Introducing New Cat (Help!!)

16 years ago

I just took in KC and here is here story:

A couple had found her with a huge gash in her neck. They took her to the vet and treated her horrible wound and she survived. They have two indoor kitties - one an aggressive 22 pound male - and could not bring her inside. They started calling her KC - short for Kitty Cat.

KC is a sweet and loving kitty. The couple fell in love with her as did everyone else in their retirement park but sadly no one could make KC an indoor kitty. She wanted inside and always would try to get in their home.

The nice couple took KC to the vet for shots. It was too late - KC was pregnant and subsequently had five kittens. During the time KC was pregnant and after she had her kittens she got in some bad catfights. KC is a small eight pound cat and she got beat up pretty bad.

The couple was brokenhearted about this as was I when I met her (she was still pregnant at the time) and I decided to take KC in to my home after her kittens were weaned and had found homes.

Yesterday a coworker took her last three kittens. The original plan was that KC was going to get spayed on Tuesday (we didn't think the kittens would all be gone by then) and I would pick her up the following Saturday.

So yesterday I picked up KC and took her home. On my way there I took her to the vet and had her checked out again. She was retested for Feline Leukemia/AIDS (negative), worms (negative) and had a skin scraping done one an injury on her face (negative). She was treated for fleas and isn't due for her booster yet. The vet even remarked what a sweet cat she was - she never struggled or cried.

I have three kitties of my own and KC is isolated in my spare bedroom. My kitties are curious and milling around the door. I spent a lot of time with KC and even slept on the daybed in that room last night with her - she was next to me all night. It is obvious to me that she was an indoor kitty.

Ths morning I cracked the bedroom door and KC snarled, growled and swung. My cats have an occasional scuffle but nothing like what I saw in KC. I don't want my cats to get hurt - one is older and has some arthiritis in hips. None of them are fighters and although they are all bigger than KC I think she could hurt them as she had to defend herself and her kittens before and she knows how to fight.

I know KC lost the home she has known and the couple that adopted her on top of losing her kittens all in a day. We were so concerned that she would roam and look for her kittens or get pregnant (she has not yet been spayed - I want to wait until she adjusts to her new surroundings first) that we thought I should take her right away. I hope I did the right thing.

KC is a wonderful cat and I truly want things to work out. I know I can't keep her if she remains aggressive. I don't think she is an agressive cat - she has just had some terrible experiences with other cats. I am hoping that with time will come trust.

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions to make the transition as smooth as possible. Thank you.

Comments (6)

pranjal
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Renee,

You're a kind person, and KC is one lucky cat!

About her snarling and growling at your cats - KC is a newcomer in your house right now, and as time passes by and she gets to know your cats better, she'll befriend them. For now, like you did before, let them see each other thru a crack in the door, or if possible, keep them separated by a glass door or a pet gate or something; this way they can see and smell each other, but can't really get near to cause injury.

Everyday, let your other cats into the room where KC is kept, while she explores the other areas of the house; this will ensure that KC doesn't come to regard her current room as 'her' territory, and your other cats will get familiar with her smell.

When the hissing and growling fits have stopped/reduced, and you decide to introduce her to the others, make sure you keep only one cat at a time in the same room as her, and watch them carefully. If there's hissing and growling, it's fine, but stop it before it escalates into scratching and a full-blown catfight (throw a pillow or something between them). We were lucky our three cats got along well with each other within a day or so, but it could take weeks or even months. If nothing works, you could try Felifriend, a cat pheromone spray (apply it on all the cats before letting them meet each other).

You could get her spayed right away; in any case after the procedure, you'd have to keep her away from the others to recuperate (maybe 3-4 days), so why not do it now? Spaying might also reduce her aggression.

I have a similar situation in my house right now, with Pumpkin (abandoned pregnant cat we took in) and her seven kittens in one room and our three cats. Our cats aren't allowed in Pumpkin's room because her kittens are less than two weeks old. Pumpkin hissed and growled at our cats when we brought her home (she was preggy then), but within a day, she got used to Max, and now when we bring her out of her room, she ignores him :) I'm worried about Simba's reaction to her, though; he still hisses at her. She doesn't seem fazed by any of our cats now, and I'll be getting her spayed next month, after checking with the vet (Pumpkin needs to put on weight, and the seven kittens aren't making it easy!).

I'm sure, with time and patience KC and your cats will be friends. Keep us updated on your progress.

Pranjal
renee_fl
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you Pranjal for your response. I am letting my cats explore KC's room right now. I think that is an excellent suggestion.

The only reason that I am waiting to have KC spayed is because I want her to at least be a little more comfortable with me and her surroundings before I take her in. She has experienced a lot of loss in one day - just yesterday she lost her home and her remaining babies. And like you with Pumpkin I want her to put on a little weight first. She is very thin.

Thank you again for your response. I will keep you updated on KC and look for the same with Pumpkin.
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laurief_gw
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
renee, did you receive the email I sent you?

Having been through the integration process many times with my kitty crew, I can tell you that things will go much more smoothly if you get the spay out of the way as soon as the vet says she's healthy enough to do so. Don't wait until she's comfortable with you and your home. She will be going into heat again very soon, and that will make things MUCH harder on all of you. It's best to get all the vet stuff completed so that she can recover and then concentrate on relaxing into her new family.

Laurie
renee_fl
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yes Laurie - I did get your email and thank you for your advice. I like the leash idea.

I had my kitties out on the screened porch today and let KC roam the house. The glass slider was cracked a teeny bit. Lola saw her and went up to the window and sat down. KC hissed at her but Lola didn't move. She hissed a couple more times then seemed to calm down when she got no reaction from Lola then walked away. I am hoping that it is progress that she wasn't growling or approaching the window aggressively.

As far as the spaying I do want that taken care of right away but I was hoping that she would put on a little weight first and her milk would dry up (I am assuming that is why she is swollen).

KC has already calmed down a lot and isn't as freaked out if I crack the bedroom door to let my cats take a peek (they sometimes whine and cry to get in). I am hopeful that things won't be as bad as they first appeared. And I am thankful that I have experienced people to turn to for advice.

Stay tuned...
petaloid
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You are getting some good advice. Thanks for taking in that poor kitty.

I think it was Sylvia who told us about Feliway, which is some kind of pheremone product that calms cats down in situations such as you describe.

It takes at least a week for cats to adjust to a newcomer. I've had good luck keeping the new cat in the bathroom with its own food and litterbox for the first week -- any "marking" of territory was easier to clean up there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Feliway
alison
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
And defininetly give them plenty of time before you decide whether it's a success. I introduced Chloe last November, and there's been plenty of hissing and caterwauling and tussling. It was only this weekend, with the benefit of the new eyes of guests, that I realized how much they follow each other around, and even share the same (human) bed comfortably. (Well, not so comfortably for the human, but the cats sure were relaxed!)

Introducing New Cat (Help!!)

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Introducing New Cat (Help!!)

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