Successfully introducing 3 adult male cats?

Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my barn
with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him up for
adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no luck. I love
having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets cold I'm going to
have problems leaving him out there. And he already follows me to the house
and tries to get in! Has anyone ever introduced adult male cats
successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous about it. My male neutred
Siamese began spraying when I brought in a male kitten about 12 years ago!
He only stopped this about a year ago. I really don't want him to begin
again.

Thanks

Joanne

J King wrote:

Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my barn
with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him up for
adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no luck. I love
having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets cold I'm going to
have problems leaving him out there. And he already follows me to the house
and tries to get in! Has anyone ever introduced adult male cats
successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous about it. My male neutred
Siamese began spraying when I brought in a male kitten about 12 years ago!
He only stopped this about a year ago. I really don't want him to begin
again.

Thanks

Joanne



You may risk that again, particulary if that cat was spray for 11 years
after the original introduction.

First, determine if that is a risk you are willing to gamble on.

No introduction method is foolproof.

The best way to integrate him is to provide him with a room of his own with
litter box, food, water, and a bed. Gradually over many weeks, expose him to
the others in the house. Mary L on this site set up a screen door so the
cats can see each other but not able to touch. She did this for many, many
weeks until no cats were hissing at each other. She also advised using a
Feliway dispenser to help calm them. I have integrated many cats and this
very slow approach has worked. The only cat I was not able to integrate was
a male, neutered neighbor's cat who sprayed inside my house and was
aggressive with my other cats (he was neglected by the neighbors and adopted
us). I resolved this conflict by keeping him in our garage (heated) with his
bed, food, water, and a litter box. He has a cat flap to go outside. You are
wonderful to care for this boy!! Even if you are not able to integrate him
or have him adopted, you can provide a warm shelter in the barn ( a closed
box with hay and a doorway cut into it) and provide him with good food and
water. You can use a Snuggle Safe Pad in his bed to keep him warm. It is not
the best scenario, but much, much better than being a stray.
Gail
"J King" wrote in message
...
Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my
barn with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him up
for adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no luck.
I love having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets cold I'm
going to have problems leaving him out there. And he already follows me
to the house and tries to get in! Has anyone ever introduced adult male
cats successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous about it. My male
neutred Siamese began spraying when I brought in a male kitten about 12
years ago! He only stopped this about a year ago. I really don't want him
to begin again.

Thanks

Joanne

Thank you Gail. That's pretty much how I introduced the last stray that I
took in...but she is female. Unfortunately I have no access to Feliway.
I'm in Canada. What is a snuggle safe pad??? Would it be safe in the barn.
My biggest fear is a barn fire! He's quite happy in the barn....as long as
I'm there. We've become very attached to each other.

Joanne


"Gail" wrote in message
ink.net...
The best way to integrate him is to provide him with a room of his own
with litter box, food, water, and a bed. Gradually over many weeks, expose
him to the others in the house. Mary L on this site set up a screen door
so the cats can see each other but not able to touch. She did this for
many, many weeks until no cats were hissing at each other. She also
advised using a Feliway dispenser to help calm them. I have integrated
many cats and this very slow approach has worked. The only cat I was not
able to integrate was a male, neutered neighbor's cat who sprayed inside
my house and was aggressive with my other cats (he was neglected by the
neighbors and adopted us). I resolved this conflict by keeping him in our
garage (heated) with his bed, food, water, and a litter box. He has a cat
flap to go outside. You are wonderful to care for this boy!! Even if you
are not able to integrate him or have him adopted, you can provide a warm
shelter in the barn ( a closed box with hay and a doorway cut into it) and
provide him with good food and water. You can use a Snuggle Safe Pad in
his bed to keep him warm. It is not the best scenario, but much, much
better than being a stray.
Gail
"J King" wrote in message
...
Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my
barn with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him
up for adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no
luck. I love having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets
cold I'm going to have problems leaving him out there. And he already
follows me to the house and tries to get in! Has anyone ever introduced
adult male cats successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous about it.
My male neutred Siamese began spraying when I brought in a male kitten
about 12 years ago! He only stopped this about a year ago. I really
don't want him to begin again.

