What do I need to know about getting another kitten?

Okay, I've made the decision to add another little one to the family. We've had Moses for 9 months (he's a little over a year) and I'd like for him to have a friend while I'm at work. (Plus, kittens are so fun!!) I have some questions for those of you who have gracefully handled this transition:

1. What do I need to buy? I'd like to avoid getting two litter boxes, as there just isn't room. (I have a XL box right now). Will a kitten use another cat's litter box? I can't think of anything a new kitten would need that I don't already have (besides another set of food dishes), but I may be missing something.

2. How do I handle the food situation? Moses is still on kitten food (Royal Canin dry) that we leave out for him 24/7. Every night he gets a bit of boiled chicken breast or some canned wet food. Most of the places around here with kittens are feeding the same all-stage dry food, which I have and also give to Moses. The new kitten would get Royal Canin Babycat (mixed with the all-stage from the place we get him, and Moses would have his Royal Canin Kitten food. Will they eat each other's food? Is this okay? Can a tiny kitten have boiled chicken breast?

3. Do we have to do the safe room thing again? The litter box is is the bathroom, which was Moses' safe room after we brought him home. If the new kitten needs a safe room, I'd have to use a whole other room with another litter box. There isn't anywhere else in my place that I want (or can feasably use) as a permanent litter-box area, which means that I'd have to then move the second litter box after I'm done with the new safe room. My house is very safe (Moses has gotten into everything he can and nothing was harmful), and I'm going to arrange my schedule where I'll only be gone for 2-3 hour blocks the first week I bring the new guy home. Will this be okay?

4. Does the new kitten need to see the vet before coming home for the first time? Since Moses has had all of his shots, he can't be at risk of catching anything from the new kitten, right? I don't know how I would arrange a vet visit in the same day that I find the "right" kitten. Plus, its a $40 I'd rather not spend if unneccessary. (Of course, I'll do what I need to to make sure everyone is healthy.)

5. What if Moses hates the new kitten and never comes to like him/her? Can't really get a refund....

6. What is the best gender combination? Two boys, girl and boy? Should I worry more about a personality match than gender?

7. Are some cats okay with meeting face to face without doing the whole "blanket swap/separate living areas" thing? Moses is very easy-going with new experiences/places, and hasn't even flinched when around dogs. I honestly think he doesn't know he's a cat, and thinks he's a person like us. I can imagine him meeting a new ball of fluff and being delighted to have another furry thing in the house.

Any help/suggestions/words of wisdom is much appreciated!!!

1. What do I need to buy? I'd like to avoid getting two litter boxes, as there just isn't room. (I have a XL box right now). Will a kitten use another cat's litter box? I can't think of anything a new kitten would need that I don't already have (besides another set of food dishes), but I may be missing something.

For the time being you will need a 2nd litter pan - mainly for the kitten to use when you confine it to one room. You'll need a period of adjustment and the kitten will have to be kept in a separate room with litter pan, food/water.

2. How do I handle the food situation? Moses is still on kitten food (Royal Canin dry) that we leave out for him 24/7. Every night he gets a bit of boiled chicken breast or some canned wet food. Most of the places around here with kittens are feeding the same all-stage dry food, which I have and also give to Moses. The new kitten would get Royal Canin Babycat (mixed with the all-stage from the place we get him, and Moses would have his Royal Canin Kitten food. Will they eat each other's food? Is this okay? Can a tiny kitten have boiled chicken breast?

IMO 9 months old should be eating adult food. Otherwise its too many calories and he'll get fat. You'll have to feed one kitten food and one adult food. I also would start having a set time for breakfast and dinner rather then free feeding 24/7 - that leads to fat cats in a short time.

3. Do we have to do the safe room thing again? The litter box is is the bathroom, which was Moses' safe room after we brought him home. If the new kitten needs a safe room, I'd have to use a whole other room with another litter box. There isn't anywhere else in my place that I want (or can feasably use) as a permanent litter-box area, which means that I'd have to then move the second litter box after I'm done with the new safe room. My house is very safe (Moses has gotten into everything he can and nothing was harmful), and I'm going to arrange my schedule where I'll only be gone for 2-3 hour blocks the first week I bring the new guy home. Will this be okay?

No - the kitten needs a separate room for a few weeks when you are not there to supervise them. It can take a few weeks or even a month or 2 for them to get along without supervision.

4. Does the new kitten need to see the vet before coming home for the first time? Since Moses has had all of his shots, he can't be at risk of catching anything from the new kitten, right? I don't know how I would arrange a vet visit in the same day that I find the "right" kitten. Plus, its a $40 I'd rather not spend if unneccessary. (Of course, I'll do what I need to to make sure everyone is healthy.)

Depending on where you get your kitten from, you really should isolate till the vet checks out the kitten and records any shots he/she may have.

5. What if Moses hates the new kitten and never comes to like him/her? Can't really get a refund....

I'm sure you are worrying about nothing - its rare that cats don't get along evenutally.

6. What is the best gender combination? Two boys, girl and boy? Should I worry more about a personality match than gender?

