Thinking of getting new kitty...my third

Hi guys,

I was wondering if you guys might be able to lend me your opinions on something.

We have two 4yo kitties, litter siblings, male (Hobbes) and female (Sunny). Now that they've reached maturity, Sunny's desiring to be left alone more and more frequently, but Hobbes is still VERY MUCH a kitten and is starting to frustrate her with his (in her opinion) entirely too frequent desire to play and wrestle. I can see Sunny wanting more and more time alone, and hear her hiss at him more and more often at the sheer annoyance at his goofiness.

We recently (as of a few weeks ago) moved into a much bigger place, now allowing me to look into the option of adding a second, younger male (I was thinking about a year old, so he's got size, but still got kitten playfulness, so he'd be a good playmate for Hobbes), but I'm not sure how to know for sure that the three of them will get along.

The trouble I run into, in contemplating kitty dates (to see if they're compatible), is the fact that these particular two kitties of ours stress immensely with any sort of travel...and usually wind up with a health issue we have to treat by the end of any trips. So they just wouldn't be themselves with any sort of take-kitties-to-meet-potential-playmate scenarios.

Do you guys have any suggestions? Our two are very easy-going, have been around other kitties and had no issues getting along with varying personalities of kitties, and I think this would be a really great move to help both our sweethearts.

Thanks for your help!!

Rosie*

I agree, the idea of a 'kitty date' is not really a great one. I don't think you can really introduce cats and see if they like each other right off the bat. It just doesn't work that way for cats.

Pick a cat you think will be a good fit, personality wise, for your existing pets. Do a google search on "cat introductions" and go from there. It's a slow process, you'll want to stick the new cat in its own room and let the cats sniff each other through the doors first. I think you're right about a playful 1-year-old being a good fit.

Okay, great...thanks for your advice, guys! I think I've been so much in bunnyland the past couple years, that I've forgotten that you don't do kitty dates to get a new kitty (but you do with bunnies, lol)!

Anyway, we're going to try to get to the local shelter today, as there's a handsome boy there that I'm thinking would fit the bill perfectly. He's six months old, so right near the bottom of the age range I was thinking (6-9mos was what I had in mind for a playmate...good size, but still plenty playful). The poor dear was brought to the shelter when his humans went to jail! The lady also said that he's been really scared, not being in a home...which stands to reason, since he's so young, and lost both his parents and his home so suddenly...

BUT...I'm excited...and hoping he's a great match for my pair. I would love to give this sweetheart a home with us...

Wish us luck!

2 Male Kitties and 1 Female Kitty make for a Happy Home

I can't wait to hear how it goes and to hear about your new addition

Well, we went to the shelter, and were mightily disappointed to find that all of them were sick! What's worse...they didn't let us know ahead-of-time...we had to find out for ourselves. They were going to let us adopt an obviously sick kitty...

We got there, and asked to look at the lovely boy we saw online...only to find him coughing and obviously quite ill and unhappy. So, we then looked at others, and spied another boy (that they had labeled as 2yo, but was obviously only around 1yo), and we let him out with us. He was very friendly, loving, and obviously really wanted to go home with us...but he was (a) unaltered (which wasn't a problem...they said they would neuter him next-day and we could pick him up the afternoon after he'd been neutered), (b) had really scummy fur and was BONE THIN (also, not a big deal...we could clean him up and feed him and get him a good weight), and (c) sneezed a mighty-wet sneeze when we put him back in his cage. I know it seems mean, and it was really hard for me to do, but we had to say no. ALL of the kitties were sneezing in such wet sneezes, we just couldn't take the risk of introducing him to our household, and risking our two sweeties' health.

So, we left sans kitty...and were really sad, until we realized how fortunate we were to have left and saved our kitties' health (who knows what the kitties had and we could've given to our babies?).

Last night, I took another look on Petfinder, and found another sweet boy, this time about seven months of age, and very close to us...so I called and left a message expressing interest, and wondering when we could take a look at him (and their other kitties).

Hopefully I hear back soon!

Boy, what an adventure!!

