just got a new cat help!

hey everyone


Today i just brought home a 10 month old female barn can that has never beeen indoors in her life. Anyways I Put her on my bed I expected her to be scared but she was not and imdeitly started rolling around on the bed purring and kneeding. My Other cat 10 year old male looked at her sniffed her and then forgot her and she kinda did the same no hissing no swatting. She is sleeping on my bed right now. She seems so much smaller then my male cat and my male is not even a big cat will she grow a bit more even at 10 months old? THe lady who gave her to me said she will get bigger. Does anyone know if barn cats will use the litter right away as well? ANdas for feeding all she was fed were a mix ofcrappy cat food and the rest they have to hunt for their meals should i start her on good food right away that my cat is eating? T/d vet food?



I have a big crazy dog as well when do u think i should introduce them? Also when should i start letting her out?

Ok, first of all confine her to one room (like the bathroom) to introduce her to the litter pan. You may want to put a little of your other cat's droppings or wet spot so she gets the idea.

Until you take her to the vet for shots and spaying, she should be separated from the other cats. You don't know what she is carrying being outside for the past 10 months. Feed her a good quality food now.

Usually cats are full grown at about a year (unless its a maine coon type), so she probably will not get very much bigger. More then likely her mother was a very young cat when she was born and sometimes that produces smaller kittens.

Why do you think she needs to go back outside? She can be happy inside. I'm assuming your other cat is an indoor cat only?

As far as the dog - give her a little time by herself. The dog should be on leash or well trained in commands of sit/stay. The cat should have an escape room/place in case she gets afraid of the dog.

You may also wish to teach your dog "LEAVE IT" to stop the dog from being too aggressive. "Leave it" comes in handy to get the dog to ignore cats, people, or dead things

GoldenKitty has given you some good advice. This article gives you some more ideas on how/when to introduce new cats to resident cats. You really need to take the new kitty to the vet and have her tested for FeLV since she was outside. She'll probably need to be dewormed and will need to be vaccinated. She'll also need to be spayed as soon as possible.

Yes I agree to get her in to the vet asap. For everything mentioned above. And it is very importnat to keep her in a small room or bathroom of her own until she can learn the litterbox. Use your other cats droppings as a guide for where she needs to go. Then eventually when she learns the litterbox and is ready to come out, you need one litterbox at least per cat. Please get her tested, vaccinated and spayed asap. Female cats can spray too and since she has been bred in a barn cat environment, she is probably more likely.

k thnx but just curious can she still get bigger sized ? should she still be on kitten food since she is not a year old? Shes not a tiny cat or anything but id love for her to get bigger lol

PS my dog had some left over advantage so i put a bit of it on her. I know its dog advantage but i only used a bit on her hopefully its okay

Please do not use Advantage on your cat unless you know the proper dosage.

Yes, your cat could get bigger. I adopted my cat at 8 months old and she has gained another 4 pounds since then. She has doubled in size. All cats grow differently though.

Yes, I would still keep her on kitten food for now. Your vet will be able to answer all of these questions for you.

Good Luck!

At 10 months, I'd just give her high quality adult food. Cats do NOT need to be on kitten food for a year. Choose something like Iams, Nutro Max, or similar foods. Don't buy the cheap store brands or ones with dye in them (like Meow Mix).

The better quality food will improve her size. She will probably fill out in a month or so. And get her spayed. You don't want more unwanted kittens.

I would agree that taking her to the vet asap would be a good idea, as you wouldn't want her to give anything to your male cat. Also, I would keep her in a confined space, such as the bathroom, for a few days to let there be a slow, smooth introduction.

Good luck and I'm happy she's found a good home.

Ok...

As for the litter-training, don't worry, most cats get the hang very quickly because it mimicks what they do in the wild. Cats are actually more comfortable using litterboxes, than going on the floor...because they require the ability to cover it (kind of a cover-and-remove-any-trace-of-my-having-been-here thing).

Yes, definitely take her in and get her checked out to be sure things are ok.

As far as food, you should be fine giving her what your other kitty gets.

