Introducing a cat to another cat?

[tamirra]

Hi, i have a 4 year old half ferral female cat, and my daughter has told me she no longer wants her 3 year old female cat, i would love to take her but im worried about introducing them both and the best way to do it without my cat ripping it to pieces or my daughters cat running away. Any ideas please? Thank you.

[TTG]

Hold one cat and someone else hold the other....bring them in the same room together (holding firmly) and let them see each other. If they started "swearing" at each other....(swearing is a low moaning noise), you know it's not going to work1 Bring them slightly closer and see the reaction. Female to female is probably the safest combination to bring together.

[tamirra]

TTG and if that dosn`t work, what then? i really want it to work cos my daughter is going to put the cat out and leave her, ive not bought her up this way, and she was bought up with cats and this has really hurt me to think she could be so cruel.

[MrsJ1]

Try putting a little brine from a tin of tuna on the head of the younger cat. The older one should then lick it off and they bond - well, that's the theory!

[tamirra]

LOL My cat hates tuna, buth thank you for the advice.

[pericat]

the growling they do doesnt necessarily mean they wont get on in future. I have two a male and female both from different homes and the female spent the first week hissing at the male and now they are fine - and they are indoor cats

[tamirra]

That does sound promising Pericat, but my cat is half ferral do you reckon that would make a big difference?

[tamirra]

Also how can i keep her in for a few days so she dosnt run away if ive got a cat flap for my other cat, i cant lock it to stop her going out as my other cat needs to use it?

[pericat]

You know the way they used to say butter a cats paws - well its not altogether an old wives tale - I reckon that by the time the cat has licked off all the butter it has settled into its new abode - try it - cant do any harm

[daffy654]

Butter is harmful to cats peri as it is made from cow's milk,you should never give cow's milk to a cat as their digestive system can't handle it.

[pericat]

Ive never done it daffy - how about something similiar - its the whole idea of getting a cat to sit down and wash itself and therefore settle in !

[Robinia]

There's a cat around here whose digestive system handles cow's milk cheese perfectly well...it pinches off the bird table, grrrr

[tamirra]

Im so nervous about trying this, i really want it to work out, but i know how vicious my cat is and i dont want either of them to come to any harm.

[daffy654]

I've never really had a problem getting any of my cats to stay in when I first got them. One cat was with us when we moved house 4 times within 6 months,she was allowed out at each place as soon as we moved in and always returned.
I would go with shutting the new cat in a seperate room with food,water and litter tray for a week or two and hope the new cat gets used to the smell of the newcomer in that time.

[B00]

Can't help with your question tamirra, but I can only imagine how upset you'd be if your daughter actually did this to her cat.

Why is she thinking of taking this drastic action?

[tamirra]

I dont know BOO all i do know is that my daughter isnt a sensitive girl she is very hard and the poor cat is so loving and kisses all around your head and nose, and she hates it, she hates all kinds of sensitive things, dont know why, and dont know who she gets it from, im the oposite when it comes to animals.

[tamirra]

I will let you know tomorrow how it all goes tonight when we collect her, sometimes i wish i wasn`t such a softie. x

[B00]

Yeah I'm same tamirra. My daughter sounds like your, she got a lovely little dog a couple of years ago, a real sweetheart, but when the novelty wore off she just gave her away to her friend- I was really upset that she'd do that.

Kids eh?

Hope the cats get on, good luck :-)

[lankeela]

Sounds like you will just have to take the chance. Your daughter's cat will be better off with you anyway, and even if the cats don't get on they will probably ignore each other. Just go for it, you've got nothing to lose.

[tamirra]

Whatever happens she will definatly be loved a whole lot more living here with us than she is where she lives now. Thank you for all your support. xxx