Oh my... what a terrible place, those poor kitties. I certianly hope those people are getting proper medication for all those sick kitties, if not they certianly need to be reported... grrr.

Anywho... YES, thankgoodness you did not end up bring home some 'ick' that your current furkids could have picked up.

How exciting about the lil' guy you found on petfinder. There are so many great kitties out there looking for good homes. Certianly there is the right one out there waiting for you. I cant wait to see just who that is.

Yeah, I felt so horrible for those kitties...

I told my husband that if we didn't have two more at home to worry about, I would've adopted him, hands-down, just to save him from that environment. I felt so awful. And I would report them, but they're a city shelter, so not really anyone to report them to...(or is there?)

And now I just wait to hear back about the latest kitty...in hopes that this place is cleaner, takes better care of their kitties, and that he's NEUTERED...*sigh*

Sounds like URIs which unfortunately is typical in shelters. If your adult cats have had the FVRCP vaccine they should not get the cold. It is easily treated with antibiotics. I brought home 2 that were sneezing and it was touch and go for Seldon because he was very sick but Cleo got a round of antibiotics and was ok. I got them from the shelter I volunteer in and they are fantastic and very very clean but URIs are hard to keep away all of the time.

Thank you for that data, CC12!

Well, we brought home our new kitty...

He's younger than we'd originally planned, but he's been around older kitties all his life (even wrestled with one as a playmate), so he's got a good idea of social structure, and how to play with older (note: bigger) kitties.

He's about 3mos old, so a bit younger than we planned, but he's big for his age, and both our kitties and he have been around other kitties with no problem, so I'm sure it'll work out wonderfully.

We've named him Simon (pictures to come shortly), and he's here in the office with me, behind closed doors until he adjusts at least to me (so he has a safe human to run to during introductory smacks from paws, etc). We've got him set up in the closet with a box and a bed just like the one he loved at the other house, our kitties' condo (to start getting used to their scents...they're too big to really use it anymore, but it does have their scent nicely), and the litterbox, with his food and water outside the closet (to separate food and box nicely). I left him alone for the most part last night, and came in this morning, and got a little kitten hiss...but it's to be expected. He's still scared and unsure of his surroundings.

We got him from some really wonderful people. They feed strays, befriend them, take them in, get them altered, and used to being indoors, and then adopt them out. Good thing about Simon...he wasn't outside for too long that he's not able to adjust to being inside. He'd been inside only about a couple weeks there, but had already started sleeping on their bed with them at night, so he'll adjust quickly here.

Our kitties are really personable, for the most part, so I'm not too worried. I'll give him a few days of adjustment and then start introductions when I see the time's right.

For right now, though, I'm happy he's home with us. He's nice and healthy, neutered (perhaps a bit young for that, but it's already been done about a week ago, so what can I do?), and he's obviously been well taken care of. Far cry from those poor shelter kitties...

So, yay! I'll post pictures of our new little addition soon...

Hugs to all!

Rosie*

Here are some pictures of Simon!

Here he is in the carrier on the way home:




Now, bear in mind, this is a medium-sized kitty carrier...so he's still pretty small...but he's got long legs, and has a big spirit, so I'm not too worried.

And in his box here at home, giving me the Stink Eye...hehe!


I checked, and he's eaten, I assume had something to drink, and has used his litterbox, so things are moving right on schedule!

Crazy how well he matches our current kitties, isn't it? Wasn't planned at all...it's just the way things wound up happening.

Your new cat sounds wonderful!

However, I just want to raise a small note of caution; you say that Sunny is losing patience with playing and just wants to be left alone. I thought that my Artemis just wasn't as playful as Athena, and that these two long-time-buddy sisters were slowly getting along with each other less and less well as they aged, when they were about 3.5 yrs old. It turns out that Artemis has feline asthma, and she was probably unwilling to play because playing made her cough. You sound like an extremely responsible cat caretaker, but I suggest you bring up the slow change in Sunny's behavior with your vet; it's possible that she has a low-level chronic illness of some kind. Now, of course, I had the additional clue of Artemis's coughing, but I thought it was just her hacking up hair balls, and I didn't describe it well to a vet early on.