As far as your other kitty, don't be discouraged if they have a small amount of time (maybe a week) here pretty soon where they don't really get along. Not a huge deal, just when your other kitty realizes she's here to stay, he might get a bit upset. You shouldn't have to worry about an all-out fight, just don't be discouraged if they don't get along totally for about a week. It's perfectly normal.

As for your dog...wait until you know she's completely comfortable for introducing them. I would say once you've taken her in to get checked out by the vet, and she's been eating, using the litterbox, and had a good couple of months of good relations with your other kitty.

As far as her growth, kitties grow until they're about a year and a half in age, sometimes two years. Depends on the kitty. So don't worry, she'll grow more, especially with her having good food now!

Sounds like you've got a GREAT start!!

yeah shes using her litter she just hangs out on my bed all day my older cat is starting to get ticked off so im trying to pay extra attention to him. ALLL my pets are indoor outdoor animals and always have been. My older cat is 11 been indoor/outdoor his whole life. But today he left and has not come home yet i really hope hes not planning on running away because i got a new cat

oh nm he is sleeping in my closet lol

wow i dont think i can keep her away from my dog for a month! they all share the house so its not that easy lol She has seen him from a distance and shes terrified of him. She saw him from about 20 feet away threw the glass and she freaked out! I dont think he saw her lol

the silly thing is shes been around the farm dog since she was born i guess she thinks my dog is super ugly or scary lol

Originally Posted by chausiefan

wow i dont think i can keep her away from my dog for a month! they all share the house so its not that easy lol She has seen him from a distance and shes terrified of him. She saw him from about 20 feet away threw the glass and she freaked out! I dont think he saw her lol

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The reason I suggest waiting a month is because meeting a dog is extremely stressful for a cat. Yes, she may have been around another dog her whole life, but she may have been introduced to him while he was still young, and may have thought of him as a fellow cat. YOUR dog has a different smell, sound, etc., so she won't react the same way. She looks at your dog as a DOG, not a friend.

If you introduce them too quickly, you will most probably end up with a feral cat on your hands (one that's too scared to ever come out of the closet, from under the bed, etc.), and that's not fair to either you or most of all to your kitty friend.

You really have to take into account the fact that she's had a COMPLETE change of lifestyle. She used to live outdoors, free-roaming, etc., and now has to live inside, use a litterbox, deal with much less space and freedom. And remember the fact that cats literally ABHOR any sort of change, even if you move a piece of furniture someway different.

Please remember to do this in your kitty's time. She's dealing with a lot right now...and it might take a while. If you really feel they (they being the dog and your new cat friend) won't get along, and you don't think you'll be able to wait a month, I would consider finding her a new home. It's not worth terrifying your kitty and forcing her to deal with something she's not ready (and may NEVER be ready) for. Remember that cats and dogs are natural enemies...and you're introducing and trying to force her to live with that enemy. It may never be a peaceful situation.

Honestly, the only time I've ever heard of the situation turning out ok is when the two animals were introduced as kitten and puppy (VERY young), and didn't know the difference. Now, yes, there are the occassional exceptions, like a cat that just doesn't care about whether there's a dog around or not, but that's rare.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I thought my view of taking a month needed explaining. I've had over 20 cats in my life...many different personalities, many different breeds, ages, etc. It's a situation I've seen end well in maybe one or two cats I've known (none of them being ones I've owned).

So, please...be patient with your new friend.

You have gotten lots of good advice! I would say keep her indoor only for at least a while, so she can get used to your home. You may find she shows less inclination to go out than your male kitty anyhow.

Does your dog go in your bedroom? If not, then the bedroom can be her safe zone. After he weeklong into to the other kitty, you can start leaving your bedroom door open, so she can come and go, but so the dog can't get in the room. Then she will be able to approach the dog on her own terms.

I have had various combinations of dogs and cats all my life...sometimes they are friends, but often they just share a home! LOL!

Her ability to stay away from dogs outside is what kept her alive. Let her have plenty of time to learn that your dog is cat safe!

And congrats on the friendly barn cat. My avatar boy Will adopted us from the farm across the street, and he is the most lovey cat ever. He is still outside, and will escort dh to the barn in the evening, and greets us every morning (unless we sleep too late!) Some barn cats are WONDERFUL!