....To Give This Kitten A Home?

[LavenderRain]

A friends cat had unexpectedly given birth to 3 kittens, they are sooooo cute.
I would love to give one a home, as would DS. DH on the other hand isn't as keen but wouldn't stop me if I really wanted it and paid for it's keep

Thing is we already have a lovely boy cat who is now 10 years old. I love him to bits and this is the only thing that's stopping me saying yes to this kitten.
How will 10 year old boy react? Do cats put up with a new member in their home or AIBU??

[hiddenhome]

Get the kitten. You dh will quickly come round, my dh loves our three after always claiming to dislike cats.

An older cat will easily get used to a kitten.

Get a Feliway Diffuser (they're cheaper on eBay).

[MrsNextDoor]

Be careful. I have a 10 year old male Siamese and when my neighbour got a kitten I brought it into my house to meet my boy....I imagined my lovely cat would be nice to it...WRONG! He hissed nastily and was very agressive.

[ArseForElbow]

YANBU

Your DH will come round and like PP said if you need it get a Feliway Diffuser. I have always had cats and used to breed them, there was always a bit of hissing to start with but they quickly come round.

[hiddenhome]

They can be aggressive initially, but will get used to a kitten a lot easier than a grown cat. I've introduced quite a few kittens to my older cat and she's fine. The one cat she wasn't fine with was an older cat.

Kittens fit in well. I'd never hesitate to turn down a kitten.

[hiddenhome]

You keep the kitten in a separate room for a couple of days and introduce them gradually, using Dreamies to ease things along.

Make sure your older cat is allowed his own space if he feels a bit threatened by the newcomer. Make sure he's supported emotionally by playing with him and letting him know that nothing will change as regards to his routine and environment.

[BettyCatKitten]

My 10 year old Tom is fine with our kitten. They sleep together on my bed and play together

[Welshmaenad]

I have a 9 year old half Siamese girl and she is the grumpiest most neurotic cat alive, yet she's managed to deal with the introduction of four kittens in her time with us. She just needs lots of fuss and reassurance that she's still the princess of the household, she hissed and stropped initially but has never hurt them and always comes round. She's very firmly attached to me so as long as she still gets to sit on my lap often she's fine. Would suggest whoever your old boy is fondest of ensures they still give him lots of fuss after the kitten arrives.

[Welshmaenad]

Also, have never held with all the gradual introduction/swapping smells/separate rooms thing, just chuck them together and let them sort out the pecking order. No sense prolonging the anxiety.

[Whatsforsupper]

As someone who has rescued 100's cats and has a multi cat household, I say do it.

That said. Cats are incredibly territorial adding in a kitten to a 10 year old may not work out. Id try it if it doesn't work out Id re-home.

Would you please suggest to your friend she gets the cat spayed! The amount of animals needing homing is never ending.

[Whatsforsupper]

Welsh

You obviously don't know cats at all other wise you'd never make that statement!

Cats are creatures of extreme habit adding in news things/pets upsets them.

Adding in a new kitten can be ultra upsetting for cats some cats won't tolerate a new cat hence you introduce them over time.

[yellowdinosauragain]

We've just introduced 3 kittens to our 16 year old cat (we'd had 2 other adult cats who died recently). We gradually introduced them over a couple of weeks while using feliway diffusers. She hissed at them loads to start with but now tolerates them. I'll second lots of love for the older cat as well which has helped her. Go for it!

[Happybodybunny12]

Ah it's not the issue of how the older cat will cope with a kitten.

It's what happens when the kitten gets bigger and as your old cat gets older the cute kitten wants to be top cat and attacks the old cat at any oppertunity.

This is what we have now ours are 2 and 17!!!

We keep the old guy protected by him having his own space in the house she's not allowed in and never leave them together in a room unless we are there.

Funnily enough they are fine in the garden it's just the house.

Get the kitten but be aware.

[Happybodybunny12]

And now I want a kitten!! Shame on you op!