introducing cats?????

[spish]

i have two cats, both female, recently sterilised (4 weeks ago) they are 18 months and 6 months old (mother and daughter)
we have just adopted a big 1 year old castrated ginger tom and things arent going too well. we left him in a room of his own for 2 days to settle in, then let him come into the living room where my ladies hang out. there was yowling, hissing, spitting from all parties and all three sit staring each other out. at night we split them up for fear of fighting. at first the couldnt be in the same room as each other but now they can sit at opposite ends of the room wihout chasing but theres still yowling hissing and crying from the older girl and the new tom. i know its still early on but is there anthing i can do to help them get along?
also the new tom has still not eaten (its been 4 days) im getting a little worried.....is this normal from the 'stress' or should i be looking at a vet visit?

 

[Mountain Man Jim]

I wish I knew what the secret was to introduce cats. Our current cat has force out several other cats by making life too stressful for them. She has even caused other females to urinate in various other parts of the house even when we provided separate litter boxes. I'm convinced the cat is the spawn of satan.

Jim

 

[Imp]

I've had about 8 cats move through here in the past 14 years plus I currently have 6. I just leave them to work it out among themselves mostly. I haven't had to deal with blood or elimination issues yet. That might be a deal breaker there.
There are always some who don't like one another. Usually they just stay away from each other.
Right now I have a 5 yo male that delights in tormenting the 2 older females. He tries to play with them, they want him to drop dead, a lot of hissing and growling. I yell, they ignore.

Imp

 

[SallyF]

I had a friend once who swore that she could introduce cats by spraying them all with the same perfume so that they would all smell the same. I haven't had to try it with mine and I've had up to six at a time, but if I did try that method, I think I'd use one of those spray-on no-rinse cat bath formulations or some Adams flea spray. That way it would be something that is safe for cats to ingest if they groomed themselves, as they do.

 

[BarkerChickens]

It just takes time. We brought a new kitten in recently and my 3 yr old neutered tom (the only other cat we have) wanted nothing more than to kill the kitten. After a few weeks of monitoring them when they were together and keeping them separate when we weren't there to supervise, they are now best of buddies. Our tom wants to be in the house more to play with the kitten and the little kitten wants to follow him EVERYWHERE. It just takes time and LOTS of patience. They are more spit and hiss than anything.

 

[teach1rusl]

Just the progress you've mentioned says that they will be fine. Cats are better than chickens, but not as good as dogs when it comes to new additions...

It's been two years since I added cats, but it seems like it took a good two months before my older cat accepted the newbies. They're still not the best of friends though

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Quote:
I knew I loved Imps. I thought I was the only one with a herd of cats!

My original cat imprinted on the dog when he was a baby and I am convinced he thinks he is a dog. He actually is very likely the alpha dog in the household. He doesn't like cats. He will now tolerate the new kitties to varying degrees, but he routinely makes it clear that he Does Not Like Cats.

Cats #2 and #3 were barn cats that migrated inside due to health issues (and due to one being hit by a car and completely freaking me out). They lived in the front bedroom for a month or so. All three cats could smell each other through the door and could slide a paw under the door to play/torment each other. After a month or so of this I opened the door and let them have at it. Original Cat will play with one of them. He absolutely hates the other. The hated cat goes out of his way to aggrevate him though, so clearly the feeling is mutual. Most of the time they just stay apart.

Cat #4 joined us this summer (a foundling kitten). She is the only girl in the house, so maybe that is part of it. She lived in the bathroom a week before she joined the herd. She was really young and Im sure that helped. She pretty much insisted that they love her and play with her. And they do, even Original Cat. She just won't take no for an answer. She integrated herself despite my efforts to ease her way.

Cat #5 lives outside and doesn't interact with the others. Cat #2 hates him with a passion and goes from window to window cussing him out. Cat #5 is a confirmed outdoor kitty and belongs to the neighborhood anyway, so he won't be integrated with the others. He just stops by periodically for a bite of something and to help me with the chickens.

All I can suggest is give it time. Allow them space apart from each other. Provide a zillion litter boxes, seperate food bowls and lots of treats to distract them. Eventually they will come around.