So I have a new kitty...I named him Freckles

Freckles ate a small part of a sardine!  About 2 teaspoons worth?  I split a can of sardines with everyone for a snack.  Freckles has gotten into the habit of coming to the door when I feed everyone else (still separated though), so I'm taking advantage.

For dinner tonight I put down chicken thighs recipe.  Freckles isn't impressed and walked away.  This is what he ate 1-2 times then wouldn't eat again.  No biggie, we'll try toppers and etc next time.  I've got some chuck roasts in the freezer, I've got to make more chicken cat fod soon but I may make some beef (cooked) and try that with him.  I may just have to avoid chicken for a while?  Come to think of it, those three cans of Friskies were chicken too.  I wonder what's in the Kit N Kaboodle...I wonder if the company even knows! 

Oh.  Found a spot of missing hair where his Revolution was applied.  Not a sore, no redness, no scratching...just hairless.  Fleas here have gotten so resistant that I'm limited on what I can use, so Revolution is kinda it.  And it's just hair.  Yes, I'm talking myself into another application of Revolution when the time comes.  But it beats fleas.  Would the hair loss freak any of you out?  He has no other symptoms.

Kit 'n' Kaboodle doesn't have a meat-related ingredient until the 4th one down, and it's "meat and bone meal" :/. So, no, the company doesn't really know what's in it!

A bald spot at application site is a known side effect of Revolution. It's only cosmetic, though it could take a long time to grow back.

I just had a thought, wasn't sure if someone else mentioned it already..

If Freckles is staying outside, and has been for some time, do you think he might already be supplementing his diet with his hunting skills?  Could be why he recognizes raw as food, but isn't always interested (already ate, ma).

In any case, Freckles is very lucky to have found your patio. 

Yeah, several of the ferals get bald spots when I apply Revolution or Advantage. Doesn't Revolution only treat internal parasites? He needs something for the fleas. Capstar, maybe, for a while, since the Revolution topical was already applied? :dk:

Revolution kills fleas, one kind of tick, roundworms (hookworms too, I think?) and ear mites, and prevents heartworms. So another flea med shouldn't be necessary.

Ah. Well, the fleas here are resistant to it. Or something. We used to use Revolution but when ferals we took to the vet for a limp or abcess had fleas, we switched to Frontline Plus, but give them a dose of Revolution a couple of times a year.

If Freckles doesn't mind brushing, I'd use a flea comb and just make sure the Revolution worked.

So far no fleas!  Oddly enough, he didn't have fleas when I took him to the vet, just some flea dirt around the collar area.  I asked about Capstar and they said he probably won't need it and I haven't seen any fleas or him him scratching.  Revolution still works in this area for fleas, thank goodness.  Freckles LOVES brushing, I don't know how he'll react to a flea comb since he's so bony.  I'll just try to be careful.  Frontline Plus would be my only other topical chemical option, and fleas have been getting resistant to it in this area.  Advantage (the old one, not the multi) is useless.  I have food grade diatomaceous earth on hand too, if I have to "shake n bake" him with that.

I tried a teaspoon of chicken this morning with 3 pieces of kibble on it, he still wouldn't eat it.  I just gave up and handed it to the other cats.  So I go out later to get some meat from the deep freezer on the sun porch, and Gadget bounced out there!  Walked right up to Freckles meowing "Hi my name is Gadget!" and Freckles just looked at him.  They smelled each other and Freckles kind of cowered but I wasn't too worried, Gadget really is the friendliest cat I've ever seen.  Goofy, but really friendly.  I didn't want Freckles too freaked out so I only let it go on for less than 5 minutes.  After some unpacking I checked Freckles for fleas, and I can't find any fleas or flea dirt.  So I opened the sun porch door open and was brushing Freckles to see what the others would do.  Gadget of course came out meowing and excited about a new brother.  I brushed him and Freckles.  Mason came out and did well for a while, even let me brush him some.  I saw he'd had enough and reached toward him and he crouched and hissed a little, so I directed them back indoors and fed them.  Julie came out and explored the room some too, but kept her distance and hissed lightly at everything.  I expected that out of her and really am not too concerned.  Mason I'm still proud of for giving it a shot then needed his safe distance again.  I'm going to start using little cloths and such to do LDG's suggestions on a more regular basis.  For tonight, I'm letting them have a little space.  Everyone ate, including Freckles who ate over a tablespoon of chicken tonight!  I've taken away his kibble for a bit, I want to try to enforce "meal times"...I will be leaving kibble down overnight though.  That poor boy is a rack of bones.

