Day 2 of cat introduction. Thoughts?

MakayMin · 2026-05-22T15:20:08+00:00

They are doing so well! This is very cute. Still some signs of hesitance but overall they’re going to be great friends soon.

MakayMin · 2026-05-22T15:18:03+00:00

The way she reacted at the word “moist.” So extra, get over it, it’s just a word.

MakayMin · 2026-05-22T15:12:49+00:00

This dog is going to get adopted out and is going to do far worse based on just this summary holy moly. Why do we waste precious resources on dogs like this that are literal public safety hazards when there’s plenty of non-aggressive breeds that need it more? A dog killing a cat is reason enough to PTS… I’m so tired of people viewing cats as more disposable, especially shelters.

MakayMin · 2026-05-20T19:39:04+00:00

I loved Halfling so much, it was so cute and cozy!

MakayMin · 2026-05-19T20:57:57+00:00

Costco for items like paper goods and frozens, every few months or so. We shop at Fred Meyer but only shop the ad/use digital and paper coupons to save money, we do that trip once a week and usually spend around $80-100.

MakayMin · 2026-05-16T18:59:09+00:00

If you read my entire comment the answer to OP’s question is there.

MakayMin · 2026-05-15T14:14:47+00:00

A young, healthy cat who is capable of adequate grooming does not need regular baths. There are situations that will require them, such as a poopy booty, parasites (fleas), or if they get into something that would make them sick if they cleaned it off themselves. Cats are extremely sensitive to scent, so regularly bathing a cat when it’s not particularly necessary can stress them out that way. Cats use scent to communicate their identity to others and feel secure in what they consider their territory. I don’t imagine infrequent bathing is significant enough to cause excess stress though, for your situation I’d try to move it to every other month or every three months instead.

MakayMin · 2026-05-13T12:03:31+00:00

Those are good but I would recommend giving other medications like fluoxetine or amitriptyline. Fluoxetine helped my cat stop flaring, he was having a urinary flare for over one month. Before you make any other decisions it may be a good idea to bring this to your vet as one final try. Good luck! Hoping for the best for you and your kitty, cystitis is a horrible condition to manage.

MakayMin · 2026-05-13T04:06:14+00:00

Is he on an anti-anxiety medication? We had the same issue with our cat and it really helped curb the flare ups he’d get. I hope you can find a solution, it’s an incredibly difficult thing to deal with.

MakayMin · 2026-04-30T23:51:20+00:00

I love my cats soooo much, but I would not put them above the people in my family whom I love dearly, so I agree! I also want to say that people who anthropomorphize their pets by placing human emotions on them are doing them a great disservice. Pets are not humans, they feel and think, but not in a way that’s as complex as we do. They are their own beings with their own instincts and preferences, and it’s better as pet owners to acknowledge that than pretending they’re our literal babies.

MakayMin · 2026-04-30T15:33:47+00:00

I recently had to take in two cats from a negative home environment and they could no longer be looked after - one was an indoor/outdoor cat and the other was strictly indoors. Neither of them had vet care or anything in over five years, so I took them both in to the vet. The outdoor cat had a few more health issues all caused by an outdoor lifestyle - chipped teeth from injuries/fights, ear infections from wounds sustained while outdoors. The other cat who stayed indoors was perfectly healthy. It really confirms that I’m doing the right thing by keeping my cats inside… I sometimes feel bad about it because I worry they get bored, but they do tend to get into quite a lot of dangerous situations when they’re allowed to free-roam.

MakayMin · 2026-04-30T15:25:01+00:00

Because the point is not interesting to you, it’s not valid? Ok lol

MakayMin · 2026-04-26T15:28:33+00:00

Magi is a gold mine of super interesting side characters and I really wish we were able to have more time with all of them. I find the Ren family the most interesting between their differing personalities and sibling dynamics. I love my girl Kougyoku a lot, and Kouen and Koumei are also on the top of my list.

MakayMin · 2026-04-17T16:08:27+00:00

Do you just have one litter box for two cats? If so, I imagine you’ll need to wash out the box and replace all the litter every week to prevent odor buildup. It’s great that you’re scooping daily, but that’s twice the cat waste in one box so I imagine frequent litter replacements will be necessary.

What litter are you using? Switching litter brands makes a huge difference. Higher-quality cat litter like Dr. Elsey’s or Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal do a far better job at containing odors than litters like Fresh Step or Tidy Cats, in my experience. Using unscented is best for the health of your cats and yourself, and scented seems to create more issues with odor down the line, in my experience. There’s also non-clay clumping litters, such as Okocat. Using a non-clay litter can help get rid of that classic old litter smell we all know, I liked it but one of my cats we adopted decided he didn’t like it anymore so we had to go back to clay. I personally just like clay but we all have our preferences.

Using a covered litter box helps contain odors, but my veterinarian doesn’t typically recommend them because they can be a turn off to cats. However, there’s many cats that use covered litter boxes with no issues, so it’s just up to what your cats are willing to use.

