i've been fostering a stray cat for about a week. young small cat. i assume its a female. it followed me home from 7-11. does not know how to use a litter box so i assume its a stray. no collar VERY FRIENDLY toward people. i bought the cat in and locked it in the bathroom for awhile so the other cats could get used to it. after i left for work my dad let her out of the bathroom. i come home all appears calm. shes on top of the counter. then out of nowhere a fight breaks out between her and another cat. this cat was male (tom cat) i squirted the heck out of the male but he still was stalking the cat. i put him in the bathroom. how do i make these cats get along. is it even possible. should i take it to the humain society.looks to be in good health. does not appear to have flees. all my cats have been fixed.

 

Flirty,

First off thank you for taking in a stray that probably needs a good home. It will take time, for your cats and the new one to get used to each other. I know it can be hard to deal with, but time is usually all it needs. You don't say how many cats you had before the little once came home with you?

Do seperate them if they seem to be hurting each other. But try to let them sort out the pecking order themselves if possible. Give all the cats lots of attention during this time.

Also, make sure that the new kitty is getting enough food. Oftentimes a new member will have a hard time if you use a community feeding dish, so be sure to watch and see. If the new kitty isn't getting his/her share put a small bowl in the bathroom a couple times a day and put the kitty in so he/she can eat.

Other than letting them all sort out the new pecking order, I would suggest taking the new kitty to the vet for a checkup and shots, and if old enough to be altered. An unaltered male (if it is a male) may cause more of an uproar with you fixed male, than an unaltered female would...so neutering is definitely one step towards calming things down.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Some cats just don't get along. I have a male Balinese mix that has lived with me for about five years and he gets along with all the neighborhood cats. I was adopted by a female (adult) cat about this time last year and while Douglas tolerates her I don't think he really likes her.

HissCat (the female) gets along fine with the Orange cat (Marmelade) that visits me every day and also GreyKitty who (I think) is homeless but has visited me for as long as I have lived in this house. Hissy likes to intimidate poor skinny little GreyKitty when he is eating but otherwise there is no problem.

However, there are two cats that Hissy absolutely can't stand. One is a tuxedo cat, who may be "intact" although I have never seen him "mark" anywhere and the other is a grey-faced semi-Siamese cat (fluffy like Douglas) that she will actually attack. Tuxedo is friendly to me and likes to be petted but the semi-Siamese cat runs away when I open the door.

I've tried to reason with HissCat and I tell her to be nice but she just hates those two cats. She does leave the birds and squirrels alone as do all of the other cats because I tell them that my yard is a "peaceful coexistence" zone and I do not allow fighting.

(Yes, I'm a bit nuts when it comes to my backyard animal friends.)

I am seriously thinking of taking HissCat to the cat shelter because of this and a few other of her "bad" habits.

 

the cat i took in is unalted. the male thats hunting her is altered but thats not stopping him. all the other cats stay away as there scared of the newcomer. but the tom cat male is the only one causing trouble. i believe its cause he wants her. when she was in the bathroom he hung outside the door waiting.maybe i should put the stray in the cage and let all the cats sniff face to face. that way they can't get hurt.

 

UPDATE

there getting along alot better then the did at the start. there still some hissing here and there but thats natural sense shes a outsider(not born into the litter). she mainly stays either in a basket in the backroom on onto of a basket on top of the fridge where shes safe from the trouble making cats.so it took along time but there pretty much getting along for the most part.

 

Flirty,

Thank you so much for the update! I am glad that things are settling down for all involved now.

One thing I have always stressed to folks bringing in a new pet, but _Especially_ with cats is, it takes time for them to adjust to the newcomer. We recently added another adult cat to our household of 7, and though it's been several weeks, there are still bouts of hissing and fighting. We have a couple of squirt bottles just for cats (and our little dog) for just such purpose.

Thank you for caring enough to take in a stray who otherwise wouldn't have had such a good chance at life.

 

well she followed me home. I saw her wandering and i called her over. She ran to me and rolled around on the ground meowing for attention and wouldn't leave me alone. I put her over in someones yard and she jumped the fence and kept following me so i kept her. Gave her food and water and kept her in the garage for a while where she had food and water and shelter. The door was open a foot so she could go in and out. She would disappear in the day and come back at night. After awhile she stayed in the area either visiting one of my 2 neighbors pouches to sleep under during the day.Whenever i came outside she came out of hiding. Shes cut back on her eating now sense shes put on weight. But shes still a moocher,. She LOVES milk chip dip salad dressing. She will steal the lettuce out of the bowl for the dressing. She will dip her paw in the chip dip then lick off her paw and repeat.

 

another update. shes getting braver starting to roam around the house little by little. she hangs around in the living room more often now instead of the kitchen. it might have to do with the fact shes starting to retaliate now.


(GRRRR stupid 180 second rule.)