Another Hot Night in February
Atists:
Panorama Jazz Band
Audio CD:
Company: Panorama Records
(2003-09-30)
List Price: $16.49
Amazon Price: $17.99
Used Price: $68.90
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Atists:
Panorama Jazz Band
Audio CD:
Company: Panorama Records
(2003-09-30)
List Price: $16.49
Amazon Price: $17.99
Used Price: $68.90
April 26th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
How do I know if my cat would be ok with another cat in the house?
We adopted a cat back in February, and he's a great little guy. We were thinking of getting another cat to keep him company. My dad is home all the time for the most part, but at night our cat gets upset because, while he can sleep in my parents bed, there is no one awake to be with him if he's not sleeping. On the rare occasion no one is home, he gets upset because he was once abandoned for a long time, and while he doesn't do anything wrong when he is upset, we don't want him stressing out too much, if something can be done. We thought maybe getting another cat might help. How do we figure out if our little guy would be ok with another animal in the house?
Thanks in advance!
April 27th, 2009 at 1:10 am
They normally are not okay with each other unless you get them both as kittens but they will eventually learn to get along.
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:12 am
Cats get jealous and need time to adapt.
Get a towel or T-shirt that the new cat has slept on and place it somewhere in your house.
This will introduce the new scent to your cat without actually letting them see the cat.
A week later, when the new cat shows up, your cat will be like"Oh! There you are! I knew I smelled a new cat SOMEWHERE!"
This will ease the stress of the introduction.
After that, just give it time.
When my cats had spats with a newbie, I would just pcik them up and rub them together in a big furball until they learned to get along. "The common enemy" and all that.
They always end up becoming allies.
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Tie them together by the tail for the first week.
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:16 am
I would just adopt another cat and see how he reacts. If he does not react well, then just find a friend to take the other cat!
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:18 am
Be forwarned. That is HIS home. He may not be too happy when you bring another cat home but cats are social creatures and he will eventually get over it.
When I brought home Jasmine for my cat Lily, Lily hissed and swatted at her for a week or two. She didn't want Jasmine to take her spot at top kitty. Now she bathes Jasmine and is very protective of her. If someone holds her little sister, she has to investigate to see if this person is okay for Jasmine. It's kinda funny now. At the beginning, things weren't that great but we didn't interfere. We let the natural order take place and Jasmine was eventually loved by Lily.
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owner of 2 cats, 1 dog, and 2 turtles
April 27th, 2009 at 1:20 am
well from what you said about your cat he sounds like he really would be fine with another cat in the house. but a way to test that theory is bring like a neighbors cat in for a day or two and see how he reacts. still give him lots of attention but make sure he knows that the other cat is important to you. you might try this with a couple of different cats and on different days. if it goes well then i think it's safe to say that you can get another cat. hope this helps
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:22 am
Shut the new cat up in a room or bathroom. Of course with the litter box and food. The cats will learn each other and become accustomed by contact under the door. Bring the new cat out every so often and tour around your house, then take back to the room. Keep the new cat shut up for at least 1 week then let it out.
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:24 am
If he's young he will generally do better than if he's several years old. Cats are like people as they age. They get set in their routines and don't like them messed up by having to compete with another cat for your attention.
If he's younger he should be more flexible. Also, I have noticed that male cats tend to be more open to being friends with other cats as long as they are female. Get both animals altered, of course.
If he has abandonment issues a female cat may be a wonderful thing for him. If he has an easy going personality, which is sounds like he does, then that's a good sign he'll like other cats too.
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Purely anecdotal evidence. I have had female cats who were quite old in my own home and every time I introduced a kitten for any reason they strongly disliked them. My brother, who has added cats to his household when they were all young, has done well.
The personality of the 1st cat has a lot to do with it.
April 27th, 2009 at 1:26 am
I would suggest introducing a new cat to see how your current one gets along with it before you actually get it.
I am assuming you will adopt…If you are, i think they allow you to have a trial run.
There should be no problem if the cat is friendly, is it friendly to other cats? If it is, no problemo as far as i am concerned.
