New feral cat - is it Pauli or Paula. / It's Paula and we have kittens.

[Kwik]

Thanks! A few more weeks then and I can start with Bertus, good idea!



Today he actually started to explore a little bit, he came downstairs into the bathroom (twice). He even saw Bertus' paw under the door. I think in a few days, he would like to see the living room.

Great- no worries Dan- as long as he's eating,drinking and eliminating he's just fine and you've nothing to worry about

It's very typical for newly transitioned ( adult) cats to seem completely seem uninterested in anything when in fact it is quite the opposite they are simply bewildered but don't let them fool you,they don't miss a trick and they are observing ,listening and taking in all these new snd unfamiliar scents...

It's fine,he is fine and he will move at his own pace and then you'll be posting about how curious he is and so interested in everything !lol

 

[cat_dad_dan]

you'll be posting about how curious he is and so interested in everything

He spent about 15 minutes exploring the living room. A little bit scared, but he did well and got some nice food in his room as a reward.

 

[Kwik]

He spent about 15 minutes exploring the living room. A little bit scared, but he did well and got some nice food in his room as a reward.

View attachment 469549

Oh how cute he is- see,he's interested in where he is and what's going on- he's just fine my friend,good job

 

[Sarthur2]

He’s a handsome boy! I’ve found orange cats to be very sweet, smart, and in general have fairly laid back personalities. I have an orange male cat myself. He’s been wonderful.

 

[Kwik]

He’s a handsome boy! I’ve found orange cats to be very sweet, smart, and in general have fairly laid back personalities. I have an orange male cat myself. He’s been wonderful.

I adore orange boys-they are special gems

 

[fionasmom]

My Jamie is an orange boy and my Rikki is a flame point and they both have incredible personalities. Jamie was a street rescue as a tiny kitten.

 

[cat_dad_dan]

A little bit more than 3 weeks have passed and the cats still haven't seen each other. All of them have more or less settled in and we have a routine who gets to sit on the stairs.

I guess by now the scent of each cat has soaked into the house. I swapped some toys and the orange boy sometimes uses a different litter box.

So all good, but what would be the next step? I watched some Jackson Galaxy videos about this and it seems quite straight forward, but to apply it in my case seems a bit more difficult.

 

[fionasmom]

Ode to vanilla extract

I've been doing the through the door thing with my resident rulers and Jack, our newest foster boy (Chloe has her own room) Anyway, yesterday was the day he was finally released to general population. My girl of course got her panties all in a wad for hours hissing at him and stalking him and...

thecatsite.com

Some people find this to be very helpful, but if you have done a lot of scent swapping it may not be necessary.

Are you at a point where they have all seen each other through some safe area or screen? Or not at all? I am sure that you saw how Jackson feeds the cats on the opposite sides of a gate. Introducing them in a protected way would be next in most cases.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Can you get your hands on a couple of baby gates? The kind with wire mesh, NOT wooden bars. They are not terribly expensive. Set that up in a doorway, one on top of the other, separating the two. This will allow them to see each other without being able to reach each other. It's a good next step. That way, they are familiar with scent, sound, and sight of each other before you let them meet face to face without a barrier.

 

[Kwik]

So is Boss ( is that the name you settled on?)in a safe room still - hard to suggest the next step without knowing where everyone's territory is- though 3 weeks is not yet well established..... when your at the point where one(or 2) cats are in one area and the unintriduced cat is in another room its good to " room swap" so they familiarize themselves with each other's territory -its good so that when you do put up barrier for sight and room swap you are preparing them for the actual introductions and they are not overwhelmed by the new unfamiliar territory,make sense?

In your case it's not residents vs new guy becausd they are ALL new guys to this environment and are settling in nicely and establishing " territory "- so it's unfamiliar to everyone..... sort of an even playing field,so room swapping is important for them all

 

[cat_dad_dan]

Are you at a point where they have all seen each other through some safe area or screen? Or not at all?

Thanks! Not at all yet. Only just hearing each other and smelling.

Can you get your hands on a couple of baby gates?

I will look into it, thanks!

hard to suggest the next step without knowing where everyone's territory is

Ok, this is the current situation:

Boss

• Spends most time alternating between his room and the stairs. He doesn't like to be just in his room.
• Visits Pauli's room every day (and sometimes uses her litter box).
• Visits the living room every day.
• He is getting more confident and needs more stimulation.

Pauli

• Spends most time in her room on my bed. Spends the evening on the couch with me and Bertus.
• Likes to roam around at night. So she has the run of the house at night.
• Is not fully confident yet, especially during the day, she needs more time to settle in.

Bertus

• 8 months old now. A teenager.
• Wants to be where I go, and spends most time in the living room. And sleeps with me on my bed at night.
• He is challenging Pauli more and more, like real fighting with hair flying.
• He is not afraid of meeting Boss and very curious.

 

[Kwik]

Thanks DaddyDan
Has Bertus been nuetered yet?

 

[cat_dad_dan]

Thanks DaddyDan
Has Bertus been nuetered yet?

Yes, a few months ago.

 

[fionasmom]

It sounds like the scents of the cats are all over the house. Another theory is that pets develop a "house smell" having nothing to do with your house personally, not a question of cleanliness. Often that is all it takes but I would try the baby gate or other blocking device first so that they see each other before they are together. If you are handy, we have had members use garden trellis type materials from Home Depot.

