Reply

Oh goodness, another crazy calico ;) My crazy calico, Darling, has actually calmed down now at 4 years old. I will be adding another kitten to my family soon as well... Most of my experience is with dogs as well, so my plan is to approach the introduction slowly and hope for the best lol... I hope someone on here has some good kitty advice for both of us haha... Gintz...??

Reply

Yah - right - you guys know me too well (crazy cat lady here....!). Having grown up with cats around all my life - and definitely no longer young - I have learned a thing or two about our feline friends...... First: have no fear about the introduction as cats are a lot more social than most people think. That said, don't rush it! Unless you have an extremely laid back cat (which most aren't!) you'll want to take things slowly. Put the new kitten in a room of its own to begin with. They can make their introductions through the door. When you bring the kitten home, expect a fair amount of hissing from your calico - that is entirely normal. Please don't reprimand her! She is establishing a pecking order. This is very important since the new kitten might end up being much bigger than her on maturity. Do expect some spats when they are first introduced to each other. Play it by ear - and keep an eye on body language. Do have enough litter boxes and food dishes on hand so that one cat cannot control access. Do also have enough havens for each cat (areas not in the open that they can rest undisturbed). We have a cat with major fear aggression issues which makes your calico's neurosises probably pale in comparison - and yet Pepper is able to be with the other three cats. It has taken a great deal of effort on our part - and constant attention to body language - but we have four cats sharing a household in relative harmony. For four cats, we have three litter boxes - all cleaned several times a day (this is extremely important!) and in different areas of the house. We also have three feeding stations, each with their own fresh water (we change the water at least twice daily). In the kitchen, there are two bowls of kibble, two bowls of water, and a litter box. In the master bedroom, there is one bowl of kibble, one bowl of water, and one litter box. In my oldest daughter's bedroom, there is one bowl of kibble and one bowl of water. Finally, downstairs in the entryway, there is one covered litterbox. Because most covered litterboxes on the market are too small, I have used a large roughtote (70l size) to make my own. It is inverted onto its lid and the litterbox sits on the lid. I have cut the entrance hole out of one end of the box. For scooping, we just lift the top part (the bottom) as if hinged. It works very well! I think that you will be pleasantly surprised at how well your established cat accepts the interloper. Kittens have a way of worming themselves into everyone's affections.....She will probably teach it a thing or two! Finally, if you are away from home working for a large part of the day, a new addition will provide some much needed company for your cat. As I said at the beginning, cats are far more social creatures than most people realise......Just look at feral cats: they form colonies!

Reply

I new I could count on you for some amazing advice. Thanks =)

Reply

Gintz , that was an amazing reply , thanks ! I met the litter today actually , there's a cute lil blondish female that I think would make an awesome new addition to the family , I already have a name picked out but I'm not going to jinx it by putting it in type (just in case I wait for another litter down the road) , to be honest and after thought I think my current cat is still a bit too immature to relinquish her throne as the only cat curled up on my lap , at least for the moment , I melted when I saw this litter (god kittens are so adorable) , but I realistically I have to consider how it will work out with Bauser my current cat , I have to say that as much as my heart melts for these kittens , and as much as I know they deserve a good home , I have to leave it to fate at the moment and hope they all end up in good homes , I know they'll all be gone in a few days , I've asked that they keep the baby blonde guy they have untill tomorrow so I can sleep on it , Bauser was a barn cat , she was raised in the outdoors and not hand reared so earning her trust wasn't easy , she's 11 months now (don't know why I keep saying 10) and she's just starting to really open up to me , it's only been in the last few weeks that I've woken up in the middle of the night and she's been in my bed with me , she always comes n says goodnight and gets her belly rubbed when I'm about to go to sleep , but she usually roams the house afterwards , i don't know if I'm explaining this right , but basically I'm just starting to really get to the heart of this cats trust , in a way I think it would be somewhat irresponsible to get a new kitten in the house when my current cat is still really a kitten herself , basically I'm dealing with a neurotic female calico that was raised in a feral state and I'm just starting to really earn her trust , my cat is very untrusting of new people I'm sorta scared to think what she would do to a new kitten , at least while she herself is a basically a kitten , anyhow that's just my basic thoughts on the matter , it's 430 am here so I better curl up with my cat in bed and hopefully wake up clear headed and with a solid decision made about getting a new kitten in my head , thanks for the advice Gintz , your a doll

Reply

Why thank you! (I usually think of myself as the old bag!) Don't be so harsh on your little girl: neurotic, she's not. Just following her early training as a feral/barn cat of not trusting anyone or anything. That is a behaviour that will stay with her for most of her life, if not all. Cats imprint so much of their behaviours will quite young kittens (that is why it is so very important to make sure they are raised underfoot if looking at breeders!) It is hard to say for sure, but sometimes the second cat will actually help to socialize a timid first cat - of course, then you might be fighting with two cats for a little bit of bed space for yourself! (Ever tried sharing a twin bed with four cats?!)

Reply

Thanks for the further thought Gintz (you are most definitely a doll ), it really is appreciated , I've decided it's not a matter of whether I'm getting another kitten or not , but when , since Bauser is just barely starting to show a more mature side to her I think it's only fair to wait another 6 months or so before bringing a new kitten home , another thing I forgot to mention was that I just moved into a new house (beginning of June) that Bauser is still getting used to so she still does need some time to adjust , I believe loosely that everything happens for a reason and Karma plays a part in all of it , so if I am to believe that that is the case then when I get a new kitten he or she will be perfect , Gintz it makes total sense to me that a hand reared cat would be calmer and help socialize Bauser as well as be a companion , she really is a sweet cat , just very timid ,,, by the time I have 4 cats at the same time I'm hoping I have kids who will be old enough to help take care of them , so if you add up all the beds I will have it should equate to something larger than a double bed (jeesh , Gintz how do you find the blanket with all that fur ? lol) , I like this site quite a lot so as soon as I have a new little furball in the house there will be pictures up , I'm just keeping my lil girl as top priority as she is still growing up and great new behavior is emerging every day (just a matter of time till she starts sleeping on my head lol can't wait ) , cheers