Should I get another kitten?

[kitty200]

Background - our cat was a kitten when we adopted him - we already had an older cat.  The two became best friends -- both very snuggly -- and always were together.  2 years ago the older cat passed away.  Our cat (now 7) gets VERY agitated when left alone.  He is very attached to me (the mom of the family) -- but he's people oriented in general.  We were gone for 1 weekend (3 days) -- we had a neighbor come over and feed the cat and play with him and give him some love.  But he was so upset that when we got back he began peeing on our clothes.  We are working to get him back to proper use of the litter box.  He's doing fine - except for pooing outside the box for some reason.  We have him re-training in our bathroom -- with two boxes to choose from (he uses both). 

We are wondering about a new kitten for him.  Has 2 years been too long since he had a cat friend?  I think this could go either way - either it totally adds too much stress and the poo/pee situation goes crazy out of control -- or it provides a constant companion for him that helps when we are not at home.

We are not usually gone - but sometimes we are gone for a weekend.

any advice helps!

 

[alainasmom]

Sorry to hear about your kitty. 

 This must be tiring and frustrating for you and stressful for him.

As for the peeing issues, he may have been peeing out of stress (that you were gone) and/or sudden change (you going on a vacation - even though the neighbor came, he/she was probably carrying an unfamiliar scent - and three days may seem like a long time for your cat).

As for the defecating outside the litter box, cats normally do this because they don't like the box or the litter. Have you recently switched litters? Two boxes is a good idea for now. Even if they contain the exact same amount of litter/type/brand of litter, he may prefer one over the other. Also, please do make sure that you scoop the box at least twice a day - some cats won't poop in a box that has already been used.

You're right - another cat may help soothe his feelings of anxiety, or he/she may irritate or stress him out more. Since he's a senior cat, I don't recommend adopting a kitten (although like any other situation, there are exceptions) because normally kittens are too high-energy for older, more mellow kitties and may cause serious stress issues. Maybe another adult or senior cat would provide a better companion (especially on the weekends when you are gone)?

Before you do consider adopting another kitty, please make sure that you have the financial resources and time to take care of the new one (twice as many cats means twice as much poop/pee to scoop, twice as many potential health problems, twice as much food, materials, etc., and twice as much love and affection in the end). They will need to be socialized and introduced very slowly, especially with older kitty's stress and anxiety issues - there are many helpful articles and threads here on how to do this properly.

Good luck. 

 

 

[kitty200]

Thank you for the quick reply!! 

I took our cat to the vet to rule out medical issues -- he did have a lot of bacteria in his urine - but no infection or crystals.  We are still running 1 course of antibiotics to clear the bacteria.  Also - I am switching him to only wet cat food (which he thinks he won the lottery on!) -- I add a little lukewarm water (just a touch) as well to keep the water in him.

Is 7 senior?  I thought maybe he was middle aged.  How old do cats get?  My husband said - If we get a kitten now - we'll just be in this same situation when this cat passes -- another solo cat who is stressed.  Maybe we should ride this out and give extra love?

I just don't know!!  I want to do what is best. 

 

[alainasmom]

 
Thank you for the quick reply!! 

I took our cat to the vet to rule out medical issues -- he did have a lot of bacteria in his urine - but no infection or crystals.  We are still running 1 course of antibiotics to clear the bacteria.  Also - I am switching him to only wet cat food (which he thinks he won the lottery on!) -- I add a little lukewarm water (just a touch) as well to keep the water in him.

Is 7 senior?  I thought maybe he was middle aged.  How old do cats get?  My husband said - If we get a kitten now - we'll just be in this same situation when this cat passes -- another solo cat who is stressed.  Maybe we should ride this out and give extra love?

I just don't know!!  I want to do what is best. 

You're welcome. I hope the bacteria get eliminated soon with the antibiotics. If he's picky and only likes wet food, and if it's high quality, then it will support his nutrition needs (contrary to some people's beliefs that cats must  eat dry and wet food to keep them alive). Is he not drinking water by himself (out of his water dish/bowl)?

It really depends on how he behaves normally to consider him "senior" or not - some cats are forever young at heart and act like kittens at the age of 12. You just have to watch his activity level and decide what age of cat he would be most suitable with. Sometimes it really doesn't even matter about the age of the second age, just its purr-sonality. 

 Cats can live to more than 20 years.

Your husband is right - the second cat will eventually be alone (unless you get another cat - which may or may not be a good idea) but will he/she be as affected by this cat's future passing? Some cats never really get to know each other, while some are very closely bonded (like the situation between your current cat and your RB cat).

If your cat seems to be primarily suffering from separation anxiety (loneliness), then adopting an adult/senior/even young cat (some people do say that young cats help get their senior cats up and running) may be a good option. However, if you think that he might be overwhelmed by another cat in the household and potentially aggravating his stress (which might cause more inappropriate urination problems), then maybe rethink and reconsider. It's all up to you, your husband, and your current cat. 

I understand the conundrum you're currently in and how frustrating it must be. 

 Good luck, and please keep us updated.