Boo Boo is a long-haired Manx mix. She is very independent and has been the ruler of the henhouse for the past 3 years. We had a dog at home and they got along perfectly and were the best of friends. Yet it was a dog, not another cat.
Our beloved dog had been my best friend for the past 14 years. She developed lymphoma (brain tumor) and had to be euthanized almost two years ago. Since then, our kitten Boo Boo was alone in the house receiving all the attention and without having to share her space with any other animal. She was the queen of the kingdom! However, she felt lonely when I was out and started overeating and not getting the exercise she needed. The Manx breed became depressed when left alone or separated from its owner. They can tend to be clingy to their owners, which is great if you like devoted and affectionate cats. It is like having a dog in the house. They are always waiting at the door every day when you get home from work and they want to be a part of your life, unlike some breeds that are just hanging around because they have nowhere else to be at the moment.
I decided to adopt a new friend in our tribe to keep it busy during my absence. He wasn’t sure of a mature kitten or cat. Since he is no longer in the “kitty” stage of play, this may not be a good idea and could cause problems if the active kitty wanted to play too much. So I decided to adopt a mature cat who would like to play but doesn’t overdo it and knows when to say “okay, stop!” In this day and age, local death shelters are full of wonderful pets for adoption that are released with a clean bill of health, spayed, microchipped, and all vaccinations up-to-date. It’s hard to go wrong with adopting a shelter. Unlike what you get in places like Carigslist where people are only looking to dispose of animals with aggression issues, poor health, and who knows what else! That can cost a new owner a lot of money, as well as heartbreak if the pet has serious health problems and you are stuck with the problems of euthanizing them. It is not about bringing home unpleasant infections or diseases to an existing family pet. Always be safe and learn all you can about your new pet. No matter what, no pets are free! It always costs you something now or later. My last “free” cat cost me over 1500.00 in progressive vet bills over a 1 year period with an upper territory infection when I got it, medications, spay, injections and microchipping. Trust me, NOTHING is free! Shelters have already done this job for you. If animals show signs of aggression or illness, they are not placed on adoption lists.
I began my search by calling my vet and asking him the names of some shelters in our area that they were dealing with and would recommend. They gave me phone numbers and web addresses. I started my search and looked at the animals on the Wed site to get an idea of what I wanted, as well as the cost of adoption fees. I found that most mature cats were priced at a discount because it was more difficult to place them in a new home. Most people prefer cute little kittens when making selections. I had decided on a mature cat and had a few items that I wanted with my new cat. I would prefer a nailless cat if it is available, domesticated, microchipped, and neutered. Of course my cats are only indoors and I didn’t want a cat to be a great escape artist every time I open the door. Always look for a good shelter too. Not all of them are great and wonderful. Observe the conditions of the shelters and make sure they are clean and that the animals look clean and well cared for. There should be no unpleasant odors, dog and cat cages or kennels should be clean and have enough water for pets. If it is dirty or smells bad and the conditions of the animals look bad, stay away! Animals kept in poor condition are much more likely to have health problems that you will pay for in the long run, and you can transfer disease to your resident pets. My husband got a dog once he had a very bad case of kennel grab. It cost him a lot of money to cure that dog and, in the long run, it created other health problems for the poor dog. The shelter originally told him that the dog appeared to be in poor condition because she was stressed and depressed and was not eating. The ugly truth was that most of the dogs had kennel cough and the poor thing was not eating because she was so sick and dehydrated. She paid 25.00 to adopt her and it cost her 2000.00 in the first 4 months due to the time she was in the animal hospital to save her life, as well as vaccinations, sterilization and medications. She also had heartworms and eventually lost her anyway. Be careful when adopting pets. If a shelter cannot produce a clean health certificate from a certified veterinarian office, do not take the pet.
In my search, I found some possibilities and went to know them. Most shelters will have an area where you can meet the animals and get to know them. This shelter had a “cat” room where cats were allowed to roam freely and mingle with other cats of all ages. I liked this idea, I was able to get a better idea of which cat would get along better with other cats to make sure I had the proper fit for my current cat. The shelter had some cats that perfectly suited my preferences. Previous owners had given up on perfectly healthy pets for many reasons, such as allergies or relocation, and these pets were in need of a new home. I found two perfect candidates and went home to sleep. The next morning I had made up my mind and revisited my first choice. And yes, it fit perfectly! He was 3 years old, without nails, without nuts, up to date on all vaccinations and with a microchip waiting at a house. He had been there for a few months and they lowered the price. I paid a donation of 50.00 and got the healthy cat, all its vaccination documents, wallet and microchip, a pet carrier and a 5 pound bag of Science Diet cat food. Also the assurance that if something didn’t work out with my current cat or if he developed health problems, I could bring him back to the shelter for medical attention or a surrender if he got so bad at home and they hated each other. Can’t beat that deal!
I bought our new boys’ house and took some good advice. I put him in a spare bedroom so he would have time to get used to the new place. It’s a shock to them! Once he got used to the new room, I took him to the family area and let him wonder for a bit and put him back in the “safe room” where his things were. While he was wondering about the family area, I placed our resident cat in his room to see his scent and begin the introduction process. My cat smelled of the stranger and the stranger smelled the place of the resident cats. Of course, they sniffed at each other under the bedroom door and there was a lot of hissing, mostly from the resident cat. I chose a very laid back personality for our new cat as my resident cat was possessive which is a typical Manx personality trait. I belong to her, not to him!
I did this process several times during the day and into the night. After dinner, I decided to formally introduce them by opening the door to the new cat room and letting her out when ready. It went quite well. The resident cat was very hissing with the new cat, but his personality towards her was great. He just let her hiss and spit and sat in the middle of the room watching her dance. We allowed them to have the big downward gaze for about 30 minutes as there was no seizure. Just the hssy-spitty dance and some grunting, again, mostly from the resident cat. Then I put him back in his room at night with lots of praise for what a good kitty he was before I left the room. Then I spent some time trying to calm our resident cat down before bed and she relaxed. Then he fell asleep in his usual place. It was a great day for all of us.
The next morning, I spent time with our resident cat. Then I spent time with the new cat in his room. So, I opened his door and let him out. The resident cat just sat up and looked at it on its perch. Once he began to ramble, she returned to the defensive with the hissing material. The door to your room is open so you can come and go as you please. They seem to get along a little better. Our resident shows no signs of assault on both the second day and the first day. But, I’m still on cat patrol and monitoring with a spray bottle of water on hand. I will not leave them unattended in our house for a week or so until I feel they are more comfortable with each other.
If you have a resident cat that is clingy, be sure to try to find a personality that matches your cats and not just yours or other family members. It’s not just about “you” when choosing the right pet. Make sure it’s as smooth as possible for everyone involved. It will be better for everyone in the household if we get along!
Good luck introducing your new pet to his new home!