Introducing 16 Year Old Cat Into My Household

[tarasgirl06]

Yes I have plenty of other windows for Molly to see out of . And yes, oriana is sitting on my lap peacefully as I type this.

Great update -- thanks! That looks like a very comfortable vantage point for Molly. And Oriana being a laptop -- great progress!

 

[Dolly2002]

Molly is beautiful.

 

[kobata1928]

Molly is beautiful.

She really is a sweetheart, but I do think she would prefer being in a single cat home. I have forgot to mention an immense important change in our household, in July I went from staying at home all day to working away for 8 hours a day. I'm sure this hasn't helped after being with her and my other 2 for the past 2 years. I had thought they had adjusted before Oriana came into the house, but they; especially Oscar is acting a bit jealous.

 

[Dolly2002]

Omg lol I think I might have Molly's twin sister her name is Lilly.

 

[Dolly2002]

She really is a sweetheart, but I do think she would prefer being in a single cat home. I have forgot to mention an immense important change in our household, in July I went from staying at home all day to working away for 8 hours a day. I'm sure this hasn't helped after being with her and my other 2 for the past 2 years. I had thought they had adjusted before Oriana came into the house, but they; especially Oscar is acting a bit jealous.

Anytime anything changes their usual normal rurteen they change be NOT themselves for quite a while. And given you just went from a being at home momma to these precious creatures to a working momma. That's a great deal of adjustment for them to deal with right there, then comes in New sibling, so to them that means less momma time than they're going to be going to getting back together. I hope I'm making sense. With cats we don't own them, they own us. The cat chooses it's person to bond with. That's what happened to me and my son our whole lives.

 

[kobata1928]

My main problem with waiting to change Oriana's diet to wet until everyone gets along, is that if there is dry food available Oscar will eat it until it is all gone. I guess it's a holdover from his time spent living on the streets. I have spent the last year getting him to lose 4 pounds and don't want to have to do it again, and Oriana would be starving.

 

[tarasgirl06]

My main problem with waiting to change Oriana's diet to wet until everyone gets along, is that if there is dry food available Oscar will eat it until it is all gone. I guess it's a holdover from his time spent living on the streets. I have spent the last year getting him to lose 4 pounds and don't want to have to do it again, and Oriana would be starving.

I understand. That's the great thing about wet food, though -- it has a lot of moisture in it, which is great for cats who don't drink a lot of water on its own; and it's less calorically dense than the dry food, which makes it excellent for those who want to see their cats slim down a bit.

 

[Kflowers]

Have you tried half and half for her? Or some mix of wet and dry? Some like that, and others are annoyed you got the crunchy food wet.

Congratulations on Oscar losing 4lbs in a year. That's a lot to lose, but not too much in a year. Who's a good kitty? Unh, who's the best dieting kitty around? Oscar!!!

 

[kobata1928]

Have you tried half and half for her? Or some mix of wet and dry? Some like that, and others are annoyed you got the crunchy food wet.

Congratulations on Oscar losing 4lbs in a year. That's a lot to lose, but not too much in a year. Who's a good kitty? Unh, who's the best dieting kitty around? Oscar!!!

Yes, lately I've been trying even 90% dry to wet and it is still making her sick. She gobbles it up and loves the wet but her stomach has not been agreeing. I have been trying different brands and flavors but haven't found any that she can consistently keep down. I fully want to switch her to wet or at least a large portion, but if I must keep her on dry, I will try one of those RFID feeders that only open for the proper cat.

 

[kobata1928]

Oriana has been grumpy lately

 

[Dolly2002]

Oriana has been grumpy lately

Threw her eyes she's looking like she's not feeling well today. Keep a close eye on her. Be blessed. Love melodee and dolly.

 

[kobata1928]

For the past months I have been trying to avoid having oriana hissed at by my other cats, to avoid undue stress on her. After endless reading on here I have decided to let their interactions play out more, as long as there is no bloodshed. I have come to believe cats interactions are not a gentle thing we humans can relate to. Today Oriana came out in my upstairs hallway and actually touched noses with Mister before they both hissed, growled and swatted at the air. I was close to grabbing one of them up, but didn't, and they just walked away from each other. I really think I might have been doing all of them a disservice by trying to keep them what I thought was safe.

