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csziggy

(34,120 posts)
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 10:31 PM Sep 2020

We are now a two cat family! Lucas and Maya are in the house!

I posted about Lucas the other day - the people I got him from called him Rascal or Kittiboi. But I got his records yesterday and his original name was Lucas. I can live with Lucas so rather than change his name for his medical records, I will stick with that.

Yesterday my husband and I went to the cat cafe to see the light gray female kitty. We didn't get to see her much since she kept running into the back room where all the litter boxes are kept (and guests are not usually allowed. Before they would let me adopt her, I needed to have his records which I didn't yet have, mostly to make sure that he had all his vaccinations and tests so he wouldn't expose her or her him.

The former owner brought over his records yesterday evening. After I went over his medical records I realized he had not been tested for FIV or Feline Leukemia, plus his vaccinations were due within a couple of weeks. This morning I called the vet's office I will be using for the cats (my current horse vet does not do cats except under extreme circumstances) and explained the situation. They worked me in and gave Lucas his vaccinations including against Feline Leukemia and tested him for FIV and FL - he was negative!

I took Lucas home, grabbed a quick lunch, drove to the cat cafe and picked up Maya, the light gray kitty. She is tiny! March 2019 when she last was seen by the vet, she weighed 7.9 pounds. I don't think she's gained any weight since then. Lucas weighs 12.3 pounds and I thought he was small - my last cat weighed about 10 pounds but the comparison I had was my husband's fluffy monster that weighed almost 20 pounds even though he was not fat.

Lucas had run under the bed so we set him up in the master bedroom and bath with food, water, and litter box. The first few hours Maya was here she hid, just like Lucas had his first day. Since about 8 o'clock, she has come out of her shell. She has explored the entire area we left open for her (master bedroom is Lucas' for now, studio, library, and living room have not been open for either cat. She even went upstairs to walk across my husband's keyboard.

Tomorrow evening we'll let Lucas out so they can meet. So far there has been no acknowledgement on either side that there are two cats in the house. Even after I went in to pet Lucas so he didn't feel abandoned, Maya sniffed my hands with his smell on them and didn't seem concerned. Lucas is just lounging on the bed, not even worried about being confined after two days with the house to himself.

We may give them the cat toys with refillable catnip before we let them see each other face to face.

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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We are now a two cat family! Lucas and Maya are in the house! (Original Post) csziggy Sep 2020 OP
Yay! 3catwoman3 Sep 2020 #1
I'm so happy and feel as though my boodpressure has gone way down csziggy Sep 2020 #2
Great news! Congrats on adding to your family. Laffy Kat Sep 2020 #3
Yeah, Lucas had the run of the main part of the house for two days csziggy Sep 2020 #5
Yes, and I still think that different sexes get along better, at least initially. Laffy Kat Sep 2020 #7
Well both Lucas and Maya are neutered, so other than inate personality sex doesn't count. csziggy Sep 2020 #8
It's only my personal observations and experiences. Nothing scientific. nt Laffy Kat Sep 2020 #15
I know that feels so good. nocoincidences Sep 2020 #4
Even in college my roommate snuck a cat into the dorm csziggy Sep 2020 #6
About a year and ahalf ago my sister was adopted by a cat FuzzyRabbit Sep 2020 #9
So they have not seemed stressed and the can smell each other in the house csziggy Sep 2020 #10
I hope it goes well tomorrow. FuzzyRabbit Sep 2020 #11
rub new cat w/towel+ let lucas smell it. pansypoo53219 Sep 2020 #12
I caould rename them - but they don't seem to care what they are called csziggy Sep 2020 #13
i usually get kittens + i am picky about names. even have 2 ready.chester+ percy(girl). pansypoo53219 Sep 2020 #16
Before we mostly got kittens - but we're older and thought adult cats would be easier csziggy Sep 2020 #17
I think you meant that Maya was *inspecting* your husband's keyboard More_Cowbell Sep 2020 #14

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
2. I'm so happy and feel as though my boodpressure has gone way down
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 10:47 PM
Sep 2020

It's been almost a year since my cat disappeared - the first year in nearly fifty that I have not had at least one cat in my house. It was painful, but now things are better!

Laffy Kat

(16,356 posts)
3. Great news! Congrats on adding to your family.
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 10:55 PM
Sep 2020

Even though they are not acknowledging each other, chances are they are smelling the other kitteh, which is what you want right now.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
5. Yeah, Lucas had the run of the main part of the house for two days
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 11:09 PM
Sep 2020

So I know Maya smells him all over. She's spent since January of last year with the Humane Society and has been at the cat cafe for ten months with cats coming and going, so she is accustomed to various cats in her living space.

