New kitty or no new kitty???

We are considering bringing a new cat into our home but would like some input before making the decision--sorry for the long story.

We have a 14 1/2 year old cat named Baby. She was an only child until she was 4 when we moved in with a roommate that had a male cat named Stanley. They eventually got used to one another and, when the roommate abandoned him, he became a permanent member of our family. When Stanley suddenly died 6 years later, Baby obviously mourned the loss. Since then, she has been very needy and constantly seeking attention. Whenever my husband or I are home, she is on top of us or under foot. I can't even go to the bathroom alone We have a young male in mind for adoption. He's really sweet and gets along great with other cats. Historically, Baby takes a little while to adjust to new friends. I realize that you can never be sure of kitty reactions, but I'm wondering if anyone has any input. As needy as Baby is, I'm wondering if she would become depressed if we brought a new cat home. On the other hand, having a companion might do her some good.

Thanks!

That is the question! LOL! Just had to say it!

I would suggest a new kitty. It may help Baby to get over it faster. However, until then, I would give her all the love and attention you can give her! Make her feel safe, secure, loved, and appreciated, and you will have to deal with the annoying things for a while, though it may be hard! Good luck!


Oh, and by the way, welcome to The Cat Site! It's great to have you here amoung other cat lovers! We are all here for any questions you might have, or if you just need a friend! I hope to see pictures of your fur babies (your cats) soon! I can't wait to see! If you need any help, you can always Private Message (PM) a mod for any questions! To do so, click on their name in the top left corner of their post, and select "Send a Private Message to _________." You can do this with anyone who has PMing turned on! I would suggest posting in the "New Cats On The Block" Forum, where all your questions can be answered, and you can receive many heartfelt welcomes! There are post in there that are "Sticky Posts", which means they stay on the top of the forum section, and you can read those and get information about the site. If there are any additional questions, the moderators are there to help! I hope you enjoy the site!

WELCOME!

If you adopt from a shelter or the Humane Society, they usually have on the papers if the cat you are considering is good with other cats or good with dogs or good with kids, etc.

Or, if the cat would be better off in a single-cat home. You get the idea!

The Humane Society does this... I know cuz when I went to adopt Hammie, I wanted a youngster who was full of life and vigor, someone for Zorro since Zorro was bored. And, I needed a mouser.

On Hammie's sheet (he was only 12 wks old) it said he was from a mulit-cat home; was used to being around at least 20 other cats; got along well with kids. I knew I had my man when I tried to leave & he went ta follow me, and well as I watched him in the cat room, he was very forward with the other cats, sort of walked up to all of them and wanted to play!

SO if you adopt, see if you can find out if the cat you are adopting is good with other cats. The more adaptable the youngster is, the better your older cat will adjust and take him or her in. Since your cat is female, and at one point got along with a male, maybe it will all depend on the cat you are adopting. I'd adopt a female (spayed) and make sure she's older. There are so many older cats in need of homes.

Welcome to the Site, you will love it here!!!

I'd say go for it. a new kitten will keep her young and happy too!!!

I'd say go for it too! I had some doubts about how my adult cats, ages 11 and 5, would react to the addition of new kitten, 7 months, but things have worked out pretty well. My older cat has actually been very tolerant of the newcomer and seems to enjoy playing with him. My advice would be to take the introductions slowly, keep the new kitty and your current cat separated initially and let them sniff each other under the door, and supervise any contact they have initially. Also, be sure to give your current cat plenty of extra attention during this time. Given that she's older, I'd agree with the other posts to adopt another older cat. The biggest drawback I've found with adding a younger cat to the household is that he's ready to play, play, play when the older one's aren't.

Good Luck!

I would suggest getting an older cat (male or female) instead of a young one. Most shelter do have them, either because they're great cats, or they were returns. (Returns usually are from people moving into appartments. It happens a lot at my shelter. )

Hans is 14+, and he hates the two young cats I've brought home since then. They're about a year old, and full of energy. Hans is way too slow to keep up with them, and they just really want to play with him. He's taken to charging them, becasue they have a habit of jumping on him like they do with each other. They're okay together, but they certainly aren't friends.

Hans and Merlin get along great, though, because Merlin is an unbelievably laid back 2 year old.

Just food for thought.