Julie is under the couch and mad, but she does this over pretty much anything.  I know this sounds a little cold, but that's just Julie and I just let her be crazy.  I've left the brush that I used on Freckles and others in the main house and Mason just walked over, smelled it, and walked off.  Gadget and Freckles both got a lot of brushing with it, so maybe that will help with some of this "scenting" stuff.

It was very amusing to read about everyone's little encounter with the "new guy"!    I especially chuckled at your description of Julie.

Julie is such a squirrel, LOL!  She hid under the couch for 3-4 days when we moved into the new house, I had to drag her out and take her into an empty room to make her eat.  The crazy witch just doesn't do change.

I know I said I wasn't going to do anymore intro's tonight, but Freckles started beating on the glass door.  I felt so bad I got up and let him in the main area of the house, but in my arms.  I sat on my recliner and held him.  Julie (squirrel) jumped up, stopped dead still, hissed, then jumped down and went under the couch.  Mason walked over, looked to make sure it was Freckles he saw in my lap, then joined Gadget on the couch and went to sleep.  I held him for about 30 minutes, then put him back on the sun porch.

Oh Julie cat...

Your cats are doing really great with the intro of your new guy! Malibu was 4 when I brought Kali (a stray kitten from outside) home. He was so mad and wouldn't stay in the same room as me for weeks if I smelled like Kali (she was kept in the bathroom for a few weeks). Maybe it was because he was an only cat and super territorial. He might be more open to a third cat now that he is used to living with Kali....something that I have been thinking about and this thread makes me jealous of you 

Oh Freckles will be a part of the family in no time! What a (generally ) welcoming crew of kitties you have!

LOL, thanks y'all!  I wasn't sure if I was going to get my hand slapped on the intro's.  Not that I wouldn't have deserved it.  I'm not trying to force them necessarily, but one of the things that a neighbor mentioned is that maybe they are not being as aggressive with a new cat since this house is new to these cats and the landlords had cats.  They still smell other cats, I guess? I guess I don't want to wait too long for intro's and want them used to the idea that everybody is sharing this new home now than them think it's just the 3 of them..does that make sense?  I absolutely won't let Freckles be with them unsupervised yet. 

Freckles reluctantly ate a teaspoon of chicken this morning.  I've got chicken thighs and a chuck roast defrosting.  I'm going to the store later since today is the sell-by dating for pork if they have any.

peaches08 said:

LOL, thanks y'all!  I wasn't sure if I was going to get my hand slapped on the intro's.  Not that I wouldn't have deserved it.  I'm not trying to force them necessarily, but one of the things that a neighbor mentioned is that maybe they are not being as aggressive with a new cat since this house is new to these cats and the landlords had cats.  They still smell other cats, I guess? I guess I don't want to wait too long for intro's and want them used to the idea that everybody is sharing this new home now than them think it's just the 3 of them..does that make sense?  I absolutely won't let Freckles be with them unsupervised yet. 

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That probably helps! But - you're taking it at their pace. That's what matters! :rub: There's no set time for intros. Some cats just ... work together. Some take more time.

peaches08 said:

Freckles reluctantly ate a teaspoon of chicken this morning.  I've got chicken thighs and a chuck roast defrosting.  I'm going to the store later since today is the sell-by dating for pork if they have any.

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:lol3: That's what we do, too. Bet he likes pork - hope they have some! :cross: It seems to be a great starter food.

And reluctantly doesn't matter. He ate it! (I know, we want them to enjoy their meals!)

I've been reading this thread, & it sounds like things are going well!    LDG had some great intro ideas!  I like the brush idea, & sounds like it's helping. 

Congratulations on your new boy.  Orange tabbies seem to be very sweet, & laid back, at least that's been my experience w/ my boy, (more ginger & white), & from what I've read on here from others!    

