Not sure if you heard the news on social media – but on Saturday, after much umming and aahing, we adopted a new fur baby.
Introducing Seth, a 5 year old tabby, from the local animal shelter (I’ll share his story, and how we came to choose him, another day).
We knew that getting the new cat settled, and introducing him to our resident fur baby Miss Fleur – the Princess-Diva-Puss-Kitty – would be a demanding task, requiring much patience.
So how did it go? Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly love at first sight for Seth and Fleur 😉 … But they are getting used to each other remarkedly quickly.
After just one day, the hisses, snarls and growls had dwindled to the occasional hiss. They have both been very interested in what the other is doing – Seth even stands up on his hind legs to peek on Miss Fleur – he looks like a meerkat!
We prepared the garage specially to be Seth’s sanctuary for his first couple of weeks, by adding a screen door. This keeps the cats safely separated, but allows them to see and sniff each other.
I even “camped out” that first night, sleeping on a mattress in the hallway beside the screen – with Seth on his new bed on one side, while Fleur settled in her favourite papasan chair beside me (of course she ended up on the bed though 😉 ). As luck would have it, we brought Seth home on the coldest weekend of the year so far – it was freezing!
I lasted until about 4am when Seth used his litter tray and stunk me out LOL!
We have placed both cat’s bowls near to the screen, and within a day they were happily eating within a couple of feet from each other.
This morning, I even saw them greet each other by touching noses through the screen!
Apart from settling Seth in, we have also been making a big fuss of Miss Fleur – which she hasn’t minded one bit, in true Princess-Diva-Puss-Kitty style.
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Slowly but steadily … One of the reasons we chose Seth is because the animal shelter staff assured us that he was really good with other cats. And Miss Fleur spent her first year in a foster home with 4 other kitties, so hopefully they will be great company for each other in time.
Do you have any suggestions to help us integrate our new fur baby into the family?!
Oh you are so kind to camp out with Seth. Especially on such a cold night!!! I’m glad they’re getting on a little better. He has such beautiful eyes.
Either that or I’m a little bit nuts! Seth looks a bit big and scary but he is really just a big old softie. In fact Fleur is the more aggressive one!
Congratulations on your new addition. Love the name Seth! Hopefully it wont take long and you won’t need a screen door between the two cats. They’ll probably (hopefully) end up the best of friends! 🙂 x
I would never have thought of it as a name, but I like it too. Although I must confess I have almost called him “Tigger” a couple of times, our boy cat that died after a tick bit in 2012.
Oh yay! Hello Seth ?
So nice to see they’re already tolerating each other…looks like it won’t take you as long as it did for me.
Can’t believe I missed pics on Instagram! Off to locate them now.
Seth looks gorgeous 🙂
He’s a real lap cat, loves the cuddles. Miss Fleur might just learn a thing or two from him 😉
Aww look at the puddies!
They will adapt to each other well. Our girl was like this when we bought our boy home but they now just accept each other. I love that you slept on the floor for the transition!
Every day we are moving a step closer … I just couldn’t bear the thought of my new puddy tat all alone on his first night x
Sounds like they are on their way to becoming best buddies!
I love your first photo of Seth, looking up at you with his big green cat eyes!
He does have gorgeous eyes Ingrid. He looks a bit big and scary but he is really just a big softie!
Hello Seth!
No suggestions. Just hugs …
Thanks Leanne. I am loving all the cuddles, Seth is a real lap cat!
No tips but yay it sounds like it is going well!
They are fine with each other through the screen door now. Gradually introducing Seth to different parts of the house while Fleur is restrained elsewhere 😉 .
Oh how gorgeous! Hope they are the best of friends very soon xx
They seem okay when we let Fleur into Seth’s sanctuary now, but she gets very territorial and starts hissing if he comes into HER part of the house! So we’ve got a little way to go!
You are so dedicated Janet. I wouldn’t be giving up my bed for a cat. 😉
Glad it’s going well so far, and I hope it continues to do so. It must be nice for Seth to have a new family to love him.
Haha, dedicated or just plain nuts 😉 . Seth is settling in well, he is a gorgeous boy. And Miss Fleur is fascinated with him, sometimes they have little chats through the screen door and we can hear them!
I’m so glad you picked Seth he looked so lovely in your photos and seems adorable! We put Clarence in the upstairs bathroom for the first week at night so he was separated from Shelby and Max and it worked really well. He still sleeps upstairs either in the bathroom or outside our bedroom now by choice. The other two are used to him now and tolerate him, they’re definitely not best friends and the boys are still trying to work out who’s dominant. I’m sure they’ll get there in the end and figure it all out. You’re such a great mummy camping out with them on the first night!
I remember when you got Clarence, feeling so jealous and wishing we could get another kitty – and here we are!!!
Yay! How exciting. Seth is lucky to have found an awesome forever home and mummy. xo
He is settling in well and always up for cuddles!
Good on you Janet. More people need to take care of the older pets that have been abandoned as there are way too many. As for helping them mix, no idea. I am a dog person and not brave enough to have more than one.
He is just beautiful Natalie, we can’t believe he has been left languishing in the pound so long. Such a shame more people don’t consider adopting an older cat rather than a kitten.
As a volunteer at the animal shelter where Seth was, I was extremely happy to hear he was being adopted. I spent a lot of time walking around with Seth on his harness every Thursday and have given as much love as I could to him and all the others while I was there. He was just lucky he waited for the such a purrfect forever home and own servants to love him. Everything at the right time I believe. He is a beautiful boy and you were lucky to be chosen ….
Thankyou for choosing to adopt an adult kitty ?
Thanks for stopping by Melissa! And thank you for your loving care of Seth while he was at the animal shelter. He is a lovely boy, a real big softie, loves his cuddles. Our other cat, Miss Fleur, has been giving him a bit of a hard time – she’s showing him who’s boss! But he has been really patient with her and they are gradually getting used to each other. We see more progress every day, although just like toddlers, there comes a time of the day when you can see they’re both tired and cranky so we separate them so they can have a nap!