Conference misery::feline_v1

A companion cat is a good idea....now, to get you guys through the adjustment.

First, you need to make both the cats smell alike for a little while.  There
are many suggested ways to do this.  You can bathe both cats with the same
shampoo (have your vet or groomer do this if you are not used to bathing 
your cats - it CAN be done and gets easier each time, but if you haven't
done it, pay an experienced person for this one)...or you can rub both
cats down with a "dry" shampoo for cats - ask your vet for a brand to use
if you don't have one.  The point is that cats live by smell much more than
by visual clues....if the kitten smells familiar, it will help the adjustment.

Now, accept the fact that everyone will have to go through some hiss/spit
and growl to establish who is in control.....get a spray bottle full of
water and settle back...if it gets too irritating, spray the offender -
the adult cat will be the problem...the kitten is just trying to play -
and it will level off.  Not in a few days, mind you, but after some weeks,
both cats will be doing much better.

WARNING!  YOUR attitude can keep this game going indefinitely - cats, like
children, learn very quickly that keeping "mom" off-balance gets them
lots of attention....if you react with lots of interference each time
they tangle, they will continue to tangle....lots.  Also keep in mind that
cats play very actively with one another and can often hiss/spit/and yell
alot when frolicking....it looks like fighting.  YOU can tell the difference
by the fact that nobody gets hurt - just a lot of rolling around and
mauling each other.  This is exercise and is good for everyone....

I have added 2 to a household of 2....and later, after one cat had died,
we added another one.  With all the hassle, no injuries have ever resulted.
We have a 14 year old that plays like a kitten and the vet is sure it is
because she has younger playmates so there is reason to undergo this hassle.

HOWEVER, one noter has reported a cat that did injur another, so you should
be vigilant and not let the two cats stay together without supervision
until you are sure there is no real violence intended....and use that
spray bottle (known as the Cat Attitude-adjustment Tool or CAT) to let
your cats know you do not tolerate too much haggling....

In time it will be worth it....

    
    	I just recently got a new kitten for a playmate for my 6 1/2
    month old male gold tiger "Buster".  I took home a FEMALE playmate
    for him.  They get along great together !  The first night was rough
    as far as sleeping arrangements went, but they are buddy-buddy now.
    I got a female thinking a male and a female would get along better
    than two males.  Maybe this is your problem.  It's hard to say.
    I also know people who have two kittens of the same sex and have
    no problems.

    	It might take some time.  My two kittens now sleep head-to-head
    at night...it's great.  I got the little female ("Precious") last
    Wednesday night...so it didn't take much time for them to get used
    to each other.  They are using the same litter box and eating out
    of the same dishes.  
    
    	Hope you make out o.k. with yours.  Some kittens need more time
    than others to adjust.
    
    	Good Luck !
    
    	Elaine, Buster, and Precious 
    

    Nisreen,
    
    I know how you feel.  I am going through the same thing right now.
    I have a two year old cat named Chewy and just bought a 14 week
    old Abysinnian 3 weeks ago.  Well I knew Chewy would be upset but
    didn't know just how upset she would be.  She has been sleeping
    on the kitchen cabinets for the past 3 weeks.  She used to always
    sleep in our bed, leaning on me.  Now Zula, my new Aby, has taken
    her place.   Zula chases Chewy when she comes down.  Zula just wants
    to play.  Chewy hisses, growls, etc but has never attempted to attack
    or hurt Zula.  You're right, it is scary.  
    
    Things seem to be getting better though.  SLOWLY but surely.  It's
    been 3 1/2 weeks and Chewy is just starting to come around a LITTLE.
    She has been comming off of the cabinets and Zula sneaks up to about
    3 feet from her.  They both have this staring contest.  Last night
    I went into the kitchen and Chewy was sleeping on the dining room
    rug, in the corner.  A few minutes later Zula was at the end of
    the hall, staring at Chewy and checking her out.  Chewy didn't take
    off.  Then Zula moved in to about 3 feet away and Chewy still stuck
    it out.  I woke up this morning and Chewy was still sleeping on
    the floor.  That's the first time since I brought the kitten home.
    I think there is hope but it may just take a few months.  Chewy's
    growls have changed from

    GRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
    to
    
    Grrr Grrr Grrr.  
    
