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Where Animals Find Home, Love, & Sanctuary

 

FAQ's - Cats

Some questions we get asked over and over again, so we tried to make a list....

  1. I have one cat already, do you think the new cat will get along?
  2. Is it okay to let the cat just roam the house when I bring him home?
  3. Does this cat always shed this much?!?

 

Cats and Cats:
So, you have Garfield, and he has been your best buddy for three years.  Now, you want to bring home Fluffy, and give Garfield a new friend.  Will Garfield be happy about this change?  Probably not at first.  There is usually something we like to call a "Hissy Fit" for the first few days.  The cats will hiss at each other, spit, and run away.  This is normal, until they both smell the same, they will not really be friendly.  Then all of the sudden, one runs up and paws another.  They throw a toy in the air, just happen to land it next to the other one.  There isn't really a set number of days that this happens in, but it does usually happen.  We do try and test the cats out while they are at the shelter, and we update their Adoption page with their preferences.  We test them out with other cats, dogs (if possible), kids, crowds, and families.  If you are interested in a particular cat, please feel free to Contact Us.

New House and New Cat:
While every situation is different, we usually recommend to limit the cat/house interaction to at least 48 hours in a confined space.  Something like a bedroom, or a bathroom, preferably where their new litter box is.  If the cat is young, like a kitten, a smaller space is a great idea.  It takes them a little time to get used to where they need to go.  If you have other cats or dogs in the house, this time alone for Fluffy gives Fido/Garfield a chance to smell the new Fluffy under the door.  One good hint, put a shirt, blanket, or towel in the room with the new kitty.  This will help the cat smell like you quicker, and will make the transition into a multi-pet household much quicker.

Stress and Cat Hair:
Whether you are new to the cat world, or been a feline friend for years, you know one thing that is true about most cats.  They SHED.  They shed hair when they are stressed, they shed hair when its hot, they shed hair when they sneeze.  Depending on what breed of cat you have, will depend on how much hair you get on your nice black pants right before work.  The first couple of weeks into their new house, Fluffy the Feline will probably be a little more stressed than usual.  This will cause probably more hair than you would typically see.  If you think you are seeing alot more hair than you think you should, please feel free to Contact Us and we can talk about it.