Re: Cat sitting question

MyBoyRusty · ‎11-07-2013

People are so heartless when it comes to animals they don't think that they matter at all.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

On 3/3/2014 petepetey said:
I watch my sisters rag doll cat a few times a year. She is gorgeous and expensive(claws never going away). I have a 14 year old tabby cat(rescue cat, declawed). The 2 will never meet. I have a big enough house that they can have their own zones while the young one is here.

Yesterday my DH told me his sister, who has 2 cats, watches her daughters cat. This week she is watching the cat and didn't want to bother keeping them all separate so she just let them fight it out and now they are ok.

So, DH thought we could do that. I say no way that is cruel and I wouldn't want to be responsible for injury or even the mess they might make while fighting.

Does anyone else do that,,,,just let them fight?

Wrote my typical long reply and it got lost in cyberspace somehow so I will sum it up.

We have had as many as 13 "indoor only felines" and have never forced any of them to get along with each other. Right now we have 11 of the same and we have sectioned off our huge house and finished basement to keep those that get along with those that get along.

Have 2 that can be with any of them, and out of 11?

We have never and will never force getting along on our domestic animals(all rescued in one way or another). They can be injured and seriously if a bit or scratch happens to get infected.

Nope DH is wrong in trying to force tolerance of animals and we are totally against this and anyone that uses this method as opposed to separating the ones that do not co-habit well with each other.

hckynut(john)

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

I agree with the majority.

I do have a question, after the visitor leaves how does you cat behave? Does he go around where the visitor had been and hiss? If not, they would probably get along and enjoy each other.

When I introduce a new cat, I put the new one in a room with the door blocked open a bit so the cats can check each other out but can't get to each other. If neither seems opposed, I'll allow them to meet but be ready to interced if it doesn't go well.

I would never just 'let them fight it out' that's just wrong.

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

On 3/3/2014 kaybee said:
It sounds like these two cats have never been introduced? I would try to introduce them in a controlled manner. They may get along.

That's what I was thinking. Who says they are going to fight. They might like each other since they are only pets.

azterry! · ‎10-21-2011

On 3/3/2014 chrystaltree said:
Cruel? They are cats not children. Of course you could let them sort their differences out and nothing horrible will happen. They'll be so hissing and spitting and humped backs but most likely no fighting. One will be the "winner", the dominant one and either they will become friends or they will stay as far away from each other as possible. I wouldn't bother since you are just cat sitting. I'd stick with your plan and keep them in their own spaces.

You must not have a cat, chrystletree.

Dogs will often put on a show and not actually fight, but cats are different. They do fight for territory and they can do some serious damage with their claws and teeth. Cat bite and claw wounds very often need vet treatment as they tend to become infected and abscess quickly.

The declawed cat is at a serious disadvantage as well. It's a bad, bad idea to let them "fight it out".

SydneyH · ‎03-10-2010

On 3/3/2014 graycatsrule said:
That's what I was thinking. Who says they are going to fight. They might like each other since they are only pets.

If they are not going to reside in the same home, there is simply no reason to subject these animals to each other.

MyBoyRusty · ‎11-07-2013

I just can't understand why people say it's just a cat or a dog and say to let them fight it out is saying that one or both deserve to be hurt pets have feelings too.

MikafromTopeka · ‎03-10-2010

On 3/3/2014 SydneyH said:
On 3/3/2014 graycatsrule said:
That's what I was thinking. Who says they are going to fight. They might like each other since they are only pets.

If they are not going to reside in the same home, there is simply no reason to subject these animals to each other.

She said she will be sitting her sister's cat occasionally. I would at least do a controlled test (keep control of the more aggressive cat) to see if they won't get along.

She didn't say if her 14 year old declawed tabby (which I assume would be the aggressor) was male or female but the whole situation would rest on his/her behavior most likely. You never know. *I'd still separate them when you leave though just to be on the safe side.

violann · ‎03-10-2010

In my life with cats, I have never trusted a declawed cat and a cat with claws together for unsupervised visitation, and I never would.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

On 3/3/2014 azterry! said:
On 3/3/2014 chrystaltree said:
Cruel? They are cats not children. Of course you could let them sort their differences out and nothing horrible will happen. They'll be so hissing and spitting and humped backs but most likely no fighting. One will be the "winner", the dominant one and either they will become friends or they will stay as far away from each other as possible. I wouldn't bother since you are just cat sitting. I'd stick with your plan and keep them in their own spaces.

You must not have a cat, chrystletree.

Dogs will often put on a show and not actually fight, but cats are different. They do fight for territory and they can do some serious damage with their claws and teeth. Cat bite and claw wounds very often need vet treatment as they tend to become infected and abscess quickly.

The declawed cat is at a serious disadvantage as well. It's a bad, bad idea to let them "fight it out".

Dogs fight, believe me. I've had dogs that couldn't look at each other without getting into a fight. And I don't mean a little tussle. I mean required vet trips fights.