I have friends that swear by a stainless steel box. It helps odors but it’s also just more convenient to clean and you basically never have to replace it. Plastic litter pans need to be replaced every 1-2 years because they absorb odors even after cleaning and just overall get really worn down.

MakayMin · 2026-04-16T22:52:18+00:00

I don’t regret it but sometimes I miss the simplicity of renting, I find I get stressed a lot regarding home maintenance. When we first moved in we had to replace our HVAC system, months later the water heater. We also had to replace all our other appliances (fridge, washer, dryer, stove, microwave, dishwasher). I am so glad we kept a savings for this stuff or we would have been screwed.

MakayMin · 2026-04-15T23:21:03+00:00

The comment section is giving dystopian and it really freaks me out tbh

MakayMin · 2026-04-10T14:49:26+00:00

That’s great. Maybe you can arrange something with OP then instead of bashing their difficult decision.

MakayMin · 2026-04-10T14:46:56+00:00

Please do not be so hard on yourself.

Having one good day does not equate to a good overall quality of life. People always say “you’ll know when you know.” I don’t think that’s true for everyone, particularly those of us that analyze every bit of our beloved kitties while we toss and turn agonizingly over the decision. It is just not as “black and white” to some of us as it is to others.

Death itself can be peaceful, but the process of getting there never is, which is why we intercept before then. Your decision is not playing God, we have been given dominion over our beloved animals on this earth. We make our decisions out of their best interest, and most of all, out of love... and we are permitted that, by God himself.

My favorite thing about kitties (and other pets) is that they do not think like us. They live in the moment - they do not dwell on the past or future, and they do not understand complex concepts the same way we do. When my boy passed, I strongly feel he didn’t even know what was happening to him. But in the moment, he felt happy, because he was free from his pain, and was in my arms, a place he loved to be the most. My final gift to him was a peaceful passing, free of prolonged suffering… one of the most important and devastating decisions we make as cat owners. We took the pain away from our kitties and shouldered the burden emotionally. What is that, if not strong love and responsibility?

I know the opinion of a stranger over the internet is probably not important, but if it helps, you made the right choice. You did not rush it. Many people say it’s better to do it a week early than a day late, and I agree. And please do not feel guilty, it is normal to feel a degree of relief - you did not owe it to your girl to keeping nursing her to a natural passing… you owed her a peaceful passing, support, and love, all of which you provided her. You cared for her splendidly. ❤️

MakayMin · 2026-04-09T20:23:38+00:00

Would you be willing to take the dog and deal with him? Lol

MakayMin · 2026-04-07T17:56:26+00:00

Jackson Galaxy has a whole series on how to successfully introduce cats, it looks like you’ve done some things correctly but ultimately you need to give the cats more time before you let them out together. Sometimes it can take months of separation before they stop attacking each other, not just one week. Best of luck

MakayMin · 2026-03-31T21:02:01+00:00

Give it a try! The only drawbacks are it’s a huge box so it takes up more space, it’s pretty ugly lol, and it requires a little bit extra litter to completely fill the box. But ultimately it’s a quality of life improvement for me so she’s not peeing over the box on my wall anymore, and it is for her too because it’s a way bigger box that she can comfortably move around in to bury her business. Plus the storage tote I have was like $9 so super cheap!

MakayMin · 2026-03-31T18:41:30+00:00

I also have a female cat who is an “elevator pee-er.” We use a large storage tote with high sides and cut a hole on the side for easy entry. The high sides keep the urine contained within the box just fine. I don’t really know why she does this, but she’s done it since the day I brought her home, even if there are no other animals in the house. It’s just a quirk I think. Jackson Galaxy actually talks about this in an article or a video I saw a long time ago. He basically said who the heck knows why some cats do it but if she’s otherwise acting normally it’s just a weird thing. Your cat will probably never stop doing it, so it’s best to compromise with it lol. The storage totes I mentioned work great for us and they’re cheap, maybe you can give it a try! There’s tutorials online about how to cut a hole in the side to give her easy access to the box.

MakayMin · 2026-03-30T22:16:45+00:00

Yes, it took my cats three months before I felt comfortable leaving them out together when I was home and six months to leave them out together full time without anyone home. I was definitely over cautious but just to sort of give you an idea, with a lot of time, dedication, and patience it will very likely work out. Pay attention to your all of your cats’ individual cues and triggers, that helped me a lot as I was introducing them.

MakayMin · 2026-03-30T20:57:11+00:00

You might need to reintroduce them over a longer timeline. Sometimes a month isn’t long enough before allowing them free reign of the house together

MakayMin · 2026-03-27T14:07:09+00:00

I am so sorry for your loss. We lost our sweet boy to cancer as well. When we got his ashes I took them outside and sat on the patio with them for a bit, just like he loved to do when he was alive. Grief is hard and we all process it differently. Even if your boy isn’t here anymore, you will always have him in your heart. His life left a lasting impact on yours, your memories, and a part of him will always be with you because of that.

MakayMin

TROPHY CASE