Conference misery::feline_v1

797.0. "FRIEND OR FOE" by TPVAX3::ROBBINS () Mon Sep 28 1987 07:34

         Well I've been putting in notes here and there and noticed
    I never really officially introduced the family (thank God THEY
    don't know that..)  Real quick Malcolm and Angus who both have 
    tri-colored Calico in them.  Two little sisters who are the most
    affectionate cats I've ever met.  There about 9 months as far as
    I know.  
         Now the question....  That was the "family" as of last Friday.
    We brought home a new addition.  She was being housed at the Hudson
    Animal Shelter and it was just one of those things...  She's about
    the same age as our kids, seems like she has alot of Tabby in her.,
    already spayed and was born missing her left front paw.  It's not
    that we pitied her, we had no desire to get another cat, we just
    both felt very strongly that she deserved a real home that she could
    live out her life with all the love and pampering that comes along
    with that.  
         I searched through these notes and got all info I could for
    the initial meeting intending to follow it to a tee but somehow
    it didn't work like that.  We were going to put her in the bedroom
    and leave her in there for awhile and then slip the door open but...
    Angus jumped right on the bed poking her nose into the carrier so
    we opened it up and got it over with.  A little hissing here and
    there from Angus and Malcolm.  No hissing from Three-way... but
    I couldn't figure out why the cats would back away from her and
    found she makes a very low growling noise which seems to do the
    trick.  The week-end went good.  Three-way checked every inch of
    the apartment out, seems to love their food, and used their kitty
    box.  
         Now my question after all this background is what are they
    doing?  Angus follows her like a shadow, sniffs her tail, and seems
    very interested in her.  She did her hissing but as of yesterday
    I saw her quite a few times touch noses with Three-way?  Is that
    a good sign?  On the other hand my other little girl started this
    strange antic which I didn't find too nice.  Last night she'd go
    in back of Three-way when she was perched in the window stand on
    her hunches and slap her with her paw.  Then hiss.....  So Three-way
    who doesn't seem to rile up went on the coffee table and Malcolm
    did it again sending everything else in her way down...  Three-way
    walked away and then did the fastest turn around and came running
    after Malcolm and of course she started hissing again.  It really
    looked like she was playing chasing she's done this quite a few
    times like she wants the cats to play with her.  
         So for anyone that has gone through this are these good signs
    toward a loving family or signs of problems to come.  I'm confused
    and of course I find myself feeling bad for Three-way though I make
    sure not to show it....
    

    Everything you've described sounds quite normal when introducing
    a new member to the group. I currently have 7 cats in my household
    most of whom were introduced one at a time, except for the last
    two who came into the house as a pair. There are 3 males, and 4
    females total (all neutered) and all ages from less than a year
    to 12 years. Cats react differently to other cats - some hiss, 
    hit with their paw, sniff, while others are laid-back as seem to
    say "oh well here comes another one". Yours sound like they will do
    just fine in a few days. Don't be discouraged if the hissing goes
    on for a few days (or more). If they haven't fought it out by now,
    they probably won't at all - and you'll find them "ALL" on your
    kitty perch.                                    
    
    (I did have one female who thought she was supposed to rule the
    household when she came into it - and it took about 3 months for
    her to find her "space". Now she sleeps/eats/and shares
    perches with the others.)
    
    It just takes time. And they sound like they are just investigating
    the new kid on the block - and she is holding her own quite well.
                                      
    Pat                                                              

    
    I agree with .1!! We humans get impatient because we don't understand
    how cats communicate (I sure don't).  Claude's favorite trick is
    to catch Sebastion when he's sleepy and start grooming his face
    and head while he closes his eyes and purrs, and then she says
    "GOTCHA!" and chomp! gives him a hickie on the neck.  Then they
    wrestle and glare at each other so that you'd think they hate each
    other!  I used to worry that they'd hurt each other or would never
    get along, but they are best buddies (you know your best friends
    bring out the best and worst in you).  
    
    It took six months for Sebastion to stop hissing at Claude - and
    it stopped abruptly after a long car ride with the two of them from
    N.H. to Cleveland for Christmas.  I don't know if he realized he
    was stuck with her or if she was one of the few familiar things
    to him while he was away from home or what, but he's been much more
    congenial ever since that.
                                                                   
    I think the main thing is to treat them all equally, and maybe
    sometimes to pet and love them together at the same time... They
    may associate good things with being together then.
    
    Good luck! - and try to be patient, (It's not always easy!!!) they know
    what they're doing! 
                       
    Amy.