I've had many cats over the years. Follow the ideas you are reading here. But, I also give both the new cat and the old cat equal affection. Also, with the older cat I talk to the older cat while I am grooming her. I may tell her that we have a new friend living us. And that will take awhile for us to get used to each other. Show them both lots of love and affection. Animals are very receptive to love. Give them both floodtides of love.
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Adopted a third cat, existing cats not pleased.
- Thread starter veronica00
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Over the weekend I spent most of both days at home with Bob out of his room open to the whole house except my bedroom. They all got along okay other than a few hisses and a few rushes from Petey towards Bob. Petey seems to be okay although both his and Lulu's appetite have not been great. Still taking treaties but not as interested in dinner and breakfast and not finishing the bowl of dry food as they usually do.
More concerning, Lulu has been throwing up again, but now it's not right after her first bites of food. It's early in the morning before she has eaten. She did it yesterday morning (while I was at the gym so I wasn't sure who did it) but then today while I was in bed sort of waking up I heard her gagging and she threw up in 3 places very yellow/orange colored.
I am very close to having a complete mental breakdown. I am torn in 2 directions. One for the health of my existing cats and one for the well being of the new cat I have committed to. It's hard when you're existing cats get sick seemingly because of the new cat you have introduced possibly causing stress. I really don't know what to do.
I do have a call into the vet who saw Lulu for regular checkup last week and said she may also have IBS or a GI issue b/c her abdomen or bowel area felt thickened. I have to get a stool sample in for testing this week. I just want the vomiting to stop, it's awful.
I really think I"m losing it. Kind of wish I would just get hit by a bus and all this stress and responsibility would be gone. But then I guess all 3 would end up in a shelter. It really was a huge mistake adopting Bob but now that it's done I can't turn back.
More concerning, Lulu has been throwing up again, but now it's not right after her first bites of food. It's early in the morning before she has eaten. She did it yesterday morning (while I was at the gym so I wasn't sure who did it) but then today while I was in bed sort of waking up I heard her gagging and she threw up in 3 places very yellow/orange colored.
I am very close to having a complete mental breakdown. I am torn in 2 directions. One for the health of my existing cats and one for the well being of the new cat I have committed to. It's hard when you're existing cats get sick seemingly because of the new cat you have introduced possibly causing stress. I really don't know what to do.
I do have a call into the vet who saw Lulu for regular checkup last week and said she may also have IBS or a GI issue b/c her abdomen or bowel area felt thickened. I have to get a stool sample in for testing this week. I just want the vomiting to stop, it's awful.
I really think I"m losing it. Kind of wish I would just get hit by a bus and all this stress and responsibility would be gone. But then I guess all 3 would end up in a shelter. It really was a huge mistake adopting Bob but now that it's done I can't turn back.
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@veronica00, that sounds more like Lulu is throwing up stomach bile, because it is yellow, and so she sounds like she has too much bile. If you ask your vet, they should be able to give you some meds to reduce the stomach acid, and perhaps she may need something to prevent dehydration, too.
Another member mentioned, that she puts dry kibble cat food in a 'cat toy-ball-food-dispenser' and her cat then slowly plays with the ball at night, and gets the dry food out, to eat more slowly. Eating slowly will also prevent cats from throwing up, but it does not sound like Lulu eats fast.
Maybe, if it is all too difficult with having a third cat, then it would be okay, to call the store, or the other shelter you mentioned, and since Bob is so laid back, someone else may possibly adopt him.
It's good that you are going out to the gym to release stress, but not good if you are too worried about both your cats and their illnesses. And yes, maybe talk to your own doctor, about the stress you are feeling, just to have someone who is a professional to help and rely on.
(I really don't think that your 2 cats are sick because of 'stress,' because I had a young cat with felv+ and fiv+....who the vets told me would have less stress being strictly indoors, but after getting him to be an indoor-only cat, he still developed complications from his felv+ status and was not able to recover, so I had to pts.)
Hissing and swatting is so normal in cat households, and even when the cats have grown up together and mostly get along.
The not eating enough, is strange, and that is why I thought it may have been some virus going around, causing diarrhea, and then vomiting.
But your vet will be able to treat this.
Call your vet and ask about the specifics for Lulu's vomiting, or just ask when you drop off her stool sample.
Another member mentioned, that she puts dry kibble cat food in a 'cat toy-ball-food-dispenser' and her cat then slowly plays with the ball at night, and gets the dry food out, to eat more slowly. Eating slowly will also prevent cats from throwing up, but it does not sound like Lulu eats fast.
Maybe, if it is all too difficult with having a third cat, then it would be okay, to call the store, or the other shelter you mentioned, and since Bob is so laid back, someone else may possibly adopt him.
It's good that you are going out to the gym to release stress, but not good if you are too worried about both your cats and their illnesses. And yes, maybe talk to your own doctor, about the stress you are feeling, just to have someone who is a professional to help and rely on.
