Topic: May have to rehome Ralph!! (Read 3048 times)

jetcleo · « **Reply #26 on:** October 13, 2007, 20:22:58 PM »

Yes the neighbours cats are all average size or smaller so you could be right.

I've actually managed to have Cleo in the same room as Ralph for 30 minutes, Ralph was in his pet crate but just looked at her and laid down. He suddenly moved, think he saw a fly and Cle started growling. Took Ralphie away from her didn't want to push my luck.

Will persevere and see how we get on. Thanks for the advice everyone!!

Millys Mum · « **Reply #25 on:** October 13, 2007, 19:18:00 PM »

Quote

although Ralph is the size of a jack russel dog!!

Maybe thats why she is intimidated, are the neighbours cats on the smaller side?
Milly hates all large male cats (entire or neutered). If they are of a 'normal' size shes ok with them

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #24 on:** October 13, 2007, 18:43:20 PM »

I do hope it goes well

jetcleo · « **Reply #23 on:** October 13, 2007, 18:36:14 PM »

Thanks have spent some time with Jet and Cleo outside and in the house today while Ralphie was sleeping (which is most of the time!!)

I'm going to put Ralph's cage in the room this evening with him in and let him meet Jet and Cle once they're in!

I've bought a supply of their fav fresh chicken so that is on hand for bribing them!!!

Liz · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2007, 18:02:27 PM »

Some of our boys are bigger than our JRT Jazz but they are the softer option the girls are down right nasty sometimes!

Give it a go time is on your side and even after 2 years still can't get near 2 of my nasty ferals who love the dogs and the digs but hate the humans - thank god when we moved they led with their stomachs!

We alos introduced Sky now 17 weeks old and twice the size of Jazz and now all the cats get along - and his nose is healing and Sky thinks his name is Sky No!

jetcleo · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2007, 12:50:22 PM »

Thanks Liz, i feel quite reassured now. I guess if you can make it work with 35 i should be able to with 3, although Ralph is the size of a jack russel dog!!

This site is fantastic everyone makes me feel so much better. I've got a dog crate so i'll give that a go when they're all in at night!!

Fingers and everything else crossed that it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liz · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2007, 12:43:47 PM »

I would say give it more time, we have the current 35 and all are in at night but through the day have the indoor only lot and the other side of the family room door we have the indoor/outdoor mob.

We have fostered over the years - 130 ish at the last count and have always isolated the fosters or the ones we don't think are staying and then introduce over time - we have feliway and lots of catnip and find since introducing our latest baby the BC Sky we have cats that now like each other a lot more!

Space is the thing also if you are upset as to any noise from them they pick up on this and get more stressed.

We usually do supervied introductions and have a water pistol handy to split them up should anything happen! Its kinder to the skin

We have only had one total fostering failure who we had to move on and that was Ainsley who for some reason tried to shred and beat up Betie our latest bridge boy - Bert was blind and don't know if Ainlsey saw this as a threat but he is now living in a 5 star hotel and enjoying all his slaves so he got a great home and we got our balance back

Like all anuimals they will after a fshion learn to tolerate each other but time is the key - try a dog pen - out Ralphie and bed and food in the lounge where you sit and give the others a chance to sniff and see - a blanket on top of this also gives some hiding space and somewhere to sleep - we are currently crate training Sky and 2 of our younger skittish ferals Boston and Dallas sleep on top of him at night and seem to have accepted him quite well for ferals anyway!

I would give it time they will establish their own space and you have to relax they pick up on any feelings we have unlike the dogs and this means their concern is to keep away strangers ie the other cat frm "Mummy"

jetcleo · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2007, 12:35:41 PM »

I've had Ralphie for just over 6 weeks now

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2007, 08:17:49 AM »

How long have you had Ralph?

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #17 on:** October 13, 2007, 01:44:48 AM »

He sounds lovely and maybe its time to let them both have the run of the house at the same time and let them work out their territory or not.

berties mum · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2007, 23:51:59 PM »

Oh BLESS him!

I really hope that giving it a bit more time resolves this for you.

jetcleo · « **Reply #15 on:** October 12, 2007, 22:50:11 PM »

I must admit i did have a little cry last night but i ended up feeling worse as poor little Ralphie came up to me and snuggled up against my neck!!

berties mum · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2007, 22:47:10 PM »

Quote from: jetcleo on October 12, 2007, 22:37:48 PM

I knew i shouldn't have let my self get so attached to Ralphie but he's so loving that it's impossible not to.

