Question
 

I expect to be getting another cat in the near future - possibly next
week. I have always introduced additional cats to those in residence
more or less immediately, and there have never been any problems other
than a few minor spats.

I know the prevalent idea seems to be to do it gradually, but I an
unsure how this works. It seems to me that if I keep them separated, it
means either isolating the newcomer, which doesn't seem like a very good
way to make him or her feel at home, or isolating the resident cat,
which seems to me it would make the resident resent the newcomer even
more. I am especially concerned about nighttime. Lindy sleeps on my
bed. Shutting her out and have the new cat in my bedroom seems very
unfair to Lindy, and shutting out the new cat certainly wouldn't
encourage him or her to sleep with me later on.

I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.

Joy

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 22:15:28 GMT, "Yoj"
wrote:

I expect to be getting another cat in the near future - possibly next
week. I have always introduced additional cats to those in residence
more or less immediately, and there have never been any problems other
than a few minor spats.

I know the prevalent idea seems to be to do it gradually, but I an
unsure how this works. It seems to me that if I keep them separated, it
means either isolating the newcomer, which doesn't seem like a very good
way to make him or her feel at home, or isolating the resident cat,
which seems to me it would make the resident resent the newcomer even
more. I am especially concerned about nighttime. Lindy sleeps on my
bed. Shutting her out and have the new cat in my bedroom seems very
unfair to Lindy, and shutting out the new cat certainly wouldn't
encourage him or her to sleep with me later on.

I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.

If you isolate the new cat in a closed off room that has a vent from
the forced air HVAC system and a return path, the scents of all the
cats will meld together without unnecessary stress scents being mixed
in. The new cat will probably appreciate not having to learn about a
large area at once - after release (and after recovering from the
stress of being rehomed), the newcomer will have a known refuge
available while it inspects ever increasing areas of the house. Also,
when released, the new cat will have a familiar scent, and will know
the scents of the other cats and of the house. Scent is extremely
important to cats, and I recommend leaving the HVAC fan on
continuously. If there is no forced air HVAC system to help mix and
distribute the scents, I'm not so sure that the isolation approach has
as much value as it does for me.


--
T.E.D. )

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 22:15:28 GMT, "Yoj"
wrote:

I expect to be getting another cat in the near future - possibly next
week. I have always introduced additional cats to those in residence
more or less immediately, and there have never been any problems other
than a few minor spats.

I know the prevalent idea seems to be to do it gradually, but I an
unsure how this works. It seems to me that if I keep them separated, it
means either isolating the newcomer, which doesn't seem like a very good
way to make him or her feel at home, or isolating the resident cat,
which seems to me it would make the resident resent the newcomer even
more. I am especially concerned about nighttime. Lindy sleeps on my
bed. Shutting her out and have the new cat in my bedroom seems very
unfair to Lindy, and shutting out the new cat certainly wouldn't
encourage him or her to sleep with me later on.

I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.

If you isolate the new cat in a closed off room that has a vent from
the forced air HVAC system and a return path, the scents of all the
cats will meld together without unnecessary stress scents being mixed
in. The new cat will probably appreciate not having to learn about a
large area at once - after release (and after recovering from the
stress of being rehomed), the newcomer will have a known refuge
available while it inspects ever increasing areas of the house. Also,
when released, the new cat will have a familiar scent, and will know
the scents of the other cats and of the house. Scent is extremely
important to cats, and I recommend leaving the HVAC fan on
continuously. If there is no forced air HVAC system to help mix and
distribute the scents, I'm not so sure that the isolation approach has
as much value as it does for me.


--
T.E.D. )

Yoj wrote:
I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.

In my family, we've always just plonked the new cat in among the old
ones and let them work it out among themselves. It's never taken long
before the new cat was accepted, but then the new cat has always been a
young one. I don't know how well this would work with an older cat.
Also, I'd say that if you want to take a kitten, take two, so they can
play with each other, as Lindy might not want to play as much as a
kitten would. My E0.02. :o)

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Yoj wrote:
I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.

In my family, we've always just plonked the new cat in among the old
ones and let them work it out among themselves. It's never taken long
before the new cat was accepted, but then the new cat has always been a
young one. I don't know how well this would work with an older cat.
Also, I'd say that if you want to take a kitten, take two, so they can
play with each other, as Lindy might not want to play as much as a
kitten would. My E0.02. :o)

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Yoj wrote:
I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.


I always shut the new one up in the guest bedroom for at least a week.
Sometimes longer if Bootsie's in a "mood." That gives some "sniff under the
door" time. Just depends on the cats, really. If I just had Yoda and Frank,
who are very welcoming of newcomers, I could probably just plunk the newbie
down and they'd be fine with it.
Sherry

Yoj wrote:
I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.


I always shut the new one up in the guest bedroom for at least a week.
Sometimes longer if Bootsie's in a "mood." That gives some "sniff under the
door" time. Just depends on the cats, really. If I just had Yoda and Frank,
who are very welcoming of newcomers, I could probably just plunk the newbie
down and they'd be fine with it.
Sherry

Marina had some very interesting things to
say about Question:

I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.
In my family, we've always just plonked the new cat in among the old
ones and let them work it out among themselves. It's never taken long
before the new cat was accepted, but then the new cat has always been a
young one. I don't know how well this would work with an older cat.
Also, I'd say that if you want to take a kitten, take two, so they can
play with each other, as Lindy might not want to play as much as a
kitten would. My E0.02. :o)

Your family's approach is what my family's always done, and we've
never had anyone hurt during the getting-to-know-you stage. OK, some
initial hissing/growling/cursing, but generally from a polite
distance. I've found that mostly, cats who don't like each other tend
to simply avoid each others' company if at all possible.

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

Marina had some very interesting things to
say about Question:

I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my family.
In my family, we've always just plonked the new cat in among the old
ones and let them work it out among themselves. It's never taken long
before the new cat was accepted, but then the new cat has always been a
young one. I don't know how well this would work with an older cat.
Also, I'd say that if you want to take a kitten, take two, so they can
play with each other, as Lindy might not want to play as much as a
kitten would. My E0.02. :o)

Your family's approach is what my family's always done, and we've
never had anyone hurt during the getting-to-know-you stage. OK, some
initial hissing/growling/cursing, but generally from a polite
distance. I've found that mostly, cats who don't like each other tend
to simply avoid each others' company if at all possible.

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

"Marina" wrote in message
...
Yoj wrote:
I don't intend to be critical of how other people do it. I'm just
wondering about the ramifications. I'd appreciate any input before
I
decide for sure how I'm going to introduce the addition to my
family.

In my family, we've always just plonked the new cat in among the old
ones and let them work it out among themselves. It's never taken long
before the new cat was accepted, but then the new cat has always been
a
young one. I don't know how well this would work with an older cat.
Also, I'd say that if you want to take a kitten, take two, so they can
play with each other, as Lindy might not want to play as much as a
kitten would. My E0.02. :o)

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki

Thanks, Marina. That's the way we've always done it in the past. Both
Skeeter (RB) and Lindy were over a year old when I got them. If I end
up with a kitten, I'll seriously consider getting two. However, if I
can find a suitable one that's between one and two years old, that's
what I'd like to get. I feel that there are a lot more people wanting
to adopt kittens than grown cats, so I'd rather save an older one.

Joy