    
    Last night I came home and was patting Chewy and Zula came up to
    within an inch of Chewy's face.  Nothing happened.  Then I was holding
    Zula and Chewy came up to me for a brief pat.  Zula's so cute. 
    Chewy is 10 times bigger but nothing she does scares Zula.  He is
    fearless and has made himself king of the house.
    
    I have decided not to separate them at all.  I figure, the more
    they can see each other, the quicker they will get used to each
    other.  Locking the kitten in a separate room may only delay the
    process of them getting to know one another.  Your first cat is
    still a kitten and I would think that she will adapt quickly.  As
    long as she doesn't attack the kitten, I wouldn't separate them.
    When I see the staring contests, I leave the room to let them check
    each other out by themselves.  They have to work things out on their
    own.
    
    I still have some guilt feelings but I really think Chewy will come
    around.  I have made her a nice comfy bed on the cabinets since
    she is sleeping up there most of the day.  It's nice and warm too
    because she sleeps on the cabinet above the fridge.  
    
    I have my fingers crossed.  Hope things work out for your and your
    fuzzballs.
    
    Pam
    

    
    Also, I think your kitten will become more cuddly as time
    goes by and (1) some of that excess energy gets worked off, and (2)
    the kit gets used to you.  LB used to _wiggle_ whenever I tried to
    pick him up, but now he comes to me for hugs.
    
    I think new cats should come with tranquilizers (for the owners) :-)
    

      Nisreen,  what you are experiencing with the kitties is absolutely
    normal.  It just takes a little time, just like anything else.  I
    have introduced many, many a new cat to the household, and never had a
    problem.  With kitties as young as your two, they probably are doing a
    lot of play fighting.  They are still kind of young to be territorial.
    Just make sure to pay equal time to them, maybe even a little more to
    the older cat, so he won't feel abandoned in favor of the new one.
    And the most important thing of all is your attitude.  If they feel you
    become tense and impatient when they are together, they sense it, and
    feel that that is how they should be too.  If you are calm and relaxed,
    there's no reason they shouldn't be too.  I believe that is the biggest
    secret of the whole process of introducing a new feline member.
    The rewards of having more than one feline friend are certainly well
    worth it.  You'll see!
    
                                         Denise
                     (who has 6 kitties currently and Bryon too!)
    

    I was talking with a friend a few days ago about this same thing
    - bringing in a kitten to an older cat.
    
    In my experience, I have never heard of an older cat really 
    damaging a kitten or killing it.  Swiping at it, hitting,
    hissing, maybe scratching and drawing 'some' blood, nasty
    behavior (sometimes getting better, sometimes not), but
    actually destroying the baby kitten - no.
    
    Have any of you all ever heard of that happening?
    
    E.T.

    Well, my experience in bringing in 4 abandoned kittens with two older
    cats was for Argus to turn into a mother hen. He washed them,
    box-trained them, played with them, and in return, they hero-worshiped
    him. I think that the best part was when he would get down and wrestle
    with them, but always let them win. Sometimes, though, he'd get so into
    it that he'd accidently roll over on the baby and it would go running
    off (poor Argus would look so apologetic, too).
    
    On the otherhand, Pip thought it was all amusing; she liked them, even
    played with them at times, but she is definitely more of a career oriented
    pussycat rather than a mother cat.

