I took Shadow (another picture) into the vet today to get his yearly shots and a quick physical exam. Other than the vet wanting to clean his teeth, he checked out fine. I was at the Petsmart and stopped by the cat cages with Shadow still in his carrier. Well, long story short, I wound up adopting Homer. He’s about the same age as Shadow and right now, though they’re not the best of friends, there’s kinda an armed truce. They’re staying fairly far apart and just looking at each other.
To be honest, I didn’t run this by my landlady first, but two cats aren’t really any worse than one, and I don’t think she’ll really have a problem with it. Besides, Shadow has started to act kinda bad in the last couple of months, and I think it’s because he’s bored with me being gone all the time at work and it being summer outside and all. He’s been waking me at odd hours, playing harder (his play bites have started to hurt), and is being really clingy otherwise.
Trust me - two cats are way, way more hilarious than one. Also, I think my cat was also feeling kind of bored before I got him a playmate. I do think he’s a little less people-centered now, though, since he has one of his own kind around. It’s probably good for him though.
IMHO while two does cost more than one, two cats, at least two young cats, are easier than one young cat. For just this reason…
My stupid kitten was driving me insane with his incessant need to play before I got him a playmate. Now the two of them just drive me to distraction :).
Yay for succumbing to another feline overlord. And karma points for giving a kitty a loving home. Both are pretty cats and once they get used to each other, they’ll play together.
Or they could fight all the time. Be prepared for that possiblilty - I’ve seen it happen in homes where a second or third cat was brought in after the original resident(s) already claimed the territory. It’s not necessarily what will happen, but it is a possibility.
Yes, I’m prepared, but I will give them at least two weeks. It could get worse from here but it could get better too, of course. But if I have to take Homer back I will and make sure it’s clear to the people at the humane society that it was Shadow that couldn’t handle it, not Homer. Of course, if that’s the case, I won’t try again to get another cat.
I’m starting to think this was a bad idea. I had no idea how possessive and territorial Shadow could be. I wonder if it’s because of his history of being abandoned or lost (declawed even!), rescued, and then spending the last year with just me and the house. I wound up with a cat fight practically in my lap just a few minutes ago when Homer jumped into it. Shadow was not pleased and took a couple shots at Homer. Plus, Shadow’s not eating much, he looks very stressed, and is spending most of his time under my bed. I’ve tried the catnip–no good, as I thought, as Shadow doesn’t really respond to catnip–and the Feliway and have had no success so far.
And I think someone sprayed on my bedroom carpet. I betcha it was Shadow trying to defend a final place from the interloper. Shadow wants nothing to do with me–I can’t even pick him up and I don’t think it’s due to the shots. I can’t pet him, he didn’t try to wake me up this morning, you get the idea.
I hate to stick an animal back into the shelter, but if it comes down to it, I will. Homer is a wonderful animal and can be a great pet, but if this keeps up, it’s not fair to either animal. And I can not and will not abandon Shadow, which means Homer will have to take his chances again finding an owner. He oughta go quickly though as he’s a beautiful and sweet young cat.
I know I said I’d give them two weeks, but this is getting kinda bad. No damage yet, but I’m starting to worry. Even if they don’t hurt each other, I’m worrying about the effects on Shadow.
The late Gweniever ruled the roost, but the pecking order changes so much with the rest of them I don’t even try to keep track.
Seriously, before you give up, do try to give it at least a week if you don’t think you can stand two. Shadow is naturally a bit territorial but may come around. Do try to find some fresh catnip if you can - rub a bit of it on each of them.
I hope it does work out, but if it doesn’t - at least you tried.
Really - when we first got Eddles I was practically in tears for the first week because I thought I’d ruined Dewey’s life. I posted a few threads about it back then. He wouldn’t eat, he wouldn’t sleep in his bed, they’d hiss, etc. One day I came home and they were both in his bed, and it’s been fine since then. (They do wrestle a lot. You can tell it’s very different from a fight - their tails aren’t puffed and their claws aren’t out, but they pounce and bite at each other. It isn’t a fight.)
Oh come ON people- this many posts after the obligatory pix links and not a single comment? Fine. I’ll do the honors.
Oooooooh cuuuuuute widdle pooookies !!!
Give em at least a week and make sure you’re home when they are near each other. Otherwise, two litter boxes, two dishes for water and food and keep em apart. That way, they can slowly get used to each other without you going out to work wondering if you will find tragedy upon your return.
Just a thought.
Oh and congrats !!
Cartooniverse, proud owner of Thunder, Lightning, Dobby and Bumper
Yeah, definitely two litterboxes and separate food/water, at least at first. That’ll decrease hostilities for sure.
They WILL get used to each other if you give them enough time. Shadow’s going to be a lot more upset than Homer, naturally, because right now Homer’s an invader. Expect him to be uninterested in food, water, and you for a little while. Expect litterbox issues for a little while. It took my cats a month, and it was an annoying (if occasionally amusing) interim, but now they’re inseparable.
Grown cats and dogs can get used to each other. Therefore, I firmly believe that any two animals in constant contact that do not have a predator-prey relationship will eventually come at least to tolerate each other’s presence.
Well, I hate to have to say this, but I simply had to take Homer back to the shelter. Shadow went from kinda okay but stressed to massive displays of aggression–marking territory and continuously attacking Homer. I simply couldn’t wait any longer, as Shadow had made it perfectly clear that he simply would not tolerate the presence of another cat, at least not another male or maybe just not another male about his age. Between the damage being done to the house and my real fear that eventually one of them really would get hurt, I eventually gave up after about three days. I know they’re going to try to adopt Homer out again and I’m sure he’ll find a good home. If I didn’t already have Shadow he would have been a great cat to have, but maybe now Homer can find a place where he can either be the king or at least be accepted by the other cats.
I have three months if I really want to try again with getting another cat. It’s been suggested that perhaps a female kitten would be a good choice, as maybe then Shadow would tolerate the new cat. I think I’m just going to think of the money spent in adoption fees as a donation to a good cause and if I do finally get a second cat, it’ll be after I’m done with grad school. Of course, by then who knows what else will have happened.
