Tuesday, September 02, 2008

A New Member





We have rescued a meezer kitty from a home that could not keep him anymore. He is a sweet little kitty, a bit malnourished when we got him. We are feeding him well and give him lots of love. The only problem is, bringing a new cat into the mix has definitely made Yaffa and Sebastian a bit nervous. Currently, we have the new cat confined to separate room while he gets used to his new environment and our cats get used to his scent. When we first brought him home, Yaffa kept hissing at him while he was in the cat carrier. So we kept him in his own room. However, they both meow at each other like they want to see each other, but the minute they do, they hiss and want to charge each other.

Do any of you have any advice on how we can introduce the cats to each other?

20 comments:

san said...

I have found it very useful if I actually let the new cat sniff the amigos blankets and let the new cat sit on it for a day. Then I bring the blanket to the amigos and let the amigos sniff it and sit sit on it. Once I used a new blanket and then after that let the new cat sit on it. The amigos were not hissing that much as the smelled my scent on him too. Tranferring smells to each other work best as finally everyone will have the house smell.
These days after the one week quaratine, I will let have the carrier in a corner of the living room where all parties can see each other. The amigos usually circle the carrier making hissing noises and the cat would hiss too. I do this several times during the course of the day for several days. Sometimes the kitties would just sit nearby and watch the new kitty. That is when i decided if its safe to allow just one vsit the newcomer at any one time :) Good luck.

Max said...

You're doing it right...keep them apart for about a week. After a few days (if you know fore sure he's 100% healthy) bring something out of the room where the new kitty is that has his scent on it...a sock or t-shirt, something he's been laying on. Then take him out (maybe put him in a bathroom) and let the other cats explore where he's been. If they don't freak out, start the introductions... some people just throw 'em together and let the kitties sort it out, others do it in small doses. Just whatever works for you. But the week apart is important not just to get them used to new scents, but to make sure they don't have cooties...

Motor Home Cats said...

First, he is beautiful. Reminds me of my Tavi. We agree with both of the above. I just introduced a new cat to my three, and she was much more hissy than they were. I separated her for a week, and then went in small doses of togetherness where I could supervise. After a week and a half, they were getting along together well enough that they could be together full time. Jade still gets hissy every once in a while, but rarely (mostly when she feels she is cornered). So give them all a safe spot to get to.

Tara (not the cat)

Goldie, Shade and Banshee said...

We have always been the put them together and wait and see crowd. After a trip to the vet's though.

He seems like a real sweetie. What is his name?

Alastriona, The Cats and Dogs said...

What a cute boy.

Sorry we don't have any advice. Hope everyone gets along eventually. ~S, S & C

Dma said...

congrats. he's a very handsome fella.

L. Alida said...

Oh, he's adorable! A new brother for Yaffa and Sebastian! I agree with the separation idea, especially when you can't be around to supervise. I still have to put Toeshee in his bathroom "nursery" at night because he plays too hard with poor old Cody.
I have noticed when I feed them all together in the same room, they tend to forget their differences while they eat. :) I guess it's a brief bonding over nom noms.
When you hear growling and hissing and see claws and teeth making contact, just break it up because that means playing has turned to aggression.
It's not easy. Time I think is all you can hope for. They may not ever be close, but eventually they will all accept and tolerate eachother. They really are so much like little kids!
Good Luck Mom!
Hugs to You and Your three Babies,
Lorianna

LZ said...

New meezer!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!! Everyone else gave great advice and we will just repeat that it takes time and patients. We hated Kaze when she came but now we love her.

Latte
(ps come visit is at Simply Siamese!)

Gemini and Ichiro said...

Oh he is a handsome cat!

We have very little advice. We started the separate rooms thing but the moment I saw a cat waiting outside the door when the Woman tried to leave, I was so excited I went running out to greet her. It was only after that that I even let the Woman near me!

Robyn and The (Mostly) Badass Cat said...

Mom says... s l o w l y.

SophieKitty said...

Awww. I hope everyone can get along real soon!

SophieKitty said...

I gave you an award. Stop by my blog and pick it up!

Joe Stains said...

omdog, SO pretty!

Milton said...

He looks like a real cutie!
I'm a only kitty so's I don't got no advise. I hope's they all get to be good friends soon.

JB's Big and Small Worlds said...

Congrats on your new member, and how nice of you to give him a great home!
I think sometimes it takes a little while for kitties to get acclimated with each other, and there is a pecking order in the household and the one that has been in the house the longest, is still the boss. Some kitties have sweeter temperaments than others though, so time will tell. Introduce them slowly and they will start to observe and get used to each other.....usually!
--JB

Nomi said...

I'm sure given time all will work out OK. The new boy looks beautiful.

Daisy said...

He is very handsome! It took over a month until I was able to be left alone with Pixie.

Tiki, Kirby, and StanLee said...

What a handsome kitty!

We have no advice here. When we were 11 weeks old Mommy & Daddy brought home a giant woofy and introduced us right way. We hissed for about a week, then started being friendly. This freaked Kesey out because no cat had liked him before and he was expecting to get swatted in the nose. He bit Riley on the face after being here for about a month, was very sorry, and now we get along great. However, we do think separation is a better, safer way to go at first.

Michael G. Mickey said...

I'm not a cat person at all, but that is one pretty kitty!

A Meezer.

You learn something new every day!

Forty Paws said...

Heh heh. A really really loud Meezer. Yup. We agree with the other people who say to keep them apart and introduce them very slowly. This makes things work better.

Good luck with his biting.

Luf, Us

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