You are here:

Cats/Cat integration and feeding

Advertisement

Expert: - 12/3/2008


Question
I recently moved in with my boyfriend. I have 2 cats, litter mates, boys about 2 years old. He has 2 cats, one male, one female close in age to my cats. We have my cats in a bedroom at night and when we are not home to supervise. His male cat is doing a great job with my cats. Some hissing but in general they are adapting nicely. His female cat is not happy at all. She spends the majority of her time in the basement where her litter box and food are located. We have not permitted my cats there so his cats have a safe place too. How do we get her to socialize and at least be comfortable with 2 other cats in the house. Eventually we'd like to move the food and litter to the basement and have one location for all cats. (Multiple litter boxes and feeding stations but all together.) Also, I do not free feed my cats and he does. How do we work that situation out? Thanks for any help - we can really use it!!

Answer
Martha,

You and your boyfriend need to decide how it is that you will compromise and find a way to simplify caring for your blended family of cats and meeting their needs. New cat introductions are some of the most frequent issues that I help people with as a volunteer on this site and as a result I have answered countless questions on this subject. I would suggest that you check out my previous answers on the subject of proper new cat/kitten introductions. If after having read the previous answers you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me again and I will be happy to clarify anything that you need me to.

Cats

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.