can't imagine the physics of how that could happen to a cat at all; Second option seems unlikely as she has zero damage to any other teeth, her face, or indeed any other part of her, and is also very friendly with us and strangers from first meeting.

Just wondered if there was anything else it could be and if you'd been told anything different... (purely for interests sake!)