Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: wharfevalley catsprotection on September 05, 2011, 13:15:44 PM
-
Oh I just don't know??!!
We adopted Layla around 10 weeks ago and she's settled in perfectly. She loves being out in the garden, sleeps through the night and apart from the odd nip, she is perfect.
When we went to the shelter we really wanted a black male cat and came home with a female grey tabby! Now i've seen that the shelter has an all black male kitten (around 4 months old) and i'm SO tempted.
Layla did live with another cat before and did bully him a bit over food (they were both starved and therefore competed for food) and I think she'd definately have to be top dog. I think that a younger kitten (she's 2 years old approx) would suit as she needs something of a lower status to her and this black kitten is a real loon they said and probably needs putting in his place a bit!
I just don't know though! I've always only had one cat before and i'm really worried that Layla won't thank us for introducing this little beast into a home she considers to be hers now.... having said that they could keep each other company during the day when we're at work and we do have enough space for two with a huge garden for them....
The only time I fostered it was a real nightmare as my old cat hated other cats and so I guess it comes from that experience.... please tell me that multicat households work....please!!!!!
-
Sounds like you're talking yourself into it ;)
I think, on balance, with all the points you've raised that you should go for it ;D It sounds like they would fit personality wise and if people only ever had one cat then there would be hundreds of thousands more in rescue.
I've only ever introduced one cat before and that was a stray that adopted us, initially our two had their noses put out of joint but they soon settled down around each other. There's loads of people on here that have experience of introducing cats to each other so I'm sure you can gather up some tips to make it go as smoothly as possible.
Let us know what you decide (preferably with pics ;) )
-
As a somewhat multi household the advice I can give is as follows
Very careful introductions after and isolation period for the newbie
Feliway Plug ins - they do work
Some Zylkene under vets advice on te wet food does take the edge off
All I can say is the above work for me and we have introduced several in to the Clan and one reintroduction and now have a Bengal meeting nice cats in the bathroom and Lotties Star is in my downstairs study
I do so love black cats and we can only wish you well ;D
-
Multi household mmmmmmmmmmmm :um: :um: :um:
Yeh............ go for it :wow: :wow: :wow:
4 months old is absolutely purrfect age so Layla can sort him out without hurting him. Obviously black kittens are best (4 of our 7 are black :) )
-
Only 7 here at the moment ;) , but have lived with a 13 multi household and yes, with the right introductions they can work. I use Feliway at stressful times i.e. when I'm having a new arrival, or if I have foster cats in the house.
Plug in Feliway a week or so before newbie arrives and leave in place for maybe a month, new cat has own room initially, until newbie and residents have got used to the scents and sounds of each other, then face to face meetings under strict supervision to begin with, separate again at night, until such times as I feel they are safely (and happily) integratinging - that can be as little as a week in some cases, and months in other cases.
-
Sometimes it works and sometimes not, a very hard decision to make.
I am struggling with a newby kitten albeit a year old and my other 3 are much older and suspect the younger the kitten the better chance.
I know with my first cat, she would not tollerate a new cat and vet advice was not to give her a friend, that saddened me but was definately right.
-
Well I couldn't resist and went to see him! My goodness I have never met such a hyper kitten - waaay too hyper for us. He was biting us LOADS and scratching and obviously just excited, but I couldn't trust him at all with our nephew :shocked:
There was another little kitten that I liked a lot and she had (unsuprisingly) lots of enquiries but her tummy is a bit upset at the moment. There was also a cat called Crystal - 2 years old female, black and white and good with other cats. They said that she would stand up for herself and not get bullied by Layla, but i'm just not sure - I really think a younger, littler kitten would be better!
-
A 4 month old kitten in a shelter will be hyper as they need us folks to keep them occupied
With the right human training they can become little purrballs any kitten is hyper and needs played with and children learn not to abuse the cat/kitten and visa versa
-
I've been thinking about adopting again too...but to be honest I think I'm getting "broody" seeing pics of everyone else's babies on here!! I'd not seriously considered taking on another puss until recently, coincidence..? hmmm :-:
Your Layla sounds very happy, good luck with whatever you decide x
-
*coughs* Blue is looking for a home still, and she's lived with other cats and been around children.... :sneaky:
Multi cat households in my opinion depend heavily on the personalities of each cat. I had a group of five live together with little to no trouble, but this current trio is pretty full on most of the time. getting better slowly but surely though. ;)
-
My kitten Gaudi is hyper, but Xena loves playing with him and keeping him occupied.
Kittens usually get accepted quite easily.