Thanks

Joanne

On 2005-10-20 19:13:42 -0500, "J King" said:

Thank you Gail. That's pretty much how I introduced the last stray
that I took in...but she is female. Unfortunately I have no access to
Feliway. I'm in Canada. What is a snuggle safe pad??? Would it be
safe in the barn. My biggest fear is a barn fire! He's quite happy in
the barn....as long as I'm there. We've become very attached to each
other.

Joanne

Snuggle safe is a plastic disc you put in the microwave and heat for 5
min. My vet has them and you can get them on line. Just google Snuggle
Safe. It distributes heat for about 12 hours. It should be perfectly
safe in the barn. But if he wants to come in, I'd definitely try
integrating.

It is a plastic frisbee shaped disk that you microwave and place in a cat's
bed. It must be wrapped in a towel of a blanket and it is not flammable.
Here it is on the internet:
http://shop.petsmart.com/product/253...4441776038.htm
Gail
"J King" wrote in message
...
Thank you Gail. That's pretty much how I introduced the last stray that I
took in...but she is female. Unfortunately I have no access to Feliway.
I'm in Canada. What is a snuggle safe pad??? Would it be safe in the
barn. My biggest fear is a barn fire! He's quite happy in the barn....as
long as I'm there. We've become very attached to each other.

Joanne


"Gail" wrote in message
ink.net...
The best way to integrate him is to provide him with a room of his own
with litter box, food, water, and a bed. Gradually over many weeks,
expose him to the others in the house. Mary L on this site set up a
screen door so the cats can see each other but not able to touch. She did
this for many, many weeks until no cats were hissing at each other. She
also advised using a Feliway dispenser to help calm them. I have
integrated many cats and this very slow approach has worked. The only cat
I was not able to integrate was a male, neutered neighbor's cat who
sprayed inside my house and was aggressive with my other cats (he was
neglected by the neighbors and adopted us). I resolved this conflict by
keeping him in our garage (heated) with his bed, food, water, and a
litter box. He has a cat flap to go outside. You are wonderful to care
for this boy!! Even if you are not able to integrate him or have him
adopted, you can provide a warm shelter in the barn ( a closed box with
hay and a doorway cut into it) and provide him with good food and water.
You can use a Snuggle Safe Pad in his bed to keep him warm. It is not the
best scenario, but much, much better than being a stray.
Gail
"J King" wrote in message
...
Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my
barn with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him
up for adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no
luck. I love having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets
cold I'm going to have problems leaving him out there. And he already
follows me to the house and tries to get in! Has anyone ever introduced
adult male cats successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous about it.
My male neutred Siamese began spraying when I brought in a male kitten
about 12 years ago! He only stopped this about a year ago. I really
don't want him to begin again.

Thanks

Joanne

"J King" wrote in message
...
Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my
barn
with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him up for
adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no luck. I
love
having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets cold I'm going
to
have problems leaving him out there. And he already follows me to the
house
and tries to get in! Has anyone ever introduced adult male cats
successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous about it. My male neutred
Siamese began spraying when I brought in a male kitten about 12 years ago!
He only stopped this about a year ago. I really don't want him to begin
again.

Thanks


http://www.maxshouse.com/introducing_cats.htm

You can get Feliway Comfort Zone online.
http://nationalpetsupply.com/feliway.htm
http://www.carealotpets.com/listItem...UE&menFrm=True
http://www.biovets.com/scart/public/...ywords=Feliway
I'm sure a search for Feliway will come up with more places where it is
available.



"J King" wrote in message
...
Thank you Gail. That's pretty much how I introduced the last stray that I
took in...but she is female. Unfortunately I have no access to Feliway.
I'm in Canada. What is a snuggle safe pad??? Would it be safe in the
barn. My biggest fear is a barn fire! He's quite happy in the barn....as
long as I'm there. We've become very attached to each other.