Of course you got attached - you adopted him intending to give him a home for life. I was so attached to Minnie straight away that when, after a week, one of neighbours suggested rehoming her if she couldn't get along with Bert, I ended up in tears!!

jetcleo · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2007, 22:45:32 PM »

, it is so stressful, it also gives me more time to talk to my dad to see how he feels about having Ralph if it doesn't work out!!

Sabrina (Auferstehen) · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2007, 22:40:05 PM »

Quote from: jetcleo on October 12, 2007, 22:37:48 PM

Thanks everyone you've made me feel a little bit better. I think i'm going to let them see a lot more of each other so they can decide for once and for all whether they do like each other or not.

The more time they have to get used to each other the less stressful it'll be for you

Fingers and paws crossed that they get to tolerate each other if nothing else!

jetcleo · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2007, 22:37:48 PM »

Thanks everyone you've made me feel a little bit better. I think i'm going to let them see a lot more of each other so they can decide for once and for all whether they do like each other or not.

I've mentioned the issue to the centre and they say it will just take time. Cleo is such a friendly little cat with all the neighbours cats so i just sort of assumed she'd get on with Ralph. I'm going to have to stop letting him have the run of the house and let her do more of what she wants instead.

She doesn't seem that bothered that he's in the house as he's usually in a different room to her it's just when he follows her when she's out. I knew i shouldn't have let my self get so attached to Ralphie but he's so loving that it's impossible not to.

ginge66 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2007, 21:29:46 PM »

Hi, when I first moved to my current house about severn years ago with my husband and two cats I had no intention of having another cat

. That all changed when a tabby called

Tammy moved in and refused to go home (her so called owner couldn't have cared less as it was her husbands cat and he didn't want her either)

Nigel hated her with a passion and never missed an opportunity to take a swipe but she stood her ground and eventually although never friends they did tolerate each other.

I really hope you can sort this out and don't have to re home him. Good luck x

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2007, 20:53:53 PM »

Ok right ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.............................I had Sasa and Misa and then got the 2 birmans and at one point Ducha was attacking the other two, going for the neck.

I spoke to Wizz and she thought I should rehome the birmans as did peeps on CC at the time but like you I had grown to love the terrible two and didnt want to rehome them and the current situation is that the two pairs tolerate each other most of the time. Misa hissses at Franta when Franta gets above his station and the birmans have taken over up stairs.

This means that Misa is scared to go up stairs cos the birmans will chase him back down.

Part of all of this is temperament of the birmans and aslo probably, their age but they dont do the right things in cat language and Misa and Sasa dont understand them. Franta is nearly deaf and he will go and sit and stare at Sasa cos he likes her and he will do a sweet little meow cos I think he wants to be friends but this scares Sasa and she runs away. He also wants to be friends with Misa but they get their communication lines twisted and its never gonna happen cos Misa would like to go up stairs again and the birmans wont let him. Also Misa and Sasa love each other awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

So apart from some hissing and a bit of chasing and an occasional paw raised they all live together. I could never rehome the birmans and they dont deserve it but I am sure that the other two would love to see the back of them............sigh, and if I had a crystal ball I would not have taken the birmans.

However we are 4 plus me and it works, they make it work in their own little way and I think that Ralph and Cleo will too.

They may not think each are the cats whiskers but I think you need to let them mix now and get their tiffs out of the way and they will find their own way to deal with each other. If the tiffs become bloody fights then that will not do and it wont work but a chase here and a hiss there should be OK.

My thought on Ralph and the entire Tom is that Ralph was being submissive cos he knew that the Tom could do him damage and he didnt want that.

Sabrina (Auferstehen) · « **Reply #8 on:** October 12, 2007, 20:47:18 PM »

I'd give them a bit more time - some cats it takes them a bit longer to accept another cat in the house.

When we got Smoke last year we had no idea how to introduce a cat so of course we walked int the house and Lirael saw this grey and white thing and instantly growled, hissed and swipped - at me! Smoke had a quick wonder around the house and then hid under our wardrobe and would only come out when I was sat on the floor next to it. By day two I realised we had to put Smoke into her own room to get her confidence built up so she could face Lirael.

Once we started letting Smoke out when we were home, Lirael stalked her constantly and would attack her (not drawing blood - it just sounded horrible). I kept an eye on them but didn't break them up, they needed to figure out who was top cat.

It took about 3 months for them to settle in completely and still when they play one or the other will get a case of the 'i'm losing and don't like it' and sound like they are tigers but they always switch who gets to be the winner (though I'm not sure it's by vote). Lirael is a Burmese and one of the most stubborn, hardheaded, nosey, annoying cats ever - but she's learned and she has kittens to stalk now (who completely ignore her!).

