Integrating Cat Households (eating, male, weight, felines)

[beakers91]

In a few months I am going to be moving with my 1 cat into a new apartment with a friend who has 2 cats. We will both be moving in at the same time, so I am not sure what territorial issues will come with all 3 cats being in an entirely new space. All of the articles I find talk about how to introduce a cat into a household with existing cats. Her cats obviously live together already so I know they should be fine with a new addition to the house. When I adopted my cat almost 2 years ago he was in a room with other cats so I know that he should be able to adapt easily. I have a male, she has a male and female (not from the same litter, adopted about a year apart). What can I do to help them all adjust?

My main concern is feeding. I feed mine 1/4 c dry in the morning and 1 can wet at night. She, on the other hand, free feeds her cats and gives them 1/6th can wet at night (don't know what the point is at feeding wet at all). When we move in she would like to keep up her feeding schedule. I'm willing to switch over to one shared dish of dry food (will still feed 1 can wet) if there are no issues. I'm concerned, though, that a) my cat will gobble the whole dish down at once (he finishes up his dry food now in a short sitting) b) he'll gain weight (right now at his weight the vet says he's slightly over an ideal weight but he's fine) and c) there will be some competition with 3 cats eating out of one dish. If all of these concerns are non issues, what steps should I take to get my cat adjusted to a free feeding schedule? Is this possible after being on a schedule?

[mawipafl]

There will have to be some compromises by both of you actually, with the elements of these compromises being determined by the three cats. Just because her two cats are used to each other doesn't automatically mean they'll be thrilled with a third, and just because yours came from a multi-cat environment two years ago doesn't assure he'll be happy sharing space now with others.

But those are the negative possibilities and things could turn out quite differently!

Have the three cats ever met each other? I'm also presuming that all three are spayed/neutered.

I think at the beginning you might try, and depending on the floorplan of the apartment, to keep the cats separated at first with each group having their own food, water, litter in their own "confinement" space. I've done it this way successfully, but I've also done it successfully with, right at the outset, just letting the blending families have all the space and letting them figure out what's mine-yours-ours. I made my choices and decisions based on personalities and made adjustments to my choices depending on what happened. Invariably what happened was some hissing and spitting, but unless there was bloodshed or flying fur, I let the cats communicate with each other and didn't interfere.

Multiple litter boxes will be a must. Although the rule is usually one more box than cats, it doesn't always have to be - all depends on the cats' personalities and desires/needs.

Multiple scratching posts or cardboard flats would be a good idea. These are the "tools" cats use not just to work their claws, but to also leave their scents (glands in their paws).

I can say this, that unless the cats are kept completely separate, the two feeding schedules/methods will change regardless of what the humans want. That's not such a bad thing though! But the humans will have to compromise and decide what is best health-wise for all three cats. One dish of dry shared by all three might or might not work. I would definitely suggest three wet-food dishes.

Yes, blending/integrating is a process, but one that's worth it. I have two females whom I thought would hate each other forever. They're good friends now (although neither will admit it), and it's so fun for me to watch them play (in their unique way), and more importantly they enjoy each other (which they don't want me to know).

[catdad7x]

Best advice would be to stop feeding dry food altogether, and have them all on a wet food feeding schedule. But even if you stay with the dry, you're eventually going to have to feed them all the same way... free feed, or set schedule. As Mawipfl said, a lot is going to depend on the cats themselves as to what you end up doing.
Also, is there any way you can move the cats together at one place or the other for a period of time before you make the permanent move, so they have a chance to become familiar which each other. You're going to put 3 cats together and put them all in a completely strange & new environment at the same time, piling one stress factor on top of another. Changing one or another of their feeding routines will be added on top of that. Unless they are extremely mellow & forgiving felines, you could be setting yourself up for some issues. I think it would improve your chances of fewer problems if they are familiar with one another & you have the feeding situation worked out before you make the final move. Try to get a head start on that if you can.

[beakers91]

Thanks for the advice. Yes, they are all spayed/neutered.

We live about 5 hours apart right now, so relocating my cat into my roommates current apartment (or vice versa) is not really an option. When we move in together we'll have about 3 weeks before starting work so we can spend a lot of time to make sure they're adjusted. The new apartment will be 2 bedrooms, though, so we can confine our cats to our own bedrooms while they get used to the space. Once they are acclimated how do we start to introduce them? Should we let them into shared areas at different times. For example, let my cat out into the living room for a day, then put him back into my room for a day while my roommates cats get the living room? Is it easier to make the shared area one group of cats space (give them free reign of the area from day 1) and then introduce the 3rd? I know a lot of this will depend on the cats personalities but for relatively social cats how long do you think we should wait until introducing the two groups? My future roommate actually brings her cats home to her families house over holidays where they integrate without issues into the household of 5 cats. Like stated above, I haven't seen my cat interact with others since the shelter, so I'm slightly more nervous to see how he'll behave. If there is a problem, I'm sure it'll come from him.

