Thinking about getting a boy

I recently got the sweetest most adorable little girl... the problem is I am really worried she is lonely. we are gone all day and she is stuck locked in the bathroom (until she gets alittle older).. so I was thinking about going back and getting her brother. but I have NEVER owned a male. all my cats were females.... is there really a differnece. If I do decide to get him they are both going to be fixed at 6months of age. but what do I have to look forward to?

pic of her
http://myspace-569.vo.llnwd.net/0074...43420569_l.jpg

It is a good idea to get your baby a playmate, it's someone to keep her occupied so she doesn't just have to depend on you for amusement... as far as males, I myself actually prefer them, I think they are much friendlier than females, but that is just the ones I've had maybe? one thing, it is important to get them neutered ASAP cause they have this nasty habit of spraying to mark their territory and neutering usually deters them from doing that. Boys are great!!

the other thing I am worried about is him picking on her... she is a very mellow kitten and he is very hyper. Do you really think he would hurt her? they are from the same litter and have only been apart for 3 days.... by tomorrow it will be 4 and we are maybe going to get him tomorrow... Do you think they will remember each other? they were from an abandon litter.

She will be able to hold her own just fine

And once both are fixed, no, there are no real differences between owning a male and owning a female.

Owning I guess is not the right word, caring for is more appropriate.

They may remember each other, they may not, but if they are young, I doubt there will be much issue.

ya... i agree.. having an adult cat and a kitten, very difficult.

I think it would be great for her to have a playmate! And it's her brother? Even better! I'm sure she'll recognize his scent as soon as she smells him but he may not like her new scent?

I know when we rescued Juby at 4 weeks old he was a very timid, shy and confused kitten. Then two weeks later when he was 6 weeks old we adopted Jazz (who was 8 weeks old) and Juby did a 180 turn around! He was so happy to have a buddy!

I don't think there is much of a difference in behavior between altered male/female cats. Part of the reason you get them spayed/neutered is so they wont have the behavior-changing hormones associated with their sex. But, keep in mind that female cats can go into heat at younger than 6 months. Our Hazel had her first heat at 4 months, when we were planning to have her spayed at 6 months. So if you decide to have both I would definitely have them spayed and neutered at 4 months, or earlier if your veterinarian can safely do the procedures at a younger age.

well I might be getting him in the morning..... still not sure if this is a good idea......

2 cats are always better than one I would definitely get them fixed before 6 months though.

Please do not wait until 6 months, get them fixed before that! If you don't, what you will have to be looking forward to is urine spraying, heat cycles and pregnancy. Yes, littermates CAN get each other pregnant and it can happen well before 6 months. Especially since you have one of each sex living in the same house in such close quarters. He can get on her faster then you can imagine before she seems to show any signs of heat. If you do decide to wait until 6 months, begin to keep them seperated at 4-5 months of age AND remember that the male can still get the female pregnant up until a month after being neutered if he has already reached sexual maturity (4-6 months)!!

I am going to disagree here. I think he will quickly become larger, stronger and more dominant, and could definitely be the bane of her life. I've seen it happen a couple of times with my cats where the resident female (even if only a tiny bit older than the male) eventually is overcome by a male who, at first, may be scared off by her hissing, etc., but eventually discovers he's stronger, and takes advantage of it to 'put her in her place'. I don't know that the answer is another female either, unfortunately, possibly a small (very small) female dog. I'd certainly talk to an animal behaviorist or vet about it anyway. Don't forget cats sleep a lot during the day, and while she may be bored, she's at least queen of the castle and feels secure. We had the possibility of taking the bro. of one of ours long ago, but the people we adopted from said that even at 4 mos. old, he was already taking over, chasing her around and just generally be too much for her to deal with, and so we listened, but later on did end up with other younger males (and other females) who gave the females a hard time. There may be cats who can work it out, but I wouldn't deliberately 'arrange' it if I had the choice. Oh, and ours were all neutered/spayed early on.

