Introducing adult cats.... any bright ideas?

[Desperate Daniella]

You must shut the cat flap so the existing cats don't run away from their own home. They all need to be kept in so you may need to use litter trays for a day or so.

 

Mum is trying to establish her territory for herself and her kitten.

 

If she attacks the other cats you need to pick her up, say "Naughty pussy" and take her out of the room leaving the other cats there.

 

Feed them together and if possible get some cheap fish that you can boil and put it down for all of them together when it's still warm and smelly.

 

I've brought new cats into my home several time. They'll usually be a bit of a standoff and spitting, but the existing cats absolutely must not be chased out.

 

I'm sure it'll all work out in the end.

 

DDx

[Desperate Daniella]

My older she cat does not like male cats. She came as the third cat - big old boy, and female slightly older than her. They were all together for about seven years. She absolutely hated the boy (who died in 2005), but got on very well with the other female cat who died early last year. Then everyone told me to get a boy cat of around her own age, but I didn't think that would work so got a six month old female - again everyone said not to get a kitten.

 

It has worked brilliantly. Apart from a few hisses and growls at the beginning the older cat accepted the kitten and made it quite clear that she was in charge.

 

The point I'm making is that you can't generalise about cats. Like us, they have their own personalities. For nine years I had two tomcats and they got on very well too. When one of those died though I just knew I had to get a female. What would be okay for a 10-month-old male wouldn't work for that particular 10-year-old one.

 

I'm sure they will settle down in time - maybe not as cuddle-up friends, but at least as accepting ones.

[Desperate Daniella]

Agree with the rescue remedy - forgotten about that but I have used it in the past.

 

What I always found very funny when I had my three with the youngest she cat hating old boy was if another cat came along the wall all three of them would join forces to see him off. They were very aware that they were 'family'.

[Desperate Daniella]

We have a visiting cat. He hasn't got a cat door, so visits us regularly and he is a lovely boy, but he definitely prefers humans to cats. He generally gets on well with my two girlcats, who are pretty laidback, but there was a terrible fight last month with him and one of mine on their sides on the floor and claws out and trying to bite each other's throats. Wish I had thought of the water pistol, or even a mug full of water, but pulled them apart and blood (mine ) everywhere.

 

Next time they saw each other they were fine. My scars healed nicely.