File :-(, x, )
Comfy-Kun !i2InmLMgFY
I have a situation and I need help.

My mom is finally leaving her abusive drunk of a boyfriend. Next week when he is at work we are going in and grabbing her clothes and other important things and taking them to where she's going to be living.

Thing is that she has two cats and the owner is alergic to cats. I'm going to take them in, but I already have three cats.

Does anybody have any advise for how to care for large numbers of cats? I've never had this many before and I want to make sure I do it as best as I can.
>> Anonymous
separate litterboxes
>> Anonymous
Also separate cups for food and water
>> Anonymous
Put them in separate cages. Hahahaha. You're going to get evicted!
>> Comfy-Kun !i2InmLMgFY
>>230548
Um, I live with my father who owns our home, we wont be evicted.

As for the litterbox, my mom is bringing her box with them and is going to pay for their food and litter.
>> Glaeken !R590kKJjDY
4 indoor, 1 outdoor.

Just hope they get along. That's the worst that can happen.
>> Anonymous
-different litterbox
-different bowls of food (for the new comers put it in a separate place from the home ones)
-they may not get along, but I don't think they will get into fights, they are just going to ignore each other.
-try to give attention to every cat, at least a little.

<33 good luck, here are some good articles: http://www.buzzle.com/chapters/animals-and-pets_cats-and-cat-care.asp
>> Anonymous
Um... my family takes care of a colony of ferals; between the inside and outside cats we have about 12... 3 inside, 1 inside and outside and 8 outside.

We would let more in, in fact we tried to let one in particular in, but it had been a long time since we had a new cat and one of the inside cats got into a pissing war with the new one so we had to kick him back out. Both were neutered.

Basically, if your cats go outside anyway you shouldn't have any problems; they'll work it out. If your cats are inside cats and there are any males, you might have to keep the new ones outside.

If you keep them outside, make sure there's plenty of shelter. Ours stay in the garage. Make sure there's blankets, kitty beds, whatever for them to sleep on/in to keep warm in the winter.

If you manage to keep them all inside without pissing fights, there's not much more to say.

You just need more food.
>> Anonymous
Oh, also, my dad takes out one plate of canned food for each of the outside cats every evening, and there are 2 or 3 food bowls outside. Or 4. Several anyway.
>> Anonymous
try to feed the new cats in a separate room to the old cats at first and put their litter tray there too. that way they'll have their own little area they can, hopefully feel safe in while they settle in. After a few weeks, if they are getting on ok-ish with the old cats gradually move their bowls and litter tray nearer to where the others are. Also, don't show favoritism to any particular cat while they settle in.

Expect a few fights in the first few months but these should settle down again after a few months and when the cats have decided upon their new position in the local cat hierarchy.
>> Wolfshadow
I may very well be in the same situation you are now in: 5 cats!

Males tend to be able to get along easier than females are in mixed groups, from my personal experiance. I would keep the new cats in a enclosed room (with their own box and food and water of course) and slowly try to intergrate things with the new cats scent into the old cats' living quarters, and vice versa. That way all parties involved know there are other cats around.

Slowly introduce the new cats to the old ones under supervised conditions. Be aware that there will most likely be some hissing and fighting at first- This is normal. If there are elderly or kittens in the house, you may want to supervise especially carefully.

Females have a tendancy to hate all males that invade "her" territory. Males can share easier, are more affectionate to one another than females, etc.

Also, make sure there are no breeding-capable cats before they are introduced. This goes double for un-neutered males, and also for un-neutered males and unspayed females. You don't want kittens.

After a few months of the occasional hissy-fit, the cats will settle in and get used to each other. Do not be surprised to see male cats (neutered or not!) mounting other male cats, and vice versa. They, like dogs, do this as a show of dominance. It's the natural way of showing the pecking order of the colony. I have a 5 year old cat, and rescued a 10 month old abandoned cat over the summer. My older boy is skinnier, smaller, and lighter than the kitten is now (8.5 versus 11.7) and he still mounts the kitten to show he is the dominate male, something the kitten takes without much complaint, oddly enough....
>> Anonymous
EAT DA CATS !!!!!
>> Anonymous
DON'T put your mom's cats outside. They're NOT feral and won't stick around simply because you have food. They will, recognizing they are not at home, leave, looking for their house or their mom.
>> Anonymous
You need to invest in a mumu.