I'm considering going down to the shelter today and applying to foster cats who need it. Or I might just end up adopting the cat I rescued earlier this week and dropped off at the shelter.

I already have a cat who's six years old, very sweet and gentle most of the time.

Have you had any trouble integrating a new animal into the household? Any tips or tricks? I know about the basic stuff to help animals accept each other.

I also petsit small animals, usually dogs, and end up taking them to my house if it's for more than a couple of days so they don't feel so lonely. My kitty gets annoyed and disgusted with the dogs (they just want to be her buddy!) but gets used to them after a day or two.I'm very careful about erecting a barrier so she has her own space, plus BF built a kitty pole so she can escape to this area:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/1779118_10152643511251982_234790439_n.jpg?oh=68ee173e6b2d307923d8704a24e0ea27&oe=54F0B675&__gda__=1421618223_1e39cfb76b07dc9ea29643aed980d404

She used to immediately like other animals with no fear until she was beat up by another cat 4 years ago.

Any advice would be appreciated!

I love your kitty's safe place!

That is a wonderful safe place!!!

:D

I am physically incapable of fostering any pitiful, wayward, orphaned critter. Once they spend 24 hours in my house, they're mine. I just adopt 'cause I'm a sucker for the previously mentioned pitiful, wayward, orphaned critters.

Consequently, I'm very judicious about which ones I bring inside the house. If I'm worried about it getting along with existing rescued, adopted critters, I insist on a test run first.

My last cat tolerated dogs because he'd been raised with them his entire life. Even when I petsat, he'd march up to a new dog, look him right in the eye, and dare it to start shit. Dogs are very smart about well-armed cats and I never saw one challenge my cat. (He was a badass. I miss that kitty. :<( )

So my only advice is integrate slowly, make sure the new kitty has its own safe space. If there's sufficient space in your house to allow for two cats to each have their own territory, if they don't get along, they can still co-habitate as long as they both have their own territory/safe places to be. So I'd suggest separate feeding and litterboxes at first. They might just get along straightaway, that happens just as often.

I'd say you're probably about to do everything right, so good luck and congratulations on your new family member! ;>)

Lemme tell you, I cried my eyes out dropping this beautiful blue-grey kitty I rescued. I just wanted to take him home and love him forever right away, but wasn't sure if he was lost or might have some health issues that could affect my cat. So I did what I thought was best.

We have a decent sized house with several rooms, so if I adopt this kitty (I don't know if I can foster without becoming too attached) he will have his own space to be safe. All I need is another litter box and a convincing argument to BF that we need another furbaby. :)

Your cat sounds like he was a total badass.

Psh, you don't need a convincing argument. Your convincing argument is kitty's adorable widdle furry face! :>D

My dearly departed kitty: He was. So cool. When I got the pibble, he strode into the room, looked her dead in the eye, flopped down on the floor and started licking his empty ball sack, keeping one eye on the dog. Then he got up, stared her down until she backed off, and went on his merry way. She's 75 pounds and was terrified of him. He was all of 15 pounds and had zero fucks to give. They ended up being Besties: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn91/Dogzilla_02/IMG_1535.jpg

:: sniff ::
Got something in my eye.

That photo is adorable!

Few things in this world are as sweet as interspecies BFFS.

I just go back from the shelter and it confirmed I did the right thing by taking him there first- He needs to be neutered and get his shots, but he's available for adoption!

There's several litters of kittens too, that need fostering, including a entire litter of litle black fuzzies!. I guess it was inevitable I would become crazy cat lady someday. :)

Some cats don't mind another cat around, and some won't tolerate it. Just something to keep in mind.

my internet sucks I couldn'tload the pic. what is a pebble? pit and what?

I have fostered a couple pups short term. My cats don'tlike dogs but live around it.

My cats however, have marked up the place, in the basement mainly, much to my chagrin. They could not handle a kitty, they would be so mad and ruin everything in the house.

I wish I had the money and the space and the security I would probably open a rescue myself. I have one doggy, and while she is a bit mad about the food part, she is good with other dogs.

you can also foster through the rescues. I am in eagle mountain, and there is a site, Utah rescue, Utah animals in need. I can't remember if you are in Utah or not.

but it's wonderful you can do kitties. I think dogs are easier. someday when my babies are gone I will do kitties again.