(I really don't think that your 2 cats are sick because of 'stress,' because I had a young cat with felv+ and fiv+....who the vets told me would have less stress being strictly indoors, but after getting him to be an indoor-only cat, he still developed complications from his felv+ status and was not able to recover, so I had to pts.)
Hissing and swatting is so normal in cat households, and even when the cats have grown up together and mostly get along.
The not eating enough, is strange, and that is why I thought it may have been some virus going around, causing diarrhea, and then vomiting.
But your vet will be able to treat this.
Call your vet and ask about the specifics for Lulu's vomiting, or just ask when you drop off her stool sample.
The yellow bile is from Lulu body preparing for a meal and if she is not eating enough right now for whatever reason, then the bile comes up and usually in the mornings. I find this with one of my cats if they did not eat a good meal before bedtime. I then expect it in the morning.
I am sure they are off food a little bit due to Bob but in reality - I am not sure that returning Bob will cure the other two either. If these issues are from underlying other health concerns then you may just have to work through them with or without Bob around. Certainly, and whole-heartedly, I understand the stress you are under with the new addition and your other two becoming a bit under the weather. I am extremely hopeful and will be ramping up vibes that you and the kitties will all get through this!! Sounds like a fairly good weekend of socializing though. Hisses/growls and some chases are to be expected. And, in multiple cat households, there will always be some disagreements now and again. It is harmless and just "cats" being "cats". :nod: So with new additions there is going to be a bit more to that and the social dynamics do need to change a bit and settle. It does take time.
I am sure they are off food a little bit due to Bob but in reality - I am not sure that returning Bob will cure the other two either. If these issues are from underlying other health concerns then you may just have to work through them with or without Bob around. Certainly, and whole-heartedly, I understand the stress you are under with the new addition and your other two becoming a bit under the weather. I am extremely hopeful and will be ramping up vibes that you and the kitties will all get through this!! Sounds like a fairly good weekend of socializing though. Hisses/growls and some chases are to be expected. And, in multiple cat households, there will always be some disagreements now and again. It is harmless and just "cats" being "cats". :nod: So with new additions there is going to be a bit more to that and the social dynamics do need to change a bit and settle. It does take time.
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Thank you @Feralvr. Lulu and Petey seem to be taking turns at who gets sick, this morning it was Petey throwing up. I just have so much guilt for doing this to them by bringing Bob into their house, I just never anticipated it would be like this. Not the sickness.The yellow bile is from Lulu body preparing for a meal and if she is not eating enough right now for whatever reason, then the bile comes up and usually in the mornings. I find this with one of my cats if they did not eat a good meal before bedtime. I then expect it in the morning.
I am sure they are off food a little bit due to Bob but in reality - I am not sure that returning Bob will cure the other two either. If these issues are from underlying other health concerns then you may just have to work through them with or without Bob around. Certainly, and whole-heartedly, I understand the stress you are under with the new addition and your other two becoming a bit under the weather. I am extremely hopeful and will be ramping up vibes that you and the kitties will all get through this!! Sounds like a fairly good weekend of socializing though. Hisses/growls and some chases are to be expected. And, in multiple cat households, there will always be some disagreements now and again. It is harmless and just "cats" being "cats".So with new additions there is going to be a bit more to that and the social dynamics do need to change a bit and settle. It does take time.
I'm still plugging away hoping things settle down. It's been almost 3 weeks. Bob is spending more time outside his room but only when I'm home and not at work. Petey chases him a bit and there's been the occasional hiss and growl but overall not too much. Petey is clearly jealous and when Bob jumps up on the couch next to me he goes nuts, I can see it in his saucer pupiled eyes. So I am just trying to give Pete lots of love.
Petey's appetite has declined again so I'm hoping he doesn't relapse and stop eating again. Just keeping a close eye on things. I called the shelter to see if I could foster Bob and they said no, only sick/special needs pets get fostered. I can't put him back in a cement cage in PetSmart again so I just keep praying for help and that I make the proper decisions to keep all my little guys healthy and eventually happy. It's been an excruciating process, not to mention expensive (closing in on $2k once Petey has his 2nd round of tests). No one in the house is happy right now and we're all over stressed. If only I knew then what I know now but I can't change my decision and I do have to deal with the consequences.
You know, three weeks is not all that long to be going through this, though it probably seems like a long time to you right now!
We had a situation where we took in a friends' cats when we already had three at home. Two of the new ones were quite ill and on meds, and all of the cats, new and old, were stressed. The whole thing was quite stressful, expensive and time-consuming for awhile. I won't pretend we ended up with one big happy cat family but after the first few months, things settled down and we worked out a routine for everybody.
Hang in there--it can be a slow process sometimes.
