Introducing a New Cat To The House

Factual Questions
1

OK… as you all may remember, back on Sept. 9. I brought home a shelter kitty to add to the family. Chloe is not adjusting at all.

My 2 previous cats , Ruby and Charlie, want to be friends with her, and 3 of the 4 dogs ignore her , with little Papillon Cricket being the exception, and she wants to kiss and play. That’s just the way Cricket is.

Chloe stays hidden 98% or the time. I have a back room where cat boxes, dog crates , grooming table, etc are set up , and she is always either there or under my bed. On the rare occxasion she does come out, it never lasts long if she catches so much as a glimpse of any other animal.

Ruby always liked laying under my bed too , I have a little bed under there for them, and when she dares try to go to what was previously HER spot, Chloe starts growling and hissing. I am awakened by this several times a night.

I don’t know what to do. I am basically a DOG PERSON that happens to love cats too. The way it is going, I may have to take Chloe back to the shelter , which is an almost certain death sentance for her, since she was 2 days away fron euthanasia when I got her, and taking her back because of these issues will narrow even farther the type of home she could be placed in.

What do I do? Am I expecting too much after just over a week? Dogs , I have had NO trouble adjusting to one another. My forst 2 cats, they hissed for 2 days, they suddenly bonded, and are now best buddies. I don’t want to take Chloe back , and I understand that she will most likely always be a quiet kitty. But she has to be misterable living like this.

Help, please, from you experienced cat people !

2

First of all, it hasn’t been very long at all. It takes longer for new cats to adjust, and for the established househould to adjust to the new member. Try getting some Feliway pheromone diffusers, and seeing if they help ease the tensions. (not sure how many you’d need, definitely one for the bedroom) They are meant to help with introducing new cats to a household, among other things. Other then that, patience. She doesn’t feel “safe” yet. It can take a month or two before a new cat feels safe, sometimes longer. Just reassure her that she’s safe.

Can you make a special “lair” for her alone that she would like, and would go to to be safe? That might help some, to give her a “sanctuary” of her own that she can flee to when it’s all too much for her. (Make her have to come out of her lair at least somes to eat and drink etc. If she’s already used to the normal food and water placement don’t change it. She needs to be encouraged to venture out of her lair too.) Let her come out on her own, and when she does, be sure not to alarm her and reassure her that she’s ok. Is she not used to dogs? Can you have a time when the dogs are safely “away” somehow, to give her a chance to stick her nose out and sniff around without fear of a slavering monster trying to eat her? (That’s probably close to how she thinks of it if she’s unsure of the dogs.)

She sounds like she’s been through the ringer, and isn’t sure of the world at all. Give her time to feel safe and secure again, and like the world won’t turn upside down again. That’s the best way I can explain what shy critters who go to a shelter experience, they become unsure of the safety of their envionment, and are afraid it’s all going to change again. Some critters don’t cope well with being transplanted and just need more time and encoragement to adjust. Good luck.

3

I agree strongly with this statement. No matter what you may attempt (and Feliway is a great idea), I would suggest you dig up this thread and post to it in 6 to 12 months.

4

Just to second what Zabali_Clawbane said: there may be some cats who, after a week and a half, would feel perfectly at home in a house with two other cats and four dogs. Chloe, however, is obviously not one of them, and there’s nothing abnormal about that.

5

Step 1: Read this excellent pdf from Denver Dumb Friends League that covers this exact topic in great detail. DDFL is a fantastic group with superior pet advice; www.ddfl.org is the homepage.
Step 2: If the flyer’s advice doesn’t suffice, call the shelter from which you adopted Chloe and ask them for help. A good shelter will be happy to give you feedback specific to your situation.
Step 3: If your shelter isn’t helpful, Call DDFL’s help line. It’s toll-free and (from what I hear–I’ve never called it myself) has very good advice.

Note that I’ve got no ties to DDFL, and indeed my advice is gonna cost them money if you take it. They’re just one of the flagship humane societies out there, with tremendous services in this area.

Daniel

6

There’s a new cat house!!! Where!!! Oh, sorry, should have read that more closely. :stuck_out_tongue:

7

:smiley: I want to thank you all for your advice. It is very helpful, being reassured that this is not abnormal kitty behavior. I was just spoiled with Charlie & Ruby , who both marched into the house like they owned it.

And a progress report for today !! Chloe came out of hiding on her own, with dogs and cats sprawled everywhere. She sat on my lap fr a little while , and Papillon Cricket got up with her and gaver her a good kissing , which was tolerated without a sound. Then I took her out to the kitchen and put her on the counter where the food is , and she settled into eating while I prepared a pot roast to toss in the oven. Charlie got up on the counter with her , and … no growling or hissing , they lay quietly side by side. Then Ruby got up on the chair and watched; she & Chloe sniffed noses , but there was no growling. I was even able to get a few pics of them

Charlie & Chloe

Charlie(orange) , Chloe ( calico) & Ruby (tabby)

Chloe

I think it’s gona be alright . :smiley:

8

Ooh, she’s a gorgeous creature, isn’t she?

Glad things seem to be turning out OK. Don’t get too discouraged if she still has occasional spats with the other animals – until she’s well & truly acclimated to the house, how well she gets along with the others is going to depend a lot on her mood. And cat moods are fickle at best.

9

She’s a beauty! And don’t worry if there are occasional hisses and spats. Gueniever is Queen of Cats here, but the pecking order amongst the others changes frequently.