So i got another cat...

[just_jonathan]

Yesterday, I adopted a second cat, as Bob has been getting pretty lonely. Her name is Madeline and she came from the Franklin Township Animal Shelter. Unfortunately, for me, there was someone from a newspaper there and I ended up getting photographed and subjected to a brief interview. I'm not a fan. I was woken up by three different people, just

Comments

[tieygerlilly]

im SO excited.

and unfortunately the only advice i can give is common sense stuff...there are no tricks (that i know of).

from my animal hospital days of talking with people in your situation, the advice is generally the same... it takes time.

most important is keeping the two of them safe, so not leaving them access to eachother while you're not home is probably for the best at least at first.

other than that, allowing them time to be around each other while someone is there is important so that they get used to each other...the more often that happens the better...and of course giving both cats attention so that neither feels neglected is important.

also.. i cannot wait to meet madeline (is it says like "mad ellen" or like that book about the french orphan, "mad eh line" ? ...and the picture of you, ms foote, and madeline is fabulous.

i wish i a year unimaginably better than the last...
heart*
sarah

[waitingforoct]

I would not have recognized you from that photo.

[just_jonathan]

I don't think that I've changed all that much over the past 10 or so years. The only things I can think of are that my hair is a lot shorter and that I got fat and then lost all of the weight.

What's so different?

[waitingforoct]

Maybe the glasses. And your face looks longer, or something.

[jjrrutgers]

I'm happy you're getting another cat! When we decided to get a playmate for Guinness, we wanted to bring Guinness along so he could be introduced to his new playmate right there. We first tried a Papillon, but Guinness was scared of her. Then we tried a Chihuahua, but he almost took Guinness's head off. But Murphy, the scappy Brussells Griffon, immediately started playing with Guinness, and Guinness played back. Now they play all the time here at home.

[anonymous]

There's going to be a certain amount of hissing, growling, and swatting between the two of them. More than likely, neither will inflict serious harm on the other.

Relax and let them get used to each other. If you're uncomfortable leaving them alone together, then separate them when you're away (however now that you've had Madeline a few days, they will probably be just fine left to their own devices, even without you there).

When you are home, make an effort to pay attention to both. Try feeding both cats treats in reasonably close proximity (start with both in the same room). They'll eventually realize that neither one of them is going anywhere and before you'll know it, you'll find them curled up together somewhere.