So, it’s been three weeks since I got Dewey, and I can’t stop looking on Petfinder at other cats. The dog can’t even be in the same room with one cat, and I want two? (Although I guess it’s really just as easy to keep two cats away from a dog as it is to keep one.) Dewey would probably hate another cat. He definately hated the hell out of Walt, my boyfriend’s roomate’s cat. The roomate got bitten and Walt is probably still in hiding. (He probably weighs twice what Dewey does, the wimp.) So at least to introduce them I’d be seperating three animals from one another.
Also, Dewey’s a good cat for a dog person - he doesn’t scratch the furniture, he stays off the countertops of his own accord (although I did have to teach him to get off the dining room table), etc. This hypothetical other cat, who knows? Could be a giant pain in the ass. Might never get along wtih Dewey, or me for that matter. Might climb the blinds and shred the pillows.
On the other hand, maybe having a young cat in the house would make me feel a little more emotionally free to get an older cat. We liked a cat in the shelter that turned out to be 10 - maybe there’d be room in my heart for a senior cat, since Dewey’s only a year old. Of course, then you’re setting yourself up for pain sooner rather than later, and I have a hard time when my fish die. The snail in my fishtank shuffled off this mortal coil and I was down in the dumps for days.
It’s silly to post this thread here, though, because I know what you guys are gonna say, and how many pictures you’re gonna want of it.
Okay, I won’t then. I’ll just say that your official club T-Shirt and hat are in the mail. We’re still waiting for the nesletter to come back from the printer. Some people will be by tomorrow evening to perform the ceremony.
No, remember, your cats get the toaster. You get nothing except their undying love and adoration when they don’t feel like ignoring you. You get to feed them. And pet them. And get woken up at 3 AM with a cat butt in your face because someone wants love.
You’re ruled by them from now on. Never forget that:D.
Why exactly is it that when you have no interest in looking at a cat’s anus, they’re all in your face with it, but when you want to see it for whatever reason, the cat’s all “You pervert! What are you looking at?!”
Well, I’m new to this cat lady thing. Generally speaking, I just don’t see that many anuses in my daily life (or didn’t, until Dewey came along.) At least the cat doesn’t go about his life with a string of poo actually floating along with him, just hangin’ out, like some pets I could mention.
On a more serious note, what haven’t I thought about in terms of a multicat household? I’ve read that you should have n+1 litter boxes - can they be next to each other? Do they all need seperate bowls? I’ve been thinking about getting one of those fountain things for Dewey, can they share that? Will they share scratching things and toys?
I’m glad on the timing on my reading this post did NOT result in wine coming out my nose and spraying all over the keyboard. A few seconds earlier, and it would have been a disaster.
I’d say “yes” on the litter boxes, but others can probably advise you better on placement.
I have two food plates for two cats. The cats are not plate-specifc, however. In fact, whichever plate the new-to-the-household-two-years-ago iterloper chooses is unaccceptable to the 15-year-old doyenne. Face batting and hissing ensues. Then they reach Food Detente.
I adopted the doyenne as a kitten, after my 3-year-old male cat’s littermate sister was hit by a car. He was royally pissed for a while, but they quickly got to the cuddle-up-together level with each other.
So, adopt a kitten now to keep Dewey company. Bless you for wanting to adopt an older kitty! Go for one that came from a multi-pet household.
The correct answer is: it depends on your cats. Ours are litter-mates, so they share everything. They have 2 litterboxes, but they have decided that they will only poop in the covered one. Makes cleanup easier, I’ll admit. But they eat out of the same dish, drink out of the same fountain, and sleep on the same people.
Would Dewey be happier if I got a kitten than an adult cat? I’m afraid a kitten would be all into everything and try to hang itself from the blind cords and all. Also, well, you know the kittens will probably get adopted without my help. But if it would make a better adjustment… then again, there’s the dog. If it’s a problem, a grown cat would defend itself a lot better than a little fluffball. (The dog is a terrier. Little fluffballs are his business.)
<snerk> It went to “What kind?” the second you posted, silly! Personally, I think a kitten would be an easier adjust for all, but a young neutered male might also work. As long as Dewey or the dog gets to establish themselves as the alpha, you ought to be ok.
Come back and ask more questions when you get to cat #8.
(Laughs silenus, who is currently feeding 10 of the critters!)
I’m kitty free. I want kitties. I have problems with my female birth giver, though. I may have to come home one night with two armfuls of fluff and tell her to deal with it.
Heh, both my birth givers can’t stand cats. My dad is very upset on behalf of the dog. He’s sure the cat somehow gave him a UTI. I, er, haven’t mentioned to them that I’m getting another one. I have my own house, but they live nearby and take a great interest in my doings. They weren’t very happy about Cat 1; if I tell them about Cat 2 they’ll think I’m never going to get married.
I have 8. They share a water fountain, and there are five litterboxes in the cat suite. There are three large food bowls, but whenever fresh food is put in the eldest gets to eat first.
The best way of introducing cats I’ve ever used is to put them on opposite sides of a door for a few days. This lets them smell each other and get used to the idea of another cat before they actually meet. There may still be some pifff pifff miffff miffff at first, but it usually doesn’t last long.
