Anyone with experience of getting a new kitten when you already have a cat?

illmonkey

Hello,

I have had my cat Dave for 1 year and 6 months and absolutly love having him around.

I really want to get a second kitten and feel bad that i didnt get 2 kittens from the same litter at the same time, but as Dave was the last one left it was not possible.

Anyway, he is quite a lazy cat and am really hoping that he would get on with another kitten.

Is there anyway that i can find out if he wouldnt mind living with another cat as the last thing i want to do is make him unhappy?

At the moment the only thing i can go off of is remembering back to when he was just a few months old and every so often 2 of Daves brothers would come round to play. Dave used to just sit in the middle of the lounge whilst the other two went mental running round chasing each other and he didnt seem to mind. Could he have changed?

Sorry if this is all quite vague... but i really would love to rescue a cat/kitten and persuade o/h that its a good idea!

Thanks

katkin

I've just introduced a new kitten into our house where we have a neutured 3 year old tom.

The older cat is a bit huffy and get's easily annoyed by the kitten who wants to play all the time. There's the odd moment when they are running around like dafties and look like they're getting on great - then the older cat goes into hunting mode and "beats up" the wee one!

Lots of websites, books etc suggest setting up another room for the new-kit and making introductions slowly - we did this over a 10 day period, but I'm not convinced it made any difference - sooner or later they will have to learn to get on and sort out the pecking order out. I'd really love to come home one day and find them curled up together - it might not happen, if it does it will be a bonus.

If Dave is a laid-back boy he might find a kitten a bit energetic, but he also might love it! I've found the introduction and day-to-day routine need to be managed and well structured. Also, my older cat get's the privilage of being fed first, the odd treat when he's been kind to the kitten and i make a fuss of him first when i come home from work.

If you really want 2 cat's go for it - I'm glad I have, the extra effort and work just now is worth it.

spookylukey

No direct experience as my two boys are brothers but have a look at these links. It is written by a cat behaviouralist who runs her own rescue so it's top advice.... Have known several cats/kittens who have been introduced this way.

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/introducing.html

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/kitteninfo.html

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/multicat.html

Tortieshell

I have 2 cats and decided to get a kitten (ended up with 2!) My cats are 14 months and 2 years.

The kittens have been here about 2 weeks now and my cats wont come in ... they climb through the window and eat (very fast) then hiss and growl at the kittens then fly back out through the window.

I kept the kittens in a bedroom for the 1st week, read all the advice and took it slowly but I feel very sad for my 2 cats as they seem scared to death of them! Meanwhile the kitties just want to get to know them.

It is very heartbreaking and to be honest I dont know what I can do, I thought about getting the kittens months beforehand and thought I prepared but I really didnt think my cats would be so unhappy.

I know for alot of people it can work out but some cats just will not accept any newbies - so you really have to think long and hard.

I know it sounds bad but if I could go back in time I dont think I would of got the kittens. although I love them both dearly already.

Good Luck with whatever you decide!

oldandhappy

We had great success with introducing our kitten to our 18 month old obbessive Hunter Puss Boyze. We firstly made sure the older puss got use to the smell of the kitten because they live by scents. We then let them see each other through our kitchen glass door but still chose to kept them apart for a couple of weeks. They where both intrigued with each other to the point of rolling around the floor right by the door and both started making the weirdist noises. When we plucked up the courage to let them be together the kitten...girlze...was a complete and utter madthing. She would give Boyze no peace but he seemed to love it anyway. We kept them apart at night for over a month and also any time we went out.
Boyze is now 3 and half and Girlze 2. His 'hunting days' are mostly now spent with her and he loves her and she loves herself!!!!
Just to add Boyze never was a fighter infact he always seem to get on with the locals which we think made the difference...
Girlze is a spoilt brat and we would not be sure it would work out if we had had her 1st. Hope that helps. Best of Luck.... Mrs Happy

emma_b_4

we got a kitten and already had a 4yr old cat - but a young at heart 4 yr old!
the older cat just started to act his age and let the kitten do all the running round and playing while he slept. the kitten ate all the food and would try and fight the older one, but they got on well and would sleep curled up together!
then i found out i was pregnant and decided kitten and baby wouldnt mix well, personally, so my best friend rehomed him at 16 weeks and both cats are very happy now!
my house is much calmer and my cat is back to playing the fool!
i had never had a kitten before just older cats that needed rehoming. if i was to get two in the future i would get two at the same time. as your current cat is still young im sure they will get on, if not they will just tolerate each other - and then fight when the kitten is big enough!

