Getting a new cat?

Hello everyone! I'm unsure if this is in the correct category so apologies if I've got it wrong!

I'm moving to a new house where the landlords love cats and will allow me to get another one (there's already a cat flap on the back door!) so I'm considering rescuing another cat from the centre I got Mabel from.

My question is: Is this going to stress Mabel out way too much?

Mabel has been with us since the end of October and is 13 years old, she has hardly any teeth and has IBD so she's on special food. She's a house cat so I would either have to lock the cat flap at the new house of get one that scans microchips. I've read on the internet that sometimes cat pairs are good but sometimes they can shorten an older cats life because of the stress. Mabel is the first cat I've owned myself and so I have no experience of introducing, I also don't know if the shelter allows "play dates" and I don't really want to bring a cat home who she hasn't been able to "choose" and meet beforehand. 

With her health problems, I'd probably have to feed her in a separate room or get one of those bowls that only open for a specific cat via microchip as she doesn't eat it all at once and she has to have special food. She's a very laid back cat and spends all her time sleeping on my bed or asking for attention - would having less attention due to another cat being in the house make her sad? 

The last thing I want is to cause a ton of stress to Mabel and/or her new friend so would it be more responsible of me to just keep her as a single cat due to her age? As I mentioned before, I've never had experience introducing cats so don't even know where to start, what gender to get or what age!

Any help on this situation would be extremely useful and again, I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section!!

Don't know if this would be any help.  My own personal experience.

Briefly I rescued a three year old (estimate) big 18 pound Maine Coon

from the neighborhood and then a month or so later rescued another

young short hair gray (1 year estimate).  Both males.  Introduction was

short and sweet.  They are both buddies that groom each other, sometimes

rough play.  Both were outdoor cats that are now 100% indoor and 

walk them on a leash for a outdoor treat if the weather is nice.  It was

just a match made in heaven for all of us.  They wanted to be rescued,

didn't want Tuxedo to be lonely, I thought a younger kitty (Baby Brucie)

would be best and it worked.  I know this doesn't always work out so

well.  Hope it works out for you.


Tuxedo


Baby Brucie

I was thinking maybe a younger cat would be best because then she might mother it? But also thought an older one would have the same energy level as her so she wouldn't get too annoyed. I've heard pairing 2 girls together doesn't always go great so maybe a boyfriend for Miss Mabel?

The new house is by a train track and secondary school so hopefully another indoor kitty who loves a harness but they come and check the house and then find suitable cats for your area, I volunteer there and we rehome to people who live by busy roads al the time

I'm interested in seeing the advice people give to you.

I also have one cat and have thought about the consequences of adopting another. Would King Buddy feel as if there's a challenger to his throne? Would he dislike his new companion? Or would they get along and become good friends?

I have read success stories, but I've also read dire warnings about how adding cats can seriously impact the existing cat. Meanwhile, I went to PetSmart earlier this week and felt so bad for a beautiful tabby cat who was found on the side of a major NYC highway as a kitten, and has been living in cages for the past 10 months...times like that, I get the urge to get another one.

So it should be easy for you to match up a suitable kitty

since you're a volunteer at the shelter.  Like I mentioned

in a previous post, it doesn't always work out.  They either

like each other or they don't  and sometimes it takes patience

and time for them to get comfortable with each other.

Your brief mention that two females won't get along might

be true.  Many years ago, I bought two hamsters not being

aware of sex.  They got into a fight and one did get injured

in the eye.  Upon investigation, was informed two female

hamsters do not get along so had to get a cage with a divider

to keep them separated.  You might wanna check that out.

Hope all goes well with whatever your decision is.

I'm commenting on one of the poster who said that your resident cat may mother your new one. Cats do not tend to mother kittens unless they are mothers themselves.

Personally, I wouldn't. You don't know your cat's history. She may never have lived with another cat and if she seems happy now, I'd leave her be.

Also, kittens in particular annoy older cats because they just have too much energy for them and older cats tend to get stressed adapting to new situations.

With your cat being a senior kitty *and* having health problems, I wouldn't get a new cat.  Cats are routine oriented control freaks, and the stress of an additional cat coming into the house is considerable on both the existing cat and the newcomer.  That stress could severely aggravate the existing health problems or trigger new illnesses.

Thank you for all your help! Mabel was a stray but I was told she's now an indoor cat, I think that's to do with her only having 1 canine tooth and only a few back teeth so I was worried that if another cat got a bit nasty then she wouldn't be able to defend herself properly. Obviously Mabel is my priority and she doesn't seem sad or lonely, I just thought it might be nice for her to have some company for when we're out - she misses us a lot when we're gone for longer than usual because she's straight off the bed and wanting attention! I think she's just enjoying her retirement home.

I'd love to give another rescue kitty a forever home but if it's going to make Miss Mabel poorly or stressed then it's not worth it, I can just give them extra big cuddles when I do my volunteering  

Oh no, I went in today for volunteering and fell in love with another tabby who matches Mabel. He was just like her and loved cuddles! They've also got a beautiful 7 year old white cat who is deaf and partially blind. Maybe I should get a house big enough for us all to live in without anyone getting sad haha