Picking a second cat!

[hybriseris]

Hi all -

I have a 9 year old Maine Coon mix named Shadow I adopted from my Grandmother when she had to move out of her home. I am in the process of finding a buddy for him, but as I've never had more than one cat at a time I'm looking for advice.

There are all sorts of opinions on genders, ages, etc and how they should mix, and I'm unsure if it really matters or if it's more about individual personalities mixing.

When living with my Grandmother, Shadow was an indoor/outdoor cat and he had two friends who came on to my Gram's yard to play with him. One - a big white male cat - would sit on my Gram's back porch and wait for Shadow to be let outside. They would play all day, and could frequently be seen lounging in the sun together during the day. Unfortunately, this cat eventually stopped showing up every day and Shadow became a little depressed and less interested in going outside. He is now an indoor only cat with me, for context.

I am considering adopting another younger male, but I've read they can be aggressive and territorial with each other? In everyone's experience, is this the case, or is it moreso independent on individual personality? I don't know how he gets along with female cats so feel a male might be a safer bet but I'm not sure! Thanks in advance.

 

[ArtNJ]

The thought is that a spayed/neutered cat of similar activity level and personality is perhaps best, with a kitten a close second and probably much easier to arrange.

However, I must caution you that 9 year olds are not terribly accepting of new cats in general, and you might find that the evidence of the outdoor cats turns out to not mean anything, especially if those particular cats have been known for years. Only recent evdience of adaptibility with new cats means much, and adaptibility outside could be different from adaptibility in the home. We've just seen so many people have their assumptions about this sort of thing go wrong. Certainly, having some evidence of possible adaptibility is better than not having it, and it could turn out to mean something -- but its hard to say, and you don't want to assume it will work out, because it may not.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

We do, however, have an article that might give you some further insights.
Your Second Cat: How To Choose The Best Friend For Kitty – TheCatSite Articles

as well as

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
Introducing Cats To Cats – TheCatSite Articles

 

[hybriseris]

The thought is that a spayed/neutered cat of similar activity level and personality is perhaps best, with a kitten a close second and probably much easier to arrange.

However, I must caution you that 9 year olds are not terribly accepting of new cats in general, and you might find that the evidence of the outdoor cats turns out to not mean anything, especially if those particular cats have been known for years. Only recent evdience of adaptibility with new cats means much, and adaptibility outside could be different from adaptibility in the home. We've just seen so many people have their assumptions about this sort of thing go wrong. Certainly, having some evidence of possible adaptibility is better than not having it, and it could turn out to mean something -- but its hard to say, and you don't want to assume it will work out, because it may not.

Thanks! I totally get what you're saying. For context, he lost his outside buddy in the last six months so was accepting at an older age. He is terribly kitten-like in terms of his personality and loves to play with me and would every minute of the day if I could.

I also understand that he might have behaved differently with outside vs inside territory, and I'm prepared for that.

What makes me think he'd still be happier with a second cat is the reaction to other cats he still displays. For example, he absolutely does not tolerate dogs. When he was with my Gram, he would hiss and lunge at my sister's dog if she walked by the property or even if he can see dogs through windows or doors. But when he visits my parents with me (he is dog-like and completely relaxed in new environments), he greets their spayed female cat with excited meows and relaxed body language.

I completely understand that it still may not go well, and that even with the right set of traits it may still be a crapshoot as to whether they'll get along. I've read a TON about introductions and I do have a guest room the new kitty could be in to slowly introduce them both.

 

[ArtNJ]

Sounds well thought out! Just in case, good idea to have an exit ramp when adopting with an older cat, just in case things go worse than average. A lot of people think returning a cat is some kind of sin, but its one thing to spend time on an introduction process, and another to do it when the mere presence of another cat behind closed doors has your current cat pooping everywhere, giving himself hot spots and/or lashing out at his humans, which does happen now and then when folks get particularly unlucky. So adopting from shelter/rescue is better than say taking a cat from someone moving to another country.

 

[hybriseris]

Sounds well thought out! Just in case, good idea to have an exit ramp when adopting with an older cat, just in case things go worse than average. A lot of people think returning a cat is some kind of sin, but its one thing to spend time on an introduction process, and another to do it when the mere presence of another cat behind closed doors has your current cat pooping everywhere, giving himself hot spots and/or lashing out at his humans, which does happen now and then when folks get particularly unlucky. So adopting from shelter/rescue is better than say taking a cat from someone moving to another country.

Yes, I'll be adopting from a rescue! I've applied to two, each has a cat that on paper seems well suited, and I'll ask further if I'm approved. I do plan on making clear that my current cat's happiness is my priority so if he seems to be taking it poorly, I'll have to bring the cat back to the rescue. That would of course be painful, but Shadow comes first.

Both of their applications had parts that stipulated the cat be returned to them if there were any unforeseen issues so I'm confident they'll understand this will be a trial that will hopefully go well.