IMO I find that males (neutered) get along a lot better and quicker then females do. Since your cat is a male, you could go either way; so maybe pick more on personality to compliment Moses' personality.

7. Are some cats okay with meeting face to face without doing the whole "blanket swap/separate living areas" thing? Moses is very easy-going with new experiences/places, and hasn't even flinched when around dogs. I honestly think he doesn't know he's a cat, and thinks he's a person like us. I can imagine him meeting a new ball of fluff and being delighted to have another furry thing in the house.

Yes, but IMO its better to do slow introductions. If both cats seem ok with things, it might only take a few days to like each other.



Oh and please don't adopt a kitten that is less then 10-12 weeks old - you will do better if the kitten is about 3-4 months old.

Originally Posted by Ashley45

I can imagine him meeting a new ball of fluff and being delighted to have another furry thing in the house.

Click to expand...

That is just what I thought about Radar, when I got Sonic. Radar was 9 months old and Sonic was 13 weeks. Radar was delighted, but Sonic was much smaller and terrified of the adult-sized kitten that wanted to play chase and pin him down to lick him. I had to take introductions very slowly, including seperate rooms when I wasn't there to supervise for quite a long time. Best not to try to anticipate how it's going to go - be prepared for a long adjustment period, and then you won't be disappointed if it doesn't work out as you hoped, and you will have planned everything to enable you to be best prepared for a bad reaction from one of them

1. What do I need to buy? I'd like to avoid getting two litter boxes, as there just isn't room. (I have a XL box right now). Will a kitten use another cat's litter box? I can't think of anything a new kitten would need that I don't already have (besides another set of food dishes), but I may be missing something.

I started off with one big regular one and one small pan when I got Kayden. He used both boxes and so did Dahmer.

2. How do I handle the food situation? Moses is still on kitten food (Royal Canin dry) that we leave out for him 24/7. Every night he gets a bit of boiled chicken breast or some canned wet food. Most of the places around here with kittens are feeding the same all-stage dry food, which I have and also give to Moses. The new kitten would get Royal Canin Babycat (mixed with the all-stage from the place we get him, and Moses would have his Royal Canin Kitten food. Will they eat each other's food? Is this okay? Can a tiny kitten have boiled chicken breast?

I feed an all ages food but before that I mixed kitten food with adult food. They have always shared.

3. Do we have to do the safe room thing again? The litter box is is the bathroom, which was Moses' safe room after we brought him home. If the new kitten needs a safe room, I'd have to use a whole other room with another litter box. There isn't anywhere else in my place that I want (or can feasably use) as a permanent litter-box area, which means that I'd have to then move the second litter box after I'm done with the new safe room. My house is very safe (Moses has gotten into everything he can and nothing was harmful), and I'm going to arrange my schedule where I'll only be gone for 2-3 hour blocks the first week I bring the new guy home. Will this be okay?

I never did the safe room thing but at the same time I never left them alone for the first couple days till I knew they would be ok.


4. Does the new kitten need to see the vet before coming home for the first time? Since Moses has had all of his shots, he can't be at risk of catching anything from the new kitten, right? I don't know how I would arrange a vet visit in the same day that I find the "right" kitten. Plus, its a $40 I'd rather not spend if unneccessary. (Of course, I'll do what I need to to make sure everyone is healthy.)

Vaccines help with not getting diseases but don't prevent them 100%. Like a flu shot, you still might get the flu. I've never had a vet check before bringing the kitten home...but I take them all to the vet when it's checkup time.

5. What if Moses hates the new kitten and never comes to like him/her? Can't really get a refund....

Sorry can't help you, never had that problem. Sassy hissed at the boys for the first 3 days and wouldn't leave my bed but she was fine with them after that.

6. What is the best gender combination? Two boys, girl and boy? Should I worry more about a personality match than gender?

I have 2 boys and 1 girl. I think 2 boys or opposites work best.

7. Are some cats okay with meeting face to face without doing the whole "blanket swap/separate living areas" thing? Moses is very easy-going with new experiences/places, and hasn't even flinched when around dogs. I honestly think he doesn't know he's a cat, and thinks he's a person like us. I can imagine him meeting a new ball of fluff and being delighted to have another furry thing in the house.

I never did the whole "blanket swap/separate living areas" thing and never had a problem. That's just me though.

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like I'll either have to figure out a new safe room, or not leave the house for a few days. Hmm...I wish I had another spare bathroom....

I know that we've been needing to get Moses on adult food. We just bought a huge bag of food that we're still going through. I'm not too concerned about it though, as he's a tiny little guy for his age, not chunky at all. He throws a fit if his dish is empty though (even though he doesn't eat all day long). I don't know how I'd only feed him in the morning and evening - he doesn't eat in large quantities, more like little snacks throughout the day.

I will admit that some cats can be free fed and not get fat - the majority can't. So maybe continue your free feeding, but keep an eye on both cats in the future. If one is getting too chubby (and its harder to take weight off), then you will have to start feeding scheduled meals.