New Cat - Should I addopt her?

Hi there,
I am a collage student living alone and I have a 6 months old neutered (today) himalayan cat. There is a very cute female 1 year old persian cat. They found her on the the street and has been living in the vet's yard. They are looking for a home and I want to addopt her.

My mom hates cats and I live in my parents house for 3 months during summer so I would prefer not to bring another cat to home for this reason.

On the other hand my cat stays at home alone when I am at school or out and I am worring if he gets bored. He sometimes stays at home alone when I am out of the city.

So I am so unsure about adopting the cat.

Originally Posted by ozadars

Hi there,
I am a collage student living alone and I have a 6 months old neutered (today) himalayan cat. There is a very cute female 1 year old persian cat. They found her on the the street and has been living in the vet's yard. They are looking for a home and I want to addopt her.

My mom hates cats and I live in my parents house for 3 months during summer so I would prefer not to bring another cat to home for this reason.

On the other hand my cat stays at home alone when I am at school or out and I am worring if he gets bored. He sometimes stays at home alone when I am out of the city.

So I am so unsure about adopting the cat.

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First..I would talk to your parents. It would not be a good idea to bring a new cat home if there are people who would not want her. Yes, it is better to have a second cat...but you must think through your situation.

Katie

I can relate to your dilema. A companion sounds like a good idea for your cat, but having two kittens at once is a lot of work. But if you have enough love to go around, and are definately in love with this new kitten (not adopting her out of pity), then you should do it. If you think you may regret not adopting her in the future, than you should do it despite your mom's objections. You won't be living with your parents forever anyway. And on break, you can keep your cats in your room. Or maybe your cute kittens will win over your mom's heart. Cats have a way of changing the minds of declared cat-haters. (Or you could take summer classes )

When I was in college, I was living in the dorms. I volunteered at the local cat shelter and totally fell in love with a beautiful gray shy girl. I named her Violet, and was the only volunteer to connect with this little beauty. I wanted to take her home with me, but because of my living situation, there was no way I could adopt her. She would have had to live with my parents for 2 years until I graudated and I wouldn't have been able to work with her every day for her socialization. However, 7 years later I still remember her and wish I could have figured out a way to make her my own. When they touch your heart like that, there's no forgetting them.

If you're in love with this new kitten like that, then you should seriously consider adopting her.

Talk with your parents.
If there is a way you can take them both home...maybe keep them out of your parents way while there...then go for it.

I explain to my boyfriend all the time..."dan..this kitten needs me! not every kitten or cat gets a home, but that doesnt mean they dont deserve one! every kitty should be given a 2nd chance...I have the love and the space so I am taking this furry baby in! Ha..try and stop me!"
thats how i go stewie lol!

I told my dad and he said its okay cause he loves cats but i didnt tell my mom and she rules the house lol. On the other hand if I were to ask mom, she would definately say no so asking would be the worst idea. If I were to get the new cat the only way is not to ask to my mom. I know she will get mad at me but she wouldnt do something like not accepting her. And this is stressing me, like the stress before you are getting a tattoo.

I think I will get her and at summer I will keep them in my room. At least they wouldnt get bored together.

I will get Ozmo (the new cat) tomorrow morning but today I went to vet to check her out. She was scared of us and bite the vet several times. I think she is an agressive girl. Maybe this is her personality or because her first owner left her and she is living outside. Do you think this would be a problem? What should I do?

At this point, it's hard to say if Ozmo is just an agressive kitty or if she's gotten used to fending for herself by attacking or if she's just plain scared. (heck, it could be all 3) I think you're going to have a few cat fights on your hands when you introduce her to your male cat. Unless it's really bad, don't let it scare you (too much ). Hopefully, within a couple of days they'll get used to each other. Take it slowly; I wouldn't leave them alone together for a while. Good luck with your new baby.

Maybe your new kitty and old kitty will fall in love!
Thats looking to the bright side lol!

lol i hope, they are both neutered though
Yesterday she put her paws on the glass for me to either pet her or give something to eat so she isnt aggressive and shy all the time. Maybe she doesnt like to be hold because she tried to bite us when I hold her up. I am not used to it because my current cat Kurshad is very gentle. Whatever you do he wont bite you, the only time he gets angry is when I give him a raw meat and then take it from his mouth, he roars and claws me. He never comes near me for me to pet him but when I hold him or pet him, he never escapes or gets angry. Food means everything to him, he can eat 7/24. I hope Ozmo can get used to be hold and I hope she comes to me for me to pet her because Kurshad doesnt do that

If you can afford it, then go for it..As long as you will be able to afford the vet bills, and food..etc..

I brought her to home and she is walking around the house now. Kurshad hissed her a bit but thats all, she gets off his way when he hisses. She doesnt let us pet her though. When we tried to pet her, she clawed us. What should I do now to socialize her?

You'll probably just need to give both kitties some time. In my experience, I've noticed that kittens are like teenagers--they want to do what they want to do, and just want contact when it's convenient for them. Don't force the issue. Some cats just don't like to be picked up, they want to make the first move. At 6 months old, Kurshad is probably full of himself and doesn't want to be "babied". Ozmo needs to get to know her new surroundings, and you, and her new brother. The more you try to make a cat act social, the more they seem to resent it. I know how much you want to just hug & hold them, but you're going to need to let them become cuddly at their own pace.
Congratulations on your new addition.

Some cats don't like being picked up... they'll come and sit next to you to be petted, but if you pick them up, watch out! My friend's Skimble was that way, and he was the most loving cat otherwise.