If we were to transition to a free feeding schedule how do you get a cat used to not eating the entire dish at once? Will this just happen naturally if other cats are waiting to eat?

[catdad7x]

Originally Posted by beakers91

Thanks for the advice. Yes, they are all spayed/neutered.

We live about 5 hours apart right now, so relocating my cat into my roommates current apartment (or vice versa) is not really an option. When we move in together we'll have about 3 weeks before starting work so we can spend a lot of time to make sure they're adjusted. The new apartment will be 2 bedrooms, though, so we can confine our cats to our own bedrooms while they get used to the space. Once they are acclimated how do we start to introduce them? Should we let them into shared areas at different times. For example, let my cat out into the living room for a day, then put him back into my room for a day while my roommates cats get the living room? Is it easier to make the shared area one group of cats space (give them free reign of the area from day 1) and then introduce the 3rd? I know a lot of this will depend on the cats personalities but for relatively social cats how long do you think we should wait until introducing the two groups? My future roommate actually brings her cats home to her families house over holidays where they integrate without issues into the household of 5 cats. Like stated above, I haven't seen my cat interact with others since the shelter, so I'm slightly more nervous to see how he'll behave. If there is a problem, I'm sure it'll come from him.

If we were to transition to a free feeding schedule how do you get a cat used to not eating the entire dish at once? Will this just happen naturally if other cats are waiting to eat?

You have the right idea, and a good setup for doing gradual introductions. Letting them out in the main living space separately will let them get used to each others scent. You could also invest in a pair of baby gates for the bedroom doorways so they can see/smell each other. If you can do something along those lines for a few days, it may go better when you do finally let them all out together.
As for feeding, you need to a separate bowl/feeder for each cat. They may not use each one as designated, but at least they will have their own available. Also, more than one water bowl would be advisable.
It's possible you could just let them all out together and let them work it out themselves. But the fact that you have moved them to an unfamiliar place complicates things a bit. They need to de-stress from that for a while before putting them together (for best results).
Good luck.

[mawipafl]

I echo catdad7x.

Although the space (the new apartment) will be new and different, are you two blending your current furniture or buying new?

When my daughter recently moved with her 4 cats, she blended the 4 on the first day. Short version of a long story is that at her previous house she had had to keep separate 1 cat (the mother cat) from the other 3 (her grown offspring). Once in her new house and with some of the old furniture pieces that all 4 recognized from their previous home scattered here and there, the integration of the cats went pretty well. The 3 offspring were happy-go-lucky immediately, but the mother took some time. There were some hissy fits, chases, flights to hidden places, but during the first month those things happened less and less.

It's now been two months since the move and all is absolutely fine. It's interesting that generally speaking each cat finds that its comfort zone (the piece of furniture where he/she naps and snoozes) is the same one from the old home. So, if you're bringing your old furniture, that will be a help in the transition. If you're not, put a blanket or cat-bed in that spot now and turn it into a familiar item that will be recognized in the new place (so don't wash it).

As for when, after the move, to start the integration or how long it might take, only the cats know! A thought I'm having ... presuming each one will be in a crate during the move and if the two of you will move in at the exact same time, maybe put all three crates in the main living space (leaving the cats inside) so that they can see the new space and see each other and "explore" all that's new with their eyes and noses first from the "safety" of the crate. Watch and see if any of the cats smash themselves into the back of the crate to get as far away as possible from the new environment or if they are more interested in wanting to get out and explore. Give them a good bit of time and watch their behavior. Their body language inside the crate will tell you if you can integrate right away or if you'll have to completely separate them in the bedrooms.

If all 3 appear interested in exploring, then maybe let all 3 out generally at the same time - just open the crate doors, but don't force any of them out. At that moment all 3 will have a common bond - a new environment - and they may not give a hoot that there's new cats in it.

The other familiar items that need to be moved from the old apartments to the new are all the water and food dishes AND litter boxes so that all 3 cats recognize theirs. Perhaps you've already thought about where the permanent locations of the boxes will be and where the feeding station(s) will be. Before releasing the cats from the crates I would place all these items where they are going to be so that during the initial explorations the cats will find them.

[Rene S]

I wanted to add that it might be helpful to have some Feliway diffusers set up in the new place. They emit a "happy" pheromone for cats. Since you have time, you can shop online (it can be much cheaper, especially if you buy a multipack).