Would it be very unwise??

[valrhona]

Well most of you regulars helped me out so much when I got my very first ever cats from a cat-lady rescue last spring-summer. 2 girls. They will be here with us a year soon. It's flown by and bar the odd niggle and panic from me it's all gone v well, many thanks to you all! I absolutely love the two of them.

But.

I have a terrible hankering for a kitten. I've never had a kitten. I have a deep hankering for a British shorthair kitten.

Would this be a really stupid move, just when things are nicely settled down? Is it just greedy? Or naive? I'm prepared to be talked out of getting another cat and will listen to any advice.

(Oh but I'd love one of those....!)

One can never have too many cats .... :D

I must admit, having had cats forever, it was a joy to have two kittens this year. BUT the worry over them when they are little.. the settling in, the OMG they have gone outside for the first time... has aged me :D

And my old girl slaps them both about a lot!

DH wants a British Blue , so I suspect we may have one in our future too...

I'm not a good one to to ask for advice, but if you can afford the food, bills, jabs and any possible disasters... why not?

• disclaimer... I AM going to be the mad old cat lady...

Hmm. Well I might not be the most impartial of responders as I'm so against the deliberate breeding of cats. For so many reasons. So I would never advise anyone to get a pedigree kitten. However kitten season is already getting underway and very soon rescues will be bursting at the seams with them. So if you really want a kitten, do consider getting a rescue one.

Kittens though are a lot of work and hassle. Two kittens are usually easier than one, as they keep each other company and have a playmate and don't suffer so much with separation anxiety. For that reason we only home small kittens in pairs.

Whether it would be wise to introduce more cats to the household. Well it's not easy to say. It's generally possible, with care and perseverance, but is it wise? I don't know.

It might work but it might not - and you really can't tell how it would go until you're in the middle of it, I suspect.

I'm a little sobered by currently having a cat who (I've discovered) thoroughly dislikes other cats so for myself, I wouldn't take the risk of badly upsetting the incumbents now that they've got things sorted out. Especially given that kittenhood lasts such a very short time and you can always have a kitten in a number of years time.

PS - if you're kitten-broody and have a spare room, have you thought about some fostering - what with kitten season being nearly on us?

Personally I wouldn't risk upsetting the applecart. Cats are not pack animals. If your two get on well I'd be happy with leaving it at that.

Yes - fostering - brilliant idea!

We have a BSH (blue cream girl) and if it wasn't for DC3 due in under a fortnight I would definitely be getting another!!

thecatneuterer - the rescue centres may be full of kittens but they are very fussy about who they let have one. I was told DS was too young (2 at the time).

Hmm. Thanks for the advice, and yes it would be foolish to risk messing up the current arrangements and the relative harmony in the house. Coley I think would be quite amenable to a new housemate, but Margot, not so much. She tolerates Coley who would only love to be buddies with her. But maybe it would be unfair to Margot.

I will have to wait many years (I hope!) for my blue cat....

Wise decision, it would be a shame if Margot got upset, risking behaviours such as house soiling etc.