As long as neither seem horribly upset or hiding constantly then give them a bit more time and see if they can figure it out on their own, but if you feel more comfortable you may want to talk to the rescue and mention that you are having problems just so they are forwarned.

jetcleo · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2007, 20:27:24 PM »

I don't think Cleo is particularly unhappy, she eats fine and plays outside and indoors with me and da bird!!!

I just think she is on edge and not relaxed in the house unless i am about incase Ralph comes over to see her.

My dad is considering having a cat so i've had a chat with him and he's thinking about having Ralph as he'd be on his own and spoilt rotten with him!!

jetcleo · « **Reply #6 on:** October 12, 2007, 20:14:55 PM »

Just out of interest, what have you tried in terms of introductions?
[/quote]

I've not actually done alot really now i think about it. Ralph has been confined to one room mostly whilst he's settled in and the other two have had free roam of the house. They've seen each other through a glass door and each time Ralph would sit and stare and Cleo would back away. They've only been in the same room twice and they ended up having a scrap!! Then he's been outside this week and has had a fight with her on a couple of occassions.

The thing is i had recently moved house when i got Ralph so the other two hadn't really got the chance to call the house theirs yet!! Although Cleo and Ralph don't really get on at the moment i have noticed Cleo has started to come and explore the house more even when Ralph is in. I was hoping that this was a positive sign but maybe i'm just getting my hopes up!!

berties mum · « **Reply #5 on:** October 12, 2007, 20:09:46 PM »

Oh dear, I had such high hopes for Ralph

I don't know if other people agree with me, but I think the important thing here is whether Cleo and Ralph seem happy in themselves or whether the clash is really bothering them. As you know, I adopted Minnie in May, and already had Bertie and Bella. Minnie and Bella now get on fine, but the relationship between Bertie and Minnie is less than great. They rarely pass each other without hissing, however they don't fight and are happy to be in the same room, just not too close to each other. Bertie is an indoor cat and Minnie prefers to be outdoors, so they only see each other at mealtimes and when Minnie comes in to sleep - she sleeps in the kitchen and Bertie on my bed. In themselves, they are both totally happy - they tolerate each other but will never be friends. I wish they got on better but am happy to continue looking after Minnie as long as the situation isn't stressing out either Bertie or Minnie. Would you say Cleo is really unhappy?

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2007, 19:50:59 PM »

Oh dear, what an awful situation to be in

Really hope someone can come up with a new tactic for getting them used to each other.

JackSpratt · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2007, 19:47:36 PM »

JetCleo, I had five cats up until February (when we lost Parsley.) and never really had problems. I feel the reason for this is because all the cats were not overly territorial. My oldest tom is the most confrontational with regards to defending what's his, but we've never had any more than him batting one of the other cats when he's frustrated they're where he doesn't want them to be.

If Ralph and Cleos personalities clash, it's unfortunate but it's sadly how it is. If you've spoken to Wizz and told her about the situation and she says taking Ralph back is the solution, she's quite likely to be right. She knows a lot about feline behaviour.

Just out of interest, what have you tried in terms of introductions?

tez2384 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2007, 18:34:08 PM »

Im really sorry to hear this

I cant really suggest anything as i only had very minor problems introducing my older cat and 2 kittens.
Sorry i cant help

jetcleo · « **Reply #1 on:** October 12, 2007, 18:30:13 PM »

Hi guys i'm feeling a bit down at the moment so thought i'd come and talk to everyone on here and see what i should do!!

As you know i've tried to introduce Ralph to Cleo and i've probably gone about it the wring way really as they don't seem to get on. When Cleo sees him in another room she runs away and when they've been outside together he's run after her and a couple of times they ended up fighting but not biting though!! I've watched him outside and with an intact Tom that lives next door he just laid down in front of him didn't try and fight or anything!!

I contacted Wizz and briefly explained what was happening with Cleo and Ralph and her opinion is that i take him back to the rescue centre. The only thing is that i've got really attached to him and don't want him to go. I know i've got to think about Cleo but i just wish there was something else i could try to see if they would get on one last time!

Those with several cats how did you do it? lol I know i'm probably going to have to come to terms with the fact that he has to be rehomed but he was at the centre for nearly 4 months and i hate to think of him being stuck in there for that long again as he's such a loving cat!!

Author Topic: May have to rehome Ralph!! (Read 3048 times)