Basically, what you're doing is socializing a stray cat... so go on over and read up on socializing ferals. Your cat is an adult, so kitten methods won't work with her... If she's been owned before, you have much better chances than with an actual feral, though; and with her being a purebred, chances are someone took her in once, at least as a kitten.

You already have one thing going for her: She's got an example to live by--a cat that loves to be touched and will purr to let her know it's OK. Cats aren't stupid; and if one cat is purring and loving the contact, the other will start to think past its defensiveness and fear: "Hmm, maybe there is something to this petting thing after all".

What's needed now is just a lot of your calm presence in her room. She's probably going to hide for a while; that's OK. Just be there, let it hear your voice, and let it figure out that you're not dangerous.

Food's a great way to a cat's heart. You're already feeding her, of course; but you can often draw her out of her hiding place over the course of a week or two if you give her treats a few times a day. Start out putting the treat pretty close to her, so she only has to reach out a little, and move the treats closer to you at whatever level the cat is comfortable with. Once she will eat them out of your hand, you can move on to touching her... She might accept it right away; if she doesn't you can try playing with a toy--something on a string or wand, where she doesn't have to get right up close to you.

Anyway, it's all a matter of teaching the cat you're a friend, and taking it pretty slowly. You might have to enjoy your new cat from a distance for a while; but remember--all cats are individuals; and your new cat isn't ever going to be like your first, no matter how much she grows to love petting!

In the last 24 hours, lots of things changed among the cats behaviors. Kurshad and Ozmo gets along very well. Ozmo doesnt care about Kurshad being around and Kurshad doesnt touch Ozmo but he likes to follow her and be near her. Ozmo let us pet her head and throat but she hit, claw, bite and hiss us when we touch her back. I pet her back while she was eating though and she didnt care. Kurshad always sleeps with me but last night he slept in the bathroom. On the other hand Ozmo came to my bed in the morning and slept there till my leg crashed her while I was sleeping accidently. And lastly, I stood near the feeding bowl. I was going to put some food in it and Ozmo brushed me. Thats what has changed so far.

Those are very good signs

You just wait, and you're sure to hear a true-blue purr from that Ozmo of yours!

Last night Ozmo slept in my bed again but Kurshad was in the bathroom. I dont why he started to sleep there but I dont think its related with Ozmo because Ozmo comes to bed in the morning but he used to come to bed when I go to sleep.

I have one litter box and they both use it. However Kurshad doesnt grub the sand but Ozmo does grup very deep.
I dont like this behaviour of Ozmo because it was much easier with Kurshad. I think I should buy another litter box but how can I prevent Ozmo using Kurshad's box or vica versa?

I also want to ask one thing about sands. There are three types of sand on the market, one of them is chrystal sand, one of them is big white grains and the other one is small black grains as far as I can remember. There is a big price difference between white grains and chrystal sand. Do I really need the over priced chrystal sand or is white sand is as useful as chrystal?

Thanks,
Selim

Last night Ozmo slept in my bed again but Kurshad was in the bathroom. I dont why he started to sleep there but I dont think its related with Ozmo because Ozmo comes to bed in the morning but he used to come to bed when I go to sleep.

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I would almost bet Kurshad is sleeping in the bathroom because of Ozmo; he's apparently showing how displeased he is about the sleeping arrangements. Seriously, I'm sure that eventually you'll have both cats curled up on the bed with you.
As for the litter question, I don't know a thing about using a sand-type litter (I use clumping). Some cats are "buriers" and some just leave things on the surface. I don't know that you can change a cats behaviour when it comes to how deeply they dig. (I actually prefer things to be buried; I think it helps with the odor)This might be something you'll just have get used to.
All in all, I'd say it sounds as if Ozmo and Kurshad are adapting quite well to each other.

By the way, here are some pictures of Ozmo and Kurshad (Kurshad is the himalayan and Ozmo is the particolor persian);

Originally Posted by libby74

I would almost bet Kurshad is sleeping in the bathroom because of Ozmo; he's apparently showing how displeased he is about the sleeping arrangements.

Seriously, I'm sure that eventually you'll have both cats curled up on the bed with you.
As for the litter question, I don't know a thing about using a sand-type litter (I use clumping). Some cats are "buriers" and some just leave things on the surface. I don't know that you can change a cats behaviour when it comes to how deeply they dig. (I actually prefer things to be buried; I think it helps with the odor)This might be something you'll just have get used to.
All in all, I'd say it sounds as if Ozmo and Kurshad are adapting quite well to each other.

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How do you find the feces in the sand when they burry? This question sounds very newbie but I am new to digging thing.

Btw, Ozmo tries to go out of the house when I open the door and she also looks for openings near windows. This makes me sad because its like she dont like the house. Ozmo and Kurshad also respect each other but they dont play or not even touch each other. Is this because Ozmo is new or because this is Ozmo's character?

Wow, Kurshad looks just my Belle! (we lost her a year ago, and I still miss her terribly)
I don't have to dig a whole lot in the litterbox; we have a system that you sift, so I can basically scoop out what I can, then sift the rest.

Ozmo isn't trying to get outside because she doesn't like her new home; she's just used to being outside. She might miss going out, but she will adapt. You haven't had her very long, and it will take some time for her to get used to her new home, and her new "brother". We brought in an 8 month old kitten that the former owner had left behind when he moved. She's been with us about 5 weeks now, and she's still getting used to our other cats & to us. She was an indoor/outdoor kitty, and used to fending for herself most of the time. She's coming around a little bit more each day, and I'm sure Ozmo will do the same. She & Kurshad are still wary of each other; one of these days they'll start enjoying each other's company.

You have 2 incredibly lovely kitties.