Thank you for your advice, Enuja! We've actually got an appt scheduled for a few hours from now to take Sunny and Hobbes in to get an all-over check (just want to be SURE they're healthy before I start any introductions), and we have a really wonderful vet, so I'm sure she'll know if anything's "off".

Thank you for the suggestion!

Things are going really well with Simon. We still have him in the office here, and he's warming up to me quite fast! He's a true lovey-dovey boy...climbs up my chest until I pick him up, and purrs a Harley Davidson-resounding purr and rubs cheeks with me. He's really truly wonderful...I can't wait until he's integrated with our other two sweeties!

I'll let you guys know what the vet visit brings to light! Hopefully nothing... and they're just absolutely fine!

Thought I would post a few more pictures of Simon!

Peeking up from the hard drive (he likes to sit on the router that sits on it because it's warm):


Playing




And being happy in love with Mama


Enjoy!

OH MY GOSH! I am SO excited for you.

Simon is SUCH a cutie! (& what a GREAT name , course being partial to it, with it being one of my Son's names, )

Keep those pictures coming & wow, has he warmed up to his new mommy quickly. He sure was the one meant to be

Congrats!

Hehe...thanks, Lore!

I'm really enjoying this little bitty boy...he's such a sweetheart! Yesterday, he came to me calling him just by name...no hand signals, or anything! I'm so proud of my smart little man! He climbs up my chest until I pick him up, and then he just melts into my arms like he was made to live there. He's adorable!

I have a few videos of him givin' me love, but I've yet to upload them to Photobucket, hehe! I'll post them here just as soon as I load them.

As for Sunny and Hobbes' vet visit...Dr. Limburg checked them head-to-toe, ears, and everything (even rears, hehe), and concluded that although they both have a little weight to lose (we lived in a place WAY too small for WAY too long, and they both got a bit extra on their bones, hehe), we're doing all the right things to help them lose it, and they're both very healthy. She even remarked on how gorgeous both of their fur is and how sweet they are! I'm proud of my babies.

We're now going to schedule to take Simon in probably this Saturday, so we can be sure he's healthy...get him tested for everything, since he was outdoors, and our kitties have never even stepped one paw outside. Just want to be SURE we're in the clear before we start introductions. I'm sure it'll go just fine, though!

In the meantime, this new little addition has stolen my heart!!

Everything sounds positively superb! I'm so glad that your two cats are in excellent health, and that Simon is very comfortable in your home and extremely friendly with you. You appear to be doing everything exactly the right way. And what a cute cat!

When everything is all ready, I wish you good luck on the introductions. Wishing you luck is the only thing I can think to do, because you seem to know all of the "best practices" already.

Hehe...thank you Enuja!

Yes, I've had many, many kitties in the past 18 years, and have done countless introductions...so I'm not too worried about that. I just want to be sure everyone's TOTALLY and COMPLETELY healthy first. I'm so happy, though, how things are going with Simon already. In fact, last night, he tried to play footies with the other two underneath the door...but neither Sunny nor Hobbes is quite ready for that yet...so they stood back and watched itty bitty kitten paws coming under the door. Sunny hissed, Hobbes sat back, not quite brave enough yet to participate in the fun. Hehe!

I anticipate that it'll be less than a week (as soon as I know Simon's healthy enough to be in their space) before we start formal introductions. I'm going to first pick Simon up and carry him around the house to show him this big ol' place (especially to an itty bitty), and then bring him back to his room and leave the door open for Sunny and Hobbes to come in and sniff his stuff, and let introductions happen from there. I venture to guess Hobbes will be much more into things than Sunny, as he's been more than ready for a play friend for a bit now, and is more outgoing in general than his sister.

Hehe...it's hard to type with a kitty face in the way...he keeps rubbing faces with me here on the desk and distracting me with love! Hehe...not to mention his need to follow the cursor, hehe!! Kittens are so fun!