Hello,
Because our stray mamma cat has been living with us starting about midway through her pregnancy, we haven't really seen "non-hormone influenced behavior". This is making it hard for me to judge what kind of a home she needs (only cat, only pet, no kids, etc)
Here's what we've seen so far:
Pregnant - the friendliest, sweetest cat you've ever met. Nothing fazes her. She is interested and sweet to other cats and doesn't even care if the other cat is a puffy, hissing, growling furball - she's their friend.
New Mamma - still super sweet to people, but if you are another cat, watch out! "Attacks" the door in her room if she even thinks another cat is on the other side. She's obviously protecting her babies.
In Heat! (babies 6 to 7 weeks old) - Loves everyone and everything. Actively seeks out our neutered male cat so she can "seduce" him. (he's very confused and mostly just looks at her) Puts up with our female spayed cat (who is the growling furball mentioned above) on the rare occasion the two are accidentally out together.
Out of Heat (4 days before her spay) - Still likes us, but is gradually getting meaner to our male cat. Chases him either into his room or up his cat tree. She is very anxious to get out of her room and begins clawing under the door. She escapes around my boyfriend one day and goes right after our girl cat. She isn't bluffing either like she was with our boy cat. She chases her all around the living room and dining room, with stops under the couches and furniture to fight. There's screaming, hissing, clawing, etc. Basically a big ol' cat fight. We're frantic and unprepared to break up the fight. Finally get between her and Boo, giving Boo enough time to get up the cat tree and us enough time to grab Chalupa. Everyone is put back in their rooms and comforted and checked over for wounds. We grab beers to comfort ourselves. She is not allowed out with the other cats again after this. During this time, she also would start to puff up and growl if she heard any dogs barking. We don't own a dog, so that's the only info I have on her in regards to dogs. She will also growl at the other cats if they are outside on the deck and she's allowed to roam the house. She almost was able to get Boo again when one day I was leaving her room, and I hold her as I'm leaving so she can't slip out; well, she saw Boo in the hallway and started to struggle towards her, hissing and growling. I was able to get her back in her room and shoo Boo out of sight or we were going to have another cat fight.
Spayed! (for about a week now) - Loves us, isn't as eager to leave her room. When we let her and the babies roam the house while our two kitties are on the deck, she growls at them through the glass door, but doesn't throw herself up against it like she did pre-spay. I realize her hormones are still leaving her system and will be for several more weeks. She's also still with her babies, so she may still have protective mamma vibes.
So I just don't know. We know a few people who are interested in her, but they have other cats. I realize any introduction will take time, but the way she is right now, she's just launching herself full force at the other animal. There's no posturing or bluffing going on. Have any other people experienced this with their mom cats? Once her hormones settle and she's no longer around her babies is there a chance that she can tolerate another cat? I'm pretty sure dogs are a no, a least big scary dogs.
If you've stuck with me this far, thanks for reading and thanks for any advice.
~Julia
Because our stray mamma cat has been living with us starting about midway through her pregnancy, we haven't really seen "non-hormone influenced behavior". This is making it hard for me to judge what kind of a home she needs (only cat, only pet, no kids, etc)
Here's what we've seen so far:
Pregnant - the friendliest, sweetest cat you've ever met. Nothing fazes her. She is interested and sweet to other cats and doesn't even care if the other cat is a puffy, hissing, growling furball - she's their friend.
New Mamma - still super sweet to people, but if you are another cat, watch out! "Attacks" the door in her room if she even thinks another cat is on the other side. She's obviously protecting her babies.
In Heat! (babies 6 to 7 weeks old) - Loves everyone and everything. Actively seeks out our neutered male cat so she can "seduce" him. (he's very confused and mostly just looks at her) Puts up with our female spayed cat (who is the growling furball mentioned above) on the rare occasion the two are accidentally out together.
Out of Heat (4 days before her spay) - Still likes us, but is gradually getting meaner to our male cat. Chases him either into his room or up his cat tree. She is very anxious to get out of her room and begins clawing under the door. She escapes around my boyfriend one day and goes right after our girl cat. She isn't bluffing either like she was with our boy cat. She chases her all around the living room and dining room, with stops under the couches and furniture to fight. There's screaming, hissing, clawing, etc. Basically a big ol' cat fight. We're frantic and unprepared to break up the fight. Finally get between her and Boo, giving Boo enough time to get up the cat tree and us enough time to grab Chalupa. Everyone is put back in their rooms and comforted and checked over for wounds. We grab beers to comfort ourselves. She is not allowed out with the other cats again after this. During this time, she also would start to puff up and growl if she heard any dogs barking. We don't own a dog, so that's the only info I have on her in regards to dogs. She will also growl at the other cats if they are outside on the deck and she's allowed to roam the house. She almost was able to get Boo again when one day I was leaving her room, and I hold her as I'm leaving so she can't slip out; well, she saw Boo in the hallway and started to struggle towards her, hissing and growling. I was able to get her back in her room and shoo Boo out of sight or we were going to have another cat fight.
Spayed! (for about a week now) - Loves us, isn't as eager to leave her room. When we let her and the babies roam the house while our two kitties are on the deck, she growls at them through the glass door, but doesn't throw herself up against it like she did pre-spay. I realize her hormones are still leaving her system and will be for several more weeks. She's also still with her babies, so she may still have protective mamma vibes.
So I just don't know. We know a few people who are interested in her, but they have other cats. I realize any introduction will take time, but the way she is right now, she's just launching herself full force at the other animal. There's no posturing or bluffing going on. Have any other people experienced this with their mom cats? Once her hormones settle and she's no longer around her babies is there a chance that she can tolerate another cat? I'm pretty sure dogs are a no, a least big scary dogs.
If you've stuck with me this far, thanks for reading and thanks for any advice.
~Julia