I left the door open today for 6 hours!  The first few hours he just walked around, then I saw him playing with the Cosmic Catnip container that Gadget has put some holes in for a roll-about catnip toy.  It hit me, he likes catnip, have everyone smell like catnip!  I put down some in several place and every cat was nibbling and rolling.  Mason walked up to Freckles, Freckles just looked at him.  Then he stepped closer and Freckles struck at him!  Mason just backed up.  No aggression.  Julie was not under the couch, but she hissed and growled.  Freckles hissed back but wasn't going after her.  Julie hisses at the boys, no one really listens to her so I'm watching but not really worried.  Later Mason walked up tail shaking and kneading the ground to Freckles!  Shocked the stew out of me!  He's trying to be friends, and he's my alpha.  Gadget of course was trying to be all over Freckles which was more than Freckles wanted, but he wasn't overly upset about it.  Gadget is one of those that's just awkward about personal space.    Means well but dude, here's a Tictac and back up ya know?  I split a can of tuna between the 4 of them and they ate together!  Individual bowls of course.  They also had a Vet's Best tablet a piece later on.  Finally after 6 hours Freckles got a little overstimulated and hid behind a piece of furniture in his sun room.  So I shut the door and let him be. 

I fed the 3 chicken and Freckles had Cornish hen and he ate everything but the chicken gizzard.  I picked up some pork today (BOGO, no sell by available) so I'll be making some food tomorrow. 

He started staring through the door about an hour ago, I opened it and he hid.  So I closed it again.  Now he's staring again.  I need to eat something myself so maybe I'll go out for some me and him only time.  I'm just so proud of Mason for being friendly and Julie at least not being under the couch.  And yes, he's typical "orange cat personality":  VERY laid back, moves in slow motion, and very sweet.  He'll make a nice addition to the family.  That emoticon no joke moves faster than he does.

Yey!!!!! That's great news! Sounds like things are moving right along.  

                       I have to laugh at Julie, hissing at everyone, she's just saying, "Stupid boys, leave me alone."     Poor girl!  

I love the details! I have to agree, it sounds like things are going great.

Julie reminds me of a tamed-down version of Khol. Hisses at everything that moves - if it's a cat though, she'll hiss AND swat if they don't pay attention to the hiss. :lol3: Like your Julie, no one takes her seriously. (But they do leave her alone. :heart2: ).

I opened the door again last night and just sat in my recliner.  Finally it got the best of him so he joined the rest of us.

He ate Cornish hen for breakfast (left the gizzards) and ate pork tonight!  So he likes raw and recognizes it as food, he's just got to learn to eat a little faster once he's with this crowd.  For not I separate him to feed him raw.  I making beef (1/2 cooked chuck roast) to see if he'll eat that too.  He's been out all day except for a couple of hours that I had to run to Lowe's, and some of it he's been hiding.  I've also been moving faster around him and I think it scares him.  I talk him out from under the couch and he gets on the couch like he's fine.  Then I get to buzzing around the house and notice he's missing.  Under the couchagain...thankfully Julie has been on her tree.  She's ignoring him for the most part today.  Not one hiss.  But yeah, Julie's a hisser.  The boys just walk away like, "Whatev's.  Don't want to hear it." 

This morning, before letting Freckles in, Mason jumped onto my lap.  Freckles was in it all yesterday and last night, and Mason is usually in my lap.  He didn't pout or act out yesterday, so I made a point this morning to spend ~30 minutes with just him in my lap.  He ate it up.  He's walked up to Freckles several times today to smell him, and Freckles just backs away.  I think things are going really well!  Now to convince him that chicken is awesome...

Freckles threw up the beef this morning, it was the first time he'd tried it.  He threw up everything, including some dry that was in his stomach.  It was within 30 minutes of eating the beef.  The chuck roast was medium to medium rare when I cut it into strips to make it easier to grind.  Gadget did not throw up, and he's my sensitive-to-raw-beef cat.  I don't know if I should try a smaller amount of beef to see if it was the size of meal, time of day, or if beef itself is the problem.  WWYD?

Aw, shucks!

I would try it again, just to be sure it wasn't a fluke. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, just in case he does throw up again, it isn't back-to-back.