I NEED HELP :(

andrew scott

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My fiance and I already have a cat, he is up to date with all of his vaccinations and vet care, neutered declawed etc. The problem is, we have an acquaintance who had a cat randomly appear at her house.  We would love to take in this kitty as we are told it is just a darling. However, we have NO information about this new friend. We likely won't be able to take our addition to the vet until Several days from now. Is it safe to take in the cat, or should we wait, we really don't want to jeopardize the health of dear Ernie. Please Pleas Please Help.
 

bastfriend

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Do you have a separate room you can keep the new cat in?   As long as you keep all food and water separate, wash your hands after touching the new cat, and put a towel to block the air under the door it should be alright.   This was what my vet had me do a few years ago while I had a cat in a waiting period to be retested for contagious stuff because I wanted to be triple sure nothing could be passed to my established cats.
 

StefanZ

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Agree with Bastfriend.

I want to add, please dont declawe this newbe too.  Declawing although not uncommon, is NOT part of the recommended  "etc".   Use several different scratching posts instead.  IF you still have troubles with scratching, try the so called Soft Paws.

Welcome to our Forums!

Good luck!
 

jennyr

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Those of us who foster cats and kittens often have this problem. any room (even a bathroom) would be fine to keep the new cat for a few days until it can be vet checked. It is usually recommended anyway that you keep a new cat in the household confined in a 'safe place' so it can gradually get used to the smells and sounds of its new home. AS long as you observe common sense hygiene it should be fine. After the new one is vet checked, let it stay in its haven if it wants to, but you can start to leave the door open to see if it wants to explore and meet the resident cat. You can also prepare for htis by exchanging smells between the cats, rubbing them with towels and leaving them to sniff the other cat. If there are any problems between them then go back a stage. If it is possible you can use a babygate between rooms so they can see each other and sniff but not touch. You will find a great deal of information on this site about introducing new cats.

But as said, PLEASE do not declaw him. This procedure is now illegal in many countries, including all of Europe, and even in some US cities. This site is strongly anti-declaw, and can provide you with a great deal of information on what the operation actually involves, and on good alternatives.
 
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