Can my new stray cat share litter/food with my existing cat?

If she has been vaccinated, dewormed and tested negative for FeLV and FIV, then she can be gradually introduced to yoru other cats. The general rule of thumb is to have one litterbox per cat and an additional box in a neutral area of the home. Provide sufficent numbers of bowls, beds and toys to prevent resource protection or food aggression. A pheremone product, such as teh Feliway Spray or plug in diffuser, may decrease any anxiety or aggression in the home after the introduction.

It would be prudent to keep him separated from your cat until he is examined by your veterinarian. The kitten should be dewormed, given flea medication if necessary and vaccinated before he is introduced to your cat. A blood test for FeLV and FIV is also recommended.

Have the stray examined and treated by your veterinarian. Once he has recovered from his wounds, have him vaccinated and dewormed. Keep them separated during this time. Allow them to hear and smell one another through a closed door. Once they have acclimated to the sounds and smell of a new cat, allow them to see each other at a distance for ever increasing periods of time. Progress to placing the new cat in a closed carrier in the room with your cat until she acclimates. The use of pheromone products, such as Feliway spray or plug in diffuser, may decrease any anxiety or aggression.

I would recomend keeping both cats seperate until they have both been tested for feline leukemia and parasites. If Lenny is negative and has had vaccines he shouldn't pose risk to the kitten. At 8 weeks the kittenis ol enougjfor a first vet visit and they can advise if any further separation or quarantine is recommended.

I'm glad you are doing your homework before bringing new fur babies into the situation. Most shelters will routinely deworm their pets and test for leukemia and FIV. So you definitely want to make sure these treatments/tests are run prior to adopting the new kittens. Its not unusual for new cats and kittens to break with upper respiratory infections within the first 2 weeks of being adopted. Herpes virus is very common in cats (some estimate 80% of cats carry the virus) and it comes out in the stress related to being in a shelter and being rehomed. Now, this is not going to happen to every cat/kitten but its not unusual. Therefore, your best chance to avoid this would be to get a cat/kitten that has been kept in a foster home. It will likely still have herpes but the environment should be less stressful, therefore less risk of the virus becoming active. Keep the new pet separated for 2 weeks. That way if it does have an outbreak, you will at least have it contained. You could also put your cats on 500mg of lysine twice daily to help booster their immune system. Kittens get 250mg twice daily. Please post again if you have any further questions!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Viruses can be contagious, especially if the healthy cat is unvaccinated. It is always best to keep a new cat separate from your other cat for about 2 weeks (most viruses show up in 7-10 days) and if Sifu is sick I would definitely separate them until Sifu is feeling better. Monitor Sifu, and if he isn't eating/drinking or is having trouble breathing then have him back to the vet. Once he is feeling better then get him vaccinated and then introduce the two. A cage in the same room won't separate the viruses, ideally, they would be in separate rooms where the water from the sneezing won't be inhaled by your healthy cat. Best of luck with them!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Some illnesses can be transmitted from one cat to another from your hands or clothing. I recommend washing hands and possibly leaving shoes away from your cats if the stray sneezed on or near them. Basic good hygiene will help prevent disease transmission to your kitties. If you are able please take the stray into the vet as soon as you are able as it sounds like she may have a significant respiratory infection. Be sure that she is tested for feline leukemia and FIV before you ever let her near your cats to be safe.