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Default Jun 11, 2021 at 02:37 PM
  #1
Hi everyone,


Tomorrow I am hopefully adopting a new cat after my beloved Esther passed away last month. I have an appointment with the local animal shelter at 10 AM. My plan, if I get a new cat, is to put the new cat in the spare bedroom for a few days or however long it takes her to feel comfortable roaming around, while letting my existing cat who is skittish and submissive have the run of the house except for that room. Same with my Mom's dog.

Then when new cat is ready to explore the house, I'm planning on putting Amelia (existing cat) into the room and letting new cat roam. Then I will let the cats meet each other and the dog too because I can keep the dog on a leash while new cat is exploring her new digs.


This worked well for Amelia although it took Esther and Amelia a while to adjust to each other (but at that point my beloved Esther was sick with diabetes and didn't know it) but even if Esther was snipey at Amelia, Amelia still loved on Esther, so I think Amelia will be okay with a new cat.


Planning on taking new cat to the vet ASAP and getting her pet insurance. I already got her lots of cat goodies, like a bed, and a scratchy thing and bowls, and collar and toys.


Anything else I'm missing or should do differently?

Thanks peeps!

Kit

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Default Jun 11, 2021 at 03:18 PM
  #2
Thank you for sharing this, Kit. Do you have any names picked out yet? Your plan sounds really good. It's kind of exciting. I look forward to how it turns out.

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Default Jun 11, 2021 at 03:21 PM
  #3
Thanks @Breaking Dawn

I have a few girl names picked out: Harriet, Helena, Ellen, Amy, Annie and two boy names picked out: Walter and Timothy. I will have to see the cat's personality before I choose the name. And if I end up with a senior cat, then I may not change the name if they have had it for a while. I'm hoping for a cat that is about 2 - 5 years old.


Thanks, will share more about new cat when I get her/him.

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Default Jun 11, 2021 at 03:48 PM
  #4
Oh Slumberkitty, thank you for considering an "older" kitty!

Do you happen to have a crate? When introducing a new kitty to the hoard at home
I put new kitty in the crate. It is big enough for a litterbox, bed and area for food/water. The first few days I keep the crate in an out of the way part of the house, like the bedroom. After a few days I move the crate to the living room. This gives everyone a chance to get one another with no harm to anyone. Actually, your plan sounds similar.

Good luck tomorrow! Please update us after the visit to the shelter.
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Default Jun 11, 2021 at 03:58 PM
  #5
Quote:
Originally Posted by lizardlady View Post
Oh Slumberkitty, thank you for considering an "older" kitty!

Do you happen to have a crate? When introducing a new kitty to the hoard at home
I put new kitty in the crate. It is big enough for a litterbox, bed and area for food/water. The first few days I keep the crate in an out of the way part of the house, like the bedroom. After a few days I move the crate to the living room. This gives everyone a chance to get one another with no harm to anyone. Actually, your plan sounds similar.

Good luck tomorrow! Please update us after the visit to the shelter.
Thanks, I don't have a crate, but it does sound like a good idea, especially with the introducing the two cats together. I can go to Petsmart and get one. I'm not too concerned about the resident cat because she is very submissive and independent and she just lost her buddy a few weeks ago, I just don't know about the shelter cat if she/he will be used to other cats and a dog and how they will feel. So I am trying to think of all possibilities. I miss my kitty snuggles though. My resident cat, Amelia, isn't much on snuggling. She will rarely sit with me and it has to be very still and silent for her to sit with me. I want a cat that I can comfortably pick up and love on without making the cat uncomfortable. It's okay that it isn't Amelia's thing, I knew she was skittish when I adopted her, but I do miss those kitty cuddles. There's a couple of senior cats 8-10 at the shelter that I am going to tomorrow and I haven't ruled them out. I'm just not sure if I can get pet insurance on an older cat and pet insurance does a lot to help out.

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Default Jun 14, 2021 at 01:38 PM
  #6
I did adopt a cat, Helen Rose, on Saturday. I didn't get to bring her home yet because she had to get fixed and I paid to get her micro-chipped. She's 2 years old which is right on the front end of ages I would accept (2 to 10) although I did consider one that was 1.5 but ultimately I chose the black and white cat because she seemed more affectionate. I only got about 10 minutes with her. I am anxious today because of her surgery and I don't know what time they are going to call but I have the spare room all set up and ready for her. I got a new cat tree for her, and I got a vet appointment for the 24th to get her checked out and whatever vaccines she needs. The shelter lady said I had a good plan for introducing Helen to the rest of the pets, Emma and Amelia. She's like, that's the way to go. So I felt good about that. I will post a picture once I get a good one of her face. There was a big husky dog outside of the glass room and she was a bit preoccupied by that so I didn't get a good one of her face, just a couple of action shots. Thanks everyone. Hugs if you want one. Kit

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Default Jun 14, 2021 at 01:50 PM
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Good for you getting an older cat. The surgery is a snap. At the shelter I volunteered at we had surgery dates. When tens of cats would get fixed at one time. The volunteers watched over those in recovery. In all the days I volunteered not once did anything go wrong. That’s hundreds of cats all sizes and breeds. They really do have it down to a science. Helen rose will be ready to come home soon.