We had a situation where we took in a friends' cats when we already had three at home. Two of the new ones were quite ill and on meds, and all of the cats, new and old, were stressed. The whole thing was quite stressful, expensive and time-consuming for awhile. I won't pretend we ended up with one big happy cat family but after the first few months, things settled down and we worked out a routine for everybody.
Hang in there--it can be a slow process sometimes.
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It's not all that long for hissing and not seeing eye to eye, it is VERY long when your 2 existing healthy cats have suddenly both drastically declined in health and you clean up throw up every single day. In fact I do twice daily inspections of every corner and under bed of the house looking for any I've missed. The toughest part is seeing my healthy, happy kitties now sick and unhappy.
You know, three weeks is not all that long to be going through this, though it probably seems like a long time to you right now!
We had a situation where we took in a friends' cats when we already had three at home. Two of the new ones were quite ill and on meds, and all of the cats, new and old, were stressed. The whole thing was quite stressful, expensive and time-consuming for awhile. I won't pretend we ended up with one big happy cat family but after the first few months, things settled down and we worked out a routine for everybody.
Hang in there--it can be a slow process sometimes.
So you have 5 cats now? Do they not get along?
I'm not trying to minimize what you're going through, at all. Two of the kitties we took in had IBD and I was suddenly cleaning up vomit and diarrhea every day, too. My story is elsewhere on the site and I don't want to hijack your thread. I was just trying to say I understand how it is to have the house, routines, and kitties all in turmoil. It isn't easy, I know.
I hope things will settle down for you, soon.
I hope things will settle down for you, soon.
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Also, I hope I don't sound defensive, just trying to explain why I'm freaking out. I can deal with isolation rooms and bad behavior but when I am making my cats sick with my decisions, it is devastating.
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I know I'm sorry if I sound defensive. Bringing in sick kitties is good of you, you are being a caretaker. But in my situation, I've brought in a healthy kitty and in doing so I have made my 2 existing kitties sick and miserable. This is killing me and everyday that passes I say I hope its better tomorrow but it never is. How long do you watch your cats (babies) suffer?
I'm not trying to minimize what you're going through, at all. Two of the kitties we took in had IBD and I was suddenly cleaning up vomit and diarrhea every day, too. My story is elsewhere on the site and I don't want to hijack your thread. I was just trying to say I understand how it is to have the house, routines, and kitties all in turmoil. It isn't easy, I know.
I hope things will settle down for you, soon.
I understand. You've gotten lots of good recommendations here--I hope some of it works for you.
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Just wanted to give an update in case anyone with similar issues stumbles across this thread. There is HOPE!
Firstly, I have renamed Bob. He is a bobtail cat and I thought the name was just not right for his personality which is off the wall. So I have named him Gustav but mostly call him Gus. (Guster, Gustacular, Gussy, etc).
Second, the good news: I haven't had to clean up vomit since last Thursday (5 days ago!). That was the day I decided it was time for Gus (formerly Bob) to be out amongst the general population of the house. I felt that keeping him behind closed doors, especially with his meowing and yowling, was doing more harm than good and stressing everyone out, including him. He is a talker and actually sounds like he is yelling human words.
I came home at lunch on Friday and let Gus (Bob) out of his room and he has been out ever since. It is going great! Don't get me wrong, I think Petey would pack his bags and send him along his way if he could but he is slowly warming up to him. Gus is in love with both Petey and Lulu and follows them around. They are less in love with him but I think that will change over time, it has only been 3 and a half weeks. Yesterday when I got home from work Petey and Gus were both in my bedroom napping.
I took this picture in the middle of the night last night. Yes I have two black cats, they are the hardest cats for shelters to get adopted. For me, they have the biggest personalities! Gus is on the right with his little bobtail and Petey is on the left. Gus is dying to be as close to Pete as possible but baby steps..
So I'm here to say that sometimes, you really do just have to let them work it out. I think had I kept him segregated any longer I may have ended up bringing him back due to the declining health of my two existing cats. It took 2 days short of 3 full weeks to get to the point where my 2 existing cats were not sick and vomiting and to let Gus out and have full run of the house but the reward I have gotten in the past few days has been worth it. Gus was clearly mistreated, abandoned and lived outside on his own for a period of time. He is the most loving, sweet, funny little man and I am going to give him as much happiness as I possibly can and he will never be alone again.
Thank you all for your helpful and kind words, YOU got me through those weeks where I cried, worried, regretted, hurt and hoped and now we are in such a good place thanks to the support I found on this forum!
Firstly, I have renamed Bob. He is a bobtail cat and I thought the name was just not right for his personality which is off the wall. So I have named him Gustav but mostly call him Gus. (Guster, Gustacular, Gussy, etc).