    Deb

    I know, it sounds like they're going to kill each other and demolish
    the house in the process, but take my word for it - its all for
    show.  (Oh - and the nose touching that your kitten does is Feline
    for "Hello").  
      Seriously, unless you see blood don't intervene.  Let them work
    it out for themselves.  I've introduced several new cats/kittens
    to the household and only had real trouble with one.  HE never
    made a sound - no hissing, no growling just as soon as one of
    the others turned her back he'd attack!  For comparison - I had
    to shave a portion of Bumpy's tail because he bit her there and
    I wanted to be sure the wound didn't absess.  Also, I found a small
    amount of blood - more than a few drops, but not alot - on the floor
    under the terminal. Turned out to be from Isis declawing a back
    toe while fighting with Tymothee. 
      I'll be the first one to admit that in some, RARE, instances a
    cat just won't fit in (and my vet said that 3 months wasn't a long
    time for adjustment).  But in your case, with two kittens, who appear
    to be playing already - you've got nothing to worry about.  Just
    ignore them and they'll work it out.
      Nancy DC  Who currently has 6 (2 new)  and has integrated 2 others
    that were later adopted.
    

    We went through it all too, not once but twice with the same crew.
    (When the 2 little kitties were neutered and came home from the
    vet, the entire process was repeated.)
    
    When we added Missy and Brittany to the house, Melody took to the
    basement and stayed there for 2 whole days.  I spent the better part
    of the first day with her assuring her that we still loved her.
    (Fortunately there was a lot I could do in the basement.)
    
    Then she would come up to the top step and growl, hiss, and spit.
    This went on another couple of days.  Then she would actually 
    come upstairs skirting the "intruders" but growling and hissing the
    entire time.  You could tell she was getting curious though.
    
    Then the swiping and growling--then the actual wrestling.  We just
    let it happen but with supervision.  No one seemed to be getting
    hurt.  
    
    One morning little Missy let out this little cry and then threw up.
    Melody had run over to see what was the matter.  From that point on
    she adopted them and washed them and watched them.  One thing that
    scared me at first was when she would grab them by the neck and 
    seem to be biting them.  When no one got hurt, I assumed that it
    was probably an instinctive thing--a way that the mother cat
    communicates something to her kittens.  
    
    Anyway, several weeks later, I noticed that Melody had these scabs
    all over her head and neck, one of which was infected.  Off we went
    to the vets only to find it was a puncture wound from one of the
    kittens.  When we checked them, they were fine.  Turns out that they
    were the ones playing rough and Melody was taking the abuse!
    
    So, as everyone else has said, the whole process is a normal one.
    
    Good luck and hang in there!
    
    Barbara (Melody, Missy and Brittany)

    We introduced a kitten (Kiffy, a she-cat) to our adult cat (Fudge,
    male neutered) after being presented with the former as an anniversary
    gift.  In our case the kitten appeared to be the hostile one, Fudge
    would want to play (albeit a little forcefully, but Kiffy would
    respond with much hissing and spitting) however within a few days
    they could easily spend a night in each other's company with no
    incident and are now the best of friends.  I think the (neutered)
    male/ (spayed) female combination seems to be a good one in the
    long term.
    Does anyone have a different view perhaps?
    
    Graham Warnes
    CSC Warrington - UK.
    

    Well, it's been about 1 year since we presented Niniane and
    Charm with Dream and Boogie.  Things were just about starting
    to fully calm down.  They need lost of time to adjust.  Introducing
    new kitties upsets the entire kitty food chain, and each one has
    to reassert themselves to recapture the same/better spot on the
    food chain with the new ones.  There will be hissing and spitting
    for quite a while.
    
    We just presented Niniane and Charm and Dream and Boogie with Mips
    and Belle, and while things are a tad calmer (Mips and Belle are
    kittens), my "princess" Dream is not used to being whopped in the
    face by a bundle of fur about a third her size! ;-)
    
    Ignorance is the best way.  Let 'em all loose and have them sort
    it out, interfering only when attacks are unprovoked and draw blood.
    If they see their antics really don't interest you, they will calm
    down.  
    
    Ian wants to put a surveillance camera in the house to see if our
    silly kitties actually pick on each other while we're not around!
    ;-)  ;-)
    
    Good luck,
    
    Mary-Michael and the hoard

    
    Thank you all for your responses. 
    
