Considering A Kitten Have A Senior Cat

[Aihccam]

I have a 11 year old cat named Stella. She is a dilute tordie with one bad eye and a back leg defect that makes her run like a bunny and has a triple kinked tail.

My husband and I both work full time and have a 4 year old son.

2 years ago Prima, the cat she bonded with when she was a kitten and adopted, died suddenly. Prima was the super social cat and Stella is the run away from people she doesn't really know and like cat. She sleeps on my legs and is really my cat, doesn't care to hang out much with the other family members.

My son and Prima were BFFs. He has missed her companionship. We are considering adopting a kitten, a ragdoll because one needs a home and I read they might be the easiest to fit into our home.

I'm freaking the hell out now about if this is the right choice and if I can manage kitten care, cat introductions and everything after 11 years.

Help, advice, opinions, anything welcome.

 

[ArtNJ]

Not a great idea, sorry.

Most kittens and young cats don't care if the older cat wants to play, and will jump on it regardless. I adopted a 14 week old kitten from a home with a 3-legged cat. I was in that home for 45 minutes, and witnesses the soon-to-be mine kitten torture the crap out of the 3 legged kitty. Its a normal issue, very common. This type of issue is typically *not* fixed by an introduction process.

Unfortunately, the activity difference is only one issue, and there is another big issue. Many older cats get very stressed by the mere presence of another cat, and it doesn't seem to matter much that the newcome is a kitten. A big cat growling, hissing and hiding from a kitten is a common thing. Ridiculous, but common. Introductions can help with this side of things, but often times stress can persist for a while.

Of course, millions of people do this sort of introduction, and with time, its generally at least ok-ish. Stress can persist a good while, but does typically get manageable over time. And sometimes it goes well. All variations are possible. However, here, where there are medical issues, I would not suggest it. (The fact that Stella is shy wont help, but its hard to predict how an older cat will react to a newcomer just from how it is with people or its former cat-friend so I don't give this much weight.)

 

[neely]

First I would like to welcome you to TCS! I'm glad you came here and asked for advice before jumping into adding a new kitten to your family. Obviously a lot depends on the personality of Stella and the newcomer you are thinking of adopting. Here is an Article that may be helpful for you (note the paragraph on Age Matters): Your Second Cat: How To Choose The Best Friend For Kitty

I wish you the best of luck on finding a new companion for your 4 year old son and 11 year old cat. Thank you for considering adoption. Please keep us posted on your decision.

 

[Aihccam]

A

Not a great idea, sorry.

Most kittens and young cats don't care if the older cat wants to play, and will jump on it regardless. I adopted a 14 week old kitten from a home with a 3-legged cat. I was in that home for 45 minutes, and witnesses the soon-to-be mine kitten torture the crap out of the 3 legged kitty. Its a normal issue, very common. This type of issue is typically *not* fixed by an introduction process.

Unfortunately, the activity difference is only one issue, and there is another big issue. Many older cats get very stressed by the mere presence of another cat, and it doesn't seem to matter much that the newcome is a kitten. A big cat growling, hissing and hiding from a kitten is a common thing. Ridiculous, but common. Introductions can help with this side of things, but often times stress can persist for a while.

Of course, millions of people do this sort of introduction, and with time, its generally at least ok-ish. Stress can persist a good while, but does typically get manageable over time. And sometimes it goes well. All variations are possible. However, here, where there are medical issues, I would not suggest it. (The fact that Stella is shy wont help, but its hard to predict how an older cat will react to a newcomer just from how it is with people or its former cat-friend so I don't give this much weight.)

Any advice on what to do? My husband and son really miss the love of a cat and Stella really does not care to be the object of the affection.

 

[Aihccam]

First I would like to welcome you to TCS! I'm glad you came here and asked for advice before jumping into adding a new kitten to your family. Obviously a lot depends on the personality of Stella and the newcomer you are thinking of adopting. Here is an Article that may be helpful for you (note the paragraph on Age Matters): Your Second Cat: How To Choose The Best Friend For Kitty

I wish you the best of luck on finding a new companion for your 4 year old son and 11 year old cat. Thank you for considering adoption. Please keep us posted on your decision.

I read the article and

First I would like to welcome you to TCS! I'm glad you came here and asked for advice before jumping into adding a new kitten to your family. Obviously a lot depends on the personality of Stella and the newcomer you are thinking of adopting. Here is an Article that may be helpful for you (note the paragraph on Age Matters): Your Second Cat: How To Choose The Best Friend For Kitty

I wish you the best of luck on finding a new companion for your 4 year old son and 11 year old cat. Thank you for considering adoption. Please keep us posted on your decision.

The kitten in question is at the rescue we adopted Stella from. I read the article and have been on the lookout for a cat we think will match Stella's temperament, but have not met the right cat. This kitten is super chill (for kittens) but his mannerisms remind me of Prima, that is probably why I thought it could work.

 

[kittyluv387]

What about adopting an older cat? Adult cats whi are very affectionate do certainly exist.

 

[Aihccam]

What about adopting an older cat? Adult cats whi are very affectionate do certainly exist.

Wouldn't I have the same issues really?

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS.

Because of your resident cat's age, and moreso her health issues, I tend to think she would find a young kitten to be more of a pest than a friend. Eventually, of course, the kitten will become an adult and they might become friends, but the process could really stress out Stella and cause behaviour issues.

An older cat, would at the very least, not have the energy levels of a young, mischievous kitten.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that cats generally take time to accept any new cat in the family, and that keeping the new cat in a separate area when you first bring it home, and slowly doing introductions, over days (even weeks) gives you the best chance of a happy outcome.

One thing you could consider, is getting 2 kittens, so they'd at least have each other to play with. But, that could also mean 2 kittens to pester Stella. So, a lot to consider.

TCS has several articles on cat introductions which will give you an idea of the best way to go about bring a new cat into your home. Here are the links.

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Introducing Cats To Cats | TheCatSite
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat | TheCatSite
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction | TheCatSite

 

[ArtNJ]

I think the problem with matching temperment for a kitten at shelter is that the kitten might quickly blossom into something quite different at home -- i.e. rapidly become a typical active kitten that will drive an older cat crazy. Whatever tendencies Ragdolls have as a breed is worth exactly nothing once you get this kitten home and he blossoms into whatever type of kitten he will be.

I understand why folks are telling you to consider an older cat. Temperment matching is easier with an older cat -- you will in some cases have a history of how the cat has been with one or more other cats. However, the counter argument is that you have a four year old son -- i.e., is there really any possibility of returning the cat if the inter-cat problems are unusually bad without tears and dad being the villain? Maybe you can make your son understand? Maybe you can get approved to foster a cat, and that will help your son understand?

There is probably no perfect solution that involves another cat. You would be rolling dice. You can adjust the odds in your favor by following folks recommendations, but there is still a possibility that your beloved and medically or at least physically fragile cat will be very unhappy and stressed for quite a while. You either roll those dice, or consider something that won't bother the cat, like a guinea pig.

 

[ArtNJ]

This is a typical post that just popped up. There is one (or more) on the forum every day.

Resident Cat Hiding From New Kitten

Not saying you can't, that it would be that bad, or that it wouldn't get better with time. Just trying to give you a feel for it.

 

[Willowy]

2 kittens would be OK, I think. If you got one kitten it would likely be a pest and annoy the older cat. With 2 they could pounce on each other and not bother the old lady. She would need her own space and you'd need to make an effort to give her attention on her own terms. But it's doable, I think.