Wanting to adopt another cat...not sure if it's a good idea

[bayareakitties]

I have three indoor cats, they are 8 and 9 years old. I live in a smaller space but I have made it work well. I adopted the last one 5 years ago. And 3 did definitely seem like enough. It never occurred to me to adopt more..until lately. For some reason I keep looking at local shelters and rescue groups websites. Not sure why this is coming up for me now too. I don't want to upset the apple cart when I already have 3 and there is general harmony. Do you have certain questions you ask yourself before you adopt?...

 

[maggie101]

I have a 7,8,and 9 yr old 2 are bff,other is territorial and now has ibd. I plan on fostering in hopefully 10 yrs later. I so want to adopt another! But I am afraid I will brake the apple cart-one orange. You won't know if your new cats an orange til he/she is brought home

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
What about volunteering? Shelters need the help, and your cats at home would remain content.

 

[bayareakitties]

Hi
What about volunteering? Shelters need the help, and your cats at home would remain content.

That's a good idea, maybe I just want to interact with more cats now?...

 

[Furballsmom]

It's worth it

 

[misty8723]

Hi
What about volunteering? Shelters need the help, and your cats at home would remain content.

Just fair warning - I volunteer - You will encounter a bunch of cats you would love to take home. I know I can't , but the temptation is there.

 

[doomsdave]

B bayareakitties I know the feeling, down here in the OC, and know the extremes it can take. I met a lady who had 43 cats in a small house and was looking for homes for them. I had 10 of my own at the time (including a mom and her kittens) so I declined, but I hope she managed.

Love can go crazy, sometimes.

Don't be afraid to catch your breath and think.

I do, often.

 

[tiggerwillow]

I would love to take on another cat when my Tigger goes to Rainbow Bridge, but my Willow is extremely territorial.

If your cats get upset about strange cats being within sight of the house, like my Willow does (not even in the garden!) it's best not to, for the new cat's sake.

 

[xkappax]

It depends on the personalities of the cats. I had an older, deaf white cat with blue eyes and he was terrified of other cats, even kittens... so he had to be an only cat. My current cat absolutely LOVES other cats, and he'd probably do just fine with a friend.

 

[tiggerwillow]

It depends on the personalities of the cats. I had an older, deaf white cat with blue eyes and he was terrified of other cats, even kittens... so he had to be an only cat. My current cat absolutely LOVES other cats, and he'd probably do just fine with a friend.

I knew a cat once, who was terrified of literally everything - she even ran away from mice ..........

"it moved! heeeeeeeelp!!!!!!!!!" *runs away and hides behind the settee*

god knows what happened to her before she was adopted, all we know is her owner died, family took her in but she decided the children were terrifying so they gave her to rescue

nobody knew at the time but she only had 2 years left by that point, her liver and kidneys eventually failed, she was severely underweight to the point everyone was surprised she could even stand up - it was nothing humans did to her, she just kept refusing to eat while in rescue

the best we ever got was getting her up to borderline underweight, before organ failure took her to rainbow bridge, helped along by the vet

sorry, memory lane

 

[doomsdave]

I don't have 10 cats anymore, and I have to keep slapping myself when the Devil suggests I adopt another, or others.

 

[danteshuman]

I think if it is meant to be, the right kitten will come to you!

 

[kommunity kats]

I knew a cat once, who was terrified of literally everything
all we know is her owner died, family took her in but she decided the children were terrifying so they gave her to rescue.
she only had 2 years left by that point, her liver and kidneys eventually failed, she was severely underweight - it was nothing humans did to her, she just kept refusing to eat while in rescue

the best we ever got was getting her up to borderline underweight, before organ failure took her to rainbow bridge, helped along by the vet

sorry, memory lane

It's good to reflect on the fact that many cats do not do well in the face of change, especially multiples of change!
Loosing their owner to death; being moved into a home with young children; then being put into a rescue with lots of other animals, scents, noises, & reasons for worry. . . . Stress is a killer, especially of displaced, homeless kitties!
In a situation like the one you've described, the kindest thing for that kitty would have been a gentle euthanasia.

 

[tiggerwillow]

It's good to reflect on the fact that many cats do not do well in the face of change, especially multiples of change!
Loosing their owner to death; being moved into a home with young children; then being put into a rescue with lots of other animals, scents, noises, & reasons for worry. . . . Stress is a killer, especially of displaced, homeless kitties!
In a situation like the one you've described, the kindest thing for that kitty would have been a gentle euthanasia.

she did end up getting gently euthanased, when her kidneys and liver started to fail, vet advised it

the comfort we took from it was at least she had soemwhere safe as a only-cat for the last year of her life

 

[tiggerwillow]

she did end up getting gently euthanased, when her kidneys and liver started to fail, vet advised it

the comfort we took from it was at least she had soemwhere safe as a only-cat for the last year of her life

she was not aggressive though, she would flee from everyone and everything, exception being one human, she wouldnt be hissing at anyone either, she (if she could not flee from the scary humans) would find somewhere to hide, i think she only hissed out of sheer terror the once, but offered no aggressing, allowed herself to be gently stroked, but pretty much shut down when she was getting stroked (at first)

she decided to allow strokes in exchange for chicken breast pieces though - cooked