Re: OT: What's you number?

[Faye Lewis]

One thing you do have to consider with large numbers of cats.  Space.  
Crowding them too closely can create stress.  If you have a small house and 
are not in an area where the cats can go outside safely, then you might want 
to keep the number down.

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Subject: Re: OT: What's you number?
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2005 14:30:47 -0500
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I've also found that it's much easier to integrate a young cat (less than a 
year old...preferably around 6 mos.)!  We only have two actual littermates 
left, and we got 4 when they were around 6 months old (except for Boots 
who's been "grandfathered" into the clan...he's considered the "Mama" as he 
took care of the original 5 kittens when their mom passed away)...All treat 
each other like brothers and sisters from the same litter, chasing, 
wrestling and grooming each other...Except for poor Marvin (a Siamese) who 
I tried to add as a 3 year old male!  The others tolerate him at best and 
chase him around at worst...the sad thing is, 3 "kids" have been introduced 
to the family *after* Marvin and seem to have taken a cue from the resident 
cats that he is someone to be avoided... :(  Then again, he is a little 
weird... :)  He kind of reminds me of "the weird cousin" you had as a kid!  
:)  He prefers human company anyway (very much like a human baby...he's a 
purebred modern? Siamese
...not apple-headed, and does have FeLV)...He tries to play with one of the 
girls (Lola), but he's a little rough so he usual sends her away in a fit.  
It's kinda sweet, in a way, because Ewok and Sleepypants (the two remaining 
litter mates) will run to Lola's aide and "trap" Marvin underneath the 
chair in the front room!  They don't hurt him, they will just stare at him 
in a very "thug-like" way for a few minutes as if to say "Touch her again 
and we'll make minced meat outta ya!"  :)  Anyway, we've pretty much 
decided that it's much less stress on everyone involved to only add young 
cats, if we can!

----- Original Message -----
From: Faye Lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, February 3, 2005 12:48 pm
Subject: Re: OT: What's you number?
> One advantage of getting cats from the same litter is that they
> will give
> each other attention. Often cats not from the same litter will
> bond however,
> I have had more success with litter mates. I probably won't add
> single cats
> to my household again for that reason.  I am not going to say
> never....
> Plus, I don't find it hard to give them attention. I do try to
> capture each
> cat alone somewhere and talk to him/her and pet her--every day.
> That hasn't
> been hard. I probably give mine more attention than they want.  I
> swear some
> days Simba growls at me "get a life."
>