any help would be greatly appreciated. I am a college student living with my girlfriend and we have a female cat who is the sweetest cat ever. her previous owners had other cats and she got along with them very well. i saw a post online where someone needed to get rid of their cat and wanted a good home for it, so i contacted him. i met him to pick up the cat, and he was also a very sweet cat who licked me and rubbed his head on me the whole ride home. as soon as i set the carrier in the house and opened the door, the cat started hissing non stop and swatting at everything near him. its been a couple days now, we give him space, but we have to watch our feet and be careful where we go because if we walk within a couple feet of where he happens to be hiding hel start hissing non stop and jumps at us instantly, swatting and nipping at our feet. is there anything i can do to make him feel more at home, i just want him to be happy.
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
i really need advice on my cat
- Thread starter rutger11b
- Start Date
He may be overwhelmed at the new surroundings, new people and another cat. Is there a room where you can put the new kitty for a few days--a safe room for him, so he can slowly get used to the new sights, smells and sounds?
Here's an article that may give you some ideas: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/bringing-home-a-new-cat
Here's an article that may give you some ideas: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/bringing-home-a-new-cat
Last edited:
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
there is probably a room but i dont know how to get him to that room. he is being very violent and uncooperative.
I feel for you all, that sounds like a difficult situation. How about setting up the room with litter box, a place for him to sleep, etc., and then tempting him in with food. Do you think he might follow you if he sees you have food or treats for him?
You also might try giving him some calming treats, some people have good results with those.
You also might try giving him some calming treats, some people have good results with those.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2010
- Messages
- 1,233
- Purraise
- 147
is there any way you can go back to his old house and get some of his or the owner's stuff? anything that would hold a scent -- cloth toys, blankets, bed, etc.
It's very possible he is upset by the other cat. Have the met each other? He might not like other cats. The first thing to do is put him in a small room all by himself with food litter and water. Give him at least a week to calm down.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
just a little update for everyone, hes been letting me get a little closer while i tossed him some treats. i got a couple feet away and gave him the treats and he didn't hiss. i'm going to try to get him into our spare room by putting his food, water, and liter box in there. then let him get used to the new house in privacy for a bit. our place is very small so it has been difficult for him to have privacy, im a college student so im living in a family members house that they have divided into apartments, we have a large bedroom/living room, a kitchen, a spare room for storage, and a bathroom. that's why he keeps hiding because he's constantly around us in the living room and hasnt made his way to the kitchen/spare room area. as soon as he goes into the spare room il leave him in there to calm down.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
his previous owner said that he did. and that's what im going to try to do. thank you for the advice, i really appreciate it.
Good luck with it. He probably is the sweet kitty you thought he was and just needs some time to adjust. Let us know how it goes.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #10
will do, thank you!
Good luck with it. He probably is the sweet kitty you thought he was and just needs some time to adjust. Let us know how it goes.
He is likely scared and upset. Giving him time, letting him set the schedule is key. Don't force anything. Try sitting near him especially when he eats. Keep looking for his comfort boundary in terms of distance and over time you may be able to pet him while he eats. If you can, then take the food away and try offering wet food from your finger. If he takes it you're almost all the way there. Go slow. And for the cat to cat introduction, see below.
Here are some more detailed comments on general cat introductions.
These are my general comments on introducing.....
There are several steps to a successful introduction, the goal being BFFs, not enemies or angry at you (especially the resident cat). A careful introduction raises the stress level in incremental steps, allowing both cats, especially the resident cat time to acclimate to the stressor before being introduced to the next level. You are going to move the "bar" closer and closer to the resident cat until the final step, a supervised face-to-face, becomes a fender bender and not a car crash.
Step one: Complete separation, putting the new cat is a small room like a bathroom with food, litter and water. Do not let the cats see each other - too much stress too soon. Give the new cat time to adjust. Give both cats time (a week+/-) to get used to this. They will know each other is there. Start feeding the resident cat nearer to the door, adjusting daily until he is at the door eating. Do voluntary scent exchange by rubbing the new cat's cheeks on a sock and then offering the sock as a gift to the resident. Don't force him to smell the sock, don't rub it on him. Observe his behavior and allow it. Rub a clean sock on his cheeks and offer it to the new cat. Continue to do this but never force either cat to interact with the other cat's sock.
When they are reasonably calm with everything in step one go to:
Step Two: Allow the cats to see each other. Two baby gates stacked on top of each other in the open door is a great way. Cracking the door open and blocking it into position so they can't get through the door is another way. With many cats the stress of this will make them revert, but it would have been much worse if you had started with this step. Continue as if this was step one, but now with them seeing each other. When they are both calm, no hissing or growling, you can go to:
Step Three: After eating meals and feeling satisfied (full stomach = less aggressive) and trimmed nails, you can start to do brief supervised introductions face to face. Watch their body language and reactions and increase their time together until you are confident that they can manage on their own.
In General, treat the resident cat like he is King. Don't do things to make him jealous. Don't discipline either cat for showing aggression, punishing them for what they feel is a normal behavior (and is normal for them) just raises the stress. And follow your cats' lead on the speed of the introduction, there are no rules other than to listen to them.
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-cat
http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/a-simple-little-trick-to-use-during-new-cat-introductions/
