new addition

[margaret]

Everyone:

Yesterday I adopted a 2nd cat from Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society!!! She's a 2-year old, female, calico who is absolutely beautiful. Her name at her adoption was Cali, but I will probably give her a new name (as soon as I decide on one!).

So far my Saima, my original kitty (3 yr old female tabby) who I've had for about 2 years, is NOT too happy right now! growl growl hiss hiss! But I know in time she'll accept the new kitty and I hope, hope, hope that they'll become good friends.

Well, I just wanted to let you know that this new year has brought a sweet new cat into my home and I just love her. One day I think she'll make a good Cat of the Day!

Margaret


[This message has been edited by margaret (edited January 07, 2001).]

[Pam]

Margaret what wonderful news!! I am sure Saima will begin to relax a little in time and begin to accept your new addition. I remember the hissing and all from when I introduced my second cat to my first cat who was also 3 yrs. old at the time (I had never heard him hiss before and it was a little scary!) Here's hoping that pretty soon we'll get an update from you that Saima and your new kitty have become great friends. Good luck to you. Let us know what name you give her too. What a great way to start the New Year! Keep us posted! By the way, you might want to compare notes with Logan. Go to Cat Rescue and read the posts on "Help me with this rescue cat." She is going through the same thing right now!

[This message has been edited by Pam (edited January 07, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Pam (edited January 07, 2001).]

[4 feline house]

Congratulations, Margaret, for choosing to go to the neediest first, and taking in an adult to boot! I have every confidence that this is a perfect match, and every confidence that she will eventually fit right in. Even if she and Saima never become good friends, your and her lives will still be enriched for your adopting her. Give them all hugs and sugars for me!

[gini]

What happy news!!! And what a lucky kitty. Yes, you miss out on all of the cuteness of kittenhood, but older cats are usually so hard to place. How wonderful she has a new secure home. I am sure that soon the two girls will be fast friends and scheming to get extra treats or scritches around their ears. Let us know what you decide to name her.

[lhg0962]

As I've said before, Margaret, Misery loves Company! Welcome to my world. We're actually doing ok with our new addition, but Mimi stays as far away from him and us as possible. She's eleven years old and pretty set in her ways. She's pretty feisty for a 6 pound old lady. She is hissing and growling and Butter dares not get near her food. He sits down on the floor under her part of the counter and eats the pieces she drops, but he hasn't tried to jump up there at all. Mimi has the low growl and occasional hiss to let Butter know to get out of the way!!!! We steer clear too and make sure to wash all signs of Butter off of our hands before we pet Mimi. She's getting lots of love and attention, but doesn't climb in our laps as is normal for her. My best wishes for you and your new addition. Hope your first baby will come around too.
Logan

[margaret]

Thanks, guys, for your support! The new calico, who is now tentatively named "Miko" (short for Mikiko, a name my sister suggested), is doing fine so far. But it has been a long three days! Miko still tries hard to be friends with Saima, even though Saima is still hissy and growly. But somehow I feel that progress is being made. I'm optimistic that by the end of next week, things will warm up a little between the two. Several times Miko has rolled over and shown her belly to Saima in that tell-tale kitty submissive gesture. Looks very cute, to me, but Saima still has this look of complete contempt on her face, of course! Well, it sure is interesting watching the two cats get to know each other. Sometimes I sing, "Getting to know you, getting to know all about you..." (The King & I) to them! On the day that I come across the two of them cuddled up together, grooming each other, I'm just going to jump for joy!!!

[Pam]

Margaret.....as I mentioned earlier I had a similar situation when introducing my two cats (first cat at the time being the same age as Saima is now.) I was new to the whole "cat thing" and really worried about all of the hissing. After a bit it calmed down a little, and one day my daughter called me at work to report of something that seemed to her to be amazing. She said "Mom, The cats are laying next to each other and Andy just started licking Trevor's face and now Trevor is licking Andy's face. What's that all about?" Being a former "dog family" we were really surprised and didn't know to make of it at the time but knew the "ice had been broken." Here's hoping that Saima and Miki will soon be cuddling too.