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:28 am
Well, I have 7cats and I started with just one .. I had a hard time at 1st with the only one but eventually , he actually enjoyed the company. Cats do not like change but they love to play and they love company.
Before you get a companion thou, make sure that the cat you choose will be even tempered and not frazzled like the poor dear you found.
You are going to need a loving little kitty and preferably a female. I have 4 males and 3 females and the females give me the most problems lol.. But you only have 1 boy so that should be ok.
The only reason why I wouldn't suggest another male is that cats are territorial and the existing cat might start marking(Spraying) his territory if another male is around.
Hope this helped:)
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7 cats of my own…
April 27th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Unfortunately, there is no way to be sure except to try it. If you do decide to get another cat, make the introduction with the new cat crated. Allow both cats plenty of time to get used to each others scent. Keeping them in separate rooms (with food, water, litter box, etc.) and allowing them to "sniff" each other and play "footies" under the door is also good. But, don't think for a minute that there won't be any little disputes (unless one of them is a total wuss–like mine) there will. Cats are very territorial, and most likely, your oldest cat will not like the "intruder" in the beginning–but give it time. Other than this, there is no way to know for sure.
As a final note, if your cat is easily stressed-out, getting another cat to keep him company MAY be more stressful on him than being left alone for a short time. The best type of "trial-run" would be: if you have a relative or friend who has a NICE kitty, you could try having him/her bring their cat over to your house for a kitty "play-date". See how your cat reacts to another cat being in his territory. Good luck on this decision.
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April 27th, 2009 at 1:32 am
There isn't really any good way to tell for sure in advance, but most likely he would be fine with another cat, and actually thank you for the companionship. Despite their "loner" reputation, I have found that cats really enjoy another cat to be their friend.
Having said that… there is one major piece of advice I want to add, having lots of experience in this department…
You didn't say how old your adopted cat is now.. but I'm kind of picturing him as an adult (over 1 year old is considered fully adult). That being the case, if you want another.. GET A KITTEN. Adult cats accept, tolerate, befriend a kitten MUCH more easily than than another adult cat. I have NEVER had a problem getting an adult cat to befriend a kitten. Your chances of them getting along well and becoming friends is MUCH higher if at least ONE of them is a kitten. (Of course kittens befriend other kittens even MORE quickly, but anyway…).
There will be hissing, screaming, growling, even some swatting, upon first meeting. Usually within 2 weeks there's some sign of improvment, even friendship. So don't freak out if your cat acts like it hates the new kitten for a few days! THat's 100% normal, and has never stopped my cats from later becoming best friends with the intruding kitten :).
Prepare ahead of time, though. Depending on what age the kitten is when you get it (I reccomend under 4 months old if your other cat is fully adult) you might have to spend around $100 for vaccinations within the first 4 months of the kitten's life, plus an $80 spey at 5 or 6 months of age. These are one-time expenses, though. After that, keeping up with vaccinations is only a once-a-year thing, and not that expensive. Just plan ahead for the initial whammy.
Good luck!! Go for it! You'll be glad you did.
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27 years experience with cats
April 27th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Cats are territorial by nature and some can become very unhappy if they think that an "intruder" might be trying to steal it from them. (Never underestimate how much territory means to a cat, it's the source of food, love and shelter so is highly prized by them). However, the younger your cat is, the more tolerant he is likely to be of another cat and he may well appreciate having a play mate. If he's neutered, this will also help as he won't be quite so territorial.
Ideally you should choose a cat that is younger, smaller and female, as your cat will view them as less of a threat. Cats also rely very heavily on their sense of smell, so it's a good idea to initially confine the new cat to a separate room so that they get to "meet" each other by smell before any face to face introductions are made. The web articles below offer good advice on how to introduce a second cat into the home.
http://www.tulsa-animalshelter.org/tips/intro%20cat.htm
http://messybeast.com/first-impressions.htm
Be patient it can take a while for the newcomer to be accepted, and remember to give your first cat lots of reassurance so that he understands that the new cat is to be his friend and not his replacement.
Hope this helps, good luck.
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