    Things are still pretty crazy. The two kitties are seperated when we
    aren't home and at night. Ninja continues to sleep with us, but I feel
    pretty bad for the new kitty. Oh yes both our kitties are females (not
    sure if that would make any difference).
    
    Ninja got up yesterday morning (after she had a whole night to think
    about a course of action), and she has been really beating up on the
    new kitty. (Ok the new kitty doesn't seem to have enough beating
    because she keeps going back for more, or often instigates the attacks.
    
    We took the new kitty to the vet last night, and she is in good health,
    and her tests are negative (some other blood tests for feline Leukemia
    will be back later this week, but hopefully those would be negative
    too). 
    
    When we got back home from the Vet, we found a very big/heavy plant
    lying down on its side on the floor and Ninja sitting in her bed
    quietly (and looking guilty). I have a feeling that it was done on
    purpose, but we didn't react to it, we just played with Ninja and
    picked up the plant and cleaned up without getting upset at her. Hope she
    doesn't do it again.
    
    Ninja seems to be aware of the fact that the kitty is there all the
    time, and she doesn't hiss as much. So it looks like the routine that
    everyone described is happening. The only thing problem is that they do
    seem to be rough on each other, even more than the first day. I hope
    you are all right about them just playing because they make me so
    uptight.
    
    I hope they could start sleeping together soon, because I do feel
    pretty bad about the little kitty sleeping by herself in a seperate
    room with the door closed.
    
    Thanks again everyone.
    
    Nisreen
    

    > Oh yes both our kitties are females (not sure if that would make 
    > any difference).
    
    In my experience it makes no difference.  Here's the order in which
    our cats were aquired:
    
    Bumpy and Mao - one spayed, one kitten - together in 1979
    Isis - as a kitten - 1985

        Then we shared an apartment with a friend of mine who had a two
    yr old neutered male siamese.
    
    Move to Quincy and rescue 4 month old kitten Lucky, male - later
    placed.
    Move to Braintree and acquire Dundee MacTavish as a kitten (male)
    in approx August 1988.
    
    Rescue Tymothee & Melynda/Squeek. Tymothee 2 yr old neutered male
    - NEVER fit in,  Melynda 8 month old unneutered female.  Didn't
    stay with us very long but adjustment was going fine.  Placed
    both cats.
    
    Acquire Flame in September 1989.  No problems whatso ever in his
    adjustment - age 16 months, neutered, declawed male.
    
    Rescue Jesse - Oct. 1989 - he was released from isolation this
    week on Monday.  Age approx 3.  Recently neutered male.  Allowed
    free run of house during evening and at night.  Isolated during
    the day to keep him from destroying the furniture til we can
    teach him what a scratching post is for.  
      So far, adjustment proceding fairly well.  Some hissing, but no
    one seems overly concerned.
    
    So you see - the sex of the cat really has nothing to do with it.
    I think the age is a bigger factor and if one or both of the cats
    are still kittens then the adjustment will probably go smoother.
    
    Nancy DC and my personal history of cats.
    
    
    
    
    

	Re: the originator

	From what I can see, you are only prolonging the problem.  The
	kitten keeps going back for more because she KNOWS that its
	a game.

	When I got Bandit, T.K. beat the heck out of him and Bandit loved
	it!  I went to work and left the two of them together.  I was half
	afraid that I would arrive home to a dead kitten.  Nope!  I 
	arrived home to find two kitties cuddled up together sleeping!
	I think they need some time alone to adjust to each other.  If
	you keep separating them, you keep setting back the adjusting.

	If your other cat was truly hurting the new kitten, that kitten
	would not go back for more.  If you are still uneasy about
	leaving them alone together, then at least let them spend the
	night together.  If you keep them both in your room, you'll 
	wake up if the kitten is getting hurt.  Chances are, you'll wake
	up anyhow if they are playing.  Try not to confuse playing and
	fighting.  They won't play all night and in a quiet period, you
	may be surprised to find them cleaning each other or sleeping
	close together.

