Introducing new cats

We have three 2 year old housecats who are littermates. We recently decided to bring our two barn cats indoors. What is the best way to introduce the cats to each other? They all have their claws. THANK YOU!

Here is a link to a thread on introducing new cats. You will find three additional links in that thread. The main idea is to go slowly and be very patient. If you try to introduce them too quickly there is bound to be aggression. Go slowly and the most you should get is a few hisses and swats. Good luck!

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...&threadid=4280

What a great forum! INSTANT replies and so much friendliness!

I hadn't heard of the towel-rubbing trick, but it makes so much sense! We'll start that today! The "new" kitties have been in the guest bedroom and bath for the past couple of weeks already, and, yes, the "old" cats have been lurking outside that door, just knowing something was up!

I'll let you know what happens. In the meantime, any other helpful hints are welcome. Our experience has been with dogs and horses but very little with cats. We're anxious to learn all we can.

I'm kinda going thru the same - I guess from what I've heard from all the great people here and from the people I got my cat from is TAKE YOUR TIME INTRODUCING! They really do let you know how much they can take. At least Jinxy is doing a pretty good job of it. It can be nerve wracking, cuz you don't want them to fight. But I'm really happy that I'm taking it slow, it makes it so much easier on them - Jinx is adjusting pretty well and it's only been since last thursday. What I've been doing is feeding my cats on the opposite sides of the bedroom door. We are now at the open door, me in the middle of them, eating together stage. I know your talking 5 (wow!)catz so that may not be an option, but it's working for me. Also, the towel trick worked well for me as well, Jinx now lays on the "jake" towel and rubs on it! Are your three house cats indoor/outdoor? Do you have to bring the others in because of weather/threats? Good Luck and keep the faith!

Hi!

Thanks for the great reply!

We have five cats, as you know. Living out in the boonies (we have a horse ranch on the Big Island of Hawaii) there is always a problem with rodents. We originally had three indoor cats, still clawed, and four barn cats, who lived in the feed room. Over time, all the barn cats ran off, two who probably tried to find their way back to their previous homes, despite a LONG getting-used-to period, and two others (adopted as kittens from the Humane Society) who ran off because our dogs made their lives miserable. They returned, however, whenever we had a heavy rain, probably because their food supply in the wild diminished. We know they were living in the ravine behind our ranch, because the neighbor's children would see them there. We always left their feeder and waterer full for whenever they decided to return, but during this last rain, decided to recapture them and bring them indoors, and most likely set them up in the garage because the mice were having a heyday there.

At the present time, the (former) barn cats are living in our guest bedroom and bath, and will go into the garage soon. I would love for them to get along with the 3 others, and have at least some of the dogs be part of the indoor family, hence my request for HELP.

Thanks again to all who have responded with good advice!

WOW - The Big Island. I've never been, my friend went w/her husband and loved it. Maybe when I'm rich....


Anyway, I hope all is going well. I live in Northern Massachusetts, in an old farm house and I have flying squirrels and mice living in my walls & attic driving my new cat Jinx CRAZY - He meows at the walls and runs around trying to climb them. They drive me crazy, too, but my other cat Jake's just like "whatever". After Seven years on trying, he's given up! I'm sure instict will take over and your kiddens will have a field day! Sometimes that kind of thing (hunting) brings them closer and they sometimes work as a team (Jake and my other cat Romeo always used to). Good Luck!

Hi, Janet,

Thanks for your reply. I have another question for you. I know that we have mice in the walls and between the floors; I can hear them, and we have a couple of holes where they have gnawed through. What kind of damage are they liable to do in there? Have you had any electrical problems, etc.? I am so tempted to put a couple of the cats into the crawl space over the laundry room, but I'm afraid they will get hurt in there or be unable to find their way out, or maybe even create additional damage. What do you do with unwanted tenants living in the walls? I'm sure I'm not the first country-dweller to have this problem!

Sandy

I gotta do something because I'm afraid they will do damage to wires and burn my house down - I'm going to also insulate this spring when I have the money. I'm also going to call my insurance company to see if maybe it is covered(?). I'm really getting nervous, but I don't have any cash to do anything right now (famous last words, right)? I wouldn't let the cats into the crawl space, cuz they get crazy and they might get stuck trying to get one of the wall chewing sons of Bi*#ches...

Anyway, I will let you know what my insurance co says. It may be covered then I will be syked. I can't take much more.....

Hi

I don't know if you're aware of this new invention, but it's really cool and it's not much money either. I saw it advertised and all you do is plug it in and it gets rid of rodents by using these different types of soundwaves. The sound, which is undetected by humans, drives the rodents out of the home and virtually rescues your home from further damage. You may want to try this instead of killing the poor little guys...I mean, they're little mice ;( I feel very sorry for rodents, they do have their place on earth, unfortunately, they prefer damp, dark places; which can lead to home/garage/storage invasion.


Just my two cents...

Hugzzzz,

I tried something similar and the little buggers had a conversation with the stupid thing!!!! I have flying squirels, which are cute until they eat a wire and burn my house down. Then they're varments. Nasty little beasts - go to someone elses house, who has money for the love of Pete. Cute outside, not inside. Also, I hate waking up in the morning and stepping on a poor unsuspecting lifeless victim of Jake "The Anything smaller and/or Cuter Than Me and Furry is Dead" Hunter....:tounge2:


Jake will sometimes look at me as if to say "if you were a little smaller...." CHOMP....:tounge2:

Awwwwwww...I hate killing the small little critters...or anything for that matter. That's why the Jakester's and Murphmonsters are around! hahaha! Ohhhhhhh...the pressies that are left! UGH!!!! And we think they're so innocent ...hahaha! Till of course we see that hunter side of them...do you know why they bat their prey around before the kill? I read this and it's quite horrific. They're batting the dang thing silly so that it can't bite them when they kill it!!! Smart little felines they are!

I love them!!!!!! Best wishes!!!

Jake makes a point of bringing his victims to me and showing me just how much fun you can have beating the snot out of a poor little mouse before you eat it and then throw it up all over the living room.We put a stop to that - Jake gets a "good cat" pat and I take the little critter before he does him in or beats the snot outa it. Very unnerving.... YUK and sad. Poor mouse - here - be free! run back into my house! and I wonder why I have rodent/squirrel problems. Kinda pisses Jake of, but my friends don't cry anymore

I considered using the ultrasonic rodent controllers but wondered if the frequencies would bother my dogs and cats as well. I also HATE the glue traps but am considering sticking a couple of them in the crawlspaces and then checking every day or so to see if anything's in there, then drowning the victims so they don't just stick there and die. Sounds terrible, I know, but they have got to go.

I won't use glue traps where the dogs and cats could get stuck, and certainly would NEVER use poison as the dogs and cats could get poisoned as well should they get ahold of the victims.

What a dilemma!

What about Hav-a-Heart traps or something? Can you get the critters off the sticky traps? I couldn't drown them if I tried... I'm a wimp.