Joanne


"Gail" wrote in message
ink.net...
The best way to integrate him is to provide him with a room of his own
with litter box, food, water, and a bed. Gradually over many weeks,
expose him to the others in the house. Mary L on this site set up a
screen door so the cats can see each other but not able to touch. She did
this for many, many weeks until no cats were hissing at each other. She
also advised using a Feliway dispenser to help calm them. I have
integrated many cats and this very slow approach has worked. The only cat
I was not able to integrate was a male, neutered neighbor's cat who
sprayed inside my house and was aggressive with my other cats (he was
neglected by the neighbors and adopted us). I resolved this conflict by
keeping him in our garage (heated) with his bed, food, water, and a
litter box. He has a cat flap to go outside. You are wonderful to care
for this boy!! Even if you are not able to integrate him or have him
adopted, you can provide a warm shelter in the barn ( a closed box with
hay and a doorway cut into it) and provide him with good food and water.
You can use a Snuggle Safe Pad in his bed to keep him warm. It is not the
best scenario, but much, much better than being a stray.
Gail
"J King" wrote in message
...
Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my
barn with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him
up for adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no
luck. I love having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets
cold I'm going to have problems leaving him out there. And he already
follows me to the house and tries to get in! Has anyone ever introduced
adult male cats successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous about it.
My male neutred Siamese began spraying when I brought in a male kitten
about 12 years ago! He only stopped this about a year ago. I really
don't want him to begin again.

Thanks

Joanne

This might be the answer! I'm going to try to get 1 or 2 of them. If that
doesn't work then I'll try integration. Thanks!


Snuggle safe is a plastic disc you put in the microwave and heat for 5
min. My vet has them and you can get them on line. Just google Snuggle
Safe. It distributes heat for about 12 hours. It should be perfectly safe
in the barn. But if he wants to come in, I'd definitely try integrating.

Thanks...this looks great!


"Gail" wrote in message
ink.net...
It is a plastic frisbee shaped disk that you microwave and place in a
cat's bed. It must be wrapped in a towel of a blanket and it is not
flammable. Here it is on the internet:
http://shop.petsmart.com/product/253...4441776038.htm
Gail
"J King" wrote in message
...
Thank you Gail. That's pretty much how I introduced the last stray that
I took in...but she is female. Unfortunately I have no access to
Feliway. I'm in Canada. What is a snuggle safe pad??? Would it be safe
in the barn. My biggest fear is a barn fire! He's quite happy in the
barn....as long as I'm there. We've become very attached to each other.

Joanne


"Gail" wrote in message
ink.net...
The best way to integrate him is to provide him with a room of his own
with litter box, food, water, and a bed. Gradually over many weeks,
expose him to the others in the house. Mary L on this site set up a
screen door so the cats can see each other but not able to touch. She
did this for many, many weeks until no cats were hissing at each other.
She also advised using a Feliway dispenser to help calm them. I have
integrated many cats and this very slow approach has worked. The only
cat I was not able to integrate was a male, neutered neighbor's cat who
sprayed inside my house and was aggressive with my other cats (he was
neglected by the neighbors and adopted us). I resolved this conflict by
keeping him in our garage (heated) with his bed, food, water, and a
litter box. He has a cat flap to go outside. You are wonderful to care
for this boy!! Even if you are not able to integrate him or have him
adopted, you can provide a warm shelter in the barn ( a closed box with
hay and a doorway cut into it) and provide him with good food and water.
You can use a Snuggle Safe Pad in his bed to keep him warm. It is not
the best scenario, but much, much better than being a stray.
Gail
"J King" wrote in message
...
Hi

I have 5 inside cats. Several months ago, a big male cat moved into my
barn with my horses. I have had him neutred and vaccinated. I put him
up for adoption on a local website for a humane society but so far no
luck. I love having him in my barn but when the winter sets in and gets
cold I'm going to have problems leaving him out there. And he already
follows me to the house and tries to get in! Has anyone ever
introduced adult male cats successfully? Any advice? I'm very nervous
about it. My male neutred Siamese began spraying when I brought in a
male kitten about 12 years ago! He only stopped this about a year ago.
I really don't want him to begin again.

Thanks

Joanne