Debating adopting another cat!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Debating adopting another cat!
14
Sun, 06-06-2004 - 8:40pm
Dh & I were at the Humane Society today giving another donation of money & cat food. I couldn't resist looking around. I asked to visit with a nice 1 1/2 year old tortie (very thin like a Siamese, but somehow they called her Manx since her tail is bobbed). She just had her 2nd litter of kittens and has now been spayed. (I was afraid to ask where her kittens were). She had been in a military family and they didn't want to keep her anymore because she "kept getting pregnant"....well duh! Maybe because they kept letting her outside, and never had her spayed?? They apparently had a dog that chased her, and some kids that made her nervous. She was very affectionate, but shook a tiny bit which we weren't sure if that was from nerves, or since she'd just had the spay surgery? She was high energy and very talkative (Siamese like in that way). She's petite. I just worry that she'd be frustrated and cry to get out a lot since we'd want to keep her safe inside like our other cats. She has her claws and our other 3 cats are declawed in front (dh's mom's doing while she was alive). Would she be likely to scratch the others? So many questions. They had named her Salty. I am not sure about the name. I think we could find a nicer one. She's so beautiful. We decided to think it over. We could just tell them that in the event no one else comes along to adopt her, that we would adopt her at that point just to make sure they do not put her to sleep. (I think that's what dh is thinking).

Do you think a new adult cat would cause lots of problems with our other 3 6 1/2 year old cats? Any advice is most appreciated!

Suzy (mom of Boots, Patches & Thomie)


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Avatar for ellen126
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 06-06-2004 - 9:37pm
She sounds sweet. We had a Siamese/Tortie at one time. She was older, and declawed, when we adopted her. The others we had still had their claws. We never seemed to have a problem with a mix of the two. They played and rough-housed, but no one seemed to be the worse for wear.

I hope you decide to give it a try. She sounds like she needs a loving home and it seems like you could be just what she needs. I'm sure it will take time for everyone to adjust, but that's natural. (Of course, I'm partial to Torties. I have my sweet Lily now, and would love to have another.)

Avatar for cl_lcni
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 10:42am

Awww, she sounds beautiful.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2003
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 11:13am
That would be so nice if you would take her,the family she came from,shame on them!! I take stuff to the Humane Society but make ny DH take it as it just upsets me so. I think in the fall we are going to adopt one or two ourselves. I still am not soaking in that Tiger is gone,it is 5 weeks today..

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 12:17pm
Thank you so much for the good advice. I am soooo very sorry about Tiger. I know exactly how heartbreaking that is. I also hesitate to go in the Humane Society because I know I'll want to adopt them all! I lost my Missy back in 1996. She was a tortie girl and I miss her still so very much. I will have to get a photo of her scanned on my webpage. I didn't even consider getting another kitty for 4 years...then I became serious with my now dh & he had just inherited the 3 lovely cats we have now.

Take your time....but I know in the fall if you're ready, that you will fall in love with one or two kitties who need a loving home. You're such a wonderful furmom!

Big Hugs,

Suzy


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 12:26pm
Thank you Ellen. :-)

I think we're going to go see her again after they open at noon today. I got a message from them saying once the cats go up for adoption, they stay there until they are adopted. Thank God they don't get put to sleep! Even if I'm not rescuing her from that awful fate, I'd be getting her out of the scary environment to where she'd be loved and adored. (Also no doubt hissed at by my other girls...LOL).

It's good to hear that cats with claws can co-exist nicely with declawed cats. I have a fondness for torties since my first cat was a tortie and I miss her so very much. They warned me that torties can be rather dominant and may try to become top kitty. LOL I don't know what my current cats will make of that, but I think they'd work it out over time.

Your Lily sounds so very sweet & adorable! >^..^<

Thanks again for the input. My heart really goes out to her....we'll see what the afternoon brings!

Hugs,

Suzy


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 12:46pm
Thank you so much Leslie! I would definitely try the introduction method suggested on this board and pray my other cats would accept her over time. Thanks for sharing your experience with Fuzzy.

I was disappointed a month or so ago when I wasn't allowed to adopt 6 year old Kiddly (the nursing home cat my mom & I had grown so fond of). I decided we'd probably just get a Siamese kitten in the fall or something. Then I had to go to the Humane Society (since I worry this time of year that they'll be swamped with kittens & puppies...so I donate whatever I can to help). I had done this many other times and resisted....but this one cat just called out to me. She'd only been there a few days I think and had just had her surgery and hadn't yet gotten her shots. We looked at her behind the glass cage and she meowed and kept trying to rub her head against our hands. That's when I asked to see her in a visiting room. She purred a lot and rubbed up against us. She only has a tiny nub of a tail, but I don't think she looks at all like a Manx in any other way. She's too thin and her voice sounds similar to a chatty Siamese. (We also looked at one other cat which was a tortie/calico blend. She was heavier and quiet...she didn't seem to want to bond like Salty did, though. I hope someone adopts her soon since she's been there since mid-April).

This is a hard decision. Dh has left it up to me. I need to go see her again today. I will let you know how it goes....we may just bring her right home! Do you think I should keep the name Salty, or is it ok to change a cat's name after 1 1/2 years?

Hugs,

Suzy


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 1:46pm
My tortie/tiger, Daisy (pictured), is the original ScaredyCat. She couldn't dominate anybody (except me, of course!). LOL
Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2003
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 2:05pm
Thanks..I have Scooby to and he is only 7 months so it is nice to spend some time with him before another cat.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 2:22pm
LOL! My Tasha is a torti and I could certainly see her trying to be the Queen of the castle if there was another cat around... she definately seems to think she is the boss of us. But I think she would adapt, since she seems to want to play with the neighbours kitty when she sees her outside. You can find some pictures of her on my webpage:

http://pages.ivillage.com/unicorn21/index.html



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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Mon, 06-07-2004 - 7:15pm
That's so interesting...my Missy was also a scardy cat....she hid under the bed or in the closet when people came over. She was my only cat at the time, so I don't know how she would have been with other cats.

Your Daisy sure is beautiful!

Suzy


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