 

[Kflowers]

It is never a disservice to wrap cats in love. Your separating them only slowed things down, it didn't damage or destroy anything.

I think you are right about their interactions being a bit rough by human (not little human boy) levels. But, unlike us, cats come with lose skin (most can turn around inside their skin, shivs on their hands and feet, and dagger teeth. Scary stuff, but when they fight to get to know each other, or play they don't do much damage --- as you said swatted the air--- or they wrestle.

BTW Oriana is one of the most beautiful cats I've ever seen. How can you avoid making her crazy though cuddling, I don't know.

 

[Dolly2002]

For the past months I have been trying to avoid having oriana hissed at by my other cats, to avoid undue stress on her. After endless reading on here I have decided to let their interactions play out more, as long as there is no bloodshed. I have come to believe cats interactions are not a gentle thing we humans can relate to. Today Oriana came out in my upstairs hallway and actually touched noses with Mister before they both hissed, growled and swatted at the air. I was close to grabbing one of them up, but didn't, and they just walked away from each other. I really think I might have been doing all of them a disservice by trying to keep them what I thought was safe.

Dolly has been her other cats ( Lilly 6 years whose 8 years old and Jesse 7 years and is 7 years old) and from time to time she still hiss and growls at them. Jesse is my biggest concern for he likes to bully her and she's not a fighter. But Lilly Procter of dolly will always be glad to put him in his place. You might end up with my household. They all love each other but even years together one's still got to be fussy.

 

[Dolly2002]

Just wanted to say hi and merry Christmas to you and see how things are going with your companions. I hope all is well and that they are starting to come around together. We haven't seen anything for awhile so I was just wondering if your ok. Merry Christmas to you and your family members.
Sincerely ,
Melodee, Dolly, Jesse and Lilly

 

[kobata1928]

Just wanted to say hi and merry Christmas to you and see how things are going with your companions. I hope all is well and that they are starting to come around together. We haven't seen anything for awhile so I was just wondering if your ok. Merry Christmas to you and your family members.
Sincerely ,
Melodee, Dolly, Jesse and Lilly

Thanks and you too.
Mister has taken to sitting outside Oriana's door all the time. When I see this, I open the door and Oriana comes rushing out only to be greeted by Mister's deep throated growls. Oriana has only been meowing back at him all this week, and he eventually just walks off. Molly won't even go upstairs anymore in fear of seeing Oriana. Oscar actually jumped my 2 high baby gates to come see what was going on when I was upstairs with Oriana. He just sat and stared from about 6 feet away for a few minutes, then ran back downstairs. My sister, Oriana's original human, is flying in for Christmas. I'm sure Oriana will be happy to see her, but I don't anticipate it helping much, since I don't consider Oriana to be the problem in my other cats acceptance.

 

[Dolly2002]

I'm sorry things aren't going more smoothly yet... My dolly still don't like my son's cat after 3 years together , but it's because Mauzer picks on her non stop. I hope that you can have a great holiday with your sister.

 

[Kflowers]

Some cats, like some people, never like each other. Unlike people those cats can usually work out some way of sharing the same space without bloodshed.

 

[kobata1928]

I have been letting more interaction with Mister and Oriana. Mister is still growling, but Oriana just ignores him. They came up and even touched noses yesterday. I have let it happen, and both growled, hissed, and Mister eventually backed away. My sister, Oriana's old full time human will be here tomorrow. Molly, who has always been a bit restless, has now become a snuggler, when before she would never sit still. Oscar has me worried because he is not currently eating all his food, and that boy would scarf anything down. He even has started to have ashma attacks, which i'm sure was stress related. I have been giving him an inhaler twice a day

 

[rubysmama]

Sounds like Mister and Oriana are working things out between themselves. Molly started to snuggle is good. Sorry about Oscar though. Hopefully he'll feel better soon.