Good luck and good for you!!!

I don't foster myself, but we are involved with a local dog rescue. We adopted a dog from them years ago, and when she died, we adopted a second dog. My kids would love us to foster, but we are just not home enough that I would be comfortable doing that.

We took in two unrelated cats from a local rescue. They hated each other forever. One of them finally died and the other one is so much happier that I'm not getting another cat until she goes, too.

OTOH, before this pair, we've had up to four unrelated cats in the house who, while they weren't BFFs, tolerated each other just fine.

Just don't become a hoarder, that's almost as bad as an abuser or neglecter. Keep a sense of humor, cuz your furniture, time and clothes won't be your own any more.

And for those who really are allergic, but want to share in the fun...http://mcphee.com/shop/crazy-cat-lady-board-game.html

or http://cheezburger.com/900897536

BF just called to let me know he's going to be late tonight, I told him I was planning on adopting the kitty I found this week. He seemed nonchalant about the whole thing. :)

Now I'll need a name for the new fuzzy.

I want to see your new fuzzy!!!

.?Feline Dion?

OMG, I laughed so hard at that.

Azazel keeps popping up in my head for some reason.

Fidget, he's beautiful- A smokey blue grey with rings on his tail and golden green eyes. He's very tiny for being a year old, so i wonder if he was the runt. Moira was the runt, too, and she only looks massive because she's mostly fur. He's very friendly and gentle, too. I think BF will fall in love with him as much as he fell for Moira (whom he was resistant to adopting at first.)

Azazel sounds like a perfect name for a beautiful cat. I'm so excited for you!

Even though I'm allergic, I do love kitties. There is one that keeps coming to my door and looks like it might have a sore on it's leg. I want to try and help it.

When he's starting to trust you, hold your forefinger out as a kitty greeting. If he touches his nose to your finger, he's trusting you. You can also get some Friskies' Party Mix aka Kitty Crack to tempt him into trusting you. Good luck! I hope you can help the poor fuzzy.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s1dcdp3pzkz368a/2014-10-11%2013.36.28.jpg?dl=0

This is my kitty Spooky. I didn't get her from a shelter, but adopted her from a home where she was no longer wanted. I think they might have kicked her around a bit because she was a bit traumatized. Now she's just a very good friend who is part of my life.

She's already neutered, vaccinated, etc. And also came to me de-clawed.. I wouldn't have had that done myself, as I think it's unethical. But I have to admit, her front feet cause very little furniture damage! How nice that I can blame someone else for doing it to her, yet enjoy the advantages of it!

Here he is:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10429274_10153290317941982_994593103169723489_n.jpg?oh=dcd35ac73c09804d59ce7026a2116b41&oe=54EEAB17&__gda__=1425530695_4cc32fc0d615629c56978374870ee69c

I got to hold an snuggle with him for a bit and he's as sweet as the day I brought him in. He'll have a good life with us. :)

Twenty some years ago, we adopted a female tabby from a shelter. They said she was wonderfully calm and friendly; and she was until we got home.

After I bathed the poop off her, she ran into my daughter's bedroom and didn't leave for the next six years. She finally came out when my daughter was gone on a trip. She needed some loving, and we gave it to her After that she was fine. She was ultimately a great pet.

She had one peculiarity though. She would only eat Meow Mix. If we didn't have any, she preferred to starve.

Living on a farm we don't need to do this. Idiots drive through the country and abandon animals. "Some farmer will take care of them" is the thought process.

Some do. Some of us shoot the dogs when they chase our cattle. We also take in some that are friendly and get along with out dogs - to a point. You can't care for a half dozen dogs. The vet bills will get nuts even if you can have that many around your place.

Cats can be even worse. "Coyote Feed" is the term for them. They get dropped off and being unused to country where houses are a few miles apart they are not prepared for the hunters who will pick them off - coyotes and fox among them. Even Eagles get some of them.

We take care of what we can but don't appreciate this forced adoption.

Enjoy your new kitty cat! I'm allergic.

We just picked up a dog today that was about to be 'homeless'. The owner couldn't take care of him anymore. He's really laid back. And sooo cute. Getting him and our other dog, Sheila, used to each other. (Don't worry, both are fixed.)

Your kitty is gorgeous!!! Enjoy and I hope everything works out well.