Say, maybe you (or anyone here) can help me. A couple of weeks after Wimpy died (3/29/2003, bless his little old heart!) I got a new cat. She was almost a year old then, so she's a little over 2 years old now. She's not afraid of anybody, she's boisterous, loves to play and has lots of energy, and does all sorts of cute, strange, funny things. We've often thought about getting another cat just to keep her company, but are afraid of what might happen if things go wrong. Once I agree to take a cat permanently, then it's permanent. I don't believe in giving up a pet except for extraordinary circumstances.
To make a longer story short, we are going to give a kitten a trial weekend at our house. Her present owners also have a grown female, and she can't stand this kitten. The owners won't send it to the pound if it doesn't work out with us, but will give it to a no-kill rescue operation.
So I've got a grown spayed female, and I'm going to try to introduce an un-neutered male kitten and I need to see in the space of a weekend if this is something that will work out, or if it's going to be a disaster.
Any advice?
His, I mean "his" present owners.
Jeez.
It sounds to me like you've got the perfect combo. From my experience, cats will have a little hissy fit when you introduce a new cat into their house, but the chances of them eventually getting along are much better if they are different ages and different sexes.
I don't think you'll find out in a weekend. We have the same situation - adult spayed female and a male kitten. We brought the kitten into the house at about 6 weeks old, and big cat had a snit for a week. She started coming around after a couple of weeks. Now it's two months later and they play all the time. Little cat had to go to the vet for shots a couple of days ago, and when he'd been gone about an hour big cat started following me around the house meowing. This kept up until mama and the little cat came home.
Start slow. For the first day or so, but the kitten in one room and close the door. Let your cat get used to the scent throught the door first, before you introduce them.
I think the "trial" is a good idea. My cat had an older cat already in the house when he was a kitten. Marlow didn't like little George at first, but he grew on him. Marlow would even clean George.
George is a territorial cat, but up until recently, he had no problem with ginger cats (orange haired--my hubby the Brit calls them ginger)---which was the color of Marlow.
Good luck. Let us know what happens.
We had Livingston (our purebred Maine Coon male) for about six months before we got Beauregard (also purebred Maine Coon male, a rescue). We ended up keeping them apart for a week on the breeder's recommendation...Beau came from a neglect situation and we weren't 100% sure about what kitty cooties he might've had, plus he was extremely skittish around people due to lack of contact. However, the two of them got along great and after four days they were both scratching at the door wanting to meet the scent on the other side of the door.
It's been almost five months and they get along great, except when they don't. Now granted, Livingston and Beau were both male, and Livingston was already fixed (we got Beau fixed the day after we picked him up), so that probably helped.
Keep them apart for a couple of days. And don't neglect your current kitty to spend time with the other one. My wife and I alternated shifts with each cat to keep them from feeling neglected, and it worked.
Good luck!
}:-)4
My two cats (both males, one aged 6 and the other 3.5) were together before I got them, so I don't know what was involved in getting them to get along.
Even to this day, sometimes they'll fight/wrestle (never to the point of actually hurting each other though), but they will sleep right next to each other when the weather starts getting cold.