Should i get another kitten?

Scatty · 20 July 2017 at 11:46AM

I have Oscar at present, who is 19 weeks old. He's a very serious kitten, with a penchant for waking me up and being kittenish around 5am! He's adorable and I love him to bits tho.

He's an indoor cat, he always will be. I'm out at work most of the day but when I'm home he's with me all the time, we play lots, he sleeps on the bed with me and waits by the bath for me to get out of the shower.

I've never had a cat before - I'm worried that he needs another kitten for company but I've heard things for and things against. I can afford to have another one but my house is very small with only two doors in it and I don't know how I would manage the introduction over a week thingie. And my biggest worry is that they would hate each other and Oscar would hold it against me that I brought another cat in

Thoughts please?

donnac2558 · 20 July 2017 at 11:57AM

Some cats just enjoy being the only cat.

lindze · 20 July 2017 at 12:05PM

I would expect with both being kittens they would be fine, I think introducing teenage and older cats is the big issue. If you are worried about first introductions could you borrow a baby's play pen (one with a mesh side) or something similar? This way the new kitten goes in the play pen while Oscar can approach in his own time and check the new guy out. If all goes well you can bring them together.

Maybe get kitten on a Friday night so you are home for the first few days.

Good luck, but I am sure that they would be fine especially as Oscar is under a year old.

Scatty · 20 July 2017 at 12:37PM

donnac2558 wrote: »

Some cats just enjoy being the only cat.

And this is my worry, but I won't know whether he is one of those.

Sometimes he just sits and meows at me and I don't know whether he's bored or not. I know they sleep loads during the day but I worry that if I go out during the evening or all day at a weekend he would be stressed. Having him has seriously curtailed my social life but he's worth it!

Scatty · 20 July 2017 at 12:38PM

lindze wrote: »

If you are worried about first introductions could you borrow a baby's play pen (one with a mesh side) or something similar? This way the new kitten goes in the play pen while Oscar can approach in his own time and check the new guy out. If all goes well you can bring them together.

What a fine idea!

no1catman · 20 July 2017 at 2:27PM

Personally I wouldn't/didn't - with two kittens, trying to find out 'whose boss' or even if they like playing together - what on earth mess are you going to find when you get home.

My net curtains got ripped to pieces just chasing a fly.

While one is an 'indoor' kitten, don't assume the next one will be as well. Moreover, just because so far it's content with indoors doesn't mean it will stay that way.

When we had our current cat (an 8 yr old), it was almost three months before it went outside.

Scatty · 20 July 2017 at 3:08PM

I don't have a catflap and live near a main road so he's not going to be going out except with a harness and lead - he got spooked the other day and jumped out of my arms and lay in a bush for 25 minutes until we found him - he was petrified bless him.

I'm really just worried that he's lonely and I'm not enough for him.

lindze · 20 July 2017 at 3:39PM

I think as long as he gets introduced at this young age you will be fine. I had two kittens from the same litter and I will be honest they did create havoc! I would get up in the morning to find that they have both scaled the curtains during the night and left lovely pin !!!!! holes in them from the bottom to the very top!

If you are prepared for some degree of destruction whilst they play then I would go for it. Maybe get some awesome cat trees and cat shelves so they destroy those rather than your soft furnishings

By the time my two became teenagers (I think this was about 2 years old) they were not really great friends and pretty much just tolerated each other so I assume this is the age of the awkward introductions

no1catman · 20 July 2017 at 10:05PM

I have a four-lane dual-carriageway in the front, so no the cat doesn't go out the front. Both us and next-door have wrought iron gates between the front of our houses, so even when she goes next door she can't get access to the front.
Granted it's not impossible via house further down in the other direction, but she doesn't 'know' the front. Even before she went out she 'knew' the back because of all the time she'd spent looking out the rear bedroom window.

In this oppressive heat (she can't take her fur coat off) she likes to be outside in a shady spot. Even night time can feel too hot and close for her - out at 4.00am (if only she'd used the cat-flap to go out, not just to come in)!

Scatty · 21 July 2017 at 11:02AM

Luckily I have quite a cool house and Oscar has found some spots where he's away from the oppressive heat. He loves the window and he loves going outside in my arms. But I put him on the ground in his harness this morning (gas man was there so best be safe than sorry) and he just wanted to go back in.

I'm still in two minds.......

geminilady · 21 July 2017 at 1:44PM

I have a cat that has never been further than my doorstep the slightest noise and she dashes in and has never made any attempt to go further.She is a very affectionate cat and seems happy enough I also have her mum they do not play together just tolerate each other.

Should i get another kitten?

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