HelzBelz

Tortieshell wrote: »

I have 2 cats and decided to get a kitten (ended up with 2!) My cats are 14 months and 2 years.

The kittens have been here about 2 weeks now and my cats wont come in ... they climb through the window and eat (very fast) then hiss and growl at the kittens then fly back out through the window.

I kept the kittens in a bedroom for the 1st week, read all the advice and took it slowly but I feel very sad for my 2 cats as they seem scared to death of them! Meanwhile the kitties just want to get to know them.

It is very heartbreaking and to be honest I dont know what I can do, I thought about getting the kittens months beforehand and thought I prepared but I really didnt think my cats would be so unhappy.

I know for alot of people it can work out but some cats just will not accept any newbies - so you really have to think long and hard.

I know it sounds bad but if I could go back in time I dont think I would of got the kittens. although I love them both dearly already.

Good Luck with whatever you decide!

Don't worry Tortieshell, it'll get better, they may never be the best of friends, but they'll learn to tolerate each other, if the older ones were that extremely naffed off they'd not be coming in for food, when DH and I got our 3rd cat a few years ago we had 6 months of having to feed one of the older ones on top of the wardrobe and the other on top of the kitchen wall cabinets, 5 years later they still think the youngest is a pain in the a**e, but it's not like living in a war zone anymore;)

illmonkey, you know your cat best, if you think Dave will be OK get another kitten, I've always known my older 2 are stroppy psychotic little gits, but the 3rd one was a stray and OH fell for her otherwise we'd have re-homed her when the others didn't like her, but it worked out in the end, but if you do decide to get another cat/kitten it'll take time for them to work out the pecking order in your house so be patient.

Secret1234

I've got 2, 2 year old cats which i got from different litters at similar times and they've always got on like a house on fire! We then took in a pregnant stray and my cats hate her and vice versa but they just avoid one another.

We kept one of the kittens from the litter and she has settled in great, she mithers albert (the more mellow cat) a bit and tests his patience but apart from that its all worked out really well for us, i have to add for the first week or so albert used to hiss and run off but i think he was just confused at this small fiesty little thing!!

I think more than one cat is easier as they entertain one another, i'm sure you will find out whether the situation will work for you within a few weeks but i think you should give it a go!

Good luck x

Tortieshell

HelzBelz wrote: »

Don't worry Tortieshell, it'll get better, they may never be the best of friends, but they'll learn to tolerate each other, if the older ones were that extremely naffed off they'd not be coming in for food, when DH and I got our 3rd cat a few years ago we had 6 months of having to feed one of the older ones on top of the wardrobe and the other on top of the kitchen wall cabinets, 5 years later they still think the youngest is a pain in the a**e, but it's not like living in a war zone anymore;)

Hi and thanks for the advice. I must admit seeing my cats upset like this is really stressing me out! (more than what I thought I would be!)

Have decided to let the kitties roam free during the day then at night put them back in the bedroom for a little while longer so my cats can come in and eat in peace and hopefully stay for a cuddle or 2

illmonkey

do you think it might be worth getting a friends kitten round to visit dave to see how he reacts when a new little cat is wandering around his pad?
Supervised of course..

daphne_descends

oldandhappy wrote: »

We had great success with introducing our kitten to our 18 month old obbessive Hunter Puss Boyze. We firstly made sure the older puss got use to the smell of the kitten because they live by scents. We then let them see each other through our kitchen glass door but still chose to kept them apart for a couple of weeks. They where both intrigued with each other to the point of rolling around the floor right by the door and both started making the weirdist noises. When we plucked up the courage to let them be together the kitten...girlze...was a complete and utter madthing. She would give Boyze no peace but he seemed to love it anyway. We kept them apart at night for over a month and also any time we went out.
Boyze is now 3 and half and Girlze 2. His 'hunting days' are mostly now spent with her and he loves her and she loves herself!!!!
Just to add Boyze never was a fighter infact he always seem to get on with the locals which we think made the difference...
Girlze is a spoilt brat and we would not be sure it would work out if we had had her 1st. Hope that helps. Best of Luck.... Mrs Happy

Your avatar! :happyhear