Adopting a second cat: success stories

[chiarabab]

I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistake as english is not my first language AND I'm typing from my phone.

We are about to adopt a 5 months old male kitten as a companion for our 8 months old resident kitten (also male). We really think that this will improve both his life an ours (double the cuteness, plus not having to tire him out constantly when all we can do is pass out on the sofa), but someday like today I am a bit afraid of "whatifs". What if they don't get along. What if second kitten is a little terror. What if he does not like us. What if... You got the picture.
I did all my research and made sure to pick a healthy, social, cuddly kitten, we will do our best to introduce them properly, and I know that, him being a living thing, there are elements of the outcome i simply cannot control...

But right now I REALLY need to hear some success stories on this subject, and how you and your cat are happier with a companion.

Pretty please?

 

[bluebird gal]

Chiarabab .. we too, whatif'd ourselves half nutty with worry that we would find a companion for our boy Si.  Today is 1wk since Monty came to his forever home and I will preface this by saying I think we are one of the exceptions, rather than the norm from what I've read here alone.   We had a very succesful integration of the two and within 60hrs we had full on play with a few hisses or swats as Si let Monty know what was his.  And by the fourth day they were eating side by side and Si took to grooming Monty.  No matter how thrilled the DH & I were that our story was a success, I don't think there are any guarantees.

We felt like we knew our 17mo old's overall demeanor fairly well, and ended up choosing a 4mo neutered male who was just a little love bug the moment we started interacting with him more than the others.  Since Monty continued to seek us out for affection while we were interacting with other black kittens in the same age range, we went with our gut and chose him.  

I will say too, that it was very important to us that in the event there was not a successful integration of the two after a few weeks, or if it just stressed our main man out too much, the shelter would take him back.  And of course, they would, it is part of their policy.   That too, took a load off our minds, even though we were already attached to that little face.

But Monty is here to stay, and we are just giddy with joy over how the two play so hard, groom each other, and now sleep together.  Our main man Si really seems to be enjoying re-discovering his own inner kitten again -- trying to keep up with what we now lovingly refer to as his own personal flying monkey 

I wish you the best of luck in your upcoming adoption and good vibes on a smooth transition into his new forever home.

 

[ldg]

Well, we have 8 cats living (fairly) happily together in an RV. :lol3:

Has your baby come home yet????????????????

 

[chiarabab]

Well, we have 8 cats living (fairly) happily together in an RV. :lol3:

Has your baby come home yet????????????????

Not yet!! He'll be here on the 27th... Cannot wait!

 

[ldg]

Ooooooo, yes, so exciting!

 

[flintmccullough]

Don't even worry about spelling/grammer, lol, I am prob the worst one on here, and my first language is Texan, lol. 

My show kittens come home at 8 weeks old.  They are handled totally different, from bringing in a young kitten or adult into the household. I never ever had a spec of trouble in introducing them into the household.

Even bringing in rescues, I never had a bit of problem......ever.

How they are blended into the household, is "thee" key. Having the resident kitty or kitties trained, in manners, in responsibilites, goes a very long way, to having a very smooth introduction and blending. 

I took in a rescue many many yrs ago. She had been severly mistreated and abused, no one wanted her, they called me. At that time, I had to put her in my barn. Fine with her, she hated the other kitties and preferred to be by herself, in the hayloft. She at least had a home and shelter. Her other option, was not pretty.

Long story short, but I went to a horse show, was gone 3 days, when I came home, she was gone. I looked and looked and looked, no kitty.  She was gone for 5 months, when she turned up, in one of the far pastures. She saw me, her meow was very distinctive, I called her, she came to me. She followed me all the way back behind my horse.

I took her home.

At that time, was living in an effencency, so no way to seperate her from the others, and I knew she hated other kitties. I set her down and prepared for the battle that was sure to ensue.

Nothing.....nothing at all happened, not at all, nothing.

She looked at them, like don't even think about it. They walked around her, and gave her a very wide berth. No hissing, no batting, no fistfights, nothing.  They left her alone, she didn't bother them, she was happy, they were happy. 

I don't deal with what if's, lol, I prepare, and deal, with what happens.  Can't wait to see pictures and hear about his first days stories. 

  

    

 

[fhicat]

I've beeen thinking about a playmate for Jed too - he's playful and I feel bad that I don't play with him enough, plus he gets bored with my playing easily. So thanks for this thread.

 

[bluebird gal]

Not yet!! He'll be here on the 27th... Cannot wait!

That is great news! 

 

[chiarabab]

I've beeen thinking about a playmate for Jed too - he's playful and I feel bad that I don't play with him enough, plus he gets bored with my playing easily. So thanks for this thread.

Hi Fhi! You can find some awesome advice among the answers I was given in another thread I started: "Introducing a second cat in a small apartment".

@Flint... Once again thank you so much! I posted some pictures of the new little fella into this thread!

As promised somewhere else I'll try to start a diary to tell you all how the fast introduction goes!

 

[flintmccullough]

So what happened with Fletcher's grooming school, LOL.  

He is such a cutie little guy!! I am so glad you are adopting him!!  

If ya trained Fletcher like I told ya to, LOL, you will have zero problems. Looking forward to hearing how his first day went.