[Blessings2You]

Right now we have "day cats" and a "night cat". Three months after bringing my daughter's cat Cooper here to foster, things were going from bad to worse.

I won't rehash the details, but it could be a while until (if) my daughter can take him back again, and since the only other alternative was surrendering him (ugh, what a word!) to a shelter for adoption, we are keeping Coop in "his" room all day.

Our two older females are used to being in "their" room at night. We've been on this new plan since Monday, and already Peach is daring to get out of her hiding place.

We switch them around 6:00 or so, and Cooper has maybe three hours while there are people awake and interacting, then he spends the rest of the night either playing/wandering or (mostly) sleeping with me.

Anybody have any experience with keeping cats in the same house but separate long term? We're thinking it could be 2-3 months, hoping for less, but being realistic. It's not ideal, but we think he's better off in his room all day than he'd be in a cage at a shelter for who knows how long.

But I'd like to hear from anybody else who's had a similar issue.

[mrsD]

If it works, do it. Cats are mysterious creatures (my current Vet's opinion).

If the new cat Coop does not mind being Cooped up, and he feels safer, and gets some attention each day, that may be all he needs. If he or the other two starts to show stress at this arrangement, you may have to rethink.

Older adult cats sleep alot. If he feels safer that no one will sneak up on him, and vice versa for the other two then the lower stress levels all around including you are what you aim for.

Adult cats take a while to get used to new routines. Some are good at it...and others not. Some won't even accept new foods!
It has been my experience that when young and introduced to new things, places, it goes more smoothly. Traveling as we do to a summer rural setting is the opposite of what we live the rest of the year. All of our cats so far have managed with this.
But some of our cousins have more difficulties getting their cats to be comfortable there. Last summer one of our cousins' cats who was new, refused to go home and was "lost" for 3 days in fact on the island. I tend to think it was because of the dog next door who roamed free. We've had Oreo lose her way in her early days too.
But Weez last year did not go far or get lost. We don't know how Houdini will react yet either this summer.

[Blessings2You]

The older kitties are showing LESS stress already. It seems to be sinking in that Cooper isn't lurking around every corner ready to pounce on them.

When he comes upstairs in the evening, we fuss over Cooper, and he gets a little tuna, and every couple of days his own little stash of catnip. This is only the sixth day, but I'm guardedly optimistic.

Our one goal is to keep all three of them happy and safe, and us sane, until my daughter can have her cat back.

He has food, water, and a litter box down there, but given the choice he will wait until he comes upstairs. SO FAR no carpet shredding or (shudder) carpet wetting.

[Kitty]

It can take a l-o-n-g time for cats to adjust to a new visitor. Especially older cats that have been used to having their domain to themselves.

My oldest cat Gracie still doesn't like Panda, my newest addition - and it's been a couple of years since we brought her in. They tolerate each other but there's no love lost between those two. My orange male kitty Tigger seems to get along with her better. They play and chase each other and occasionally have the dreaded hissing match - or stare each other down - but for the most part they get along.

If you can keep them separated for the most part and have supervised "visitation" times I think everyone will be happier. I know you hate to keep any of them cooped up in a bedroom but given the choice of having to give Cooper up to a shelter......I think he'd appreciate being in the bedroom much more. I'm so happy you're giving it a try. I wish I lived closer so I could help you.
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[Blessings2You]

We've decided this is a temporary fix...if my daughter comes up a plan that means she can take him in 2-3 months, we'll just continue the current plan, with no visitations. Cooper was right next to me and Cindy was on my husband's lap a few feet away, when he went for her and they ended up in a fight. Cindy ended up with a bleeding ear. I ended up with a panic attack.

We're too old and too tired for that nonsense, so unless something changes, he'll be the night kitty until she can take him back. Or we'll have to find him another home. I just want reassurance that "locking him up" all day isn't going to permanently scar his psyche!!

I'm literally praying it will work out. Cooper misses his dog, and the dog misses him.

[mrsD]

Is Cooper neutered? Most neutered Toms are friendly.
It is the spayed females that are problematic IMO. Sheba always kept Tippy and Oreo at length. Heaven help them if they went thru a doorway before she did! I think her behind "glands" which were always needing Vet help, bothered her and she didn't like cats close when her hiney hurt.

If he eats, uses the litterbox well, and comes out during safe times he should be okay.

At my son's house, the neutered Tom, Garfield 7 yrs is okay with the two females that were already there. Tima gets into a "thing" with him occasionally but no injuries occur. We all think it is some kind of sex game with them as it involves vocalizing. He does not do this with Ellie the tortie. At Xmas they were all in the kitchen together and they were all friendly. No stress there at all. Even shared food out of one dish. I brought them some salmon.
They don't sit together however, and each one takes up a spot
in the family room at least 4 ft away from the others.

I suppose cats can hold grudges like people, and can just dislike each other, and tolerate others. They can be very different and surprising.

[Blessings2You]

Yup, he's neutered. And he comes up the stairs like a rocket when we turn him loose. He hollers at us for a few minutes, but then he settles right down.

Once my daughter lets us know the deal, and if it looks as though we'll have him for a few weeks, I'll do some updating in his room...some more stuff to play with and climb on, etc.

[mrsD]

So then when he greets you, just give him a nice greeting back,and pet him up etc, and fuss a little over him.

I notice that Houdini is bigger on greeting than Weezie is.
Houdini is very affectionate and greets each of us when we get up each morning. He also greets Weezie after his nap and licks one of her ears. Still not very vocal yet for a male. Weezie makes sounds enough for 3 cats sometimes!

[Blessings2You]

Really? It's only been a DAY since I started this thread?
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Feels like a week.

[mrsD]

LOL you have my sympathies!

When we brought Houdini here, the first two days were total
mayhem and agony! I even had a "panic" attack of sorts, and hubby called in sick--he did have a terrible sinus thing anyway-- and helped me out (it was a Friday). In the end we used the vacuum in the basement to flush him out of hiding. I was afraid he'd somehow mess with the boiler/furnace and kill himself. Now this trick is backfiring on us, as when we vacuum HE has "panic" reactions. Oreo is terrified of the vacuum too, so maybe it is just a "cat thing".
I feel guilty about it now, but it seemed the only way to get him out of the basement (which we had blocked off as the sliding door is too hard to open/close etc and we need the boiler heat for the kitchen--but he got around it anyway---hence his name--Houdini! )
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I thought I'd have a stroke or something! But finally he did
come around. He had never been in a house. Never seen a litter box, etc. But he is so sweet, that once we controlled his disappearing act, which was not easy.... things went better.

So I know how you feel with the tension.
Try to greet each day as a friendly easy day...as hard as that seems, and the cats may relax more.