a new addition to our family
Don't everyone get excited, we aren't painting rooms pink or blue yet -
Recently, Michelle and I started seeing a small black and white kitten outside of our apartment. We started putting food out for her, thinking she would eat a bit and move on (as all the other strays in our area seemed to do).
Much to our surprise, she stayed, setting up camp immediately beneath our apartment, in the crawl spaces there. She's about 6 - 8 months old, so she isn't really a "kitten" anymore, but she certainly acts like one. The minute you pick her up she turns into a purring machine.
And she's a licker! I didn't know cats did that. As a dog-person myself, I always thought that licking, especially of one's face, was reserved for dogs. But oh, no! She'll lick it if you put your mug anywhere near her.
After a few days of feeding her and playing with her outside, we decided to take her inside to see how she would react to our two other cats (who are brother and sister, and three years old). It was not pleasant. There wasn't any fighting, but a LOT of hissing and mean glances, all of which Keiko (that's the new kitty's given name now) seemed to ignore.
In the end, it was decided that she needed to be taken to the vet to be checked for all the feline diseases that could possibly be transmitted to our cats, before she was allowed further access to our apt.
And thankfully, after a few tests and negative results, she is now curled in a nice ball on our couch. Our other two cats have been vigilant and somewhat displeased, but we talked to the vet about the best way to introduce Keiko to our existing cats, and if things deteriorate in the next three weeks before her next vet visit, she may end up being a strictly "outside" cat.
The vet did have some concerns over a heart murmer she seemed to have, that can't be heartworms, since we screened her already and the tests were all negative. So, maybe if it is just a heart murmer, Keiko won't be able to play kitty-basketball as vigorously as the other kitties, but otherwise should be okay.
I've never really been a cat person, but there is something about this cat that Michelle and I both fell in love with. And when Michelle returns control of the (now) community digital camera, I'll see about posting a few pics.
Has anyone else out there had a similar experience, or know anything about introducing new pets into existing-pet households? Any advice? This is the first time our cats have seen anything other than themselves in our apt.
Recently, Michelle and I started seeing a small black and white kitten outside of our apartment. We started putting food out for her, thinking she would eat a bit and move on (as all the other strays in our area seemed to do).
Much to our surprise, she stayed, setting up camp immediately beneath our apartment, in the crawl spaces there. She's about 6 - 8 months old, so she isn't really a "kitten" anymore, but she certainly acts like one. The minute you pick her up she turns into a purring machine.
And she's a licker! I didn't know cats did that. As a dog-person myself, I always thought that licking, especially of one's face, was reserved for dogs. But oh, no! She'll lick it if you put your mug anywhere near her.
After a few days of feeding her and playing with her outside, we decided to take her inside to see how she would react to our two other cats (who are brother and sister, and three years old). It was not pleasant. There wasn't any fighting, but a LOT of hissing and mean glances, all of which Keiko (that's the new kitty's given name now) seemed to ignore.
In the end, it was decided that she needed to be taken to the vet to be checked for all the feline diseases that could possibly be transmitted to our cats, before she was allowed further access to our apt.
And thankfully, after a few tests and negative results, she is now curled in a nice ball on our couch. Our other two cats have been vigilant and somewhat displeased, but we talked to the vet about the best way to introduce Keiko to our existing cats, and if things deteriorate in the next three weeks before her next vet visit, she may end up being a strictly "outside" cat.
The vet did have some concerns over a heart murmer she seemed to have, that can't be heartworms, since we screened her already and the tests were all negative. So, maybe if it is just a heart murmer, Keiko won't be able to play kitty-basketball as vigorously as the other kitties, but otherwise should be okay.
I've never really been a cat person, but there is something about this cat that Michelle and I both fell in love with. And when Michelle returns control of the (now) community digital camera, I'll see about posting a few pics.
Has anyone else out there had a similar experience, or know anything about introducing new pets into existing-pet households? Any advice? This is the first time our cats have seen anything other than themselves in our apt.
posted by Mr. The Buffalo at 7:16 AM
2 Comments:
I've got a cat and would love to get a new one. The biggest reason for not getting one however is that I think my current cat would die of grieving if he wasn't the center of the little world that is our house.
So I can't really offer any advice on how to break the new guy in.
Since you already have two, they may get accustomed to the new one, eh?
i hope so - keiko is an angel
pics still forthcoming
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