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Advice needed on adding another furry friend...

post #1 of 8
5/8/10 at 8:31pm
Thread Starter 
Hi all....
We've been thinking about getting our furry friend Liam a playmate. Liam is a sweet, loving, friendly, cuddly 3 yr old. We've been hesitating as Liam is such a good cat never really giving us any trouble. What would everyone suggest....another male cat or a female??? Older or younger???? Liam has been part of our family for just over a year now...and he definately rules the roost!!! We love him to pieces!
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post #2 of 8
5/9/10 at 8:09am
I always tend to have more luck with boys. Boy to boy tends to usually match drive pretty well and the type of play male cats like to do. This isn't to say that there aren't rambunctious little girl cats.
You'll just have to check with your local shelters and rescues and evaluate each cats interaction towards other cats.

Age you choose depends on how your cat behaves. If he's still a very active cat that still acts rather kittenish, go with another cat that acts the same - meaning will keep up with his drive to play. I'd suggest that if it's a female, that you go with a younger one since older girls can be very set in their own way and more "serious". If Liam's more quiet with only occasional bursts of playtime, a quieter cat vs a kitten/kittenish young cat may be better and you could have more luck settling a female cat in with him. (just personal experience, even cat social females cats don't seem to like lots of BS out of other cats)

But these are just some very basic suggestions to keep from stirring things up too much, not rules.
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post #3 of 8
5/10/10 at 5:51am
Jack is our now 12 or 13 year old male. He had been a solo cat for about 5 years when we decided to add another. We adopted Lily, a 10 month old female. It worked out great, but it helps that Jack is laid back. We expected some hissing and a rough adjustment but they became fast friends. Lily has been wonderful for Jack. He's active and engaged and most of all happy. Lily is every bit as hyper as Jack is chilled.

Just yesterday, we added cat #3, a female kitten named Boo. The rescue claimed she's a year old but there's no way. I'm guessing 7 or 8 months and will ask the vet today. Boo is isolated in my office, but the cats know she's there and are hanging outside of the door. Jack seems fine but Lily is a little stressed.

Bottom line...you won't know until you try. Good luck! Jack is my baby and I didn't think I could love any other cat like I do him but Lily proved me wrong and so will Boo.
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post #4 of 8
5/10/10 at 10:38am
I find that males generally are quicker to accept any new pet in the house - male or female (as long as they are neutered/spayed first). Females tend to be more territorial then neutered males.

I've had no problems bringing in another male cat, but all my females hated when I brought in new cats, especially if it was another female!

I suggest a young neutered male kitten about 3-6 months old with a similar personality.
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post #5 of 8
5/11/10 at 3:29pm
I hate to threadjack here but I also am thinking of getting a playmate for my 3yr old neutered male...my question is will I need another litterbox?
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post #6 of 8
5/11/10 at 6:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by glenman12 View Post
my question is will I need another litterbox?
Yes, you will. Depending on the size of your home, you should have a couple already. At least have three for two cats, four if you can manage it.
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post #7 of 8
5/11/10 at 10:29pm
Er, I always have had three or four cats and one large litter box. Been set up like this for decades. In a small apartment, there's usually no alternative. You just clean the box at least twice a day. And so far, so good.
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post #8 of 8
5/12/10 at 7:12am
I am in the process of doing this as well. I have no bias toward either gender (I've been the guardian of both male and female cats, both equally sweet), so I am keeping an open mind. I know that the initial introduction is key so that they get started off on the right paw!
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