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Default Jun 14, 2021 at 03:04 PM
  #8
Congratulations! May you and Helen Rose find great joy in each other.

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Default Jun 14, 2021 at 03:58 PM
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Congratulations, she sounds like she will be well loved! Helen Rose is such an elegant sounding name, too!
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Default Jun 14, 2021 at 04:11 PM
  #10
Thank you, Kit, for sharing this sweet personal mission & the outcome. I look forward to Helen Rose going home & her reaction to her new surroundings. This has been such an enjoyable thread, reading all the posts.

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Default Jun 15, 2021 at 08:03 AM
  #11
How exciting. I hope you get to bring your new furbaby home soon.

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Default Jun 15, 2021 at 10:51 AM
  #12
I love her name. It is dignified sounding.

How did her surgery go?

Good for you for microchipping. My whole crew is chipped. It's good insurance in case they get out.
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Default Jun 15, 2021 at 04:20 PM
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I got to bring Helen home yesterday. She has to wear an Elizabeth collar for 10 days and take some antibiotics via syringe twice a day. She barely will open her mouth for me and then she spits out some of the antibiotics so I hope she is getting enough. She did better the second time than the first. The first time the antibiotics went all down the collar! Then I had to get a Kleenex to try to clean her collar. Silly kitty.


I slept with her in the spare bedroom last night. Which was good because she got her collar stuck between the desk and the potty box so I had to rearrange that so her cone can fit. I had to work today so my parents are watching her. They keep checking on her for me. I call them and they tell me she is okay. She doesn't seem to be eating too much yet but the vet said it could take a day or two for her appetite to come back and I don't know what her normal appetite is. So I am just watching it and I'll call the vet if I am still concerned in a day or two. My parents went to the store and bought all kinds of different wet foods for her since we don't know what kind she likes. Being a shelter cat she is probably used to eating whatever, but I am sure she has a preference.


Thanks everyone for all your kind comments. It's nice to have a space to share about my new cat!
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Helen.jpg (359.8 KB, 8 views)

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Default Jun 15, 2021 at 04:21 PM
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Sorry I don't know how to get her picture right side up! She's a tuxedo cat.

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Default Jun 15, 2021 at 04:51 PM
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She’s adorable even upside down and wearing a collar! I hope she settles in well soon.
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Default Jun 15, 2021 at 05:13 PM
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So pretty. Is she cuddling as you were looking for that.

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Default Jun 15, 2021 at 07:51 PM
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What a sweet face!

I agree with the vet. It can take a couple of days for their appetite to come back after surgery. The meds she's getting might mess with her appetite too.
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Default Jun 16, 2021 at 05:42 AM
  #18
She's adorable. Thanks for posting the pic. Good luck with the antibiotics.

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Default Jun 16, 2021 at 05:03 PM
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Helen ate this morning really well. And she used the litter box for both things, as she hadn't up until sometime last night. The medication is going easier too. She didn't spit out any this morning. Counting down the days until we can take her collar off. Yes she is pretty cuddly. She hasn't met Amelia my other cat yet. She did meet Emma, my Mom's dog and they will need to meet a few more times so they can get used to each other. But right now I'm just enjoying the thrill of being a new Mommy for the kitty. 8 more days until her vet appointment and when I can get her put on insurance. Am really looking forward to her first official visit to the vets and getting her shots and everything. She's such a good kitty.

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Default Jun 18, 2021 at 03:05 PM
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Helen (new cat) is doing better. She is taking her medicine like a champ now and last night she slept on my lap for about 45 minutes while I was in the living room. Introducing her to Amelia didn't go so well. Amelia was scared and wanted out of there. Helen just looked at her and didn't respond. I rewarded Amelia for meeting Helen with food but she's been pretty scarce around the house since she realized she's not the only cat there. She did sniff under Helen's door this morning which I took as a good sign.

Helen just wants to stay in her safe zone in the spare bedroom but I have to work on getting her to find safe zones in other areas of the house, particularly because my sister is coming for my birthday at the end of the month and Helen will need to vacate the room. So I have been trying to help her explore the house. I think it's hard with the Elizabeth collar on. She bumps into stuff and then backs up awkwardly and then starts again. Unfortunately, the Elizabeth collar can't come off until the 24th so she still has a ways.

This weekend I plan to work on Helen getting out of the room more, since I won't be at work. I plan to make that my number 1 priority. And she didn't make as big of a mess with her litter last night. She still managed to get a fair bit out of the box but it wasn't as huge of a pile as it was the past two days. So she's coming along. The nap on my lap was the best last night! Rarely would Esther sit with me on my lap like that. And Amelia has done so infrequently, usually in the morning when no one else is up. But for Helen to do so when Mom and Dad and Emma were in the room too was pure gold.

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