New Cat?
dalejrnascarchick94 asked:
Ok, so we found a new cat that had been dropped off. this cat weighs about 1.5 lbs and is a little older than a kitten. Now we’ve already got a cat at home thats been here for three years and it weighs about 15 lbs. Now the new cat is wanting to try and take over. the new cat makes it a point to swat at our old cat and nips at him. So, any advice to get us through the night? We cant put it up for adoption cause the animal shelters would put her to sleep and she is verry mal nourished! Any advice?
we also have a dog outside
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Ok, so we found a new cat that had been dropped off. this cat weighs about 1.5 lbs and is a little older than a kitten. Now we’ve already got a cat at home thats been here for three years and it weighs about 15 lbs. Now the new cat is wanting to try and take over. the new cat makes it a point to swat at our old cat and nips at him. So, any advice to get us through the night? We cant put it up for adoption cause the animal shelters would put her to sleep and she is verry mal nourished! Any advice?
we also have a dog outside
January 24th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I would think the older cat would just take out the little one if he really had enough of it.
Maybe you could have 1 outdoor cat and 1 indoor cat
January 26th, 2009 at 4:45 am
Until you have the cat checked by a vet keep it away from your other cat. It might just be skinny from not being taken care of, OR in a worse case scenario, it could have something (FIV, etc) that’s adding to the unhealthy appearance and/or why it ended up being dropped off. To keep harmony in the house too, keep the new kitty in a separate room with food, water and his own litter box and let the 2 cats smell each other under the door to get used to the idea that there is another cat, eventually cats usually work these things out themselves (and you make sure it’s not going to get your other cat sick)
January 29th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Teach Them to learn to NOT fight.It will be a hard thing but if you want your cats to behave then I suggest you go ask a vet nearby or you can teach them.When they nip at each other,spank them and then next time they will think before they nip again :).If these dont work,surely go to a vet!This might cause a very Violent and Brutal cat fight if they really dont get along.Also seperate the cats,dont just keep letting them hurt each other.Since the cat is new,the old cat will not be used to it for about a week or maybe two.Just try to put them together,and if they nip then seperate them about 5 feet apart,they will start smelling each other,and get used to one another.Trust me,my cousin has a cat and she knows some,Hopefully this situation works out between your kittys.
Sometimes if they are nipping,but not hard,they will probably be playing,if they are not playing , don’t worry they are getting used to one another.Sooner or later they will get along and start playin togther.Since ya got a dog outside,put em in different rooms with the same amount of refreshements,EX;FOod ,water,toys ETC.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Just separate them for the night. Put the kitten in a room by itself with some food, water and a litterbox and let your other cat have the house as it was there first. I’m sure they will get used to each other after a few days and a 1.5 lb. kitten is not going to hurt the other cat.
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:22 am
You should separate the cats for a few days so that they can sniff each other under the door of a room where you pen the new cat. After a day or two move their bowls near the door so that they are eating near the smell of the other cat.
If you search on intruducing new cats on internet you can find a lot of good advice. That’s what I did when we took in a new cat. It can take quite a while before the two cats are completely comfortable with each other. Your cat feels threatened by the new cat in her territory, but there are things you can do to help make the transition easier.
It’s a little late now, but you should never let a new cat around your own pets before you have it checked out at the vet’s office. It could be carrying something like FIV, Feline Lukemia, etc… that could be transmitted to the cat you already have.
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Feed the animals in seperate areas. Also have the vet check it out. Local banfield animal hospitals in Petsmart have free first visits with new pets on tuesday and thursday and also they have great health insurance options. Also slowly bring toys in to get them comfy with each other in a playful atmosphere.
February 4th, 2009 at 2:35 am
Thsi is a natural occurence when you bring a new kitten into a house. Unless the swatting progresses to hissing, growling, and arched backs, I wouldn’t be to worried. If it makes you feel better, keep them together when you can monitor them, and keep them a room apart (that way they can still smell each other and become accustomed to it) while you are away. The kitten has instincts which tell him that, at least for right now, the older cat is in charge, and it seems likely that the kitten just wants to have a playmate although the older just wants to be left alone.
As for the malnourishment, depending on how many weeks old the kitten is I would just bottle feed him when he needs it (you can find kitten formula and bottles at most pet stores and super markets) and if he’s old enough give him some dry food that has been softened with water. Also, electrolytes are a wonderful thing. A friend of mine works at an animal shelter and constantly fosters small kittens too young to survive without a mother. If the kittens are too small, she feeds them a little bit of Pedialite (or the like) to help boost their immune system and weight.
February 5th, 2009 at 3:23 am
Cats are VERY territorial. I’d suggest to keep the newcomer in a room separate from the older cat until they have been used to each other presence. Keep his food, water and littler box in the same room. Open the door a bit each time so they can see each other. Put them together in the same room for short periods of time until the snapping decreases. In time, they’ll be best pals.
February 5th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
It’s best to keep the new cat confined to a smaller space in your house, like a bedroom. Your cats will get to know each other by smell, and can make a slower, easier, introduction to eachother. This will also help show your new cat that it is not the boss.
Slowly, over the course of a few weeks, begin to give the new cat access to more and more of the house. You may need to get creative with baby gates for this. The book Cats for Dummies, has a great chaptor about introducing cats.
Has your new kitten seen the vet yet? If not, do not let your new cat interact with your old one!! Your new cat may have diseases, like feline leukemia, that can be spread. Feline leukemia has no cure and is always fatal. Also make sure your new kitten has been treated for fleas and worms. These parasites can be transfered to your older cat, your dog, and you.
You should also make sure both of your cats are spayed and neutered. Neutering will reduce or eliminate agressive behavior, especially if done early enough. If your cats are of different genders, you must do this to avoid pregnancy. As you know, there are too many unwanted kittens out there.
It may take a few weeks for your cats to get along, a few years, or never. It’s hard to say, but the slower you introduce them, the better your chances of everyone living together in peace.
I was in your position a few years back. It took my two cats 6 months before they would even be in the same room together they hated each other so much. After the first year, they would sit about an inch apart, and would eat next to each other too. It just takes time.
February 6th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
You have to discourage this behavior. Spanking isn’t a good thing to do with animals because they learn to fear you. My cats fought like CRAZY when I got the new one; what I did whenever they started fighting was to spray them with a squirt bottle (on stream). They instantly seperated! Eventually, it will get to the point where all you have to do is pick the bottle up and act like you are going to squirt them, and they will seperate.
Also, be sure to introduce them slowly. keep them seperated; you should keep the new cat in a room with the door closed with it’s food, water, and litter box in there. Do supervised visits for awhile, and use the water bottle when things get too rowdy. Eventually, the old cat will be showing the new cat the ropes, and they will be buddies in no time!
February 8th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Cats are very territorial animals. The older cat is doing exactly what any other cat would do - protecting his territory. I suggest that you may want to try segregating the younger cat to a small area set aside only for the kitten. This will probably help. You might try setting aside your closet space (bottom of the closet obviously) and blocking it off with a baby gate. That may help.