	One of the funniest things now is to see my two year olds
	battling.  They sometimes make alot of noise smashing into
	walls and furniture but they are not really hurting each
	other.  

	Karen

    
    I have a mother and daughter set.. it doesn't happen often at all,
    but once in a while baby (the hyper one) will be play attacking
    mummy and mummy will hiss (you know smooshed face, bent ears, the
    whole bit) this used to worry me, but now I ignore it because they
    are not going to *kill* each other..  mummy is just saying *I've
    had enough!* or whatever...
    
    I think .14 is right if the kitten were *really* getting hurt she
    wouldn't come back for more.. she'd be hiding or something!!
    
    Good luck with all.. sounds like it won't take to long
    
    F.

    I had one failure, didn't know how to go about it and two fanstastic
    successes.  Those were due to the cats involved.
    
    Your nodename:  are you in USA or overseas?  Can you get ahold of
    a recent CAT FANCY Magazine?  Carol Wilbourne's book was advertised
    in the October one, I think.  I could look it up for you.  She has
    a rather elaborate way of going about introducing cats.  It's too
    late for some for you.  But I still do one with mine:  Refer to
    the new cat as belonging to the older cat, when you do give it some
    attention.  Oh pretty baby, this is Pooh's baby, etc.  She also
    says to pretty much ignore the baby until the resident cat accepts
    it.  It's too late for a screen door, but you might follow the advice
    of one of the notes, don't lock up the baby anymore.  If she was
    gonna get killed, she would've been dead already.
    
    If you want me to get you the info on the book, could you pls send
    me VAXmail, as I rarely have time to get in here.  Oh, and I have
    jury duty Friday.
    
    Good luck!
    
    andrea

    When I brought Mips and Belle in, Dream was the
    most offended by the whole thing.  I tried to
    start by referring to them as Dream's Mips and
    Dream's Belle.  After a few times, Dream gave
    me this *really* disgusted look (and you all
    know what a good disgusted cat look is like ;-)
    that quite plainly said, "Mother, I wouldn't
    have asked for these with my last dying breath.
    Quit telling me they're mine."
    
    I did.  She for her part, adjusted.  I think
    she appreciated the gesture!
    
    Mary-Michael

    We had Pippin and Gino for 4 years before we got Stitch.  I had
    had Pippin for 2 months and then got Gino and that was relatively
    easy.  She showed him who was boss (it took about 1/2 hour) and
    then they fell asleep side by side.
    
    Stitch threw the house in a state of siege for two weeks.  The other
    two acted hurt, rejected and just carried on like the spoiled creatures
    that they are.  My husband even threatned to find another home for
    Stitch .... and then.... it just happened - it all fell into place.
    
    All the worry and hassle was worth it.
    
    
    Giudi in S.F.  (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too)
    

    
    Thank you all for your replies and support. I actually was starting to
    wonder if it was a mistake to bring in the little kittie and was
    thinking of giving her up, but reading all the responses, I hung in,
    and kept hoping and it looks like it paid off and we have two new
    buddies.
    
    Our new Kitty (We named her REMA), is now out of isolation (actually
    that only lasted few days), and I let them beat each other for a while
    under supervision without interfering, and now they just follow each
    other around, play, sleep together, and get this Ninja is actually
    mothering REMA 
    
    Ninja has been pretty depressed though for a few days, and until last
    night I thought she'll never give us a second look again. yes, the
    dirty looks..etc...but I was amazed to be waken up by Ninja at 5:00 AM
    wanting to get under the covers next to me (which she used to do often
    before REMA came along, and only did it few times since), and she was
    purring like crazy..she stayed for a while under the covers while I
    stroked her and she purred, and REMA came along and sat next to the
    pillow. Ninja came out, went and sat next to REMA and started cleaning
    her up...!! it made me think of the first few days and how difficult
    all that has been. 
    
