Those who know alot about cats
Hi there so after reading the rules I believe this is allowed ? I have a few questions. Anywho, we recently took in a stray cat, are in the process of adopting them. I must say they smell HORRIBLE! I thought maybe it was something in their mouths and had the vet check it out to be sure. They literally smell like poop… despite being given a bath. After speaking with someone else who has taken in strays and the vet, they have informed me they may just be gassy adjusting to the food we are feeding them. Does anyone know how long this lasts ?
Secondly, I already have a 7 year old cat. I am quite nervous to introduce them for a few reasons, one being the kitten in the opposite sex and isn’t fixed yet. This will be happening, however we need to wait to book this appointment the humane society says (they give owners so many days to come forward). I am worried this kitten may spray. I have children at home and if either cat starts peeing/kitten starts spraying I’m not sure how this will play out. Is there anything I can do to prevent this at all?
Thirdly, do some animals just never adjust to eachother? Our current 7 year old cat is an amazing cat.. I’ve heard her hiss ONE time in the 7 years we have owned her and it was very quiet. She has been introduced to 2 other pets before but she was 1 years old at the time. I really want this to work out for not just this new kitten but our family as well. I would never just throw the cat back outside but rehome him. It’s quite sad he’s underweight and my kids really love him.
I am open to all and any advice. There may have been questions I missed so if you have anything helpful please let me know.
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It’s not unusual at all for strays to stink. Dirty fur, poor diet, rotten teeth, open wounds, skin infections - all of these things can cause a pet to smell. They can also develop a weird body funk when their food is poor quality with a lot of fillers, not to mention the diarrhea that happens when their body is adjusting to new food. Beware, new food farts can singe the hair right out of your nostrils and can last a few months!
As for marking/spraying, neutering will help curb that instinct, especially if it’s done before they fully sexually mature around 7 months old. It’s instinctual to want to cover their waste so litter training isn’t usually a problem, but cats may still pee outside the litter box if they’re sick or stressed. The best you can do is try to keep them relaxed and the boxes clean. Rule of thumb is 1.5 boxes per cat.
The best way to keep the amount of stress down for both cats is to introduce them verrrry sloooowly. Like, over weeks. Jackson Galaxy is a kitty guru of sorts and has an excellent video about how to introduce cats. In fact if you have any questions about cat behavior he’s probably made a video about it. The key is to go slow, don’t push the cats together too fast and stress them out, let them adjust to the presence of the other in their own time. Most cats will adjust but there are some that simply don’t like other cats and will not accept another no matter what you do. On the flip side, there are some that accept others almost immediately; it’s really up to their individual personalities.
Thank you for adopting, OP - good luck!
Thank you.
We did take the cat to the vet and it seems like he has none of those, the vet said he could be gassy adjusting to eating cat food now vs whatever he was eating outside. But the smell is so bad, especially having to keep him separate from my cat I’m kind of fearful we will ruin that room of our house with the stench.
I am very nervous we will not be able to get this kitten sprayed before he starts and it will ruin our home as well, especially having kids. And that this cat possibly will not stop spraying. We currently are using 2 litter boxes but keeping the cats separate from now they aren’t in the same room, I’ve been cleaning my cats litter box daily for years now so cleaning this cats daily is no big deal either. Or that my cat that is 7 will start peeing in places due to being upset about this new adjustment.
I never wanted another cat since we didn’t get the two together but everyone else decided we were taking this cat in. He is cute and everything but I am very very nervous about it all so why I am looking for any and all advice.
Thank you I will check out the videos as well.
Thank you.
We did take the cat to the vet and it seems like he has none of those, the vet said he could be gassy adjusting to eating cat food now vs whatever he was eating outside. But the smell is so bad, especially having to keep him separate from my cat I’m kind of fearful we will ruin that room of our house with the stench.
I am very nervous we will not be able to get this kitten sprayed before he starts and it will ruin our home as well, especially having kids. And that this cat possibly will not stop spraying. We currently are using 2 litter boxes but keeping the cats separate from now they aren’t in the same room, I’ve been cleaning my cats litter box daily for years now so cleaning this cats daily is no big deal either. Or that my cat that is 7 will start peeing in places due to being upset about this new adjustment.
I never wanted another cat since we didn’t get the two together but everyone else decided we were taking this cat in. He is cute and everything but I am very very nervous about it all so why I am looking for any and all advice.
Thank you I will check out the videos as well.