First time owning cat questions (shelter cat) ??

Question

questions of being a first time cat owner,also I'm getting a cat from a shelter not from a breeder,probably a girl,short hair domestic,and spayed,also shes going to be less than 4 years old

Questions:

-will the cat pee all over the house if it already uses a litter box at the shelter?

-will the cat be scared since its coming into a new environment (big house)??

-where should i pu her the first night ???in a room or just leave her loose to roam??

lastly do you think she will get along with my girl dog (german shepherd)??

Thanks in advance<3 :)

Answer 1

Forgive my tangent, I own 3 cats and 2 dogs, I have owned over my life at least 15 cats and at least 5 dogs - at any given time they have all been in the same household... None of which I paid one red cent, all of them pound or adoption...

ps. I don&#039;t like cats or dogs, but they are so darn cute - I love the little monsters, now how do I get rid of them - I couldn&#039;t ever.

Answer 2

Females don&#039;t spray unless they have a medical problem. She should use the litter box fine. I would let her roam the house witthout the dog around first. Let her get used to the smells. When she seems comfortable then introduce the dog. Have the dog on a leash if you don&#039;t know how the dog will react.

She may be scared, she may be fine. Every cat is different. enjoy your new cat.

Answer 3

keep her and the dog seperate for a while.  she&#039;s going to be scared enough as it is.  you say you have a big house, so start small- keep her in your bedroom at first... then let her go out further and further but keep an eye on her... she could end up someplace she shouldn&#039;t be or stuck and not know where to go.... when your ready to introduce her to the dog keep them seperated at first... mayeb the dog on a leash and her in a cage....

she should use the box if she&#039;s been using one before... she might just be too scared to pee in the beginnign though.  make sure you lead her over to it now and then to remidn her it&#039;s there and to use it.

she&#039;ll more than likely be scared.  when i moved my cats freaked out.  they wouldn&#039;t come out from under the bed for WEEKS.  (well they&#039;d sneak out to eat and use the box but then right back they went)... so give it time.

and give her lots of love!!

Answer 4

If you keep the litter clean (VERY IMPORTANT) ... clean at least once a day.

Also use the type of litter THE CAT LIKES.

You can put the cat in one room and let it explore that room completely before allowing it to other rooms.  

She probably will be scared of the dog.  You MUST MAKE SURE the dog is not agressive toward the cat even if the cat scratches / hisses at the dog.

Usually females don&#039;t spray... but might have accidents.  

Answer 5

-will the cat pee all over the house if it already uses a litter box at the shelter?

no. maybe at first, until it remembers where the box is. just keep putting her in it for a few days.

-will the cat be scared since its coming into a new environment (big house)??

yes. but it will adjust. put out food and water before she comes home. show it to her.

-where should i pu her the first night ???in a room or just leave her loose to roam??

let her roam. bring her into your bed when you go to bed. she might stay.

lastly do you think she will get along with my girl dog (german shepherd)??

no.

you can try adopting a cat that lived with a dog, but i think you are in for some fights.

cat will spray if it meets your dog,  or another cat.

Answer 6

ok..honestly?????

1. The cat shouldnt pee in the house, they are cleaner than dogs and dont like dirt.  If it is a male, there is a possibility it may assert it&#039;s dominance.

2. The cat WILL be scared, so introduce it to the rooms a day at a time, then it wont feel as intimidated.

3. Keep it in a room with you and a cat litter tray and make sure that the dog is not in the same room for at least a week.

4, It probably wont get along with your German Shepherd in all honesty.  You will need to find out the background of the cat if possible to see if it has been housed with dogs in the past.  If it has, then there is a better chance  Our cat is 10 and we introduced a 3 year old collie/lab/shepherd cross and now 6 months later they get on pretty well - most of the time.  On the odd occasion the dog likes to chase the cat, but we live with that and enjoy the entertainment!  More often than not, though, the dog shows her affection to the cat by l*****g her head as she passes!  Ours are both females if that helps.  Good Luck! ! !

Answer 7

Female cats do not spray.  Male cats that are neutered usually do not, unless they were neutered late.

Cats are usually very good about going in their box, and if she is box trained in a cage at the shelter, chances are she will be happy to be neat and clean and use a box at your home as well.

The cat, just as any animal or even human, will be nervous and will need time to adjust to its new surroundings; all the new sights, sounds, and smells.

Most shelters will be able to tell you if the cats are used to dogs or will generally be mild mannered enough to tolerate a dog.  While your cat is adjusting, try to keep your dog some place else so that she can have one less thing to worry about.  After a few days, carefully and in a very controlled fashion, introduce the two.  Give them a few days to get used to eachother.

For her comfort, I would keep her confined to a (quiet) room for the night with food, water, and her litter box - and when she has come out of hiding or seems more comfortable, then let her roam around the house and have a look.

Please read the guides in my sources on how to help a new cat adjust, and guides for new cat owners, and good luck!