The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Introducing new cat to our cats - advice
Dhalphir
don't you open that trapdooryou're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
don't you open that trapdooryou're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
Hi guys,
Bit of background
My wife and I currently own two beautiful cats that we adopted from a shelter at the beginning of this year.
The mother cat is called Raven, she is a black shorthair cat and is about 1.5 years old (she was roughly ~1 when we got her - the shelter didn't know exactly).
Her kitten is called Ivy, and is a white and brown shorthair about 7 months old - she was 9 weeks when we got her.
When we first got them they were very shy - they had originally been adopted by a family with three very very very loud children who made their life very hard. It took a long time for them to be comfortable with us, but they have been perfectly happy now for several months, and we boarded them for 2.5 weeks when we went to Europe in June, with no problems with the other cats in boarding.
Now, on to the new cat. My parents have an adult ragdoll cat that they got when I was still a teenager living with them. Her brother was also adopted by them, but he died about a year later of an illness. I think she is about 7 years old. My parents have had a dog, and a Burmilla cat for the last five years or so, and while the ragdoll was never thrilled with either of them, she was content. However, due to my sister moving back in with my parents, my sister's German Shepard cross Border Collie has come with her, and the ragdoll is now miserable. She barely comes in the house, but sleeps outside on the front doormat in an attempt to be safe from the dog and still be close to them. She even rubs up against the Burmilla cat, who she used to never go near, I suppose because she is lonely for the attention.
My parents have asked if we will take the ragdoll (her name is Chocolate) in. We would love to give Chocolate a home, but we also don't want to upset anything with our current situation. Ideally, Chocolate could live somewhere with a couple for whom she is their only pet, but living with us would still be better than with two big boisterous dogs. We know the rough outline for introducing a new cat to existing cats.
-Keep them separate with no face to face contact for at least a week.
-Feed them on either side of a closed door so they get used to the smell of one another.
-Brush them with the same brush
-Keep all face to face contact brief and highly supervised.
However, we have a few questions which we can't find answers to.
1) Chocolate is currently an outdoor cat (though she is allowed inside obviously). We do not let our cats outside and have no intention of ever doing so, so she would have to become an indoor-only cat. Is this likely to cause problems for her?
2) Chocolate is significantly older than the other two cats. Does this matter with cats?
3) We will only be introducing Chocolate on a trial basis at first - if it doesn't work out, she'll go back and we'll find another solution for her (she won't be put down at all). If things don't work out, is there any possibility of permanently affecting the relationship we have with our cats (or that they have with each other?) Or will things go back to normal if Chocolate leaves?
Thanks for reading
Bit of background
My wife and I currently own two beautiful cats that we adopted from a shelter at the beginning of this year.
The mother cat is called Raven, she is a black shorthair cat and is about 1.5 years old (she was roughly ~1 when we got her - the shelter didn't know exactly).
Her kitten is called Ivy, and is a white and brown shorthair about 7 months old - she was 9 weeks when we got her.
When we first got them they were very shy - they had originally been adopted by a family with three very very very loud children who made their life very hard. It took a long time for them to be comfortable with us, but they have been perfectly happy now for several months, and we boarded them for 2.5 weeks when we went to Europe in June, with no problems with the other cats in boarding.
Now, on to the new cat. My parents have an adult ragdoll cat that they got when I was still a teenager living with them. Her brother was also adopted by them, but he died about a year later of an illness. I think she is about 7 years old. My parents have had a dog, and a Burmilla cat for the last five years or so, and while the ragdoll was never thrilled with either of them, she was content. However, due to my sister moving back in with my parents, my sister's German Shepard cross Border Collie has come with her, and the ragdoll is now miserable. She barely comes in the house, but sleeps outside on the front doormat in an attempt to be safe from the dog and still be close to them. She even rubs up against the Burmilla cat, who she used to never go near, I suppose because she is lonely for the attention.
My parents have asked if we will take the ragdoll (her name is Chocolate) in. We would love to give Chocolate a home, but we also don't want to upset anything with our current situation. Ideally, Chocolate could live somewhere with a couple for whom she is their only pet, but living with us would still be better than with two big boisterous dogs. We know the rough outline for introducing a new cat to existing cats.
-Keep them separate with no face to face contact for at least a week.
-Feed them on either side of a closed door so they get used to the smell of one another.
-Brush them with the same brush
-Keep all face to face contact brief and highly supervised.
However, we have a few questions which we can't find answers to.
1) Chocolate is currently an outdoor cat (though she is allowed inside obviously). We do not let our cats outside and have no intention of ever doing so, so she would have to become an indoor-only cat. Is this likely to cause problems for her?
2) Chocolate is significantly older than the other two cats. Does this matter with cats?
3) We will only be introducing Chocolate on a trial basis at first - if it doesn't work out, she'll go back and we'll find another solution for her (she won't be put down at all). If things don't work out, is there any possibility of permanently affecting the relationship we have with our cats (or that they have with each other?) Or will things go back to normal if Chocolate leaves?
Thanks for reading
Dhalphir on
0
Posts
as to your questions:
1) Its hard to say, depends on how much of an outdoor cat she is. Ragdolls tend to be pretty sedate so unless she hunted a whole lot and such, i imagine she could adapt as long as she has a nice patch of sunlight near a window to stretch out on. Also, you might want to have her brought for a flea dip before you bring her into your house. you do NOT want fleas spreading between cats and if shes going to be indoor only, then make sure shes clean before you bring her in. all it takes is a few to get in the house to make a ton more.
2) Since shes lived with other animals she probably will be okay with other cats eventually if brought in slowly. Shes going to be probably have a rough time with new people anyway, you might want to invest in one of those calming air fresheners (they are expensive but worth a one time purchase until she gets comfortable, and trust me it makes all the difference in behavior when transfering ownership of a cat that they are happy with who and where they are.) My brother had a cat for awhile but when my sister in law got pregnant again, they decided to pass it to my parents and that cat was obviously high strung about it, and isnt very lovable (But i have a feeling she was always like that).
3) I doubt it will affect them that way. My familys first cat lived to be 22 years old, but we didnt get a second cat until she was a good 4+ years old and she hated losing her dominance (The new cats always wanted to play with her and she didnt want anything to do with them, but dispite that, she never treated the humans differently, if anything she became more affectionate to us. and during her life we lost other cats and got new ones, with pretty much the same results. Cats can be very jelious. I just adopted two kittens and they get along very well together but when i pet one, the other wants in on the action. Just dont neglect any of them and you should be good.
Thanks for the other advice!
Origin: KafkaAU B-Net: Kafka#1778