    Thanks again to all of you, as I didn't know world war II has broken
    out and if there was going to be any end to it.
    
    The only thing that is weird about the little kitty REMA, is that she
    likes to come up and cuddle up to you, and then comes up to your face,
    rubs her face with your cheeks, and then and guess what.. 
    SHE TRIES TO PUT HER NOSE INSIDE YOURS..!!!!  what an weird habit 
    that is..especially if you are sleeping !!! anyone seen/heard of cats
    doing that...I am trying to get her off doing that because I HATE it,
    but she is persistant...
    
    Nisreen

    Our foster cat Tymothee used to bite my nose.  Not hard, just a
    sort of "Chomp chomp".  Really surprized me the first time he did
    it.
    
    I suspect that REMA is doing a modified "kitty hello".  Watch your
    cats - they'll touch noses to say hello.  Mine do it to me also.
    If you don't like touching your nose to theirs, you can touch
    their nose lightly with your fingertip.
      Nancy DC
    

    Pippin likes to put her nose to mine early in the morning and she
    kind of purrs loud and makes little trill noises at the same time
    - she also like to lick my eye lashes.
    
    Stitch was bottle fed/hand reared and he likes to get under the covers
    - also early in the morning- and suck on the collar of my p.j.'s.
     While he's doing this he puts his front paws up on my neck and kneeds
    (I like to call it making muffins) and sounds just like new born.  
    I don't think he'll ever out grow it. 
    
    I think all these things they do are ways of showing love and
    affection towards us - and it's the greatest feeling in the world.
    Sometimes it's real hard for me to get out of bed in the morning
    with all this loving going on.
    
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too)
    

Re: the originator

	Regarding your original kitty being slightly aloof.... when I got
	Bandit, T.K. stopped being as physically affectionate - this, was
	in my case, a relief since he was always all over me and I don't
	really care to be sat on (I'm to ancy to sit still for long and I
	hate to dump a cat off my lap).

	Regarding the nose touches.. Bandit does this to me.  Its very
	sweet!

	Karen

    
    RE: the nose bit..
    
    I wouldn't call what Rema does "nose touching"..she actually tries to 
    put her nose INTO mine..and she doesn't give up too easily. I usually
    try to point her to Steve's nose :-)
    
    You can imagine her trying to do that while I am sleeping...:-)
    
    Nisreen
    

    Does she do  this in the daytime?  When my cats are curious about 
    something, I let them have time to really check it out and then
    they pretty much lose interest.  Maybe you could try this once.
    On the other hand, she might be attracted to the scent of your
    night cream or soap or somesuch.
    

    RE: .23
    
    I have one who does the same thing.  The first time she did it it
    was really freaky - like she was really trying to get up there. Wierd
    thing is that she usually does this nose roter-rooter job
    when I or my husband have a cold.(??????)
         
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin Gino & Stitch Too)

    
    You guys are lucky!  If I sleep to late, and mumma kitty is hungry
    or something, she comes up and scratches my face!!  literally, I'll
    wake up like huh? and look at her next to my head, close my eyes
    again for sleep.  All of the sudden, scratch! across my eyelids,
    or my lips or my nose or something!!  But she purrs all the way
    through it!
    
    ???
    
    F.

    Re: .26
    
    Sweetie does this:
    
    1.  sits next to my head, willing me to wake up.
    2.  pats my face with his claws drawn in.
    3.  resorts to extending the claws.
    
