Should I express my doubts about these 2 cats being happy together?

gilmargl

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Because a friend is on holiday, I am looking after her 2 foster cats (unrelated, both about 8 months old). Unexpectedly, the shelter has found a family interested in giving these 2 cats a permanent home. I am willing to let the family visit the cats but am not willing to give the go ahead for adoption. My friend will have to make that decision when she returns from holiday.

Unfortunately, I am not happy about these 2 particular cats being kept in an apartment together. Should I say something when the possible adopters visit, or keep my mouth shut?
The cats:
  1. A BSH female: found by a dog, before last Christmas. She was alone in a bush, miles away from any housing. (I believe she was thrown out of a car by a breeder because she obviously had an URI and both eyes were badly infected. It is not the first time that sick BSH cats have been found in the middle of nowhere.).
    She had to be bottle-fed, was treated for various infections as well as herpes. Eventually she was neutered at the same time as an eye was removed. Because of her history, she will not be vaccinated for at least another 6 months. A search was started for a suitable young cat to join her so that she could be socialised. Hence, her partner

  2. A male European Short Hair - he was already weaned and very friendly when found. Because of her infections, he was vaccinated and neutered before being introduced to the female.
I have had the 2 of them for exactly 7 days. They settled down in a small bedroom immediately without problems. He is very athletic and can get right up to the top of the bookshelves. She is poor-sighted and only manages to reach the top of a medium-sized cat tree. It soon became clear that he loved to dominate her - sitting on her and biting her neck, causing her to squeal.
I increased playtime (which is more like "wartime") and have gathered numerous scratches and holes in my clothing from his jumping and throwing himself about. He is not aggressive at all - just completely careless about where he lands - in the food, on the litterbox, between the cat tree and desk, on my head..... He must be covered in bruises. I opened the windows and a couple of flies flew in. I had to protect all my worldly goods from his onslaught - completely brainless. Although she can't see a fly under her nose, she also likes following the flight of flies (by sound) and finishes up being pushed off the windowsill or cat tree and landing in a heap on the floor. I have added an extra cat tree and an extra cat box and cat bed so that she can find somewhere to hide or get out of his way. Unfortunately, she seems to prefer heights and there he always has the advantage.

I contacted my friend on holiday who admitted that he has always been dominant, sits on her, bites and makes her squeal. I think they would be better off separated: she would even fit in with my 5 females and he would no doubt be happy with one or two young neutered toms.

We left it at that and now people are coming to see the two cats. Would they be happy living together in an apartment with balcony? The balcony will need to be made extremely cat safe as such a wiry, muscular, determined cat will soon find a way out! He has just attacked her again and then come up to me, butted my leg as if to say - "Aren't I a clever cat? I've made her squeal again!"

I think I should perhaps keep my feelings to myself. But, that's not going to help the female. The cat shelter will be paying all vet fees for any further treatment necessary for her eyes and herpes. But, no-one seems to be interested in her general well-being.

😒
 

fionasmom

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You have so much cat expertise that I think you should speak up. This could escalate into a serious problem, especially with new owners and a balcony and a partially sighted cat...not to mention the wild and crazy guy. To me, this is not like you are butting into something that is not your business. Right now, a few blocks from me, there is an ongoing 6 week search for a cat who fell off a low second floor balcony and became lost.
 
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gilmargl

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Thank you fionasmom fionasmom , Danneq Danneq and V verna davies and sorry for the late reply. I am definitely going to try to get a few words in edgeways when the potential adopters visit next week. I would be happier if they were to come alone - but a certain very important person (her own opinion) from the shelter insists on coming along too and she is exceptionally DOMINANT and TERRITORIAL even in my house 🤣!
If all else fails and things are going in the wrong direction, I will slip them my card when they leave and ask them to phone me. I have again spoken to the person who has been fostering the cats, and she is very keen for the cats to stay together, in spite of his dominance. So, I am already fighting a losing battle. Still, it will not hurt to point out that keeping these 2 cats happy together will be a real challenge!

fionasmom fionasmom
I hope you manage to recapture the cat who escaped from the balcony - people still believe that any cat will find its own way home - unfortunately not true for cats kept indoors. :disappointed:
 

fionasmom

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You can only do what you can do. It is funny how rescues seem to attract some of these dominant type personalities.
 
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gilmargl

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Well, an "Act of God" changed things completely! The woman from the shelter had unexpected family problems and had to cancel all her engagements this week. The chairwoman was happy to leave me to interview the young couple interested in giving a permanent home to both cats. I was able to tell them about my own misgivings, which they took seriously. They certainly liked both cats although the male was unexpectantly very wary of his visitors. They have 4 large rooms and have already made their balcony cat-safe taking into account the additional recommendations the shelter made after the on-site inspection. They have time to think about the situation before the cats return to their foster family (next Monday 🙏?) and a second interview can be arranged. The foster mama, who has been treating the female since December last year will have a lot to tell them about what to watch out for and how to treat herpes, discharges from her one eye and any problems from her operation. She is an excellent "substitute mother cat" and will not let her children go to just anybody.

I will leave things as they are and hope that these cats, who I called Lady and the Tramp, both find happy homes, either together or apart.
Tomorrow, I have a vet visit with one of my own fosters, who never left as a result of too many health issues - a poor little thing 😿
 
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