>>Hi. I have a male (neutered) cat that is almost 1 1/2 years old. I tried a month or so ago to introduce an adult female and it did not work out at all, so I had to give her back. I admit, I went about it all wrong. Now my brother's cat had kittens and I would really like to take one home (They'll be 8 weeks on Christmas day!). I've read that they should be separated for a few days and gradually introduced. Any suggestions on this?

Yes, it is good to separate them and let them sort of sniff each other under the doorway. It is also wise to put one in a carrier and let the other sniff around it - and vice versa. Also reverse the "living arrangements" every now and then so more territory sniffing can be done. In a week or so try feeding them in the same room - at a great distance apart. Later on you can try playing with a cat wand and seeing if they will play with you.



Also, I read that introducing a male kitten to an adult male cat is better than a female because he will like a rough playmate.

Actually it's going to depend on the personality of the cat more than the sex. If your male is a little aggressive he may actually do better with a female. However some females are pretty feisty so you just can't be sure.

Finally, I have had my cat since he was about 3 months old. I have always used clumping litter and he has been fine. Is there any reason it would be more harmful to an 8 week old than a 3 month old? All thoughts and suggestions are appreciated!

An 8 week old kitten is pretty tiny and their digestive tracts just might not be able to handle any litter ingested while grooming. Also they tend to play in the litterbox a lot! So you will definitely need to make the switch away from clumping litter for a few months!
-----
Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]