To get a kitten when I already have an adult cat?

[DeepaBeesKit]

An opportunity has arisen to rescue a kitten. We already have an adult cat. Got lots of space etc no issue paying vet bills etc. I wfh 100% so can give a kitten plenty of attention.

If you have introduced a new kitten to an adult cat, do you regret it? Do they get along? I don't want to upset my adult cat.

Yabu: do not get the kitten
Yanbu: get the kitten. Your adult cat will adjust.

YANBU. I have 3 cats all 3 years apart they were fine. Just let the adult cat come to the kitten in their own time don't force it.

We have a five year old rescue, and while she hissed the first few days, they are now resigned to each other, and I think the old lady actually likes all the toys being around again! But she is eating half his food and getting chubby so we are trying to rejug the feeding situation.

It depends on the cat I think. I had three cats and two of them have died now leaving one who is quite set in her ways and doesn't like routine change. If I brought home a kitten I think she'd move out.

We have an eight year old and recently got a 3 year old which is possibly harder than a kitten. She’s kitten-like so my older cat looks a bit jaded by the games. They’re still settling in together but it’s been fascinating watching how cats communicate. The hissing and growling can be alarming but the vet told me it’s quite normal.
Go for it-it’s very rewarding

I’ve always had a cat and kitten when one has died and we’ve got a new one to replace it.

Our older cat, a gentle amd tolerant little lady, was distinctly unimpressed by the arrival of two kittens we had chosen to take on some time after her brother sadly died. She made it quite clear that her nose was well out of joint by hissing and bristling whenever she saw them and refusing to occupy even the same floor in the house with them, never mind the same room.
I was worried she would never settle down and accept them but thankfully she eventually grew used to them and learned to live alongside. It took weeks (if not months) though.
I’m glad they all co-exist well but truth be told, I’d not do that to our older cat again. No more cats here. She’s a lovely pet…I felt terrible for putting her through it.

I don’t think you are necessarily being U, but what’s your plan if they hate each other or the older cat hates the kitten (which is not unlikely however careful you are). If it is keeping the kitten and making the older cat’s life miserable, or worse rehoming the older cat then that would definitely not be fair.

Our older, very grumpy cat was 10 when we got our male cat. If you have an older resident female they accept young neutered males well apparently, but as above it will very much depend on the cat. Perhaps we were just lucky but they are friendly, will sleep cuddled up on occasion and coexist quite peacefully.

Our 8 yo neutered male dcat was depressed after his db sadly died... Def didn't want a dkitten but felt so guilty we rescued 1!!
Dcat slept (lived!!) in dd's room. Put another tray and bowls in and left them to it... Hissed for a few mins. Watched each other across the room. Shared a bed within days...
A year later the best of friends still.

It depends on your older cat. If they are generally tolerant of other cats in their garden, if they like to play. My older rescue absolutely adores the kitten (now cat) I got. It's made his life 100% better. But I knew he was vvv interested and positive with (nose sniffs, bum sniffs) other cats. And the kitten was a girl, and rather the timid one of the litter.

I am a life long cat owner and have introduced kittens to cats a number of times. I have had the most trouble when I have introduced a young (say less than six months) to a slightly younger kitten, which I have done twice when I decided I should have got two for company for each other. But with careful handling it took about a week to get them settled. In both those cases, the kitten and younger kitten ended up the very best of friends.

A new kitten will probably gravitate towards an older cat on the other hand, there shouldn’t be any issues that way around, the older cat on the other hand might not appreciate the new kitten. I got a kitten this year and already have a ten year old cat. My cat is a very chilled out guy, he sometimes get fed up with kitten antics, but he otherwise accepted the kitten immediately.

Yes, our two lady cats will sleep curled up beside one another on occasion. They also have the odd paw slap when one of them oversteps. The boy cat does his own thing really.

@Brollywasntneededafterall I think we got our kittens around the same time! I remember that photo. So glad they are still friends. My two absolutely adore each other. It's wonderful

We have mixed experiences. One of our cats NEVER got along with any new kittens. The others were quite accepting and after a couple of days of hissing and bushy tails they enjoyed having a new playmate. It actually gave one of our older cats a new lease of life :)

I would say go for it. But you must post photos if you do!

Feed the older cat really extra nice food and treats for a while so they have incentive to stick around

Interesting to read these responses. We had a pair of sisters and one sadly died a few years ago, leaving us with our 11 year old. We’d love a kitten, but have decided against it, as I really don’t think she would be happy at all. She hates other cats in the garden and I just don’t think it’s fair to add the stress of a new cat in her own safe space for her. I spoke to the vet about it and she advised against it, so for now we’re sticking with just our one cat. Growing up we had loads of cats and they did eventually all coexist together, so it can work. I think depends on the cat. Ours would not be impressed

It all depends on the cat. I've done this twice now to my poor oldest boy. Not that he minds.
So I have a 6 year old cat, a 3 year old cat and a 1 year old cat. All males, all get on with each other. Especially the 6 year old and the 1 year old. They love each other.

@misskatamari

Interesting to read these responses. We had a pair of sisters and one sadly died a few years ago, leaving us with our 11 year old. We’d love a kitten, but have decided against it, as I really don’t think she would be happy at all. She hates other cats in the garden and I just don’t think it’s fair to add the stress of a new cat in her own safe space for her. I spoke to the vet about it and she advised against it, so for now we’re sticking with just our one cat. Growing up we had loads of cats and they did eventually all coexist together, so it can work. I think depends on the cat. Ours would not be impressed

I have never come across a cat that likes strange cats roaming in the garden. But most will accept a new cat in the home with the right introductions. I have just posted about my ten year old boy that has just accepted our new kitten, with really no trouble at all, but he would not tolerate another cat in the garden.

We got a 6 month old kitten recently when our oldest cat died.

Was going to let our remaining cat be an only as he'd never been that close to the older one. But he seemed so down and mopey.

For a week or two I'd really regretted adopting the new one. As old man wasn't pleased at all.

But that soon passed, the kitten was desperate to be friends with old man (our rescue was really good as choosing a cat who they knew would benefit from an older friend) and managed to win him round.

Now they kiss and cuddle every day. Wrestle lots and play together. A side we'd never seen of our older boy. Really sweet.

But I'm already worried about the big age gap as the little one loves his big brother so much.