Single kitten syndrome (orphan)

[helpus3]

I need advice...please!

We have a 7 month old kitten that we've raised as an orphan. Well...he is completely showing signs of single cat syndrome. He plays too rough and bites. Other than that he is a sweet cat but some days I'm at my wits end because i can't play with him all day to make him tired.

I'm scared we have waited too long to get a second cat to help him get his playfulness out of his system.

If we're not too late what cat age do you reccommend? Younger? Older? And does gender matter?

 

[savingkali]

Girls can be stubborn but if spayed it shouldn't matter. I would probably go younger but not by too much. A kitten that has learned the proper cat etiquette from their mom would be ideal to teach your resident cat. I must say, I raised a 10 day old orphan and we waited 3 years before getting another kitten. What a mistake. I wish we got one sooner because she is terrified. She has never encountered another cat before. She's been raised by my dogs so she's not lonely but she can be anxious. It's been 3 weeks since our little 4 month old boy came into our home and our resident (mind you she is also a tortoiseshell cat and they're known to be stubborn too) is just coming out from hiding and feeling confident enough to smell his scent.

 

[helpus3]

Oh wow 3 years! Yeah it took a lot of convincing to my husband that our kitty desperately needs a friend. He has so much energy. He's neutered which has helped him calm down some.

Thanks for the response and I hope your kitty continues to do better with the new fella!

 

[Willowy]

For a female I'd recommend a male, but since he's male he can have a female or male friend. I've found that neutered males can be buddies, and male/female usually works fine, but 2 females rarely become bffs unless they're raised together. If you get a female, I'd recommend she be the same age or slightly older, if you get a male, a little younger would probably be best. Try to get a spunky confident kitten, not shy or timid.