New Cats - UPDATED with Pictures :)

walwin

:j:j:j Lovely news.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas and many happy years together

krlyr

Congrats!
It might be worth grabbing a Feliway plugin to help them settle in, I've heard good reviews of them

I have heard that it's usually best to give one tray per cat though so perhaps consider a second tray somewhere?

rising_from_the_ashes

Silaqui wrote: »

So - rehoming cats... my plan is as follows (any advice, corrections etc welcomed!)

• Sort out back bedroom so that can be their room to start with.
• Put litter tray (they are used to one) at one end of the room, food and water at the other
• Put a couple of cardboard boxes around, one 'closed' with just a hole, and one more open (like a bed) with some bedding in.
• Put in a scratching post.and a few wee toys - scrunched up bits of tinfoil or paper will do!
  
• When we bring them home - take cats in, open the carrier, shut the door and leave them in there for a few hours.
• After a few hours, go in and sit with them and talk to them (but resist grabbing and hugging unless they come for snuggles)
• Leave again but leave the door ajar so they can explore if they want.

:j:j Ohhhhh that's fantastic news & I'm so pleased - for you & OH and especially for the cats! Imagine how much they're going to enjoy being a "2" rather than an "80":eek:

Your plan sounds good - I'd be tempted to leave them in the one room (with the door shut) for at least 24 hours so they can "bond" with that room and it'll ensure they've got a safe place they can run to if they get scared by anything once out & about exploring. (Obviously you can go in during this time! and sitting talking to them sounds perfect!)

Also, as well as keeping the litter tray (they should be fine with 1 between the 2 of them if used to sharing & if it's a decent enough size) & food & water well away from each other - also separate the food & water (maybe to separate corners of the room) as cats often don't like these close together for some reason.

Pics please when they get home!!!:) Bet Saturday feels like forever away just now:D

Silaqui

Yes - I was thinking about that. They currently share a litter tray in the little run thing they are in at the RSPCA - I was thinking of leaving just one in the bedroom where I'll put them when they first come back, but then have a couple more around the house for when they start to roam a little more? Or would you say best to give them two in the room from the start so they have the option?

Yes I might get one of Feliways too, my sister had one for her cat and it worked wonders. I'm so excited!!

Thanks for all the advice
x

Silaqui

Oh yes how did I forget about toys! Yes I will put some foil and toilet rolls and bits and bobs in there

Bless them I know, can't believe there were 80 of them :eek: Apparently they had to put about 40odd to sleep because they had health problems, then there were a few who have more serious health problems and have been fostered out, and then a load who were perfectly healthy like these two.

I will definitely be posting some pictures - I expect I will be on here quite a lot!
x

marmiterulesok

krlyr wrote: »

Congrats!
It might be worth grabbing a Feliway plugin to help them settle in, I've heard good reviews of them

I have heard that it's usually best to give one tray per cat though so perhaps consider a second tray somewhere?

These are two of the things that I was going to mention.Also maybe a second litter tray and seperate water from their food.

I hope that you have many happy years together!

gettingready

OMG great news.. Good it was not me - would have taken all 3 if I saw all 3 together but then... I am a weird cat woman hahahahah

Congratulations

paddypaws101

Oh that is wonderful news and they are gorgeous cats!
Congratulations and I cannot wait to hear how they progress.

Silaqui

Ah the other one was already reserved! Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to have those two because I wouldn't have been able to split them up from the 3rd one!

So now, things to do:

• Find some decent insurance (I'm assuming 'maximum benefit' insurance is the best sort to get?)
• Buy cat carrier
• Buy 2 litter trays (one open, one closed)
• Buy cat litter (might get some from the RSPCA as it's what they'll be used to)
• Buy food and water bowls
• Buy food (again need to check what the RSPCA use)
• Scratching post.

Come on saturday!!!
x

Dazedandconfused

Were they friendly. You would imagine they could be almost feral if they've come from a house of 80+

My advice is to start with keep them in one room. If you can cover the carpet. I had just done some decorating work so used cotton dust sheets and very glad I did because mine were meant to be perfectly healthy but one had terrible diarrhea and would have pooed all over the carpet had it not been covered.

It did go through a bit but managed to keep the damage to a minimum.

I also recommend checking with your shelter what food they are eating and giving the same. Then gradually move them to what you want to feed. Bless her my fosterer gave me a weeks supply of food.
Check what litter tray they are using now and cat litter and buy the same. Again this can be gradually changed. Mine started with poundland open trays and now have covered trays with flaps on which are much nicer to use.
Start with a few toys. My fosterer brought my boys to me rather than me collecting them and even gave me some toy mice and cloths with the scent of her pets on to get my boys to transition ok.
I just bought a teeny scratch post which they did like so it has since been replaced with a few massive ones.
Cardboard boxes are also great



My rescue boys were very shy when they first came and wouldn't come out even to eat so after a few days of very lax appetites I made them a den with a picnic chair and a sheet and put the food under that. And that worked a treat. Then I'd go and sit with them every night and read in the same room as them. Then after a week they moved downstairs into the hall/ bathroom / veranda as it's all glass doors so I'd talk to them through the door as I cooked etc.

- pet insurance try looking at John Lewis I've just done a quote with them as mine is due out in Jan and it was very competitive.