Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello:

Our cat is not quite a year old , about 8 months old, and my aunt's cat has just had a litter and the kittens will be ready the beginning of March. My questions is two fold, first, I understand that it is best to add another cat before our existing cat is under a year of age, and secend, we are unsure as to the sex of the new cat, my aunt has both. It is our plan to have the new cat fixed as well. We want to add a second cat to our family, but we don't want to upset our existing cat, and the new cat too much.

Any opinion would be well appreciated

Ronda

Hi Ronda,

I feel that adding another cat to your household is a good idea, especially because your existing cat is so young. There will be an adjustment period for both of them but it shouldn't be too bad at their ages. They may even take to each other right away. It depends on their personalities.

I don't think the sex of the kitten really matters. I have both girls and boys here and it's more the personality of the individual cat that comes into play. I presently have 11 cats, aged 1 year to 17 years and they all do very well together. Four of them I adopted as kittens, the rest were from one to 10 years old when I brought them home.

If you do adopt a new baby, please remember to make the introduction slow and gradual and keep the newcomer isolated at first. A vet visit is a must and this needs to include being tested for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS before the 2 cats meet.

Thanks for being a responsible cat owner and having your cat fixed. It's so important, not only to avoid unwanted litters, but for the health of the cat.

Regards,
PHKitkat

PHKitKat said it perfectly. Slow introductions. Your cats are both so young, they may get along immediately. Sometimes with older cats, you keep one isolated for a week or two and slowly introduce them. You'll have to play it by ear...

Great idea to have two. I have two 15 year old boys and they are best buddies and keep each other company when I am at work. They sleep and play together.

I agree the sex doesn't matter. They are young and should get along well. Just don't drop the baby in the middle of the living room and walk away -- slowly introduce them and keep they baby in his or her own room for as long as it takes (maybe no time at all).
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

Sounds like good advice to me. There was someone I know who claimed that since cats are solitary by nature, they really don't need a playmate. I found this to be an incorrect statement. I have seen many one-cat and two-cat households and have found that the ones with two cats have better adjusted and more playful animals than those that only have one. This is just my opinion though.
I have two cats, the last two from the same litter. They are brothers and I have never known such well adjusted felines in my life. I'm all for multi-cat households.

By the way, the little guys will be 6 months old on April 1st and ready to be neutered (that's one heck of an "April Fool's" if there ever was one!)

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2.0 kittens (Magus and Cloud)
1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)
1.0 Satanic Leaf-Tail gecko (Diablo)

I have two cats, the last two from the same litter. They are brothers and I have never known such well adjusted felines in my life. I'm all for multi-cat households. By the way, the little guys will be 6 months old on April ...

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Awe. I have to smile. I have two cats, also brothers from the same litter. They are 15 1/2 years old. Mine get along wonderfully and I can't imagine one without the other... I have never met two more perfect cats, both with different personalities, but both so well behaved and loving. I wish you the same as I have enjoyed -- many years of love and joy...

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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

Tammy, that picture of Stanley and Pookey is priceless. I wish that my cats got along like that. Unfortunately the closest mine are is Simba and Katrina hang out together and Samantha and KatyKatt will sort of pair off. Nobody cuddles up with one another though.
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Ruby and the Kitties
Simba, Samantha, Katrina & KatyKatt
Meow!! Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!

How wonderful to do nothing and then rest afterwards. Meow!