Need your OPINIONS PLEASE.

As some of you know my shoemaker, Sabby, has a cat named Angelina that I have cat sat for in the past when he was on vacation as she is a shop cat. She was a stray that he took in about 2 years ago. Unfortunately he will be retiring in June and wants to find Angelina a home.
The reason for this is, (1) his wife does not like cats and (2) his grandson, who they sit for often is allergic to cats.
Now, Sabby had surgery last month and I kept Angelina here for 2 weeks while he recuperated. After a few days of her being here I tried to introduce her to my guys and to make a long story short, it didn't go well at all. She went into attack mode BIG TIME. I never knew she had it in her.
Apart from that, she is such a sweet, quiet cat, have fallen in love with the girl and would like to keep her. Sabby said that a guy that lives next to the shop said he would take her, but he doesn't really feel good about it.
Now, here's where I would like your opinions. Should I bring Angelina back here, say for about 2 months this time and try to introduce her again to my crew or just let the guy next door have her and hope for the best.

Here is a picture of Angelina. She will be 3 years old this summer, is fixed and updated on her shots.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/f0d7c42b.jpg

I think that you should bring her back to your home and try to introduce her much more slowly and see how it goes. If for some reason you know it won't work, then the guy that lives near the shop can adopt her or maybe another friend of yours might be interested. :) Good luck. She sure looks like a sweetheart. :D

Well, in answer to you question I will ask a few of my own....

1) How long are you (realistically) able to keep her in a closed off room without it being inconvienient to the rest of the family?

2) Where would she go if it REALLY did not work? (back-up plan)

In my personal opinion, almost all cats can get used to other cats, but how willing are you to disrupt you cat's lives in the meantime?

Coming from someone with 24 or 25 (can't keep count :) ) they will adjust with time. Some adjust immediately and others take some time. It took our Gabby almost a year to adjust. We were just considering finding her a home when all of a sudden she accepted her situation. It was like she knew what we were thinking. :eek: I agree with Jen, if you have the time to work with her it can work out. Look at Leila, we just brought her in a few weeks ago and it is working. We have never segregated any of our cats with introduction and for some reason we've been very lucky. Leila holds her own and there are a few spats, but all in all it's working. Good luck with your decision and I hope it works for Sabby whatever the decision.

I would never turn a cat over to someone taht was not committed to taking care of a Cat,that could be with him,for another Fifteen Years.
He would probably tire of the cost,and the responsibilty in time.
Your Cats will learn to love that Sweetheart in time.
My Cats are already warming up to Tubby2,soon he will be in the Cat Pile.

We did the "slow" introduction with Thumper. The rest of the gang all meet each other right away and got along super. Only reason for slow intro for Thumper is that we were new to introductions since it was only with RB Butterscotch. I'm no help on this subject of slow introductions.
Only advise I'd have is to separate especially when your gone during the day.

I agree that in time, things will most likely work themselves out. Like K&L, I have a houseload of cats, and have had very little territorial issues. When I do, I fuss at the guilty party, and separate them myself. Usually that is enough to suffice. Of course if things just do not settle down sometimes rehoming has to occur, but at least you will have more time to find a good home. Only you know what you are able to manage in your given situation, Lorraine, and we are all here for moral support as always! ;)

Kim

Well, like the others said, she would adjust given time. It could be 2 days or 2 years. Or she could be another Minette who under no circumstances wanted to be around another cat. I swear if we even had her the remainder of her life, she'd have lived happily in one bedroom so long as it meant to never be nose to nose to another cat ever again. I never minded going into her room twice a day, and always felt comfortable knowing she got love because my daughter slept in there every night.

I truly worried what would have happened if Minette was still here while my daughter headed off to college. My main question to myself was whether or not I'd be able to give her enough one on one time AND then go into another room and give the same one on one time to the remainder of the cats. If you are comfortable with the idea that she might be isolated for an unkown amount of time.... which might possibly be forever, and you are willing to let her go as slow as she wants to go with the introductions, then you'll be fine.

Maybe you can bring Angelina home in the hopes to find her a home, a foster, and then if in the process she becomes accustomed to living with other cats - you could keep her.

Either way you'd be doing something good for the sweet girl. :)

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Originally Posted by jenluckenbach

Well, in answer to you question I will ask a few of my own....

1) How long are you (realistically) able to keep her in a closed off room without it being inconvienient to the rest of the family?

For as long as need be Jen and it isn't really an inconvenience to the rest of the family. In fact, when I had her the last time, I had closed all the boys in another room and opened the door to the room Angelina was in, to let her roam around the house. She just stayed in the doorway wanting nothing to do with it. She seemed very content to just be in the room.

2) Where would she go if it REALLY did not work? (back-up plan)

Good question Jen as I really don't have a back-up plan at this moment. I have asked all my friends if they would take her, but that was a no go.

In my personal opinion, almost all cats can get used to other cats, but how willing are you to disrupt you cat's lives in the meantime?

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The few times that I have had her here didn't SEEM to disrupt the other cats as they are usually not in my room during the day time. They seem to prefer to be in my sons room or the living room. BUT, they do like to come into my room at bedtime. This is what I would have to think about as to how long I am willing to disrupt this routine.

You see the last time, I had brought Willy into the room while holding him in my arms and let Angelina smell him. She didn't hiss or do anything to him. Maybe she sensed he was still young, I don't know. But when I brought Poppy in, she hissed at him. The only one out of my crew that hissed and growled at her, was my grandkitty Sades. He is the main one that I am worried about.
All I know, is that in my heart, I really have to give this a try.

I thank you all for your input and advice in regards to this, as I value your opinions very much. If you Jen, Lisa and Kim, who have a lot more cats than I, can do it, with great results, then I am willing to give it a try.

I'm sure I will be coming for more help from you guys who have experienced introducing an older cat to your crew, as this will be my first time with an older cat.

I'm sure Angelina will be grateful (eventually!!). Better you than someone who is just lukewarm about adopting her.

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All I know, is that in my heart, I really have to give this a try.

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Then that is all that matters.

My very first piece of advice to you.....do not allow hissing to bother you. Hissing and growling are a warning to others to "stay away, I am not happy". BUT it is prefectly normal and to be expected.

Also remember that chasing, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. A cat will chase off an intruder and the NEW cat will be trying to protect an amount of territory. Only when the chase ends in an all out brawl OR if one party begins to be terrorized into hiding all the time, would I worry.

oops....sorry for the unsolisited advice. :o

There was lots of hissing, growling, and unhappy noises when introducing Orion and my brother's new kitten Monte. It was horrible sounding! Now they are fine with eachother, only after a week or so.