Should we get another cat? Pls help..

We have a male cat, aged 2 and a half years. The first two years of his life he was an indoors cat and he was fine. We moved to our own place with a garden earlier this year and we started to let him out during the summer. He loves going out! He stays in during the day when we are at work then he usually has a little run around for an hour on an evening when we get in. Its getting much darker and cold now so we try not to let him out so much because he is pure black and no one would see him.

We live on quite a busy main road, but with him being an indoor cat for so long, he doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t venture near the road and seems quite afraid to go near it. I still worry that he will though??

Anyway, we have thought for quite a while we would like to get another cat for him to have as a friend in the day while we are at work. How do you think he will react? He seems to get on with other cats well. I worry that the new kitten would follow him outside but wouldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t be afraid of the road and may get run over? I think for at least the first 3 months we would keep it inside? I want to make the older cat happy, and worry he wouldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t like it…but then think he would love it sometimes too..

Anyone have any advice or done something similar?

Thanks!

Do you know how he will react to other cats? Some cats love a kitty companion, and some find them annoying. He doesn't seem too fearful of new things, so that's a good sign.

This is always the dilemma about letting cats out. It's highly likely the kitten will not be road savvy. This is a serious problem. We always want our cats to come back in when we let them out, but even with the best intentions in the world, this does not always happen.

It's possible to have an indoor cat and an outdoor cat, but it will require constant vigilance, especially during the training period. Decide, first, what you would like to commit to, and stick with it.

I'd say go for it and get a new cat. Prehaps not a kitten. Get a cat thats around a year old, and yes, keep it in.

It seems you have established a routine with your two year old, but that dosn't mean you shouldn't be careful. Ziggy always had a routine too. Don't feed him before he goes out, because that way, he will come back knowing its supper time.

With the new cat, I think it would be best to keep it in until it has calmed down quite a bit. Kittens can be fearless, and try anything. If the cat has been indorrs for a long while, it should be more weery of the outside world.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I feel you're already playing Russian roulette with your cat by letting him out when you do, especially if he's black, and I think if you get a new cat, it would be an opportunity to start keeping him in, as he'll have what to do now, and the new one will never know the difference (presuming both are neutered/spayed).

I'm not an expert. But i recommend keeping them in if you can. Keeps them disease (except for the unpreventable of course) free, and safe from the randomly dangerous outside world. Getting another cat would probably help him being inside so often.

My suggestion would be to yes, consider another kitty, not necessarily a kitten....maybe around a year or the same age?

However, IMO, if you live near a busy road, they both need to be kept indoors...for their own safety. It only takes once to have a fatal accident.....and a broken hearted you.

If you are in US, then a lot of shelters probably won't even allow you to have a cat, since you are planning to let the cat outside eventually. If you want the cat to enjoy the outdoors, you could build a cat run in your garden.