Introducing a second cat to the home

Hi everyone

I have a cat for the last year or so. He's a lovely thing, has been neutered etc but is definitely Mammy's boy and is a right scaredy cat around other people. He doesn't seem to have any other kitty friends in the area but I think that's probably cos he doesn't wander after the spaying. He is in at night and out during the day.

Anyway, someone else has kittens and I'd love to bring one (or even two if I thought it was a good idea) home but am afraid the existing cat would eat him/her for breakfast.

Has anyone done this before and with any success? If I was to go ahead would it be wiser to get one or two and male or female? I fully intend to have any new arrival properly vaccinated, neutered etc.

Rebecca

Haven't done it, but I've heard advice that 2 of the same sex works best and to keep them seperated but getting access to different areas of the house, so they get used to each others smells before they meet.

Jaysus, Miss Ribena, first one cat and now another - we can only hope you're not turning into one of those eccentric old ladies who ends up with 100 cats and leaves the millions to the Dogs & Cats Home.....

Thanks rainyday, that is very interesting and makes sense. I have another few weeks before they would be old enough to leave the mother. No harm because I'm having central heating installed at the moment and Homer (the cat - named for the classical poet, not the donut eater!) got lost under the floorboards for about an hour.

Lol oysterman - it's too late. I'm already an eccentric young lady; been wearing purple for years already And as for the millions, well they are long gone on kitty treats, kitty toys, kitty beds, kitty scratching posts, kitty holidays in kennels, kitty sicknesses and special kitty milk! (just kidding in case anyone thinks I've mended my frugal ways )

Rebecca

MissRibena said:

I'm already an eccentric young lady; been wearing purple for years already

Click to expand...

Well, I hope going to make an honest woman of you now so!

Lol, no not like that Clubman, like this! (Sorry about the naff purple wallpaper on that website btw).

Rebecca

I heard if their not getting on you give them a bath and they end up grooming each other and mixing scents.

i thought you spayed a female not a male....so what does spaying a male mean?

Hmm, maybe I have my terminology mixed up. But whatever it is, it means he can't get any girl kitties up the duff

Rebeca

Hi MissRibena, We introduced our very elderly albino cat to a straggly scrawny kitten who had lost its mother one very stormy weekend, thinking sure they,ll be great company for each other, and the stray kitten will have a new 'mammy'.

Boy were we wrong.

All hell broke loose.

and these were two females!
It didn't help matters that our cat was a crochety cantakerous territorial upstart. Up til then she had never been challenged, and was queen of all she surveyed.

We persevered, and the ensuing antics of the two cats kept us laughing. To say they eventually became friends would be overstating it a bit. A watching brief would be maintained on the humans to make sure one did not get more favoured than the other. Anyway the kitten grew and became more than a match for the senior resident, and they often had to be seperated when a wrestling match
proved a little too fierceome for the humans more genteel natures.

I would say to try and get a male kitten if possible, introduce very slowly, for short periods at a time to start with. This will give you an idea of how much fur is going to fly if any. Also try and be there yourself in case a referee is needed.
Cats have an innate independance and are very quick to establish a pecking order and are also very territorial as you probably know, but this becomes more fascinating to watch when theres a new kid on the block.
Give both the same food, the kitten will probably be weaned when you get it.
As for giving a cat a bath, not unless you want your eyes scratched out.
No self respecting cat would be caught dead in a bath.

Good luck, btw have a word with your vet as well and ask his/her advice

.

Although I don't have two cats, my spayed female has become great mates with the neighbours neutered tom. He insisted on the friendship and put up with all sorts of rebuffs from her. Now they are often together - they play with one another, pouncing out from the bushes, play-fighting (though if it gets too rough for one or the other they'll yowl and the other will stop). They 'visit' each other and eat from each others food bowls. I have noticed if mine is hungry, she'll eat first and only let him at it when her hunger is sated. They are gas to watch!

Hi there,

I have two cats - a mother and daughter. I visited a cat/dog pet rescue centre recently (an old woman actually left all her money for this cause hence its existence) and my heart was broken when leaving! I wanted to bring them all home with me! There must have been 30 kittens all so cute and playful! My friend adopted two and are now next door. I've been battling since with the thoughts of getting a third but for Miss Ribenas reason - I have been put off. My two have sat next door looking in at two new arrivals through patio door - with fur on end and growling!!! The thoughts of me introducing a new arrival just scares the living daylights out of me... I will be interested to hear how you get on when introductions are made!

My brother is a vet and regularly brings home strays. At first there is always a territorial battle, but they sort out their differences and learn to accept each other if you leave them alone.

Go for it- but expect a few uncomfortable moments in the first few days.

Right I'm convinced now! Thanks everyone for the input.

If Homer gets out of hand, I'll tell him that he is lucky his "daddy" didn't get his way cos he wanted to get a dog rather than a second cat!

Rebecca

Have tried twice over the years to introduce a second cat to the house, not a hope, all as above without let up, current cat ended up disappearing for a day or so and major fights, in the end had to return kitten both times, shame

Just be sure that when you introduce them Homer has a chance to escape. We have had this lots of times with new kittens. Have the kitten in the kitchen say and leave the window open. Don't force Homer into the room or anything. Allow him to plod in at his own pace, he will probably fly out the window initially. As long as he has some space that he can get away to on his own he will be fine. They will sort it out themselves, just be sure if you get another male to get him spayed asap to avoid him marking your house,

An update on this ...

The female kitten moved in almost four months ago now and everything is tickety boo. A lot of the success has to be down to their personalities though. Homer is reserved and she is fun-loving and cuddly. From the very start she seems to have suffered from delusions of her size/strength because she has been picking fights and trying to jump on him since she came in. Mostly he indulges her or if she gets on his nerves he gives her a good belt and she takes the hint.

We moved Homer's basket to our bedroom for night time and she sleeps in the utility. We reckoned this way he would know he is still "top cat". It seems to have worked really well and he hasn't pushed his luck by chancing the bed or anything.

So it has all worked out well and I think even Homer would miss her if she went now and I'd recommend it to anyone considering doing the same.

Rebecca

Obviously faired out a lot better than when we tried to keep 2 female rabbits together. Talk about bitchy Fighting and hissing all the time. Feel that it was a territory matter. Had to return one to vet.

Miss Ribena. I've only tuned into this thread tonight and was glad to see that your enquiry had a happy ending! I have two cats (three until 4 weeks ago, but that's another story!). Had one first, then introduced another when No.1 was 3 (and lonely), then introduced another when No.2 was 3 (are you keeping up?). Despite the initial spitting and hissing, which is totally to be expected (as you know), all is well and has been for years. I wish you the very best of luck, and I'm so glad that Homer has a friend now and that No.2 has a friend in Homer. It's not a great idea to leave any animal alone, in my opinion.

Just like to add, that cats will get on together so long as there is enough food and shelter to go around, and everyone has his/her own space. This is coming from a mad family, who between us have 15 cats. Not all in the one house, I should add. each of us started with 1-2 cats and then other cats came along, fought their respective corners and then stayed. cats are cool.
What doesn't work is, if kittens that have been given away, come back to their mummy, she will not accept them back.