My Cat Is So Playful... Should I Get a New Pet?

[GeoDjay]

Hello everyone!

Okay, so I have 2 cats: a three year old neutered male and an eight year old spayed female. The boy is always trying to play with the girl, but she's too lazy and never wants to play with him. Of course, I do give him playing sessions, but for some reason he goes back to approaching his sister for some fun. It seems to me he wants an animal buddy to play with. Has anyone here had a similar issue? I'm thinking I could get a new kitten or a puppy since I've been wanting to have a canine addition to my family.

Thanks!

 

[ArtNJ]

Dogs are always going to be harder, but it can be done. There is a guide in the articles tab. I know less about that so lets move on to getting another cat.

Your three year old would probably do pretty well if you go with a kitten, but your older cat might actually be stressed out a fair amount for a while. Its weird when the newcomer is a kitten, but it happens a fair bit with an older less active cat. Some people do say that getting a kitten helped entertain their active kitten or young cat, taking some of the burden off an older cat, but its a bit risky because the new kitten could stress the older cat out, and might seek out the older one despite having a willing playmate. I think it is likely that your active 3 year old would do pretty well with a new kitten, but even that isn't a certainty. Cats older than two seem to be noticeably less adaptable and willing to accept a newcomer than really young cats, but it helps that he is still very playful. Adopting an older cat is a bit harder, but if you get a young one, still a good chance that the newcomer and the three year old would eventually become friends if you do a proper introduction process (guide in the articles tab).

Bottom line, I would only do this if you want the new pet, not just for the three year old. If you want to keep the task more manageable, get a kitten rather than an older cat or a dog, especially if you want the three year old to have a playmate. That said, if you really want a dog, read the guides, pick the dog carefully and it should be ok, at least in time.

Good luck!

 

[GeoDjay]

Thank you for your reply!

There is a guide in the articles tab

I will check it out.

but your older cat might actually be stressed out a fair amount for a while

I'm a bit worried about this, but I think it should be fine as time goes by.

Cats older than two seem to be noticeably less adaptable and willing to accept a newcomer than really young cats, but it helps that he is still very playful

I thought so too, but he's getting more playful every day!

Bottom line, I would only do this if you want the new pet, not just for the three year old

That's actually true. I want a new pet, and I'm hoping that that would be suitable for my boy.

 

[molly92]

I think it's a good idea, assuming you have the resources, time, and energy (kittens and puppies are so much work!). You'll want to vet the personality of the new animal to make sure their energy levels are a good match.

I actually think a dog might have some pros over a cat, because a dog isn't as much of an obvious threat to resources to cats. You can keep the cats' food, litter boxes, and beds out of reach of most dogs with a little planning. That's what I think most often causes issues between cats living together: they get nervous having to share. Plus, the cat can get out of reach of the dog whenever she wants peace. And, dogs are usually good learners, especially when a cat is the teacher and the lesson is "don't mess with me."

If your older cat has negative reactions when she hears neighbor dogs barking, it might not be a good idea, but if she's pretty chill normally, I think it might be worth a shot. I'd look for a dog that's used to cats, or a puppy that will grow into an adult big enough to "take" however rough the 3 year old is likely to be, but not a breed known for its high prey drive (i.e. no huskies, which are a terrible pet for the average person anyway).

Of course, the key to success is going to be doing introductions slowly and correctly. It's possible for even unlikely duos to coexist with the right techniques.

 

[GeoDjay]

Thank you for your reply.

If your older cat has negative reactions when she hears neighbor dogs barking, it might not be a good idea

I don't know how she'd react because she's an indoor cat and my neighbor's dogs' voices do not reach the house. I do know that she gets negative reactions toward some of my other neighbor's cats when she hears/sees them across the window, but my three year old doesn't care about them most of the time.