[This message has been edited by Pam (edited January 09, 2001).]

[4 feline house]

Remember, too, that just like people, cats sometimes just don't like each other. I had two that were litter mates, and hated each other until the day they died. They never snoozed together, or even in the same room, much less groomed each other. I could not put them in the same carrier without them tearing each other up, and even at the vet's or being boarded, they had to be in seperate cages. I could never figure out why. But the did coexist peacefully as long as they were never forced to come face to face, and they were both very loving, affectionate lap kitties, as long as they didn't want the same lap at the same time!

[margaret]

Here is an update on my new addition, whose official name now is "Miko" (pronounced "mee-ko"), by the way!

First cat Saima is much more accepting of Miko now, which makes me feel so relieved! I can't say that the two are "buddies" -- it could still happen, I know -- but life is much calmer now in my 2-kitty household. Miko is very loving and a cuddler. I've had nice naps with her nuzzled close to me and her paw across my tummy. She's also lots of fun to play with. She's just the sweetest thing. Wonderful, affectionate, non-destructive personality! Of course I love her as much as I love Saima. Equal opportunity cat-lovin'!

Saima can tolerate being in the same room with Miko, and they are able to sleep on my bed at night at the same time -- but they keep their distance: one cat at my head, one at my feet! Saima doesn't force Miko to sleep out in the living room on the futon anymore! But Saima will still hiss and swipe at Miko if she comes too close. And a few times I've seen Saima try and pounce on Miko if Miko is resting on the floor or rolling around on her back. I wonder if Saima considers that a game or if she is just displaying dominance behavior(?). Fortunately, Miko seems perfectly capable of taking care of herself and Saima isn't traumatizing Miko (as far as I can tell!).

Well, adopting a second kitty turned out to be a good thing (I recommend it!), and I'm so glad it wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be -- for Saima, that is!

Take care, everyone! --Margaret

[HowieDawn]

I am glad that this has all turned out well for you

I adopted another cat (two years old) when my first cat was a year old. They hated each other. This was back in March. Up until March they have tolerated each other.

My sister gave me a kitten for Christmas and Now the other two are all buddy buddy. They have even been sleeping in the same bed. I have really been suprized because they are now playing with Molly (kitten) too.

I am so happy for you that you have decided to adopt a kitty. Good luck, and have fun with your new baby.

(how do you pronounce Saima? Say-ma?)

[margaret]

Thank you HowieDawn! It's pronounced "sy-mah"!

[wolflady]

I definitely know about the trials and tribulations of getting cats together. My husband's cat definitely was stubborn about getting to know my cat. After about 6 months (you wouldn't know it by looking at them today! )they could tolerate each other and now(couple of years later) they're just the best of friends. Good thing my Marius was so laid back and tolerant of Scooter's set of lungs and attitude those 6 months!!

[margaret]

It looks to me, as with the story of your cats, that it may take 6 months or more for my cats to become close friends. It's good for me to read the stories of other people who introduced a second cat to their household. I really wonder what it is inside the cats' brains that finally "clicks" at some point -- when they are ready to trust each other and be friendly, rather than wary, cold, and sometimes hostile!

[lhg0962]

It certainly hasn't clicked at my house yet!
Helen woke me up in the middle of the night last night and said, "Mama, Mimi's making that motorcycle noise again, right by my head!". Mimi was sleeping right next to Helen and I figured out a few minutes later that Butter had just peeked in the room and Mimi had a fit! We had two cat fights during the night and Helen finally decided that she had better get in the bed with Mom. Excitement, Excitement!!!
And Butter, bless his heart, is just curious. He has become more outgoing in the last week and the more he explores, the madder Mimi gets. She gets back at him by eating his food and using his litter box!
This morning, Butter decided to explore my desk and before I knew it, he was in my lap (that's a first) and then he proceeded to start grabbing paper in his teeth and shredding them! He is now spending the morning outside. Don't think my customers would appreciate their loan applications being eaten by my cat!
The fun never ends!! Hope things are going ok at your house, Margaret.