New Cat in the House

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  • #51430
    Catman43050
    Participant

    Hi there, I just recently adopted a 5 week old white American Shorthair(female)… or, rather, it adopted me. Her name is Wander. She is very lovable and full of energy.

    Now, I’m no stranger to cats… I have another 13 year old black American Shorthair named Bub (male). However, I will say that I believe I am out of my league here when it comes to kittens… especially one this young. I just had a few questions for anyone out there who may have had a similar situation.

    I have taken the kitten to the vet, and she checked out just fine. She’s happy and healthy, and I couldn’t be more thankful. Unfortunately, I don’t have much room in my home. I had no choice but to put Bub and Wander in the same room together. Bub has yet to take to Wander, and I think Wander is a little scared of Bub, but I hope that will pass. For now, Bub avoids Wander as much as possible, and sneaks by whenever he needs to get around her.

    I work a full time job… 8 hours, 5 days a week. My primary question is about leaving the two of them alone together… Bub is very timid and shy… he’s terrified of everyone but my girlfriend, my father and I. What are the chances Bub will attack Wander while I’m away?

    For that matter, is it SAFE to leave Wander alone? Does she need constant attention or will she be alright on her own?

    I appreciate any and all feedback… I want to do well for Wander, and give her the best home I can, as I have for Bub.

    #733235
    Chaos
    Participant

    If you can kitten-proof the room Wander is staying in, she will be fine alone. Kitten proof just means eliminate any electric cord, tight areas she could get stuck, and anywhere she could get hurt. When you are home, make sure to pay a lot of attention to her, as kittens that young need socializing so they trust humans, spend some time playing with her, petting her, maybe wrestling with her so she learns people are ok. She should be fed a diet of wet and dry food, (or raw, if that is what you prefer) and she should have her own food dishes and litterbox. Bubs should have a place up high he can get away from her if he wants, and she should have a place to hide, to get away from him if he tries to go after her. Usually cats will stay away from each other. Just let them smell each other and interact, and any aggressive behaviour from Bubs should be corrected as soon as it happens. Hissing is alright, as long as he doesn’t growl and lunge at her, they should be fine. If Bubs has a favorite spot, or a favorite blanket or shirt to sleep on then that should be kept away from Wander, and Wander should have her own spot to be comfortable. If she has taken to a blanket or something, put that in a place Bubs doesn’t frequent. If Bubs isn’t acting aggressively towards her, they should be alright. Just separate food, potty, and beds. That should limit the amount of territory scuffles that could happen. Good luck!

    #733236
    Catman43050
    Participant

    @ Chaos

    Thanks for your response! I set up a place for Wander that Bub doesn’t frequent, complete with her own water, food, and litter box.

    Something else that’s been troubling me, is that Wander’s mother was a stray. What are the chances of Wander having FeLV or another communicable disease? I know she must be tested at I believe 8 weeks, but can she spread it to Bub now? I know that there are no official symptoms but in anyone’s experience are there any warning signs or anything that I should watch for? She seems really healthy and happy.

    #733237
    SoxsMom
    Participant

    Don’t want to worry you, but I have dealt with more than my fair share of feline leukemia–it is a wicked retrovirus, but not unlivable. My stray kitten Sox was diagnosed at 9 months 24 hours before he died. He was tested when neutered at 16 weeks and was negative. He was vaccinated at that time as well. I have since learned that often a cat will not show positive until 6 months of age. I had a Russian Blue that was 3 years of age and had always been vaccinated–Basil contracted and became FeLV positive. He lived for two more years. Basil died of kidney complications due to FeLV. My other cat who was also vaccinated never contracted FeLV. I became a member of a group that deals with this disease and have learned so many treatments that assist cats with the virus. For me Sox was a happy and healthy tuxie–one day he would not get up. The next day was the same and I took him to the vet. The blood drawn looked like rusty water–I knew it was beyond serious. My vet tested Basil and Teaser at that time. He wanted to put Basil down immediately. I said no.

    http://www.felineleukemia.org

    That group is amazing. They jumped in immediately to help me learn about current treatments. My vet jumped on board–he said I changed his mind about the virus. I believe that he would have done anything to help Basil.

    FeLV is very contagious, but it doesn’t mean they will get it. I had a student show up with 10 day old kittens when the mother was killed–knowing Basil’s condition I took them. Deuter is beautiful and strong. He wasn’t around Basil much before he died, but FeLV can live on a surface for a long time. I had another student show up with a kitten when the mother was hit by a truck–Noelle is also healthy. Love your little one and only if necessary worry about FeLV.

    Check out the group I posted about–they have wonderful advice and can give you so much help!

    #733238
    Jeankit
    Participant

    Warm welcome to TDK Catman & newbie Wander! Here are some links with helpful info on cats/kittens/health etc:

    http://www.dailykitten.com/chat/topic/41426

    http://www.dailykitten.com/chat/topic/41532

    http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/felv.html

    You can also click on upper right pink tags to go to more chat/links!

    #733239
    Chaos
    Participant

    FeLV and FIV won’t show up until six months of age, because they can have their moms anitbodies in their blood. As long as she isn’t showing any signs of sickness, they should be alright. If you are worried about Bubs, you can get him vaccinated. The only way to transmit those diseases are through blood, or saliva. So as long as they aren’t biting and scratching each other it should be alright. I do recommend the vaccination, they are always a good idea as long as they are from a reputable vet. And, should Bubs ever escape and get into a cat fight, he won’t contract the disease. FeLV and FIV are common in strays, but not every cat will get sick and die. It is a matter of just waiting and keeping your eye on her.

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