Should I Sleep With A New Kitten Or Resident Cat?

bornagirl

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I'm sorry for such a random question, haha.
I have a year old cat who sleeps with me in the same room every night. He usually sleeps on the closet (his favorite spot) but sometimes comes to the bed too. He's a very easily scared cat and I was worried about a new kitten but I finally took the plunge I'm picking up a kitten from a shelter on Friday. I'm about to prepare a safe room and I'm not sure what room to use? Should I put the kitten in the bedroom with us first so he would be with us during the night (less stress maybe?) or should I put the kitten to a kitchen or other room and keep sleeping with my resident cat because he is used to that.
Thank you!
 

ArtNJ

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Not the kitchen for sure! You don't want a desperately scared kitten crawling under an appliance. A litter girl very recently died trying to rescue her kitten from behind the dryer. One big purpose of the safe room is mainly to build the kitten's confidence so it doesn't hide somewhere unsafe like that.

Bedroom is a common choice, not the end of the world if a kitten hides under a bed. But an empty or office room without anywhere to hide might be even better. Just easier to get to know the kitten quicker. Can stick the carrier with a blanket in it in the empty room/office to provide a safe space.
 
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bornagirl

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Thank you! I'm mainly just worried about stressing out my resident cat too much (he's already easily stressed) so I don't know if not being able to sleep in his usual place with us anymore would be distressful to him. We let him sleep with us from the first day. But I'm also unsure about leaving a new kitten alone for the nights?
I'm a worrier, haha. I'm just trying to make everyone as happy and comfortable as possible in this situation.
 

rubysmama

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Congrats on getting your new kitten. Hopefully, in time, both cats will be best buds. But do expect your current cat to be less than impressed with the kitten at first. So try not to change his routine too much, especially since he is easily stressed.

Since you haven't picked up the kitten yet, here are some articles on cat introductions. They are more for older cats, but some of the info should apply to introducing kittens and older cats too. I'll also post a few articles on new kittens.

Introducing Cats To Cats
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
The Multi-cat Household

9 Tips That Will Help Your Kitten Adapt To A New Apartment
Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips
 

furmonster mom

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I would probably set up a bathroom as a night time room for the kitten. Let that be for a week-ish while the resident and new kitten get to know each other a bit. Then let the kitten in the bedroom. Though, you might need to prepare yourself for some sleepless nights... kittens can be very active at odd hours.
 

BonitaBaby

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I would definitely let the resident cat keep sleeping with me in my bedroom and put the kitten in another bedroom or bathroom for up to 7 days. Introduce the cats slowly using the tips provided, such as scent swapping and then allow the kitten into the bedroom at night when the cats are comfortable with each other.
 
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