Cat owners: How long should I give?

[dclpluto]

Never heard of someone calling their pet a resident cat. Think of them as family and not the resident cat and the new cat.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This is why I don't advocate for getting a second cat when it's situations like these. Seems a lot of people think getting a second cat is what the first cat needs when in reality depending on your cat's behavior that could be the last thing they need or they may just be in the 'you keep your space I'll keep my space' kind of living situation and sometimes it downright hostile environment.

Took a while for my cat-loving mother-in-law to get that for my own cat's health and well-being we would not be adopting another cat just because she perceived our cat needed a friend.

I know Jackson Galaxy has had many episodes when it came to two cats in the same household. Maybe look up things for that. I do agree 2 weeks may or may not be long enough. But do keep in mind the possibility of it just not working out like you had imagined.

 

[tasha99]

Sorry to hear it’s not working out. Some cats just need to be the only cat in the house. We tried many years ago because our 5 year old was trying to play with the dog who was afraid of her. Got a kitten and our poor Gypsy ended up with multiple trips to the vet because she stopped eating and drinking. Vet said she basically was having a nervous breakdown. We gave the kitten to a family friend after two months of trying. Gypsy lived happily as only cat until she was 18 1/2.

I got a cat in 2012 because I thought my other cat needed a friend. It's been 6 years, and I still wake up to hissing every morning. If I could go back in time . . .

Wow, they want to dictate what your established cat eats? That would have been a problem for me.

Did you at least ease the other cat into it by mixing the food for a while first? That helps sometimes.

Me too. I considered adopting a dog several years ago, and the rescues had ridiculous requirements. After looking at a few of them, I decided to buy instead. I put a deposit on a miniature poodle puppy in CA. The breeder seems good as she shows her dogs and won't ship them (so when it finally happens, it'll be a big road trip for us).. She also had an application process, with 5 references, but at least she didn't dictate how we live in the future. I put all that on hold though since I was working too much to properly care for a dog. I've also decided to wait till my cats die, because I think they'd like a new dog even less than they like each other.

 

[sunshinehighway]

The door is open most of the day. He choses not to come out

I rescued a cat about 6 months ago. She hid under a bed for the first two months. Honestly I was very worried that I made a mistake and she would never adjust. I was told as long as she was eating, drinking and using the litter box it was ok and some cats need time. She started coming out but did so on her own time.
Personally I think the shelter sounds wacky. I wouldn't call them for advice anymore.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I rescued 2 cats from the same room in the same shelter and the female HATES the male. She growls and hisses at him constantly. It's been 3 years and they still fight. We just ignore it. He's gotten better about annoying her since we rescued a 3rd from our yard lol.

As for the food they need to chill out. Our shelter sent us home with Science Diet, which we finished, but switched to Purina. They eat Fancy Feast canned food once a day. I have 3 cats and they're all doing just fine on that food.

I lost a beloved cat 3 years ago and he was only 10.5 years old. He was on "organic food" and it made no difference. He was sick off an on for years.

Anyway--I think you need to just let them be. They can sense anxiety in their humans. If you are sending out that signal it could be trouble.

 

[mom2rtk]

This is why I don't advocate for getting a second cat when it's situations like these. Seems a lot of people think getting a second cat is what the first cat needs when in reality depending on your cat's behavior that could be the last thing they need or they may just be in the 'you keep your space I'll keep my space' kind of living situation and sometimes it downright hostile environment.

Took a while for my cat-loving mother-in-law to get that for my own cat's health and well-being we would not be adopting another cat just because she perceived our cat needed a friend.

I know Jackson Galaxy has had many episodes when it came to two cats in the same household. Maybe look up things for that. I do agree 2 weeks may or may not be long enough. But do keep in mind the possibility of it just not working out like you had imagined.

OP asked for advice about adding a second cat in a previous thread. Many told her to do it if that's what she wants, but not to do it for the cat's sake since many cats are territorial and don't take well to new cats.

That said, if she wants a second cat, I hope she finds a peaceful way to make that happen in her home. I'm always in favor of giving rescue cats homes.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

OP asked for advice about adding a second cat in a previous thread. Many told her to do it if that's what she wants, but not to do it for the cat's sake since many cats are territorial and don't take well to new cats.

That said, if she wants a second cat, I hope she finds a peaceful way to make that happen in her home. I'm always in favor of giving rescue cats homes.

I know I remember that thread

The OP does however have a few choices though--try to make it work, realize it will never work and maybe they will keep their distance or maybe they will be hostile to each other and hope that neither cat has higher stress levels due to that, take the cat back to the shelter, attempt to find a home through networking.

I'm in favor of giving cats homes too. It would sorta be a fallacy to assume that you (generally speaking) are the only potential candidate for a particular cat. I don't begrudge people who make the decision to give up the animal due to poor fit for a variety of reasons--sometimes the animal really truly is better off in a different environment. I do begrudge people who make the decision to give up the animal because they bark too much, because they need outside too often, because they have accidents inside the house, because they scratch furniture, because they shed, etc.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Sounds like it's time to call Jackson Galaxy.
We're wondering how things will work out here-we've got a 15 yo cat, who's used to being an "only", and just got adopted by a stray 8 month old. For the last few months she's been staying out on our porch, but recently DH took her to the vet and she's passed all her tests to come in and "join" our 15 yo. I wonder how this will go!

 

[mom2rtk]

Sounds like it's time to call Jackson Galaxy.
We're wondering how things will work out here-we've got a 15 yo cat, who's used to being an "only", and just got adopted by a stray 8 month old. For the last few months she's been staying out on our porch, but recently DH took her to the vet and she's passed all her tests to come in and "join" our 15 yo. I wonder how this will go!

Good luck with it. Lucky cat!

