Getting a third cat?

[Azumia]

Okay so, I'm in a bit of a dilemma and I'm hoping some of you will be able to help me out. I apologize for being a bit lengthy, but I want to be thorough. :]

As of right now, my boyfriend and I have two cats, Nerine and Talulah. Nerine is three years old and Talulah is only about 7 months. Nerine spent the first two years of her life around my grandma's two cats and small dog. She got along amazingly with the dog, and they were always playing. In December 2010, my boyfriend and I moved in together, and I was only able to take Nerine with me, since my grandma is super attached to the dog and I didn't feel right taking her.

We got Talulah back in October, after noticing Nerine seemed a bit lonely without any other pets to play with, and for the most part they get along well. However, Nerine is three years old now, which is obviously very young and while she's still extremely playful, she's a little past her hyper kitten stage. Talulah, on the other hand, NEVER tires. She wants to play with Nerine all the time, and is constantly annoying her when she's trying to sleep, and is always pouncing on her and stuff. Nerine loves to play with her, but Talulah takes a lot longer to tire out, and sometimes I separate them because Nerine just wants to be left alone.

So last night, my boyfriend and I began entertaining the idea of getting a third cat. We thought maybe getting a male kitten would balance it out more, and that way, Talulah would have a buddy closer to her age who has as much energy as she does. Now I don't know if it would actually work out as well as I'd like, which is why I'd like some opinions. My boyfriend and I live in fairly big a two bedroom apartment where one of the bedrooms is being used as nothing other than a room full of empty boxes and cat toys. We have room for another litter box or two and we definitely have more than enough love to go around.

My concern is whether or not it's actually a good idea to get a third cat. When we got Talulah, her and Nerine passed an upper respiratory infection back and forth for a few weeks, which our vet told me is normal because cats from rescues are around so many other cats that it's common for a cat to have a cold when you bring them home. We'd be keeping the new kitten in the spare bedroom for a few days so the cats can all get acquainted with each other's smells. We're hoping that doing that would also prevent the new kitten from passing anything on to the current cats, and if we see he has a cold, we can take him to the vet before something gets passed around.

So I'd like to know what you guys think. We'd absolutely love to give another kitten a loving forever home, but I want to confirm whether or not it's a good idea with our current situation. I'm concerned with whether or not it will upset my current kitties, and I would never want to do something that would stress them too much. I also want to take every precaution to prevent my cats from getting sick; is this possible? I'd also like to know if adding a male kitten (who would be spayed before we get him) to two female cats (they're both spayed as well) is a good idea.

Sorry again for the length; I really didn't want to leave anything out. Any advice is greatly appreciated. :]

[marie73]

I think adding a kitten for Talulah would be a good idea. About 3-4 months old, so they'd be accepted pretty easily. You seem to know about introductions already, which is good.

P.S. Your cats are adorable!!

[Azumia]

Thank you so much for the response. :] And thank you, your cats are gorgeous as well! ^.^

That's definitely the answer I was hoping to hear. Do you think a male would be the best option? How much does it really even matter if each cat is spayed? From what I've heard, less of one gender means the cats are less likely to act territorial, but I'm not 100% certain.

I'd still love to hear some more opinions, as I really want to take my time with this and make sure we're doing the right thing. :]

[marie73]

Personalities matter more than what sex the cat is. If you get a male, which is not a bad idea, make sure he's fixed, even if your girls are, too.

[Azumia]

Thank you again for the helpful advice. :]

We will definitely make sure he's fixed. ^^

[Lyndzo]

I think it would be wonderful if you gave another kitty a loving home.

I agree with Marie, it's about personality. You will know when you find the right kitty if it will work for you. I'm sure you can ask for the health background before bringing him/her home to make sure there's nothing to pass to your other kitties. I can't wait to see which one you bring home

[Alpaca]

I also agree that personality is way more important. Gender doesn't really matter although there's some who would say a fixed male is more affectionate than a fixed female. Mine are both fixed. My female is much haughty and dominate than my male who's a total pushover and a big softie.

If you can handle another cat, then I agree that getting one closer in age to Talulah would likely help dispel her energy and give Nerine some time off.

I think you already have an answer and just want to see what we think

After I got him off the streets, I had Cap'n Jack segregated for about a month and took him to the vet after that first month. He had to be dewormed and finally integrated after another 2 weeks. As far as I know, both cats were ok healthwise after integration.

Good luck with your endeavour!

[Azumia]

Thanks for the advice everyone! :]

I started my search last night and ended up seriously falling in love with this little medium haired Siamese kitten, who ended up being female. I emailed the woman who's fostering her and unfortunately she's already been picked out for adoption. I'm happy she's finding a home, but a little disappointed because she seemed perfect. :[

Now the search continues. Hopefully I'll find the perfect kitten soon, but if not, I'm okay with waiting. :]