A new furry family member?

So, my best friend's cat had kittens. There's four of them, and they're all precious, only a week old so far. Which means I have a few weeks to contemplate the addition of a new kitten to our home.

There are two things that make me reserved about this.

First and absolutely foremost, I live with my parents. I'm a full-time student so right now I rely on them for most everything. Moreover, we have quite the furry family as it is. Four dogs, two cats, and lots of reptiles. My dad has mandated absolutely NO more furry animals are allowed, but I don't think it would be a bid deal to add another cat. I take care of Bella exclusively, and since my room is basically the size of a flat and is furnished to keep her busy, she's hardly ever out of there. She doesn't make a mess like the dogs do, and neither would a new kitten. I just don't know how to convince my parents. I would like to take one of these kittens from my friend, just because I know we could give him a good home, and also it would be family of my friend's cat. But also, I read recently that it's a good thing for a cat to have at least one other cat to keep it company.

Which leads me to my second concern. BELLA! She is my princess, my diva, my baby. Part of me feels like I'm betraying her in some way for even thinking of adding a kitten to our family. She is always the center of my attention and we have a very close, special bond, which I don't want to lose with her by getting a kitten. I thought maybe I could hear some stories from fellow cat owners who have been in this situation. I don't want Bella to stop being my baby, or feel that I'm neglecting her, because she is my world, one of the only reasons I get through tough times.

So, any thoughts?

How does Bella get along with the other kitty? It sounds like she's basically an alone kitty even though there's another cat in the house? If that's what she chooses - and and is a total diva - are you sure she'd like to have all that kitten energy around?

Are you sure YOU have the energy and time to raise a kitten for the next six months/year? I don't know if you work, have a social life, or how much time college takes up... I know that I couldn't have been responsible for a cat while I was in college, but I was either working while taking classes or traveling for classes, so I either never had time or wasn't there.

It sounds to me like you've caught "the cute kittens" - but it's not necessarily the greatest idea for your situation. IF you were going to add a cat to your home, one that ISN'T a kitten is actually probably a better idea. And if you were going to adopt a kitten, it might actually make sense to adpot two - that way they can be pals and use up their energy on each other (if it actually works out that way LOL), and you could still dote on Bella.... but that doesn't sound realistic either, given the "no more furry animals" allowed rule.

I do know that we've had problems with new intros with our Spooky when the intro was another female.

The other cat we own is Tiger, and he is an outside cat. When I first got Bella, Tiger was an inside/outside cat, and she interacted with him a lot as a kitten, and loved him. When we moved, Tiger became an outside cat and so she never sees him. But, last year, when my parents briefly adopted an older teen and he brought his male cat, she was very curious and seemed to want to get to know the male, but was still slightly scared. I wonder how she would react to a kitten, and I've thought a lot about it. A male would be best, but as we don't know the sex of the kittens yet - they're so young - we'll have to wait and see.

As for my energy, I am home most of the time. I do have things I do but my animals are at the top of my priority list.

And, as to "catching the cute kittens" - that doesn't describe me at all. My dad's a vet professor and my mom works in HR at the vet hospital; I've seen my fair share of kittens coming in and out, had quite a few chances to catch the cute kittens. These are special because they're my best friend's cat's kittens, and she will need to find homes for them, and like I said: I know we can provide a good home, and also, I wonder if it's true that cats do better in pairs, if Bella might enjoy a friend.

But, none of that much pertains to my worries. I wonder how to convince my parents - I could use the fact that my brother and his three dogs should be leaving soon if he gets married to his sweetheart soon, or use the two cats is better than one rule, or the simple fact that my friend needs to find the kittens good homes. And most importantly, I don't want Bella to feel betrayed. I know she has plenty of energy to handle a kitten, but I don't know if she would like the idea of sharing me.

I just added a new kitten to my duo. My oldest, Hurley, didn't mind the new baby at all. My princess, Pandora, who is the total diva of this house is not very happy about the new addition. She has been hissing up a storm. I'm sure it will just take some time and everyone will settle down.

I feel the same way you do. Pandora is my little baby and I don't want her to be upset or jealous of the new baby. So I am making sure she gets as much attention as she wants, making sure she gets her play times and just keeping her schedule regular.

What about suggesting you foster one of the kitties when it's 10 weeks old? It's a couple weeks before being ideal to leave the mum - but gives you a few weeks for the intros and to see how things would go with Bella, and the kitty would still be in the adoptable-cute-kitty phase...

As to your parents - with their experience & education, you can certainly try the two-cats-are-better-than-one - but I think going with the your best friend needs good homes for the kittens is more likely the winner if you're going to be able to win that one.