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Post by rachkalassa on Feb 25, 2014 11:50:16 GMT
Hi :-)
I have a 5 year old Ginger Tom. When I first got him we got another cat as well (not from the same litter) and they lived together for a year before we went our separate ways and Austin came with me. They were always inseparable and it broke my heart when we split them. I moved in with a friend who had a dog so I kept Austin with me whilst he settled in, however, he then got used to being in my bedroom, having his own way and is now a bit of a spoilt only child! I've moved quite a few times over the last few years but Austin has adapted really well and never had any problems settling in. He is incredibly vocal, loves to be the centre of attention and everyone knows when he is around :-) I have often thought about getting him a companion but never come to a decision. In the past he has had good friend cats locally, some even being 'invited' around for tea by Austin. Some he has clashed with but he generally is very friendly. I always came to the decision that he liked cats outside of his home but would never want one inside. But now I see his little face when I go to stay overnight with my boyfriend or when I leave for work and it's quite a lonely little look :-( If me and my boyfriend haven't been around very much then he is very noisy and clingy when we are but after a few days of regular snuggles etc he becomes much more relaxed and less clingy. Then the other day next doors kitten/cat came puddling in and Austin didn't seem at all bothered, no hissing, growling or raised fur, just a sniff of the noses and even started to play. I now wonder if another cat would be really lovely company for him, especially when I'm out and at work as he is such a social little thing or whether he does like his own company. I have read so many different things for both for and against that I am now completely confused! I feel that as he is only 5 he would still be young enough to enjoy a friend rather than resenting one? Help anyone? And sorry for the long post, it was the only way to explain the situation! |
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Post by lotsofcats on Feb 25, 2014 11:56:15 GMT
Hmmm....sounds like Austin is a bit lonely and the signs are good that he would accept another cat. I would go for it but keep them in separate rooms at firt until you know that Austin has definitely accepted the new cat. I might be a bit biased with 7 cats! but, I always feel that an only cat is lonely. Good luck in choosing if you get another cat - would you go for a kitten or cat, rescue or pedigree?
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Post by rachkalassa on Feb 25, 2014 12:01:39 GMT
Thank you! I would have a huge number too if I was allowed! I think I would go for rescue as I feel that so many need homes, but probably a younger one as Austin seems to get on better with them. Maybe anything younger than 5 which Austin is. Only problem will be not taking them all home :-) I have always had at least two cats in the past when growing up so it does seem very strange only having one. Plus me and my boyfriend are going to be settling down into a new house together next year once it's finished so I would love for Austin to have a friend that he can settle in with, someone else familiar when things are new and different.
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Post by lotsofcats on Feb 25, 2014 12:13:22 GMT
Great that you would go for a rescue cat. My cat Bramble was a rescue feral kitten, Kali was an adopted pregnant stray cat and I kept 2 of her kittens and Toffee was a stray too. Keep us informed on the forum. Would love to see some photos of Austin.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2014 12:14:13 GMT
I'm the same.....like to have at least a couple  That was the reason I got Lily - I knew Chilli would have to go in a cattery if we ever had a holiday and I felt she'd feel less 'abandoned' if she had a sister/brother with her  I know SOME cats like their own company (our old girl Misty positively thrived once she was on her own) but your boy DOES sound like a wee playmate would be good for him  I would probably go for a kitten of the opposite sex (Austin is neutered, yes?) or, I suppose, another boy as I've always male cats to be SO cuddly soft  Our two were playing and cuddling up together within a week of Lily coming home and I'm so pleased we have them both. As lotsofcats has said introduce them slowly (perhaps by having them in different rooms and swopping blankets every day so they can get each other's scent and also smell each other underneath the dividing door. Introducing them at opposite sides of the room at mealtimes is good too and over a few days move the dishes closer to each other. Good tips on Jackson Galaxy's site jacksongalaxy.com/category/cat-behavior-and-care/introducing-new-pets/ Only one other thing to remember......LOTS of photos of Austin's new brother/sister once they arrive  We love piccies on here |
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Post by rachkalassa on Feb 25, 2014 12:29:39 GMT
Thank you everyone, you've made me fee a lot better and I think a companion is the way to go! Will try and add some pictures, is there a specific forum/thread to put these on as it says this forum has exceeded?
