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As a result of a close family member having passed away last week, there is now a cat without a home in the family.  No one else can take him, but we're determined that he shouldn't go to an animal shelter.  However, we've already got a cat.  She's about 6 years old. 

Little Man (the homeless cat) is old, and on constant anti-inflammatories.  He's a big cat, and was very much spoilt (grilled fish every evening, let out and in the window whenever he cried).  He's been in fights with other cats, but we think only with males.

How well do cats integrate into homes with existing cats, and how well do cats adapt to new residents?  We don't want to take him if it's not likely to work out.

Does anyone have any similar experiences?  Really not sure what to do!

Really depends on the cats temperaments.  We bought in a rescue cat and he and our other chap get on fabulously. I know a woman who takes in rescue cats and she has over ten so yes it is very doable.

Plenty of advice out there.. http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/cats/introducingcats.pdf

I would take things slowly and try to keep the new cat in one room of the house if possible.
Introduce the cats by smell through the door and see how they react - don't be too worried if there are little spats and hisses as it is only natural.
When introducing them give both plenty of room to back off so if it kicks off they can get away or you can intervene.
Feed them is different places.
You can also try Feliway http://www.feliway.com/gb - seemed to work for us but who can tell!

Best of luck!

Agree with the above advice, I had to integrate two ginger tom brothers that we adopted with one existing ginger tom who had lost his brother in an RTA a few months earlier. They all have very different personalities and were all about the same age (a year/18 months) so much younger than your adopted cat. However, whilst there is still a bit of fighting every so often, the new adoptees clearly defer to the boss existing cat, who accepts one brother much more than the other. They all feed together, and once food is accepted they usually sort them selves out! Fret not, new cat will soon realise his pampered days are over, and it's the food offered or no food! Good luck!

Well, Little Man is now exploring his new home - our dining room!  He seems quite nervous at the moment, but I guess that's to be expected.

Fingers crossed!

Update:  Things had seemed to have settled down.  Both cats were living in the same space happily.  The original cat had been growling at the new cat (I think she was warning him away from me, not food or anything!).  I decided the time was right to let the new cat explore the garden last night :)

Something spooked him and he ran off  :(  I kind of found him late last night next door, but he ran away from me, and wouldn't approach the house.  Not seen or heard from him since, though I have been out looking and calling him.  Hope he comes back  :'(

Any news of Old Man? Hopefully he will be hungry enough to come back and find you?

We put food out overnight last night, and it was gone in the morning.  Hopefully it was him, but who knows?! ???

We're been out talking to neighbours and distributing leaflets, and registered him missing with the vets, the RSPCA and various other places.  Fingers are still very crossed!

I am not sure (from your emails) how far away the cat previously lived, but have you checked its old address?  It may have tried (or is trying) to "get back home"... (or what it considers its home....)

About 150 miles (in a straight line).  We did wonder if he would try to find his old home, but it's a long way!

I'm trying to video the food bowl that I've placed outside.  It's been eaten from twice in 24 hours now.  Except that my camera keeps switching itself off.  It can probably tell that nothings happening  >:(

One of my adopted toms ran off the day he could get out of the cat flap, lived as a stray in the local area for three months, then decided to come in and visit his brother, had a meal, sat on my lap and has stayed ever since! They usually work out where they are well off in the end!

Quote from: Deb P on March 01, 2011, 00:00:05
One of my adopted toms ran off the day he could get out of the cat flap, lived as a stray in the local area for three months, then decided to come in and visit his brother, had a meal, sat on my lap and has stayed ever since! They usually work out where they are well off in the end!

This is what I'm hoping for!  Though hopefully less time will pass...

I managed to shut the other cat out last night - I'm such a bad cat owner  :(

He's back!  :) :) :) :)

Had a check up at the vets; no harm done.  Got him mircochipped, and some cat calming gel for on their food.  We shall see if the calming stuff works!

Our daughter was adopted recently by a cat, they already had 3. They read about vanilla essence, you dab it on the cats heads & it confuses them & they accept the newcomer better. They are getting on better.
BTW glad he's back with you.

What a relief!! 

Glad he's back  :)

Alison

So pleased for you.

Phew! Yaaaaay! Yippeeee!

I do like a happy ending  :)

Quote from: schmelda on March 09, 2011, 21:01:04
He's back!  :) :) :) :)

Had a check up at the vets; no harm done.  Got him mircochipped, and some cat calming gel for on their food.  We shall see if the calming stuff works!

Glad he's back - what is cat calming get?  I'm wondering if it would work on Psycho, mind you, there's no way I would risk actually putting it on her....... ;)

Quote from: Squash64 on March 10, 2011, 08:29:13
Glad he's back - what is cat calming get?  I'm wondering if it would work on Psycho, mind you, there's no way I would risk actually putting it on her....... ;)

It's stuff that you put on their food (or foot) - so you don't actually need to get near them if they're not keen on that.  It seems to have chilled our cats down, to the extent that they seem much happier in each others company again.

So glad to hear he is back!
I have never heard of the calming gel - I will look at that if and when I get another moggie..

Wow, this is excellent news  ;D  Did he just reappear or did someone find him?  let's hope he now realises where "his bread is buttered"  ;)

I am really pleased for you; it must be such a relief

mat