How Do All The Cats In Rescues Get Along?

[miraramsay2012]

I have been to several free-roaming rescues, where there are like, 20 - 30 cats just hanging out, everyone getting along swell.

But my cat refuses to get along with any other cat - we have had many fosters come and go through our house in the "guest room", and my cat absolutely refuses to even think about getting along with them. If she even sees another cat, she hisses and growls and generally loses her cool. But, I respect that she is the resident cat and simply does not want any competition (I guess?).

I have tried and tried all of the Google guidelines to introducing cats, etc. etc. But still...is there any hope that I could one day add to my cat family?

 

[jcat]

I've got one like that, and his predecessor was like that from a very young age, too. Cats that don't get along with other cats are a lot more common than people think; our shelter gets quite a few of them. It's not just a question of doing proper introductions, because at times these cats were living with a litter mate (or two) and at some point problems developed, usually as they reached adulthood, but sometimes later.

I've frequently been tempted to get a second cat, but know that wouldn't be at all fair to Mowgli. I knew when I adopted him that he needed to be an only cat.

We've got a feral colony and multi-cat rooms at the shelter, and the cats don't all get along. Outright aggression is very rare; it's more a question of some cats subtly avoiding others as much as possible. You can see a real shift in behavior when a cat leaves the group or another joins it.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
miraramsay2012 - Don't give up - but do bear in mind that - as a general rule - the larger the clowder, the easier it is to integrate new cats into the home or shelter. Introducing one new cat to a single resident can can be incredibly difficult; adding two or three newbies to a clowder which already numbers six or eight is seldom anything more than watching them say "hello" to their new companions, and then going back to sleep.

Secondary to this (here an anecdotal observation, but one I've seen play out over and over again), the more dire the past circumstances of the cats involved, the easier it seems for them to accept newcomers - and one another. Ferals, reformed ferals and long-time strays are, by and large, far more forgiving of Humans and of one another, doubtless owed to the fact that they comprehend that their circumstances have been improved, and their outlook holds the hope of a Life devoid of the perils which they once faced daily.

Although this thread deals primarily with cat communication, a fair portion of it carries over into integration, and some excellent insights were shared here, and I recommend it:

Multiple Cats And Cat Communication Question.
.

 

[happilyretired]

Some cats need to be 'only children.' The last two cats I adopted were miserable in their shelters because they do not like other cats--at all. I only have one cat at a time, and my cats have been fine alone with me.

Keep in mind that cats are genetically solitary animals, and it is more common for them to prefer to be by themselves.

 

[Max's Human]

You know if Max had a wish he would be an only child. That way I could devote all my time to him and not to the other pets that I have cuz if I mention their names he comes running and wants me to have my undivided attention on him and him only he doesn't even like me to pet the dogs.