 

[bballmom56]

Never heard of someone calling their pet a resident cat. Think of them as family and not the resident cat and the new cat.

OP used it as a descriptive term. Then I used it as a descriptive term. Mine are both males so if I used the pronoun "he" it could get confusing. Resident and new seemed to work. I guess old and new could work too. Nothing nefarious intended. Both of ours are certainly very important members of our family, as are all of our animals.

 

[DVC-Don]

We over the years have adopted three cats from the county shelter. The first one was a total nightmare. Chewed through all the wires on the back of my desktop computer, refused to use a litter box (preferred the dining room floor or under my desk) and ripped up a brand new Ethan Allen leather sofa. That one went back to the shelter. The other two have been fine, except one (Linda) absolutely hates to be in the same room as the other (Jake).

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Never heard of someone calling their pet a resident cat. Think of them as family and not the resident cat and the new cat.

It was simply to distinguish the two cats and what each was doing.
"Resident cat" and "new cat" or "newcomer" is what practically every article says when describing how to introduce two cats.
I don't think "old" and "new" would be appropriate since the cat I just got 2 weeks ago is twice the age.
The cat I've had since 8 weeks of age is my spoiled brat baby kitty.
The cat I got 2 weeks ago is more of a friend of the family right now as I haven't had enough interaction for a true mama/baby relationship to form.

 

[sonnyjane]

OP asked for advice about adding a second cat in a previous thread. Many told her to do it if that's what she wants, but not to do it for the cat's sake since many cats are territorial and don't take well to new cats.

I too remember that thread which might be why I’ve been extra frustrated with this discussion.

Also because if it’s the same thread I’m thinking of, several people specifically suggested getting a cat YOUNGER than the current cat and now OP has just shared that the new cat is twice the age.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I too remember that thread which might be why I’ve been extra frustrated with this discussion.

Also because if it’s the same thread I’m thinking of, several people specifically suggested getting a cat YOUNGER than the current cat and now OP has just shared that the new cat is twice the age.

Actually I was more or less told in that thread that you just never know. Other than you agreeing with my theory of younger.
That's also what anyone I talked to in person said. I described what my cat is like to the shelter and they initially said it would be a good fit as he walks away from confrontation. The problem is more that I never in a moillion years would have expected this scaredy cat mentality from.my rough n tough pick a fight kind of personality.

 

[sonnyjane]

Actually I was told in that thread that you just never know. Other than you agreeing with my theory of younger.
That's also what anyone I talked to in person said. I described what my cat is like to the shelter and they initially said it would be a good fit as he walks away from confrontation. The problem is more that I never in a moillion years would have expected this scaredy cat mentality from.my rough n tough pick a fight kind of personality.

You have a female cat that’s been living alone and now a member of the opposite sex twice her age is coming into the picture. I’m honestly a bit surprised that the shelter didn’t think that might be an issue. The only thing worse would have been an older female.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

You have a female cat that’s been living alone and now a member of the opposite sex twice her age is coming into the picture. I’m honestly a bit surprised that the shelter didn’t think that might be an issue. The only thing worse would have been an older female.

So are you telling me you suggestions will not work with this combo? I felt like i.could trust the shelter since they had him for so long and knew his personality and I thought I knew mine.
She would chase a pack of lions if she went outside so I did not think she would be so shy.
She is also so nosey but didn't even show interest when he came.

 

[sonnyjane]

So are you telling me you suggestions will not work with this combo? I felt like i.could trust the shelter since they had him for so long and knew his personality and I thought I knew mine.
She would chase a pack of lions if she went outside so I did not think she would be so shy.
She is also so nosey but didn't even show interest when he came.

As I said earlier, it’s really hard to address this over the Internet. If you were my client and I was in your home working these animals, then the suggestions I have are how I would handle this situation to make sure that they were both at least living peacefully together, even if that means having no interaction at all with each other, just not being afraid of each other. But I have professional training and education on how to introduce two animals. If you are willing to work toward it, you can successfully have a two-cat household, but they may never get along. If you want to pull chocks and take him back, as a no-kill shelter, I think that’s ok and they’ve already told you that might be best so you have their blessing. I think you were in over your head on this one unfortunately.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Sounds like it's time to call Jackson Galaxy.
We're wondering how things will work out here-we've got a 15 yo cat, who's used to being an "only", and just got adopted by a stray 8 month old. For the last few months she's been staying out on our porch, but recently DH took her to the vet and she's passed all her tests to come in and "join" our 15 yo. I wonder how this will go!

Good luck. Mine was also a stray about the same age that had been living under my porch. I'm not even a cat person but I just couldn't leave her out there with winter coming.

 

[Dis703]

Two weeks really isn't enough time and to be honest it doesn't sound like that terrible of an introduction. I did rescue for a number of years and mostly handled the cat fostering and adoptions. You are doing well by keeping them separate for now. I didn't see you mention it, but switching their spaces is another way to allow them to safely explore the others sent and location. Most of what you are doing is the right way to go about it you just need to give it some time.

I have a female cat who was nasty as they come to any newcomers that I brought in. Full on crazy fighting at times. I took in a feral some years ago and she gave her a hard time for a while chasing her around but now they are best buddies. I always kept a water bottle on hand so if they did get into a real brawl I gave them a squirt and they broke it up and ran to their own corners. But it's all part of learning their place together.

ETA: I know you mentioned trying to feed them on each side of the door which is a good idea, but maybe make it a special treat not just normal dry cat food. Something like tuna, sardines, etc. a new and positive experience that only happens when near each other.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We just got a five month old puppy and our trainer told us it would take 3 months for the existing dog to really be settled with a new dog.

I don't know how that applies to cats. But 3 months seems awhile. So 2 weeks for cats probably isn't enough time...