 

[Sarthur2]

No Home Depots in Amsterdam!

I’m no help here. I have 7 cats and my high was 11. They’ve come as strays, I’ve taken in a friend’s cats when she passed from cancer, I’ve had 4 born in my home of a pregnant stray I took in. I just put them all together and deal with the chaos.

No one is ever happy 100% of the time. I always have 4-5 cats sleeping in bed with me and a couple others on side tables and bureaus in the bedroom.

I really only have one problem situation that I break up on a regular basis, and that is one of my male cats (now 9 years old) and born in my house, who has a grudge against the last female I took in almost 3 years ago as a 4 month old kitten. Every other cat accepts her except this one, and he likes to chase her and corner her. She cowers, poor thing, and he gets put in time out. The situation never improves but I just deal with it. All my other cats live with one another just fine.

What is my point? Sometimes you cannot control everything and things do not always go as planned. Do your due diligence with introductions, give it time, and be prepared for certain cats to never get along.

I had a sister I did not get along with growing up. We shared a room and fought over everything. To this day we have unresolved issues, but we make do and my mother never re-homed either of us. Just kidding on that point.

Anyway, do the best you can, break up the fights, and with luck and time, your cats will get along or at least leave one another alone.

 

[Kwik]

Thanks DaddyDan
Has Bertus been nuetered yet?

That rules that out,haha
It's pretty common for these kind of disputes when everyone finds themselves in unfamiliar territory- certainly this pair will work it out and the scent of a new guy will also trigger redirected aggressions....

At the point fur is flying some separation might be in order,if you can manage it in the layout of the new home- sounds like Bertus is a little trouble maker which I'm thrilled to know he's doing so well physically-bravo!

Does Bertus understand " No" often times we let the little special needs kids get away with murder- be firm in that behavior is unacceptable to Daddy

 

[cat_dad_dan]

What is my point? Sometimes you cannot control everything and things do not always go as planned.

Wow, 11 cats! That's difficult to imagine, three of them I already find quite a lot of work.
Thank you for sharing!

Does Bertus understand " No" often times we let the little special needs kids get away with murder- be firm in that behavior is unacceptable to Daddy

Thanks! Yes, I will break up the fight when it happens, luckily most of them they can play quite well together. I think partly it was also the stress Pauli was going through. She is more relaxed now, more into playing.

I am still looking for a solution to put in the doorway, hopefully next week I am able to arrange something. Meanwhile still a status quo. I give them all the time to settle in, in the next weeks a next step.

Kwik , I remember you gave Yeeeow catnip directly to your cat? I also bought some, do you just put it on the ground for him to eat or smell?

 

[Kwik]

Wow, 11 cats! That's difficult to imagine, three of them I already find quite a lot of work.
Thank you for sharing!



Thanks! Yes, I will break up the fight when it happens, luckily most of them they can play quite well together. I think partly it was also the stress Pauli was going through. She is more relaxed now, more into playing.

I am still looking for a solution to put in the doorway, hopefully next week I am able to arrange something. Meanwhile still a status quo. I give them all the time to settle in, in the next weeks a next step.

Kwik , I remember you gave Yeeeow catnip directly to your cat? I also bought some, do you just put it on the ground for him to eat or smell?

I do,I sprinkle it either on their little cardboard scratches or right on the floor and they roll around in it,lick it up and rub their little faces on it- they have a good ole time. I make separate little drops pretty far apart ( maybe a teaspoons worth) so they stay on their own spot and each have their own fun

That Yeeow was a great find- thanks to tabbytom - it's the first catnip ALL 5 of mine love
Also,I keep it in the frig,they say it stays fresh that way

 

[cat_dad_dan]

each have their own fun

Thanks, I tried it! It is getting harder to get the boss into his room, he rather sits on the stairs, especially in the evening. I though I might try to use good catnip to get him into the room, but he is not interested. He usually stands in the doorway, knowing that if he goes in I will close the door. The last few night he actually comes in, eats some food and when he sees I move he jumps back out through the door way.

I guess he feels safer on the stairs than in his own room. Anything I can try?

 

[Kwik]

Thanks, I tried it! It is getting harder to get the boss into his room, he rather sits on the stairs, especially in the evening. I though I might try to use good catnip to get him into the room, but he is not interested. He usually stands in the doorway, knowing that if he goes in I will close the door. The last few night he actually comes in, eats some food and when he sees I move he jumps back out through the door way.

I guess he feels safer on the stairs than in his own room. Anything I can try?

Well,may I ask why you don't want him hanging out on the stairs..... so many outdoor to indoor cats that are transitioned into 2story homes and start out upstairs often hang around " up" above on the stairs overlooking what's down below- a friend of mines feral hung out on the stairs for well over 6 months,everytime he'd make his way downstairs one of her resident girls would chase the poor boy back up to the 2nd floor- but they want to expand their territory and vertical space is a really good watchtower to eventually get to where they'd like to explore

My friends boy now hangs around downstairs,so can you just let him be? Pauli and Bertus and Boss are all eventually going to have the run of the house,right?

I think it's great Boss wants to lookout,what's your reason for wanting to contain him at night,if you don't mind me asking