Okay, here's the situation: I have an older cat (aged 18) named Sasha and live in a 1 bedroom apartment. Since kittenhood he's had litter box issues - I had to teach him to poop in the litter box and not the floor as shown to me by the Vet. Poor thing had fleas, tapeworm...yet under my care he's lived to be 18 and has been parasite-free; so I must be doing something right!
To this day he's been very high-strung and temperamental. He was used to the company of other cats, but has been "King of the House" for the past 8-9 years; and routinely tells me his displeasure whenever I'm home late from work by yowling loudly in the bedroom (if I happen to be in the living room) and has pooped the floor whenever I get a pet sitter to mind him whenever I'm out of town.
I've been offered a new kitten, who is very sweet and lovey (and happens to look like one of Sasha's old buddies). I know what's involved in introducing a new kitten to an older cat (I actually took all of next week off so I could supervise them) and after speaking to the Vet, as long as the new kitten is neutered, in good health and parasite free (had all its shots), everything should be okay.
However, (and that's the sticky point) I've read that the key to a successful introduction is to let the older cat know his territory isn't being threatened. He sleeps in my bed, so isolating the kitten in my bedroom is out.
The bathroom is much too cramped to isolate the kitten there (if I want to have food, water and a litter box in there)...that's my dilemma: I don't want Sahsa to think he's being punished by isolating him in the bedroom and giving the kitten free roaming in the rest of the apartment, but if I isolate the kitten in the bedroom it might threaten Sahsa's territory...
Any suggestions?
To this day he's been very high-strung and temperamental. He was used to the company of other cats, but has been "King of the House" for the past 8-9 years; and routinely tells me his displeasure whenever I'm home late from work by yowling loudly in the bedroom (if I happen to be in the living room) and has pooped the floor whenever I get a pet sitter to mind him whenever I'm out of town.
I've been offered a new kitten, who is very sweet and lovey (and happens to look like one of Sasha's old buddies). I know what's involved in introducing a new kitten to an older cat (I actually took all of next week off so I could supervise them) and after speaking to the Vet, as long as the new kitten is neutered, in good health and parasite free (had all its shots), everything should be okay.
However, (and that's the sticky point) I've read that the key to a successful introduction is to let the older cat know his territory isn't being threatened. He sleeps in my bed, so isolating the kitten in my bedroom is out.
The bathroom is much too cramped to isolate the kitten there (if I want to have food, water and a litter box in there)...that's my dilemma: I don't want Sahsa to think he's being punished by isolating him in the bedroom and giving the kitten free roaming in the rest of the apartment, but if I isolate the kitten in the bedroom it might threaten Sahsa's territory...
Any suggestions?
