AJCPets experts: Adding cats and litterboxes
We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Ingrid Johnson of Paws Whiskers and Claws, The Feline Hospital in Marietta. See all the AJCpets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.
Q: We have an older dog and want to get two cats. We’d love to have a kitten, but also want to give a home to an older cat. What do you think of the idea of getting an older (even perhaps elderly) cat, and a kitten? Does that sound like courting disaster?
A: Whenever one is looking to add furry members to their household, one of the most important factors is compatibility with the humans, each other and the existing pets. If we think about the activity level of an adult cat, or even senior cat compared to that of a kitten we realize that we are in two completely different worlds. A pair of litter mate kittens would be an ideal choice, a pair of senior cats would be an ideal choice, even the pairing of a young adult (1-3yrs) with a kitten (in the 3-8 months range so it can hold its ground) would be a practical choice.
However, pairing a feline toddler with a feline 80-year- old and expecting them to be friends is a recipe for disaster. The cats have nothing in common and that kitten is going to annoy the older cat with its need for play and entertainment. Appropriate corrections on behalf of the older cat can quickly escalate to aggression, and then we have a sad little kitten who desperately needs a friend. These kittens can quickly become destructive or aggressive with their humans (hand biters and feet attackers) because they have no one with whom they can appropriately play with and practice their hunting instincts on. They end up growing up as poorly socialized cats because the older cat wants nothing to do with them.
When adopting, try to look for pairs that are already bonded. You will have much greater success introducing them to the home and with them getting along with each other.
One last option would be to adopt one senior cat and a pair of kittens. This would allow the senior cat to interact when he chooses to and he can teach them good kitty manners. But when he doesn’t want to be involved, the kittens have each other for play.
Q: Hi, I was wondering how I can get my three-year-old tortoiseshell cat to use her own litter box versus the other cat’s litter box.
A: The only one in the house that thinks one litterbox is for one cat and the second box is for the other cat is the human! There is no such thing as Fluffy’s box vs. Sam’s box. To your cats the litterbox is a place to communicate, mark, and eliminate. It is much more than a toilet to them. Most cats like to urinate in one box and defecate in another, so it is ideal to have multiple litterboxes in multiple locations around your home.
It is always preferred to have 1 more litterbox than you have cats, so you really should have 3 boxes in 3 different spots. This is so they can cross mark, and so that not all boxes can be “guarded” at any given time. It is a very human concept that the litterboxes should have exclusive use by only one cat. Just be happy that they are using the boxes consistently and NEVER scold them for using any litterbox.
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Read question #2.
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My son found a kitten. We’ve had him dewormed and treated for fleas. He will get his first set of shots on Sat as he is approx 5 weeks old. We have never had a pet and we are having a diffucult time getting adjusted to his need to crawl in our face and use us as his a jungle gym. Will he ever grow out of this? I am not used to having anything jump and leap at random will this pass?
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Hey Tanika, Congrats on taking care of the kitten. Thats an awesome thing to do. Part of being a kitten is all the playing. I have 2 cats myself and now that they are a little older, They dont play as much. I’ll tell you that they will grow out of it, but you should try enjoy it while it lasts. I bought my cats all the toys I could find and it seems they would rather play with the package more than the toy. Maybe you could leave a box or two lying out for him to play in. I really miss having my kitties play with me. Enjoy it and know that you did a great thing by taking him in your family… He will love you for it!
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I have had a female siamese cat for a year now. (she is 2yrs old). I recently lost my mother and have taken in her 10 yr old DSH, also a female.
They love me when we are alone, head butting and purring, but the minute they see each other, there is alot of hissing and screaching. This has not come to blows thank goodness, and it has only been 2 weeks. I keep them seperated when I am at work, but at night the Siamese has free reign of the apt, while the older girl stays under my bed hidding. Will this end…..eventually?? Getting rid of either one is NOT an option. Last night I closed the bedroom door and the old lady & I got to sleep together on the bed. I don’t want the baby to feel neglected, but she starts all the fussing.
Thanks for all your help!
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Nadia… yes, they will eventually come to terms with their mutual existance. They will probably even end up being the best of friends. I don’t know if you still need to keep them separated when you’re at work. I found that whenever we introduced a new kitty into our brood, we kept them apart for a few days (if that) and then let them loose together in the house. They worked things out by themselves quite nicely, even though they didn’t let on that they had for quite a while. We had to “catch them in the act” of being nice to each other! Good luck and enjoy! Two kitties are DEFINTELY better than one!
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I have two cats. One I’ve had for about a year and a half the other about 2 1/2 months. I still keep them separated. The old cat is 2 1/2 and the new 3 1/2. The new cat seems terrified of the old cat. Matter of fact, she jumps when we pet her. But she is getting more comfortable around the house. I’ll let one roam the house for a day and put the other in a bedroom or basement, and then switch. When I try to get them together, supervised, the new cat hides and hisses. And the old cat seems to try to attack. I don’t know if the old cat wants to play with the new cat or fight the new cat. I’m told they will work it out, but I’m afraid one or the other will get hurt. Like Nadia they both love us when they are apart and giving either up is not an option. Any advice?
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My wife and I own two cats. One of the cats has urinated on our couch on and off for several months, but he has done it three straight days and has destroyed it. Anytime we let him go out into the back yard, he soon urniates. Does his wanting to go outside contribute to his urinating on the coach or may there be another cause?
Thanks.
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