Lucas was in the Escambia County Animal Shelter for a few months after he was surrendered but I doubt it was as mixed cat as what Maya has been used to.

I know they must smell each other so it's encouraging that they are not getting upset.

Laffy Kat

(16,356 posts)
7. Yes, and I still think that different sexes get along better, at least initially.
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 11:16 PM
Sep 2020

Maybe they're not as threatening to each other as two males or two females would be. Keep us posted.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
8. Well both Lucas and Maya are neutered, so other than inate personality sex doesn't count.
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 11:19 PM
Sep 2020

And they were both neutered pretty early, before they would have felt urges. They should be great, I hope they become friends!

nocoincidences

(2,195 posts)
4. I know that feels so good.
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 11:00 PM
Sep 2020

I lived 3 years in college without the constant presence of cats. Since then, NEVER have I been without them.

It's so good that you got them both at the same time. Nobody will feel like they are being intruded on.

Just enjoy their company!

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
6. Even in college my roommate snuck a cat into the dorm
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 11:13 PM
Sep 2020

Then when I moved out of student housing, my roommates and I all had cats, three women with eight cats in a small house!

Actually, thinking back, even before I left home, we always had cats, so it is more like 67 years I had cats around before I lost mine last fall.

Life is not right without cats!

FuzzyRabbit

(1,958 posts)
9. About a year and ahalf ago my sister was adopted by a cat
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 11:21 PM
Sep 2020

who had been abandoned. The cat, Kitter, was very anxious her first couple days in the new house so I took over some of my cat's medicine, gabapentin, to give to Kitter. One dose was all it took to calm her so she could accept her new home.

My vet recommends gabapentin for stressed cats. You might ask your own vet about it for helping the cats to adjust to each other.

I hope you will have many years of wonderful companionship with your kitty cats.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
10. So they have not seemed stressed and the can smell each other in the house
Tue Sep 1, 2020, 11:43 PM
Sep 2020

The test will come tomorrow afternoon when we let Lucas out of the bedroom.

I talked to the vet about it a little today when we were discussing Lucas and adopting Maya. She recommended giving the cats some catnip. We just bought some toys that can be restuffed with catnip so I plan on giving each of the cats one of those about a half hour before we open the dividing door.

Our previous several cats did not get along with each other, but we were introducing a single adult cat to a new kitten each time. Generally, the adult cat would refuse to be near or in the same room as the younger cat and it took months to get them to get along at all. That was sad since it meant neither cat had a buddy.

I hope these two make friends since they will be together a very long time.

pansypoo53219

(20,906 posts)
12. rub new cat w/towel+ let lucas smell it.
Wed Sep 2, 2020, 12:06 AM
Sep 2020

my cosmo was named peanut at pound when i got him. pfft. stupid. he was a gorgeous cat. I do the names. they like the s sound. oh, that is why sybil said no to pepper.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
13. I caould rename them - but they don't seem to care what they are called
Wed Sep 2, 2020, 12:13 AM
Sep 2020

As long as they get food and scritches, they are happy. I make a little psshht noise behind my teeth and they both react to that.

Of course, we can change their names later, but I think Lucas and Maya are OK for now.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
17. Before we mostly got kittens - but we're older and thought adult cats would be easier
Wed Sep 2, 2020, 11:14 PM
Sep 2020

Plus adults are harder to get adopted - for instance, Maya had been at the cat cafe for ten months and was at the Humane Society for several months before that.

Both cats are very happy to have a home not crowded with people or other cats. This morning at 4 AM Maya took exception to the situation - she was out in the great room while both of us and Lucas were in the bedroom so she started crying. While my husband went out to reassure Maya, Lucas got out. The cats stared at each other, Maya hissed a growled a bit, but after an hour and a half we decided that they were not going to fight, left the door open, and went back to sleep.

All day one cat has been stalking the other, sometimes Maya following Lucas, sometimes Lucas following Maya. Lucas just seems interested - he was a lone cat for a year. Maya is more interested in holding her territory - I think she'd thought she had scored a one cat household and is not happy about sharing. But there is a LOT of room, even with three rooms closed off, so they have been taking breaks for naps in various spots.

Since I use their names, I think they are learning them. I'm trying to use treats to teach them to come when called but I am not being very successful so far.

More_Cowbell

(2,190 posts)
14. I think you meant that Maya was *inspecting* your husband's keyboard
Wed Sep 2, 2020, 12:43 AM
Sep 2020

...for factory flaws.

You're welcome.

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