Need some info on getting new cat in a household where there's another cat

[L. Wayne]

Cameozmom; Getting another furkid to add to the one you already have can be a "hit and miss" affair. Most shelters understand this and if you adopt a pet that is incompatible with yours, they will usually, or should, take it back in exchange for another. Before taking any pet from a shelter, be sure to check this factor with the keepers.

There are ways to determine how affable a new furkid can be with yours. First, determine how friendly your already-cat is with people outside of your household. When you pick her up, does she relax or become tense with fear.

This same "exam" can be applied to a shelter animal. First, pick her up out of her cage. See how friendly she is with you, If she begins to meow and tenses up, and becomes fearful, best leave her alone. Be careful of any cat who cowers in her cage's corner, or is in any way un-expressive. Remembering one cat at our local shelter who, I thought, was extra nice, but was in fact terrified at the other cats in the adjacent cages. The next thing I knew is that I was scratched up and bleeding on my head and hand! Next, caress her paws. This is a very important step. If she does not like to have her paws touched, she may not get along with you or your already-cat. Finally, walk her by the other cages of cats, and watch her reaction. If she becomes fearful, tense, and begins to growl, then I would not take her. Lately I am coming to the conclusion that cats who have a dark "eye-liner" around their eyes is a desirable trait. Generally, I am beginning to believe that this is an indication of a playful and affectionate cat. You may want to verify this idea with your own experiences.

These are just some thoughts. Whenever I review a pet for additon to my menagerie, this is the "exam" that I give the prospective furkid. So far, it hasn't failed me in choosing a compatible pet.

Always be on the lookout for a furkid that demands to come home with you. What they do is begin to meow, rub against the cage bars, and especially when they try to grab you with their paws as you walk by. This is one of the signs that I use to determine if a cat would be compatible with me. Sometimes THEY make the choice. Puma, Midnight, and Solstice all reacted toward me this way when I went by their cage. So far, I have absolutely no regrets about adopting any of them.

When you bring home your new furkid, keep her/him in the pet carrier for about an hour in order to see how your already-cat reacts. After running mine through the "exam", generally I can let them out side into the room with my other cats within an hour, and they may hiss at each other, aside from an actual attack-fight, they should be getting along before a week is up, but generally they begin to melt into the pride very quickly.