Advice On Adding A New Kitten To My Happy Home
So I'm currently the owner of 1 cat, he'a an adult male, that's roughly about 6 years old, he hasn't lived with other cats since I brought him home when he was old enough to leave his mom. I'm a little nervous bringing home a new kitten because I'm not sure if he's too old to get used to another kitten being around. This isn't something that's happening anytime soon, it will at least be another few months before the kitten is ready to leave home, but I wanted to get some feedback. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated.
-Nikki
-Nikki
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
I took in an almost feral little female calico cat that picked our balcony to sleep on. She would run when we came out, climb the lattice onto the roof and over the roof to a tree by the front porch and scamper away. so, I started leaving food out and finally got her to sit with me.
Long story short I then put her in the mix of our two 18 yr olds, one male and one female, and Kermit, my bud, 11 yrs old. I let them 'work it out'. No fightrs, some hisses, some rejection (eliza don't like no other animal but she is harmless). CC died and kermit and the new female, Marble are not now nor have ever fought. I think they have accepted each other. All are indoor cats and never go out except I take Kermit on a leash and he sits in a chair. I started teaching Marble to do the same.
So for what it is worth, I think cats are smart enough to set their own rules, boundaries, and pecking order. Yes, sometimes it can be rough but that is the way in the animal world. We have never had that happen and have brought dogs into the house and while they weren't 'buds', they got along.
My 2 cents.
Long story short I then put her in the mix of our two 18 yr olds, one male and one female, and Kermit, my bud, 11 yrs old. I let them 'work it out'. No fightrs, some hisses, some rejection (eliza don't like no other animal but she is harmless). CC died and kermit and the new female, Marble are not now nor have ever fought. I think they have accepted each other. All are indoor cats and never go out except I take Kermit on a leash and he sits in a chair. I started teaching Marble to do the same.
So for what it is worth, I think cats are smart enough to set their own rules, boundaries, and pecking order. Yes, sometimes it can be rough but that is the way in the animal world. We have never had that happen and have brought dogs into the house and while they weren't 'buds', they got along.
My 2 cents.
No cat is ever too old to adjust to another cat in their environment. As a cat lover who once had a cattery with 26 cats resident at one time, I can say the older cats are always curious about the younger cats. I never had an older cat physically hurt a younger cat with a permanent injury or bite and on the contrary found older cats would often adopt a newbie and spend time with new ones they thought they liked. In thirty years of keeping multiple cats, I have had ONE fight abcess develop from cat on cat violence; and that was a sister who whooped her older brother's butt for bugging her to mate!
It is always safer to make sure the new cat is younger than the cat presently resident in the home and it is also usually easier to introduce an opposite sex cat to the resident. The most dangerous number to cats to have is actually three because two of them can gang up on the other one and hurt them. But if the human in the environment is ruling the roost as the alpha cat, these problems never develop. All I ever had to do when I heard a cat fight start was appear before the cats and sound off the "Momma ain't happy" yowl and the fights always stopped immediately.
Good luck and have fun finding your new second cat.
It is always safer to make sure the new cat is younger than the cat presently resident in the home and it is also usually easier to introduce an opposite sex cat to the resident. The most dangerous number to cats to have is actually three because two of them can gang up on the other one and hurt them. But if the human in the environment is ruling the roost as the alpha cat, these problems never develop. All I ever had to do when I heard a cat fight start was appear before the cats and sound off the "Momma ain't happy" yowl and the fights always stopped immediately.
Good luck and have fun finding your new second cat.
Anyone want a little panther? She's not safe in my dangerous home.
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I'LL TAKE HER!!
1. She's friggin gorgeous
2. I DIDN'T KNOW MY THREE BOYS WERE IN DANGER!!! :| :|
Seriously go for it! A few months ago I added a 6 y/o to the family... my other two cats are 10 and 11 months. They are still working stuff out but they are all getting along. I must warm you though... the kitten will get smacked around a lot by your older one. The 6 y/o will not want to play and wrestle with kitten. They will co-exist but they probably will never be close. Is it possible to bring two kittens home? That way the older one will be left alone and the two kittens can chase and wrestle with each other.So I'm currently the owner of 1 cat, he'a an adult male, that's roughly about 6 years old, he hasn't lived with other cats since I brought him home when he was old enough to leave his mom. I'm a little nervous bringing home a new kitten because I'm not sure if he's too old to get used to another kitten being around. This isn't something that's happening anytime soon, it will at least be another few months before the kitten is ready to leave home, but I wanted to get some feedback. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated.
-Nikki
No, my mom isn't too thrilled with me bringing home this one, and the momma cat only had 3 babies, my friend is keeping one from the litter and the other one is going someplace else, I just had to have the all black with the blue eyes, I just fell instantly in love! My cat still plays like a kitten tho, I think he forgets he's a big boy he's got alot of spunk that just never seemed to get out of his system.Seriously go for it! A few months ago I added a 6 y/o to the family... my other two cats are 10 and 11 months. They are still working stuff out but they are all getting along. I must warm you though... the kitten will get smacked around a lot by your older one. The 6 y/o will not want to play and wrestle with kitten. They will co-exist but they probably will never be close. Is it possible to bring two kittens home? That way the older one will be left alone and the two kittens can chase and wrestle with each other.
No, my mom isn't too thrilled with me bringing home this one, and the momma cat only had 3 babies, my friend is keeping one from the litter and the other one is going someplace else, I just had to have the all black with the blue eyes, I just fell instantly in love! My cat still plays like a kitten tho, I think he forgets he's a big boy he's got alot of spunk that just never seemed to get out of his system.
I don't think it would be a problem. Try playing interactive games like lazer pointer and those wands with feathers on the end, etc. Whatever you do, don't rush introductions though... I made that mistake. Let them get use to each other at their own pace. The older one may not like all that kitten energy at first but he will adapt.
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