Two cats at home??

Question

I look after homeless cat,she comes to eat to my flat and sometimes she sleeps in my flat.she looks as a nice,clean cat.however,I want to buy a British shorthair kitten,but I am worried that he can catch fleas,or some other diseases from the homless cat all the time they will get in contact(even thouth she looks clean).any suggestions what to do?I just cant stop looking after that cat and just not to let her in to my flat as I look after her for more then a year,but at the same time she is an outside cat,and wont get used to being locked at home.

Answer 1

If your kitten is properly vaccinated she should be fine. Fleas might be a problem, but there's medication you can get from your vet that you only use once a month, and it works great. If the homeless cat lets you, you would be doing her a big favour by using it on her. Kittens have to be (I think) at least 3 months old for it.

Answer 2

I have two cats. One has been an outdoor kitty since she was born. The other is my daughter's indoor cat. For the most part they each do their own thing. It works well.

If you want to get a kitten I think you should. For quite a while the kitten should be kept way from the bigger cat anyway; and you may be surprised at how easy it can be to have two cats who each do their own thing.

There is always the chance that an outdoor cat could give something to the indoor cat, but if you feed them separately, and they aren't sharing a litterbox that should reduce some of the risk. When the kitten gets older I assume you'd get her some kind of flea prevention or colllar anyway.

Its very kind of you to take care of the outside kitty and to know she wouldn't be happy being locked in at this point. If it were me I'd just go ahead and get the kitten (why should the outdoor kitty stop you from getting the kitten you'd like) and just kind of assume if some reasonable caution is exercised the kitten will be fine.

The way I look at it, while you don't want to do something like keep the two cats in the same pet carrier, that kitten was born into a world where there are no guarantees that it will be kept safe from infections or fleas. Kittens and puppies are fortunate to find a good home in this world where so many of them don't. I don't think the risk of having to some day treat the kitten for fleas outweighs the potential benefits of his having a nice human friend and maybe later a nice kitty friend. The little kitten would be fortunate to be brought into such a situation.

If the older kitty hasn't brought fleas to your apartment yet there's no real reason to assume she absolutely will in the future; and if she does, you'll have the flea problem regardless of whether you get the other kitten. If you have the kitten you just treat her for fleas and do whatever has to be done in the apartment.

I have a girl cat who is in her teens. I've had others as well. Very often the female cats don't do all the wandering that male cats do. Of course, they'll be out and around and able to pick something up, but it isn't as likely as it is for a male cat. My cat pretty much sits under one tree or another or under something outside until its time to come in. That's what all the girl cats I've ever had tend to do.

Every day parents send children off to schools where there are other kids who could have infections or head lice or even be dangerous. The only altnerative is to keep every child alone in a room and safe from potential harms or unpleasantness. I don't think that's any way to live. We so often have to rely on healthy immunie systems or else treatment for things that turn up.

The breeder of the kitten may disagree with me, but if I were in your situation I'd just get the kitten. It is said that if children are shielded too much from germs their immune systems won't have the chance to develop antibodies from small exposures. I would imagine the same thing must be true of kittens. I think if I were in your situation I'd go ahead and get the kitten and just use a little common sense when it comes to how much they're allowed to be together (particularly in the beginning).

Again, its so decent of you not to see the older cat as "thing" to just turn out in favor of a "better" one. Good luck. Enjoy both kitties if you end up with both.

Answer 3

If you have been looking after the cat for more than a year she will more than likley stay around if you are going to buy a cat she can catch diseases from the other cat untill she is up to date on all of the shots. I would take the stray cat to the vet and get her shots before I brought a new cat into the house also electronic flea collars work great.

Answer 4

if you are feeding her and looking after her she is not a homeless cat she is your cat. That is what British law says anyway. So make sure you treat her for fleas, worm her, have her innoculated and then carry on as you are and get a kitten. At least your older cat won't give her any diseases or fleas because you will have already sorted it all out. Also if your older cat is not neutered then get it done. If you don't want to accept full responsibility for the cat you are already responsible for, then at least phone a cat shelter to come and take her so you can get yourself a cute pedigree kitten.

Answer 5

I also recently took in a stray and i work at a shelter and thats what we do is take in strays and find them homes..but before bringing the 2 cats into contact with one another make sure that you get the stray all checked out at the vet...they will need to take a blood sample and test for all sorts of diseases. Please dont let them rip you off though. They do not need to do full blood work a snap test works just the same and is way cheaper. Also you will want to make sure that your own cat is up to date on all its shots too. As for the fleas use a product called revolution it is sold at the vet office and works like a charm. Also this cat is not a wild cat because it comes into your home and lets you come into contact with it... i bet that it is a dumped cat someone moved or decided that they didnt want it anymore. I would take it in and give it a loving home if you stop feeding it, it will die because it has come to rely on you too much. Good Luck!

Answer 6

A lot of people gave some great answers, and I dont want to go on and repeat all the good stuff, but something I did not see in any of the answers was about FIV. FIV is a virus similar to HIV, but it is the Feline version (which is why it starts with an F instead of a H). Anyhow, cats cannot get a shot to protect them from that virus, and it can shorten the life of a cat severely. You CAN however get the outside cat tested for it and know if it does in fact have it. Cats get it from living outside and fighting with other infected cats. It happens more often to males, but females can get it too if they have ever gotten bitten by an infected cat .

Also getting the outside cat fixed will prevent you from having to care for babies as well if she gets pregnant, which will happen if she stays outside and is not fixed (females can have a litter every 6-8 weeks).

Answer 7

Fleas is the smallest of problems with two cats. Like people, cats don't get along with another coming in "THEIR" house. Make sure they like each other first. Then, if one of them is a female you might end up with 9 kittens in 6 months or a year and you will have to dispose of them. If they are two males they will fight until one disappear. Cats live 19 to 20 years and you'll still have them when you are 20 years older. That represents a large amount of money too. Mine did live that long. Now I have two superb white cats, brother and sister, they always knew each other. They are in excellent health and had an operation, but I refuse to have them de-clowed when I was in the U.S.A. If you are prepared to do all that you will have a wonderful time with your cats.

Answer 8

Adopt the homeless cat properly, take it to the vets and get it checked out, flea controlled, wormed and vaccinated. Then get your kitten. Keep them apart for about two weeks and then gradually introduce them to each other. Make sure that you don't let the kitten out until it has been fully vaccinated and then just enjoy your cats. make sure both cats have been neutered so that you avoid any unwanted kittens.

Good luck!

Answer 9

It should be fine - make sure you get your cat innoculated, and maybe take the homeless cat down to the vet for innoculations too if you can catch him!
If you're getting a kitten, make sure you get flea protection especially designed for kittens as the full strength adult cat variety can be harmful - your vet can advise you for the best. My cats have Frontline (similar to Advantage) - you just stick a couple of drops on the back of their necks.

Answer 10

I work with homeless cats, at this time we have 25,...since she's been round for while, can u touch her? Do you bring her inside? I would suggest you make very good friends and a trusting relationship with It (u use both he and she in your description) It wont take long, get it spayed or neutered..shots, and a Lil house outside, box or such, let it in and out.. this should talk bout 2 months, then get your new kitty, this way both will adjust rapidly, For god sakes please don't quit feeding it or trusting, this cat is now FERRAL it depends on you for food and now only hunts to play, not to eat, please continue your good heart and continue to take care,I could write more and more but want you to do the best for all 3 of you
Good luck, thankyou, and happy home of kitty's