    I guess mumma kitty is more direct :-)
    

    Well I can't believe it.  I think things are finally turning around.
    It's been 3 months since I brought Zula home (Abyssinnian).  Chewy
    (2 1/2 years old)  Spent 3 months sleeping on the kitchen cabinets
    and would not come down.  On Christas Eve  I told Chewy that it
    would make me so happy if she would join us on Christmas morning,
    and she DID!  She sat in the middle of all the paper and watched
    us (as Zula had a ball flying through all of the paper and jumping
    in and out of all of the boxes).  From then on, she has been sleeping
    on the chairs, couch (her old favorite sleeping place) and on the
    floor.  I even came home on New Years Eve to find Chewy AND Zula
    sleeping on the couch together!!!  They weren't touching, but were
    sleeping peacefully about 2 feet apart from each other.  I couldn't
    believe it.  Yesterday, they actally touched noses.  Chewy still
    grumbles a lot, but she has been comming into the bedroom and
    everything.  I never thought I would see the day.  I woke up the
    other morning and zula was laying with me in bed purring away. 
    After about 10 minutes, I finally looked behind me and saw Chewy
    sitting on the back of the bed.  They still chase each other but
    I think Chewy is actually starting to enjoy it.  Zula will be laying
    in bed peacefully, Chewy comes in and looks at him and looks like
    she is saying "Zula, don't chase me, don't chase me" and then bolts
    off with almost a smile on her face.  Then of course Zula goes chasing
    her.
    
    Pam

    Well here's an update on Chewy and Zula.  I have had Zula for almost
    5 months now.  I think they are actually friends now.  Last night
    was the first night in 5 months that Chewy slept in our bed with
    us.  Zula was curled up by my chest and Chewy was curled up behind
    my knees where she used to always sleep.  I'm totally amazed.
    
    I think they are definitely good company for each other.  Their
    big thing now is rumbling on the floor together.  A LOT of the time
    Chewy initiates it.  They lock paws, and roll, and roll and roll
    and roll (nipping gently on each others necks).  It's a riot to
    watch.  Zula will finally get up and walk away and Chewy will pounce
    on him again.  They seem to be actually enjoying each other.  Chewy
    is acting like a kitten again (Almost 3 years old now).
    
    I'm so happy.  So I just wanted to let anyone who's just introduced
    a new kitten into her feline family, that may be having big problems,
    that everyone in this file was right.  It takes time.  Lots and
    lots of time.  I would say that the first 10 weeks were pure hell.
    The next month, Chewy put up with Zula. And now they are becomming
    friends.  I would expect them to be best buddies in another month
    or two.
    
    Pam, Zula and Chewy.
    

    That's terrific, Pam!  Glad to hear that Chewy and Zula are finally
    getting to be buddies.
    
    I am proud to announce that Kirby has finally accepted Murdock as
    a member of *his* family.  Right after Murdock arrived, Kirby started
    urinating in the cat bed to inform us of his displeasure.  One neuter
    and three months later, he has finally stopped peeing in the bed (over
    a month now) and instigates fun and games with his new buddy.
    
    Anyone ever do a load of laundry specificly for their CAT?  Well,
    that's what I was doing for Kirby, lining the cat bed with towels
    and doing laundry for him each week.
    
    Glad that's finally over with!
    
    
    --Roberta
    

    I guess Dr. Zaslow was right on target when he told me 3 months isn't
    a long time for cats to have to adjust to each other.
      Glad it all worked out.
      The exercise will be great for Chewy too.
      Nancy DC

>    I guess Dr. Zaslow was right on target when he told me 3 months isn't
>    a long time for cats to have to adjust to each other.

It can take even longer....however, the payback is worth it in my opinion.
Tabbitha, 16 years old, met Hannah when she was 13 - and she HATED her for
months...at least 6 or 8.  Well, now they are always rumbling and tumbling
around the house - and Dr. Lee says Tabby is healthier than she has been
in years! 

They complain, but they do benefit from company of their own kind.

    I brought Kaitlin in as a whole adult female into a house full of
    whole adult females.  That was in November of '88.  She is now very
    much a part of the family.  I can't say exactly when this change
    took place, but it was sometime in the last few months.  Suddenly
    we noticed that Kaitlin wasn't being chased, or chasing anyone else.
    
    I just brought in Kaisha a few days ago.  She is almost 4 years
    old.  I expect it will take her almost a year to adjust too.
    
    Jo

    e: .32  - Guess they're like humans and just don't know what's good
    for them sometimes.