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    Cat howling when alone…?

    If this new cat is not a fighter, its not such a big deal. I had two scaredy cats that would retreat to the house and howl. It was actually a good thing, because their lack of any desire to fight kept them out of fights. Although those 3 am wakeups are not fun!! If you have the dollars, a...
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    Sudden random hissing

    If your not worried about your safety, the best bet would be to wait till the parents come home. If the behavior persists and is directed to them for more than a day or two, a vet trip would be warranted. If you are worried about your safety, maybe it is worth a vet trip now. Even if there...
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    Second kitten

    Kittens are the most adaptable of cats. How the adult animals are doing is always the much more important question, because the kitten will be fine in time. So . . . you wait. It rarely takes more than a week or so (and usually much less) if there isn't hostility aimed at the kitten.
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    New cat randomly snaps at us...scratches, hisses

    When I adopted a stray we found outside, I had to mostly pet her head and shoulders, and do it just so. I was literally unable to do it right while looking at the tv. Any "error" and I would get swatted with nails. The cat ultimately became just a normal very affectionate cat in all respects...
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    Cat keeps biting dog

    If cat isn't growling or hissing and doesn't break the skin, I assume it is an attempt at play. Maybe you can facilitate some other way for them to actually play together.
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    Fear aggression towards small children

    If you want to recruit some neighbor children to throw treats, spend a couple of minutes at the gate not doing anything scary, that might work in time. You know, if you clear it with their parents first so you don't get the police called, lol. Most likely your just going to need to wait and...
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    Would an SSRI help?

    I may be biased because when I was a practicing lawyer, I defended drug companies for a living. But my take is this: even safe drugs have a nasty list of potential side effects. For example, did you know that statins can literally cause your flesh to fall off? That is called Stevens Johnson...
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    How to train a Velcro cat? I'm losing my mind.

    A scratching post with a cup top next to your computer desk, next to your reading or TV armchair. You have to relocate them a bunch, but I have kinda sort taught my almost 13 pound cat that when I tap the scratching post, it means I want him in the cup top rather than on me. Its close enough...
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    After years raising cats, I chose a difficult one

    I agree with the advice above. I know you are experienced, but honestly it sounds like you might have been a little lucky with past cats, since the cat doesn't sound so unusual. To add my two cents on the food issue -- I don't think its generally necessary to let a cat decide what they will...
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    Acclimating a cat to apartment noise

    The limits of the ability to adapt is something I wondered about years ago when we lived above York Avenue in New York, not far from the fire station and a hospital as well. So lots of sirens. My cats got used to it better than I did. For a human . . . less than ideal, but the cats seemed...
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    Kitten wants to play, but older cat wants nothing to do with it

    Does the older cat not like climbing? Cats tend to feel safer in high places, so scratching posts with a cup top are useful. The kitten can try to be a pest, but the older cat takes up essentially the whole cup, and doesn't as much mind swatting at the little bugger from elevation. I agree...
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    Advice re: keeping former stray indoors?

    Your right, he will probably get out. Here is what you do: go outside. Chill. Pet him. After five or ten minutes, pick him up and go in. Why? Because if you chase him, it will work. The first time. Maybe the second and even the third. But sooner or later he will learn to evade you, and...
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    Is Getting A Second Cat For "Company" Really A Good Idea?

    A 1.5 year old has like a 90-95% chance of becoming good friends with a kitten. It gets harder as cats age, but its pretty close to a guaranty w/ a 1.5 y.o. and a kitten. Which is not to say that one wont be bigger or more active, and there won't be some light hissing when it gets too be too...
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    Introducing a new kitten

    5-6 weeks isn't a ton, give it time. In the scheme of things, this counts as a good result for these ages and is encouraging for the future. BUT totally get that just because others have it much worse (and oh boy do they) doesn't mean your situation isn't really annoying! I can't really think...
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    Trouble introducing cats

    You've gotten some good advice, everything said above is true. However, in the interest of setting expectations, I do think its clear that this is going to be a more difficult than average introduction. I would certainly plan on a multi-week visual access step involving a gate, (pictures in...
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    New Kitten and Older Cat Interactions

    Kittens are pains. In a high % of the cases, it goes basically one of two ways when you add one to a 9 year old. Either the older cat is inexplicably afraid of the tiny ball of fluff, and in these cases the stress can be very hard to get rid of. Sometimes they even swat at the kitten with...
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    11 week old kitten and 11-year-old cat, playing or hunting?

    Its never prey, an adult could kill a kitten in seconds. Its either play, or stress. Or sometimes maybe a bit of both. And sometimes annoyance too -- an older cat that isn't stressed at all may whump a young one to teach manners. The video and the history makes me think this is either play...
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    Reintroduction: tension during the eat/play/love phase with new Catification in the apartment.

    Not seeing stress in the vids, I do think your moving too slowly. Most incidents of non-recognition can be resolved with a separation of a few hours up to a day or two, without a formal reintroduction process. I did one of a few hours recently. There was some hissing when I put them together...
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    Reintroduction: tension during the eat/play/love phase with new Catification in the apartment.

    I'm not clear what you added/changed beyond a new cat tree, but I wouldn't be rearranging/adding anything when they are recovering from a problem. That said, fairly unlikely that a new cat tree caused or contributed. For certain very serious problems, Jackson Galaxy does recommend all kinds of...
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    Need ideas for giving flea meds

    Can you pet the cat when its sleepy? If so, you should be able to apply the topical stuff. Maybe not perfectly, but probably well enough. If you are willing to accept "probably good enough" it doesn't need to become a cutting the nails type battle. (I agree you can't have a battle with a cat...
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