Should I get a companion (or companions) for my senior cat?

[Confused-a-Cat]

Hello!

I adopted 2 kittens almost 15 years ago, alas I lost one of them to cancer last year. The other is still with me though certainly showing his age. I’m on the fence about whether to adopt new kittens now. On the one hand maybe they would help my Sebastian stay active. On the other, maybe he would resent them?

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks

 

[Kris107]

Some things to consider... How did Seb do when your other one passed? How has he adjusted to being solo? Does he have any health issues? Does he require any extra care? Does he seem bored even though you play with him? Does he have pent up energy? Are you getting him kittens or getting you kittens? Kittens can play rough - can he get wrestled about or would that take a toll on him?

 

[Confused-a-Cat]

Well, to be honest, his behavior didn't actually change that much. The two were already pretty mellow at that time since they were 13 1/2 then, so it's not like they were running around the house. Sometimes I thought I saw him looking for the other one but that might just be me projecting.
As for health issues, no, he's in good health for his age, according to the vet.
He sleeps a lot so I don't know if it's boredom or age. Sometimes I see him playing with a toy a little bit during the day, but that's relatively rare.
He's a sturdy cat so I don't think he'd be damaged by kittens. My bigger concerns are: I don't want his retirement years to be spent aggravated by kittens. On the other hand, maybe he would like the company. And of course I don't want him to feel like I'm somehow "replacing" him. But again maybe I'm projecting


So indeed, I could certainly use the advice of other cat-veterans. Thanks again!

 

[rubysmama]

I think bringing a new kitten or kittens into your home with your senior boy has the potential to disrupt his life more than improve it. Of course, people probably don't post when things go well, but there's been many threads over the years of members looking for advice with new kittens bothering their senior cats.

Here's all the links a site search found for "senior" and "kitten", if you want to check them out. Welcome to TCS, btw.
Search Results for Query: senior kitten

And a couple specific ones, with the kitten being aggressive.
Kitten Agressive With Senior Cat
Kitten refuses to leave senior cat alone
Kitten Agressive With Senior Cat
Stressed Senior Cat, Hates Me And The New Kitten.
Keeping my kitten from pestering our senior cat

And this one with the senior being the aggressor:
Senior cat STILL really agressive with kitten after 9 months!

 

[susanm9006]

Senior cats are usually quite set in their routines. A newcomer disrupts all of that and generally will stress the senior. I think it is better to think about what you can do to make their life as an “only” more comfortable - giving them a heated bed, some new catnip toys and gobs of attention.

 

[ArtNJ]

No. If you want a kitten that is one thing, but to do it for your senior cat does not make sense, as the majority of them get very stressed for weeks to months and never befriend the kitten. As cats age their ability to accept new cats goes down. On average. Their are always exceptions, senior cats that will treat a kitten like their baby or even like a playmate. Getting lucky is possible. But in a high % of cases if you could ask the senior cat two months later, they would still say "get this thing the hell out of her" or at best "eh, I don't mind it when it keeps its distance".

 

[Meowmee]

Hello!

I adopted 2 kittens almost 15 years ago, alas I lost one of them to cancer last year. The other is still with me though certainly showing his age. I’m on the fence about whether to adopt new kittens now. On the one hand maybe they would help my Sebastian stay active. On the other, maybe he would resent them?

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks

If Sebastian is lonely and you want to I would get an older cat not a kitten. It can work out but if the personalities don't mesh well and the kitten is aggressive it can cause stress for the older senior cat. A middle aged cat can handle it better usually and will discipline a young kitten who gets out of hand etc. If you can foster and don't mind that then maybe try that first and see if they get along.

 

[Confused-a-Cat]

Thank you all for your input. It sounds like it makes sense to wait on new kittens.

Appreciate you all!

 

[Confused-a-Cat]

Here's Sebastian, by the way

 

[Mamanyt1953]

What a very enchanting old guy he is! Quite handsome, and such a dapper dresser. I bet he knows that "every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed tom!" (apologies to ZZ Top)

 

[Confused-a-Cat]

Thanks! Yeah he's a great little dude. Alas his interest in girls (well, girl cats) was removed before I adopted him at the shelter

 

[rubysmama]

Awwww... What a cutie pie.

 

[Alldara]

I did, but Nobel was showing big signs of separation anxiety.

I got a kitten from a foster home with a grumpy older resident cat. Kitten had "hobbies" that matched Nobel's: bird watching, box destruction, etc. Then we humans settled in knowing that our life would be consumed with cat intros for the unforeseeable future.
Going back, I would have gotten two at the same time. For Magnus's sake though. He was good at leaving Nobel alone and such but he wanted more wrestling etc than Nobel could provide.
He did love Magnus very much. We got Magnus into a schedule of napping and being alone in his intro room a few times a day for a few hours. This gave Nobel special alone time with us. Magnus still naps at those times to this day.