Hi JoanDark!!!!!!
It's so good to see you (and Rupert) here... and I love your Avatar!!
I'm at home now, on my slow dial-up connection.... I love living out in the country, but boy I sure do miss that fast DSL connection that we have at the office!!!
Well, tomorrow we just might have a new dog in our family. If so, I'll be watching her closely for people-like traits... so that I can describe her here in this thread!!
Quinn--you've got two real charmers. They sound like people I've known.
Joan--Rupert with the bedside manner. Caring and gentle. Sounds like my kind of dog.
PaL - have you had an opportunity to introduce Jack to his possible companion offsite yet?
Oooh, that sounds like a good idea. Are you speaking from experience Beth?
Absolutely, piffka. Before I brought Cleo home, I talked to the vet, read a couple of books and looked at some online sites about bringing a second dog in. They all recommended introductions be done on neutral territory. It shouldn't be at either dog's home, or in either dog's car.
When we went to meet Cleo, the fellow helping went ahead and spent some time playing with her - I took Bailey for a drive to Cleo's neighbourhood and went for a walk for about an hour (she wasn't allowed out so she didn't know it as her territory) - we walked toward Cleo's house, and Peter came out with her. They sniffed politely, and the 4 of us walked together for about an hour - we then all got in my/Bailey's car and drove home - before we went in, Cleo and Bailey and I went for another walk. By the time we got into the house, they were both tired and ready for a nap - no mood to argue. There were a couple of brief, very minor skirmishes, but they settled in comfortably within about 24 hours.
I agree with the vet/books etc that the prep work made all the difference. When we took Cleo to the vet for her shots about 3 days after we got her, I took Bailey along - she already knew to look to him for support. It was quite something to see her looking at him while she was on the table - as soon as he lay down in the chair, she sighed and lay down as well.
Oh, that is a great idea. I always worry about the feelings of the original dog. We had a terrible time when we tried to bring a Jack Russell into our house with our first chow, Pan (the Beloved). It didn't work out at all and the J.R. was returned.
P&L? Is there any way you can do this, to make it easier on Jack?
Any suggestions on how to introduce a second cat? I'm afraid Possum would kill anything small.
Yep. After the other one has left this vale of tears.
Seriously, have you ever smelled cat spray?
My one experience with introducing a new cat to an established cat was harrowing. It worked out in the long run, but the short run was a nightmare.
I gather that I was lucky, long-run-wise. Sometimes these things never work out.
I wanted to get Miranda a friend. Of course I neglected to ask her if she wanted one. I contacted an organization called Save Our Strays. A woman had a litter of kittens that had been saved from drowning. I offered to come and pick one out, but she said that was a terrible idea. She came to my apartment with the entire litter. Miranda was roaring in the bedroom. The kitties were exploring the apt. When they got to the bedroom, Miranda let out a noise from hell. The kitties scampered out in a big hurry. But one stopped and turned. Curious and interested. That was the kitten I kept. Little Patty. The sweetest cat in the history of the world.
margo
What about a one year old? Or at least one that's a little more independent than a tiny kitten. And preferably of the opposite sex.
All of my new additions, over the years, have either come from a shelter or else are other peoples' discards. They have all (well, most mostly) fitted in well because they are so PLEASED to finally have a proper home & try very hard to fit in.
I like the idea of a new friend for Possum!
Wonderful thread, Roberta. Earl Grey, what a good name for a gray cat...well, so many neat discriptions.
Pacco was a child and adolescent before I had him, clearly the hall monitor of any class. He has matured under my aegis to become something of a workaholic. Presently, I am his job.
Due to the exigencies of Humane Society life, or perhaps before, he is a neutered, cough, male. Still, he is a humper, if not an accurate one. Very funny when he humps the dobie's waist.
He is not a natural dandy, but looks and feels best when he is routinely groomed at the local salon, my computer room. Easy brush and combing occurs during thread unfolding waits.
Pacco is a little short, being a Pembroke corgi, so I think of him as one of the shorty movie stars.
Hmmm, Alan Ladd, or Steve McQueen. Not, not, whatshis name., Tom Cruise. McQueen, that's about right. He is fast out of the gate, and has a clear sense of humor as I often see him smiling, with eyes a twinkle.
osso
Hi Ossobuco,
So Pacco is a workaholic Steve McQueen. And you're his profession. I like that.
Hmmmm ... Let me think -
*Grey cat = quite distinguished, aloof & a deep thinker. Not sure that any existing human can match him! What style!
*The Tuxedo Cat? ... Easy. He's a very "Elvis" sort of critter. Probably in Los Vegas mode.
*And my 18 year old female? Probably Germaine Greer, or someone like her .... She takes no nonsense from either of the male critters.
I am thinking of Steve McQueen in the Great Escape, on the motorcycle getaway ride...that is how Pacco approaches matters, full speed ahead. I call him thunderpaws.
msolga, a philosopher, Elvis, and Germaine Greer. What a trio!
osso--Steve McQueen in the Great Escape. The cooler king. And that great motorcycle scene.
God I loved Steve McQueen... there was a young man in high school who had his sandy looks. Yikes! Yikes! That is all I have to say except that unfortunately, later when we did get together, he turned out to be clever, but not nearly smart enough. <sigh>
Oh well... let's see. If you want your old cat to live a long life, my experience has been to get him or her a younger cat. It will be hated with a will surpassing all understanding and your cat will live with gritted teeth far beyond a normal span.
Unfortunately said cat is quite likely to begin a spraying program, not unlike the worst of government road sprays with DDT. It smells bad, it is sticky and can be effected by either male or female. Trust me on this--- female cats spray.
The newly arrived, perceiving that life is good when you can cause so much havoc, will seem the total innocent. May even be innocent.
If you want two cats, wait until your current cat has taken its 10th life. Then, find two kittens from the same litter who seem to like each other. That's what I would do, anyway. I had to replace large portions of my home after the aforementioned spraying incidents.
IF you need counseling on getting rid of the smell... I can explain the steps. They are costly and time-consuming.
I suppose I should consider myself lucky. No spraying. Just biting.
