Advice on getting another kitten?

[clmgordon]

I apologize for the length, theres a bit of a back-story here.
So my dad has 2 cats of his own and a bunch of strays outside. One little stray kitten kept wanting to come in whenever he opened the door. At first my dad was nice and let the kitten in once in a while. Then when I was visiting, my dad was being a jerk and decided the kitten had to get out of the house n could never come back. Well, it had been raining all week and the yard was flooded and it was 30° and the poor baby was sick. So fiancé n I took him home with us; he wouldn't have lived if we hadn't.
Well, the little guy is great, we love him SO much. he's as happy and healthy as can be now (he's approx 6 months old) The only problem is that he's horribly bored. We make sure to play with him often, but I just don't think we're enough stimulation for him. My previous cat was indoor/outdoor and at the time we lived in a secluded little development and I felt he was happy, safe, and fulfilled roaming around outside all day and coming in at night. That was important to me as I feel that (most)cats should get to experience outside and its what is natural for them. However, the place we are currently living does not make me feel safe enough to let my baby kitten out (also, the neighbors husky get out of his fence daily). So I guess I have to keep him an indoor kitty for now.
So the main issue is: should I get my kitten a friend? Normally I wouldn't think twice, I love kitties, but as there is a fuzzy little life at stake, I want to be certain that I make the right decision. The kitten I would get is another stray from a different litter near my dad's (the kitten has a mustache!) Now, my house is not very large, so there wouldn't be a huge amount of room... And I'm a little worried bc both kittens are boys. I do plan to get them both fixed, but I've never had 2 boy cats (and both only indoors) and I don't know if they will get along when they get older.
So sorry for such a looong, annoying post, but any advice is appreciated. I'm just worried/nervous about taking on the responsibility of another pet that might not fit in well with our little family.

 

[handsome kitty]

Two boys will be fine, especially since they are meeting so young.  Neutering early is a good idea.  Some SPCAs will neuter at 2 lbs.

I would advise taking the new kitten to the vet to be tested for FIV and stuff (all those initials are confusing) before you bring it home so you aren't infecting your current fuzzball.

 

[catpack]

Having two indoor make kitties can absolutely work! Honestly, I find that, on a whole, males seem to enjoy the companionship more and male-male households usually work out really well.

I agree that the new kitty would need a vet visit first to make sure he is healthy. Both kitties should be tested for FIV/Leukemia before considering introduction and the newbie should have a fecal done as well.

I'd actually suggest going ahead and neutering both prior to introductions if you are able. Male hormones typically kick in between 6-9 mo and you certainly don't want to add that into the mix of introducing.

Here is a really good article with guidelines on how to do a proper cat to cat introduction:
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats

Also, adding a cat tree or two and/or some wall shelving (these can be bought or DIY) can help. Most cats really enjoy vertical space.

 

[Columbine]

Two kittens are almost always easier than one. I can't see any problems with having two boys indoors only, provided they're properly introduced and are neutered when big enough. In fact, the sooner your current boy is neutered, the better. I'd definitely make sure he'd been fixed before he's introduced to the new guy (not a big deal, as newbie will need to get comfortable with you and his room before meeting your boy).

If it were me, I'd take the new kitten to the vet before you even bring him home, so he can get a full health check and flea and worm treatments. I'd also test for FIV/FeLV too. This is what I did last March when I brought my newly caught feral home. [article="32680"][/article][article="29726"][/article][article="32804"][/article]

 

[clmgordon]

Thanks guys. I definitely feel more comfortable with the idea, and I feel better about them getting along with each other. But as an owner, how much more responsibility, trouble, etc. am I going to be looking at? How much more of a handful are 2 kittens than 1?

 

[Columbine]

Apart from extra costs (food, litter, vet trips etc), it really isn't much different, imo anyway. You will need at least one extra litterbox (the ideal number is one per cat plus one extra), and they sold be in different rooms if at all possible. I find extra scratchers never go amiss ( I have 2 indoor cats, and 2 cat trees, 2 scratching barrels and 3 cardboard scratchers - all are in regular use too!), and the same goes for spare food/water bowls.

In some ways, 2 kittens can get into more trouble than one...especially if they decide to work as a team On the other hand, they'll have someone to play with and snuggle with, so you shouldn't find they're bouncing off the walls or getting so lonely as a single (possibly bored) kitten would.

Honestly - once you've committed to one cat, another really isn't a big deal

 

[clmgordon]

Thanks.
I was a little worried that 2 would tear up twice as much stuff. But really, he's so bored and lonely and frustrated when we can't be home or can't play with him at every moment, and since I can't let him outside, I really HAVE to do something for him. I feel so bad, he's super vocal at letting me know he's sad because he's bored, lol. I really think getting him a buddy is the only solution.

Right?

(And I'll be saving a little mustachioed kitten's life. That's too cute to not have.)

 

[Columbine]

If you have plenty of scratchers around (preferably catnipped to make them enticing), there shouldn't be too much of a problem. My guys go nuts for the cheap cardboard scratchers, and they're small enough to have dotted about the house. Make sure to have at least one cat tree too - cats like to have a good stretch while scratching, and a stable cat tree is great fun for playtime too, not to mention a good resting place

The easiest way to teach a cat about scratching posts is to use a wand toy (Da Bird is ideal). Get them really into the game, then gradually trail the toy around and up the post. They should try to pounce the toy on its way up, and will discover for themselves what a satisfying place it is to scratch. Once they've made the connection they should naturally gravitate to the posts/trees for scratching...just be sure they're placed in socially significant areas (ie where you spend a lot of time). We have a cat tree and cardboard scratcher in the living room, a barrel in the dining room and a tree and a barrel in the bedroom (the barrel isn't necessary for scratching, but it's the only way my girl will access the higer levels of the tree ). The other cardboard scratchers are on windowsills, and do double duty as seats for birdwatching

Hope that all makes sense [article="0"][/article]