Second, the good news: I haven't had to clean up vomit since last Thursday (5 days ago!). That was the day I decided it was time for Gus (formerly Bob) to be out amongst the general population of the house. I felt that keeping him behind closed doors, especially with his meowing and yowling, was doing more harm than good and stressing everyone out, including him. He is a talker and actually sounds like he is yelling human words.
I came home at lunch on Friday and let Gus (Bob) out of his room and he has been out ever since. It is going great! Don't get me wrong, I think Petey would pack his bags and send him along his way if he could but he is slowly warming up to him. Gus is in love with both Petey and Lulu and follows them around. They are less in love with him but I think that will change over time, it has only been 3 and a half weeks. Yesterday when I got home from work Petey and Gus were both in my bedroom napping.
I took this picture in the middle of the night last night. Yes I have two black cats, they are the hardest cats for shelters to get adopted. For me, they have the biggest personalities! Gus is on the right with his little bobtail and Petey is on the left. Gus is dying to be as close to Pete as possible but baby steps..
So I'm here to say that sometimes, you really do just have to let them work it out. I think had I kept him segregated any longer I may have ended up bringing him back due to the declining health of my two existing cats. It took 2 days short of 3 full weeks to get to the point where my 2 existing cats were not sick and vomiting and to let Gus out and have full run of the house but the reward I have gotten in the past few days has been worth it. Gus was clearly mistreated, abandoned and lived outside on his own for a period of time. He is the most loving, sweet, funny little man and I am going to give him as much happiness as I possibly can and he will never be alone again.
Thank you all for your helpful and kind words, YOU got me through those weeks where I cried, worried, regretted, hurt and hoped and now we are in such a good place thanks to the support I found on this forum!
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@veronica00 Thank you so much for your update, and especially for the photos you attached. Your guys are beautiful. I love black cats, and you are right, they are much harder to adopt, but have just as much sweet personalities, like any other cat.So I'm here to say that sometimes, you really do just have to let them work it out. I think had I kept him segregated any longer I may have ended up bringing him back due to the declining health of my two existing cats. It took 2 days short of 3 full weeks to get to the point where my 2 existing cats were not sick and vomiting and to let Gus out and have full run of the house but the reward I have gotten in the past few days has been worth it. Gus was clearly mistreated, abandoned and lived outside on his own for a period of time. He is the most loving, sweet, funny little man and I am going to give him as much happiness as I possibly can and he will never be alone again.
Thank you all for your helpful and kind words, YOU got me through those weeks where I cried, worried, regretted, hurt and hoped and now we are in such a good place thanks to the support I found on this forum!
You made me laugh with that comment...about Petey "packing Gus' bags" and "sending him along his way."
Anyhow, your update brought slight tears of joy to my eyes, and the photos are simply beautiful.
I hope you will have the time to post more photos. And bless your kind heart for adopting Gus, and giving all your fur crew a great home.
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Yes, that was a funny picture in my head, too.
You made me laugh with that comment...about Petey "packing Gus' bags" and "sending him along his way."I could just picture Petey wanting to do that initially, but not any more.
So glad to hear it's working out.
WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been away and just now catching up here. LOVE the new name Gus too - a better fit :bigthumb:. LOOK at those pictures!!! 
Overall, I have to say this was a very good introduction and acceptance on each side. It really went rather quickly and yes, as you found out, sometimes you just have to let them work things out and try not to stress over small tiffs because there WILL be some. So happy to see this update and that Gus is forever to stay. :heart3: Very, very happy for you, Veronica !!!!!!!!!! And for Petey, Lulu and the new kid - Gus. 
Overall, I have to say this was a very good introduction and acceptance on each side. It really went rather quickly and yes, as you found out, sometimes you just have to let them work things out and try not to stress over small tiffs because there WILL be some. So happy to see this update and that Gus is forever to stay. :heart3: Very, very happy for you, Veronica !!!!!!!!!! And for Petey, Lulu and the new kid - Gus. - Thread Starter Thread Starter
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GUS & PETEY SLEEPING WITH PAWS TOUCHING
WOW... on those vet bills. Breaks the bank. Been there, done that as probably most of as well. It is so mentally and physically exhausting when multiple cats get sick at the same time. It is like running a small cat nursing clinic!!!!!!!!
and double WOW
on that photo above. SOOOOOO HAPPY to see this. I think a little jealously on Pete's part is only natural but with seeing how they are napping near each other, touching feet, well.... it doesn't get any better than that. Totally amazing. :rub: :heart3: I have two cats that are finally after four years becoming more accepting of each other. I swear by the use of those Spirit Essences by Jackson Galaxy. Plus social dynamics changing since recently losing our top cat, Pipsqueak. Something has happened with Perla and Wendall for the betterment and it is either the essences, the animal communication or the change of hierarchy or the combination of all three. SO I am very, very happy that Gustavo and Petey have become friends so quickly. Love those pictures. Gus is gorgeous and too cute with those few white stray hairs here and there.
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