Getting a new companion for our (now alone) cat

Hi,

We'd like some advice on bringing in a new cat into our home. Having never really been in this situation, we want to get it right which is why I feel giving a bit (ok, a lot) of background is probably a good idea. So bear with me, this will be a bit long.

4 years ago, we welcomed two kittens in our home, Pims (male) and Tia (female), who were siblings. You'll see that I've already asked a couple of questions about them here, seeking help on small matters, and I've always got great replies. We've had four fantastic years with them. They complemented each other, had differents personalities... cat owner heaven.

Sadly, a couple of weeks ago, Tia was hit by a car doing what she liked best: adventuring. We were devastated for days, and we're still grieving her. But looking at Pims, we're not sure how long we should wait until we give him a companion. We both work, so he's on his own a lot, and since Tia died he's been a lot more vocal and clingy. We had to go away for a few days (talk about bad timing, we had planned it before the accident) and he did NOT like that.

Some key facts about Pims: he's neutered, and he's quite territorial - patrols the windows a lot, sprays the hedge in the garden, sometimes sprays inside (grrr), gets in fights with other cats occasionally (but mainly one big feline thug who rules the neighbourhood). With us, he's a doll. Never had a cat that purrs, headbutts and cuddles so much. His relationship with Tia was great: bit of playfighting from time to time, the occasional cuddly nap together, but a house and surroundings big enough for them to have their own space.

He adjusted to Tia's death pretty well - as in, if it wasn't for the time he spent completely on his own, I think he's ok.

We don't want to rush it - and we love Pims to bits, so in no way do we want to do anything that will upset him. But there are some key questions that I wonder if you guys can help us with:

1. Timeframe: is it actually better to get a new cat soon, before Pims gets too used to being on his own and sees it as more of a threat or a disturbance?

2. Age and gender of potential new cat: Would he feel less threatened by a kitten? Would getting a female decrease the chances of fistycuffs between the two?

3. Number: there's the option to get two at once, increasing the homecatpool to three.

4. Breed: They were both moggies, but if there are some breeds that are notorious for being easier to bring into a home where there's already a cat, it could be worth considering...

In short, there seems to be many factors that make it a tough decision - as I said our priority is to keep him happy, and if that means continuing with just the three of us, that's fine.

Thanks in advance for any kind of insight - if there are more things you want to know about Pims or the environment in order to help us work this out, feel free to ask.

Okay, so basically after reading the history, and the fact that he is already territorial, but used to having a female companion, I would say your best bet would be a spayed female. 3-5 months old is ideal age-wise, it is just before they start maturing, so the kittenish ways will still be there to get them started on the right foot, and I highly recommend an all black girl too.

Studies as well as all my years in rescue, black cats are the most adapting, easy going cats in multicat homes.

Sorry for the loss of Tia Very sad.

Hi,

Thank you so much for the swift reply and for the advice. It all makes sense.

Not that I'm questioning your expertise, but I never heard of black cats being good at adapting to multicat homes specifically - would you have a link I can look at? (as I said it's more out of interest than because I don't believe you!)

The one thing about blackies that I have heard of is that they're quite adventurous, especially at dusk - you'll understand that with what happened to Tia, the idea of a black cat by night on a badly lit road makes me a bit nervous.

Apart from that, I've never had a problem with black cats - not superstitious or anything, and I find them extremely beautiful, so I'd be happy to consider that.

I have attended several symposiums at the UC Davis Veterinary Teaching school in Davis, not far from me, this is where Dr. Kate Hurley and Dr. Leslie Lyons were lecturing, and this was one of the topics Dr. Hurley talked about randomly.

But I will see if I can find something that supports this and let you know

I agree with catwoman, black cats around here have always fitted in the easiest, I guess I never thought about it. The most important thing in a new companion is matching the temperament, it doesn't work well to get a laid back shy cat and introduce them to your territorial, outgoing boy. I have always found that TWO male kittens are a great match in any home, they keep each other occupied and your older boy can boss them and join in the roughhousing when HE wants to. A single cat gets along fine, but on those times you have to leave them, I always felt better knowing their was a friend there to keep them company. Good luck and keep us posted!

The only thing I found so far is a comment from the reader of a cat behavior book who tells about something the author tells about-

"It's easy to tell how much the author loves cats. She takes the time to help you understand exactly how cats think, a critical component to a happy and healthy human/feline relationship. Sprinkled throughout the book are lots of fun and interesting facts. For example, I had no idea that the color of a cat's coat could impact their behavior. It turns out black cats may adjust more easily to living with a group of felines - which explains a lot about the black kitties who shared my life!"


There is also a thread here that discusses color related to behavior that's interesting, Dr Lyons also comments on it and brings up how it was discussed at one of the symposiums-

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/273258/any-genetic-correlation-between-color-and-personality

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the answers - it took me a while to see the last two, since for some reason I didn't get the email notifications...

@Di and Bob: interesting, my wife and I were wondering whether getting two kittens instead of one might be a good idea. We simply couldn't decide between the pros (that you've mentioned) and the cons (once they're bigger, if they're still not getting along with Pims, would they gang up on him?).

One of my friends said that it could be a good idea to get a cat with a similar coat as the one we've lost. Would that help Pims accepting them? I personally would love another tortoise shell since I've always found them gorgeous, but there's the risk of getting a new cat a bit *too* similar to Tia and bringing on difficult memories.

Anyway, we've pretty much decided we're going to get at leat one, so we just need to make some final decisions - obviously, what's available out there will dictate who we end up welcoming

Last question (honest!): is it a good idea for us to do it soon, before Pims gets used to being on his own, or should we wait? Keeping in mind he's pretty much his usual self, apart from the occaional evening where you can tell he misses his sister bothering him on the cat tree.

I just have to weigh in that if you are adding another cat to your household, you need to make sure its a cat you and your husband, as caretakers, are committed to and not just something for the other cat.  The new cat will be a member of the family, and not just a pet for your pet.

I would say I was in agreement with getting a kitten as older cats tend to accept them more readily and not want to hurt them, but Snowy hates kittens... when the baby kitty comes in the room, she doesn't even like her feet to touch the floor... she jumps up on a box and looks at him with her nose all wrinkled up like he smells bad...Also, in our own minds, we may decide the roles our cats will play, like who will be boss, mentor, queen, etc., but the cats might have other ideas and they don't care how often we vote on who gets to take charge, they will have to sort that on their own.

If you are adopting from a shelter, they may have a room there where you can have a visit with the two cats before deciding... and at any rate, whether from a shelter, or an individual, you should have the option of returning the cat if things don't go as planned.  If one cat is already spraying around the home, and you have another cat trying to outdoor that one... its could get bad.

Good luck to you whatever you decide.