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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

What's normal for new cats meeting each other

10 replies

ninja · 20/09/2010 09:14

We've had Jasper for 7 years (when he adopted us as a young cat). He's a loner though and will bite/scratch the kids if they bother him (and by bother I don't mean pull tails, just try and stroke him).

So I Managed to persuade dh we decided to get another cat for the kids to grow up with.

We adopted Comfort (named by them not us!) last week from RSPCA and she's settling in well. She's less than a year anda scrap of a thing but confident and really friendly. She's only met Jasper a couple of times as we're keeping her upstairs so Jasper can still use the cat flap. They've hissed and bristled a bit but not tried to fight and have recovered fine.

At the same time as getting Comfort, dh fell in love with Sophie whjo we brough home this weekend. She's living in a different room upstairs and we're alternating her and comfort having run of upstairs (It's a military operation!!).

She's met the other 2 at different times and we've had the same hissing and noises, no fighting. She, however, seems a lot more bothered by the encounters and goes and hides for ages afterwards. When she first came home she was so affectionate and loving, but despite being a huge fluffy thing she seems a lot more timid.

Is this level of upset normal and do you think they'll all get used to and tolerate each other (I'm not expecting frinedships). We have a good sized garden and fields behind the house and enough space for them each to have their own bit of the house.

I just don't want to think that we're being unfair to them.

Any views would be appreciated , thanks

OP posts:
TotorosOcarina · 20/09/2010 09:17

We got a kitten and then got her sister (rescuesd) about 6 weeks later.

They hated each other at first, hissed and screeched and fur was on end, they had a fair few scuffles too.

Now they are best mstes and cuddle up together and follow each other everywhere.

We just let them get on with it at first and they settled on about day 3.

ninja · 20/09/2010 09:23

Thanks - I was quite pleased that they weren't immediately attacking each other!

The RSPCA said that they thoughtSophie might not be good with other cats though, so I'm just being a bit cautious

OP posts:
stripeywoollenhat · 20/09/2010 10:17

just to warn you, even if they are neutered, cats that don't like other cats will spray out of anxiety if they are forced into contact. we have two cats, they really dislike each other, and it's a constant annoyance (and stench) in our house. we haven't been able to work out any way of stopping this behaviour, even though the cats basically live in different parts of the house.

saintlydamemrsturnip · 20/09/2010 10:23

Depends on the cats but they can hate each other.

Watch access to the litter tray. If you see lots of fairly even sided hissing and scrapping you're OK. Some cats can be far more subtle and can guard e.g. the litter tray preventing the other cat access. Often you'll find find problematic behaviour (spraying/scratching) in the other cat.

Introducing them slowly, ensuring there are lots of litter tray and water and food stations to go round - especially whilst settling in - can help.

ninja · 20/09/2010 10:27

Thanks - at the moment out original cat has outdoors and the other 2 have their own litter trays in different rooms.

They all have separate food bowls in different room, although obviously this'll have to change.

I'm guessing it should be easier when they can all go outside?

OP posts:
JeelyPiece · 20/09/2010 20:09

You could try swapping their bedding/favourite sleepy cushion/blanket around to get them used to each others' smell, we did this when we acquired a new cat and they rub along all right.

Alternatively use a towel or suchlike to rub over their cheeks (scent glands there) then let the other cats rub on it too.

It will take time.

geordieminx · 20/09/2010 20:14

Bring them all into the same room for an hour or so every night, shut the doors and supervise them.

We got a kitten to live with our old boy - 2 or 3 weeks of hissing and growling, but they are fine now - they fight almost constantly - rolling rounf the floor, biting each other but I think its just playing as they never hurt each other. Hmm

ConnorTraceptive · 20/09/2010 20:18

My eldest cat's reaction to our new cat went
Shock on initial contact Confused to find new cat still there the next day Angry on realisation that new cat was a permanent fixture and four the last five years has settled for Hmm towards new cat and both were a little Biscuit about the dc's arrival

ninja · 20/09/2010 21:22

That's a great description Connor I don't hope for any better than that.

OP posts:
saintlydamemrsturnip · 20/09/2010 22:20

geordie- yes that sort of behaviour is fine. It;s the quiet cats but one scratching /weeing everywhere that you need to be worried about.

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