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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Getting a kitten when we have adult cats - madness?

30 replies

Hassled · 30/04/2012 20:21

So we currently have BoyCat (8) - soft as anything, a real sweetie, loves people BUT very territorial. He'll chase any passing cat that so much as looks at his turf and is in a fair few scraps. Then we have GirlCat (5) - malevolent, hates everyone but not too fussed about the territory.

DS3 wants a kitten. I want a kitten. We all want a kitten. DS3 especially - he adores cats, he's spending more and more time left behind with me a bit as older siblings have more obviously different interests and I think it would be good for him.

But I don't want to make the adult cats miserable. The layout of the house is such that I couldn't really create a safe room during the day for the kitten apart from an upstairs bedroom, which would be miserable for it when DS3 is at school. The kitten could spend nights safely in the sitting room as adult cats get shut in the kitchen. But sooner or later the cats will all have to meet and I just don't know if this is doable.

Does anyone have experience of similar? Should I just abandon the idea?

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 30/04/2012 20:25

I am wondering the same thing Hassled. Everyone on MN has had a kitten this week. Envy

Sparkling Cat hates other females but seems to quite like the male cats in the road. If we did get a kitten and she hated it I wouldn't know what to do.

I am very broody. Smile

MammKernow · 30/04/2012 20:31

Get one! (or two, to keep each other amused Wink).

We have a very old cat (20), and have ended up getting a kitten each year for the last 3 years - there are reasons, i'm not a collector or anything! 20yo-boy-psycho has been brilliant with all of them. And he was always territorial and anti-social - but i think the kittens did soften him up.

All we did was keep the kitten in dd's room for first night. Then let kitten explore house (and other cat/s) under close supervision for a few days. They all get on great and they are all very different cats.

MammKernow · 30/04/2012 20:32

This is a good time of year to get kittens - barn cats being born on farms, spring litters etc. Our local CPL certainly starts filling up this time of year Sad

CMOTDibbler · 30/04/2012 20:41

You honestly can't tell what will happen. We got a kitten, and cat1 ignored it completely. cat1 would have been about 3 at the time and had had kittens before she was rescued. When we got cat3 (18 months old) all hell broke loose, and we thought a couple of times he'd have to go back. But they settled into a cold war with occasional stand offs. But as a whole are more affectionate to us

Original poster
Hassled · 30/04/2012 21:12

That's all quite reassuring - thank you for responding.
I just don't bloody know - there's a small voice in my head saying "don't risk making two content cats miserable for the sake of a kitten". But I want one sooo much.

OP posts:
Kellamity · 30/04/2012 21:14

We're getting a kitten tomorrow and have a 6 year old male cat. I have told him but I don't think he knows what's going to hit him! Shock

Sparklingbrook · 30/04/2012 21:15

Envy Kellamity

Kellamity · 30/04/2012 21:18

Little black kitten, DCs have called her Mango. Other cat is called Charlie, going to sound like I making a radio call when I call them in - "Charlie Mango Charlie Mango come in please, over"

5inthebed · 30/04/2012 21:18

From personal experience, adult cats will show the kitten who is boss by whacking them a few times if they come too close and hissing at them. They don't stay grumpy for very long and more often that not having a kitten in the house turns them back into kittens for a bit as well as they will play with the new one.

I have a 12 week old kitten, and am already brooding over another one.

Original poster
Hassled · 30/04/2012 21:21

Kellamitty - can you report back in a day or so - pretty please?

OP posts:
Kellamity · 30/04/2012 21:23

Of course I will Smile Getting her tomorrow evening so think I will keep her away from Charlie tomorrow night.

Sparklingbrook · 30/04/2012 21:25

Don't forget the photos Kellamity. MN Rules. Wink

Original poster
Hassled · 30/04/2012 21:26

Hope it goes well - thanks

OP posts:
Kellamity · 30/04/2012 21:29

Ok I'll get the camera ready!

tb · 01/05/2012 00:17

4 years ago we acquired a kitten. The mother belonged to a friend of dd's who'd told her they would be drowned. So.....we relented. We already had a female Maine Coon who was 14 at the time.

The kitten arrived, and was forever jumping on her. He was neutered, and about 2 years after re-started jumping on her. She'd gone from 11lbs when she was about 5 or 6 to about 4-5lbs, so not as big and frightening as she was. We followed all the rules. Anyway, one day when he was about 2, he was almost full size, and started jumping on her again. One night, we were in the kitchen and he heard her coming along the hall. He hid behind the door, and flicked a paw round the edge of the door, aiming for her eyes.

It was very hard, but in the end, for her safety, he went to the SPA on the vet's recommendation, and they agreed to accept him for adoption.

We think, that he'd never known his place. He had 2 brothers, he father was semi-feral and lived in the gorges, and there was an older brother who was around, too. Looking back, we're not sure if his habit of leaping on you, dislodging a book etc was affection or aggression. We think if he'd have stayed, eventually he would have caused Kaz serious injury, and that would've been awful.

It can work, it can go wrong. For us, it went wrong.

Mabelface · 01/05/2012 00:29

My kitten, bob, tormented the older two for a while. They're now quite happily settled and all curled up together on the sofa

Kellamity · 01/05/2012 10:00

It's kitten day! Picking up at 6pm this evening. Haven't told DD as I'm not sure she would be able to concentrate at school if she knew it was today! All her bits and bobs are ready to go.

MrsGrumps · 01/05/2012 22:02

Oh god, I'm off on Saturday to view a little boy kitten and now I'm having second thoughts.

I have 3 sibling Maine Coons, two girls and a boy. The girls are bonded but my boy needs company and a companion to curl up to at night. We had a fourth boy cat which was a non sibling but he died a year ago and I have never seen such a dejjected and unhappy cat as my remaining boy.

I have taken advice that a younger cat is the way to go so it will adapt to the cats and the home life and system we have, I'm hoping that will work and that the boys will get on. I'm not expecting miracles overnight but I fear that they will hate each other and then I will have to find a home for the kitten :(

Kellamity · 01/05/2012 22:14

We are kitten positive. Just trying to upload a photo. It seems her name is now Jazz but this approval from DS who was asleep by the time we got home. She is very cute and very small! I very nearly came home with 2! Shock

crazynanna · 01/05/2012 22:16

Oooohh pics pics please! Smile

Kellamity · 01/05/2012 22:34

Finally managed to upload a photo!

Sparklingbrook · 01/05/2012 22:37

OMG I have exploded with Envy. I need one. She is beautiful.

crazynanna · 01/05/2012 22:38

Ooooohhh she is like my Poppy Kellamity...pics on my profile.
She is so cute Grin

Original poster
Hassled · 01/05/2012 22:40

That is one damn cute kitten :o.
And how is older cat? Stressed? Oblivious? Interested?

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 01/05/2012 22:41

I have no kitten to compare. Sad Envy