We have 3 boys and 2 girls. I see a big difference in how the boys act compaired to the girls. I am not saying one is better than the other just different. The girls seem more level headed but more moody than the boys, but the boys are most times the crazy ones chasing each other all over the house and playing "All Star Wrestling" with each other. {sounds just like me and my wife also }

But as far as who is the "leader of the pac" so to speak I can't really see one standing out above the others but I am sure in there minds there is a "boss". I would have to say the boss is our dog Kelsey, she puts up with allot from all the cats but she does get upset at times and puts them in there place But she never hurts them, just a nasty growl and bark and they know to leave her alone.

I have never seen a real knock down drag out fight between any of them. They have there moments sometimes but it ends real soon and they handle things on there own just fine.

So I quess all this means is I wouldn't be worried about getting her brother so she isn't alone, But I guess there are as many different personalitys in cats as people so maybe we are just lucky that all or cats get along OK.

I hope all this makes sence???

I am one of the wierdos that actually think that there are personality differences in cats that are gender-specific. I know a lot of people and professionals cite that there will not be too many differences between male and female altered pets, but I do disagree, based on the kafrillion cats I've owned in my life.

Neutered males turn into big mellow saps...they're needy, sloppily affectionate, and basically NEED their human meowmies. Extended lap and snuggle times are mandatory. Sensitive and clingy...they make great furry hot water bottles on cold evenings. Demand a lot of attention and lovey-doveyness.

Spayed females can be as equally affectionate and needy. The difference here is that the affection happens strictly on their terms. A bit more moody, and slightly less forgiving than males. Independent attitude, which often makes them really humorous..."queen-bee" purrsonality. Likes to feel like the most gorgeous and prestine thing living under your roof (which is probably true). More finicky at times.

I love both males and females, and I do recognize that in many cases, the roles I've described don't apply. I really don't prefer one gender to the other. That's just been my experience.

In your situation, I would go ahead and get a male kitten around the same age as your female, and have both of them fixed simultaneously at 3 months to prevent any hanky panky. Kittens do like playmates. If you're unsure of the whole male vs. female thing, you may be better getting another female the same age, if you're worried about dominance/territorial issues. But as mentioned, altering the pets should remove a lot of these problems, and getting a male won't be a big deal.

And for the record, I've had females that easily outweigh my males in kittenhood. Big strapping girly-kittens that woop all over the males. It really just depends. When selecting a male, I would definitely take the time to get acquainted with his personality before bringing him home to your quiet girl. If he's plays rough, is nippy, hyper-active, and generally spazzy, he may not be the best match for your female. I would go with a quiet more docile kitten...if there is such a thing!!! LOL

Anyway, good luck!

well we got our little boy today! he doesn't seem to pick on my little girl to much...he is alot more hyper then she is but he is more interested in the rest of the house then her. I am hoping to get you guys some pictures because he has an intersting look. We also decied on names for both of them.... She is going to be my little Angel... and he is Demon! hehe perfect for them if you seen the way they act! but they seem to get along fine. He does like to lay with her a sleep which is the sweetest thing to watch. thanks for all your help.

Aww!!!! Angel and Demon! I love that!

Well, congrats! Can't wait to see pictures. If he's sleeping with her already, that's a great sign. They're actually much more accepting of newcomers while they are really young, so your timing is great on adding a buddy. You may find that in the next few weeks, Demon may bring out the devil in Angel!!!! Watching kittens frolic is comedy! It's also good companionship, great exercise, and twice the fun to have a pair of kittens.

here are some pics......
http://webpages.charter.net/javannalynn/

They are completely precious!!! What a pair of sweethearts! They'll have lots of fun adventures together, I'm sure.

Angel appears to be smiling in that last pic!
And I love Demon's freckled nose, how cute is that?

I like his crazy eyes... the vet tech told me it is his thrid eye lids and normally they would have pigments but his don't... and they don't go in all they way... if you look closely at Angel she has the same thing but hers aren't white.

Oh, I'm so glad you got Demon! He and Angel are so CUTE together. I love that picture of them drinking water out of the same bowl!

Both are just adorable! Congratulations on your new babies!