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Post by lotsofcats on Feb 25, 2014 13:17:45 GMT
Thank you everyone, you've made me fee a lot better and I think a companion is the way to go! Will try and add some pictures, is there a specific forum/thread to put these on as it says this forum has exceeded? We now have to use Photobucket or Flickr to get our photos on here. If you click on Pet Forum on the left (when you first log on), then clik on General, then the Help Thread, you will find a list of helpful topics. Go down to the thread Putting Photos in Posts and .follow the instructions. I was hopeless doing it for ages but have sussed it out now with the help of some kind people on here. |
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Post by tonib on Feb 25, 2014 23:03:04 GMT
Good luck in finding a friend for Austin.
We have successfully integrated cats on 2 separate occasions.
A 3 year old male to an existing 16/17 year old female
An 8 year old female & a 2 year male to the 3 or 4 year male (after the 17 year old died)
Both of these integrations went well although they never really jelled as a family but tolerated each other and were relaxed in each others company but never played together or cuddled up.
However our last introduction did not go as well. It was a 3 year old female to the 3 above now 12, 6 & 7/8 years old. The main issue is the predatory nature of the 4th cat & the fact that the existing 3 really weren't a group just 3 cats tolerating each other. Things have slightly improved but very much a case of 2 steps forward, 1 back.
The rescue we got the original male & then the pair recommended getting a male to join the female originally & then reversed it for the 2nd adoption as we then only had the male. The last adoption was private & perhaps we didn't get it quite right & misjudged the nature of the cat's interaction with others.
Part of dealing with a rescue would be asking the right questions about the nature of the cat & they should also be expert in helping find the right natured cat for you & Austin. The more you know about how a potential addition interacts with other cats the better.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2014 13:21:32 GMT
Yes, the rescue shelter (or even adopting a cat from a private home as we did Chilli) will give you the chance to ask about the new cat's temperament etc. Back in 2011 Linda gave us an old boy Thomas to foster and he was SO laid back and chilled out he was virtually horizontal  Absolutely NOTHING fazed this old guy We'd also taken Misty, a feisty tortie & white, after losing our beloved Domino and Linda felt that Thomas would ignore any stroppy behaviour from Misty (ie duffing him up as she was known to do with other cats ). As it turned out, once Misty relaxed with us and realised WE weren't going to dump her as her previous humans had done (at 16yo WTF???  ) she became a really nice girl....grumbly with others but not as nasty as she'd been made out to be Anyway, I digress.....Thomas was known to be a very chilled-out relaxing cat and he proved to be PERFECT for relaxing new cats....he just seemed to give out relaxation vibes....even to semi-feral Nina So what I'm trying to say (in my usual rambling manner ) is ASK for a suitable cat for Austin. Don't go on sex or colour or whatever - go by whether the new cat will suit your boy The right cat for you both IS out there somewhere |
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Post by tonib on Feb 26, 2014 19:11:02 GMT
@gillykat, that's spot on. That's the mistake we probably made in that we liked Lexie without probably asking the right questions about how she'd get on with our lot. She obviously had no problem being with other cats herself as she was in a home of around 20 cats and we did see her in her home! What we hadn't considered is that she was used to company who would play with her etc., ours aren't interested & see her wish to play as an annoyance. Also she has a sensitive stomach which means that we can't leave food out that will upset her tum & that means the others can't graze in the same way as she is a gannet . We knew what they were feeding her & the others but hadn't realised it was because of digestive reasons & as a result she sees our others moist food as treats!!!! So what I'm really saying rachkalassa is make sure you ask the right questions about any potential cat, having first thought about what Austin is like both in behaviour & requirements. Just take your time to find the right cat |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2014 13:28:23 GMT
