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Opinions about adding a kitten....

Got a new, young, furry love in your life? This is the place for you to ask all of your questions - big or small! Just remember that you are receiving advice from other cat owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a vet or behaviorist! Most important is to remember to have fun with your new fur baby.

  
Jixie

It Ain't Easy- Being Me....		 
 
Purred: Sat Jan 29, '11 7:48am PST 
Hello,

I keep stressing myself out wondering whether or not Jixie is lonely. It's just the two of us. Has been that way for the past 2.5 years. I am away from the house about 10-12 hours a day. When I come home she always wants to play. Seems like sometimes, it's not enough for her. In warmer weather, we go outside and she climbs her favorite tree supervised. Winter is harder due to the sand and salt on the ground and she seems bored. She has toys and a big cat tree that she loves. She spends her day watching the birds outside eating from the feeder. She does not snuggle unless it's night and she's in her bed in my bed and she requests my assistance with holding her tail so she can nurse it, purr, and knead. She also likes my hand suggled under her tummy just so. That's about as cuddly as it gets with her and if I move too much, she gets up and leaves. She is a diva and swears she owns the house. I have been thinking about getting a kitten for her. I work a lot, even wehn I am home, I am on the computer and I always feel like I am not giving her enough attention. She is territorial of her things and will give me a swat if I try to get the cat nip or her hair off things..... Fiesty monkey she is.... Usually when I travel to Florida, I take her with me when I fly but I think that's too much for her. I would like to start traveling more and think it will nice for her to have another cat to spend time with while I am away. I just don't want to bring a kitten here that is going to drive her insane and that she will hate. I don't want a kitty that will bully her and want to take over all her stuff.... I just don't know... That's why I am here... HELPthinking
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Abbi

Chunk		 
 
Purred: Sat Jan 29, '11 9:40am PST 
Well, Trev n me had spoken about getting a half grown cat to keep Abbi company as we were both at work. She was 13 years old at the time. Our neighbor asked if I knew someone who wanted a kitten, within 10 minutes the call to say yes was made and said kitten was dumped on me. It was obvious she wasn't wanted, 6 weeks old and had been with them a week. Anyways we didn't know how Abbi would take it, she stayed in Trevs room upstairs for 3 days, then came into the hall and finally into living room, she sniffed the lil ball of black and white fluff and started to lick her. She still does now Purdey (Perdita) is 3 years old.

I would go for it.
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Penn & Teller

Masters of The- Multiverse		 
 
Purred: Sat Jan 29, '11 10:15am PST 
I would get a kitten for her to have some company but the only way you'll know what personality type to expect is to purchase a purebred. Otherwise you are gambling. However sometimes you can somewhat tell what type of personality they have by how they are behaving at the shelter or foster house. For example Penn and Teller were the only two kittens that were together in their cage. Penn sat there while Teller groomed him, annoyed him, and moved about occasionally. This behavior did not change much. They became a little more active once they left the shelter since they found a forever home and were fed much better and taken care of and slept in comfy big fluff beds and played with and showered with what my husband called insane amounts of expensive cat "crap" mol big grin
Teller likes to bolt out of the door when you open it, Penn will sit there like an angel and just look out at the scenery. It's predictable. I think what happens is that guardians get more upset than the cats do and the feeling of the environment changes. Kitty picks up on this and its a cycle. If you take the steps of introducing cats to each other, then let nature take its course you should have minimal problems. Kittens don't really bully, they irritate but that's all.
A lot of people swear by getting a cat of the opposite sex to diffuse any problems but then a lot of people say if you have them all neutered it doesn't really matter. I went the way of getting cats of the opposite sex to introduce to my feral that comes in and out. She's very territorial. She took only a three weeks to adapt, and she's so mean to other cats. They all get along very well. You may consider a male if you think your older cat is territorial.
The whole process isn't really as hard as it seems. Just try not to make it hard on yourself and your kitty will follow suit.
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Jixie

It Ain't Easy- Being Me....		 
 
Purred: Sun Jan 30, '11 4:20am PST 
Thanks for your posts.. Both much appreciated.... Jixie is such a good cat. I really lucked out and I don't want to end up with a crazed kitten or one that is going to be sick or tear my stuff up. Jix was the model kitten so I am very spoiled. Thanks for the advice about temperment. I think I will pay close attention to a more docile kitten if and when I decide to search. I'll keep you posted... Your cats are beautiful. I love the names, Penn and Teller. They look like they can have a lot of fun together. Jix was with her siblings at the Humane Society but at the time I just wanted one kitten. Should have just gone along with 2 at the time and saved myself this moment.. smile)
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BK

Ambassador at- the Kitty U.N.		 
 
Purred: Mon Jan 31, '11 8:03am PST 
I always recommend adopting two kittens at a time, but in any event, you might check your local rescue groups and see if any have what's called Foster With Intent. This is where you foster a cat or kitten and see how it goes. You have the intention of adopting if everything works out, but you're not locked into anything if your cat decides that she wants to be an only. You don't want to make a decision quickly because it can take weeks for them to adjust to each other, but you still have a way out if they can't. Just a thought!
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