If we'd gone for looks we probably wouldn't have picked Thomas as he was a 'plain' black & white cat , quite old and knackered and just generally looked rather threadbare! But he was THE friendliest, most laidback gentleman you could ever meet and soon became Mummy's Little Boy He also had no voice!!! If you stroked him he would 'sing' like a gremlin but never miaowed in the nine months he was with us....even when Neil accidentally stood on his tail!!! His mouth opened wide as though to yowl but nothing came out!!! New cats always seemed to be drawn to him for comfort and he helped semi-feral epileptic Nina settle in. He was a complete and utter gannet though and as soon as he'd polished off his plate he'd go around all the others and finish their's off too! When we had Lily #1 on cage rest for 5 months with a broken leg we even saw Thomas (or Thom-Thom as he soon became) reaching through the bars of the crate and HOOKING food out of Lily's bowl with his claws He was SUCH a character and passed away in my arms  I'd been to work on March 31st 2012 and got home around 5.15pm and, first things first, started feeding our four cats. Thomas was sitting at the kitchen door and as I looked at him he suddenly got up, staggered and fell on his side and within 30 seconds he was gone I was trying to ring the vet with one hand and stroking Thom-Thom and telling him to hold on with the other  Neil reckoned he'd held on until Mummy got home....which only made me cry even more I got through to the vets and they told me to bring him in (David lives just 2 mins walk from the surgery) but even as I spoke to him on the phone I knew my gorgeous wee man had left me David examined him and said it sounded like he'd had a heart attack but at least it had been VERY quick. One day I'll have to do a thread on my various oldie foster cats as I'm sure I've got photos saved somewhere |
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Post by SarahHound on Feb 27, 2014 13:48:13 GMT
I also think it would be great for your to adopt a rescue cat. Good thing with rescues is they will help with introductions and finding the perfect friend for him. Let us know how you get on! |
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Post by smilesbetter on Feb 28, 2014 7:09:16 GMT
Glad to hear your getting him a friend, and a rescue one at that. We took on both our cats as adults, one of which from quite a dire situation (desperately hope the owner sees it's better to leave her with us), and the introduction took a while but has been sooo worth it. Both cats had never lived with another cat before but now they get on amazingly well, they even kind of snuggle (they lie next to each other, touching!) which at first seemed impossible. I've never seen Carlotta so happy before, and I know the other cat, Mieze is just wonderful. Plus there's nothing better than snuggling up on the couch with a purring cat on each side of you. If you need introduction advice we're always happy to help on here! With Carlotta and Mieze we tried a lot of different methods, first letting the new cat get used to us and at least one room before introducing them at all, swapping the cats out of the rooms after a couple days so that Carlotta could smell the new cats smell, and Mieze could explore the rest of the flat. Then feeding them on each side of a door, which I think was the best one. They got used to each other's sounds and scent during an enjoyable activity (eating), and slowly each time we'd open the door a little more. There'd be a little growling and hissing at first but they got totally comfortable with each other eventually and are now really good friends! They play together all the time and are extremely happy cats. I have to say it's probably better you do this sooner as it sounds like your cat is already displaying some signs if separation problems and that can become a huge issue, especially in later life. Hopefully another cat will allow him to become more comfortable being away from you for longer periods, otherwise can you imagine if you wanted to go on holiday or something and the stress it would cause him? Sorry haha, my man looked after a cat before who had full on separation anxiety and it sounded totally awful for the cat, the neighbours and my man. Lonely cats can fast become crazy clingy cats. |
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Post by heartpawprints on Feb 28, 2014 19:17:17 GMT
I'm really pleased about you talking about a rescue cat. I think the key is to slowly integrate the other one. It sounds as though he likes other cats and is confident in himself which is good. I wouldn't get another ginger cat though as two together may be asking for probs. I base that on having had a ginger boy myself who was always fighting.Good luck.
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That was the reason I got Lily - I knew Chilli would have to go in a cattery if we ever had a holiday and I felt she'd feel less 'abandoned' if she had a sister/brother with her 
I know SOME cats like their own company (our old girl Misty positively thrived once she was on her own) but your boy DOES sound like a wee playmate would be good for him 
We love piccies on here 
Absolutely NOTHING fazed this old guy 
) she became a really nice girl....grumbly with others but not as nasty as she'd been made out to be 
I'd been to work on March 31st 2012 and got home around 5.15pm and, first things first, started feeding our four cats. Thomas was sitting at the kitchen door and as I looked at him he suddenly got up, staggered and fell on his side and within 30 seconds he was gone 
Neil reckoned he'd held on until Mummy got home....which only made me cry even more 
