Tell me honestly, is a kitten a bad idea?

[Northernlurker]

Our cat is 13 and hopefully will continue to be healthy. We can afford insurance and cattery for more than one. Dd2 just got married, dd1 lives away. Dh works from home a lot of the time and will miss ddd2 more than he realises I think. Teenage dd3 will also miss her. Obvs a cat is a cat not a sister substitute but I have wondered if this is a good moment when we could or should get a kitten. Or two. Would be from rescue like our existing cat. Just think it could be lovely for us all. Our worry is our existing cat.

She is an outside cat, very sociable with people, has a v small range, hates dogs and other cats. Would it stress her unbearably?

Probably if she hates cats and you bring one home. She’s not going to be thrilled about it.

I thought older cars could be more accepting of kittens? She had a litter before we had her. Don't know if she remembers that

It's not really fair on your existing cat, what would the plan be if she became really stressed and couldn't take to the kittens?

I have decided against getting a second cat because my cat hates other cats. She goes outside but often gets in fights which she loses.

home is her safe space where she doesn’t have to compete for food or share toys and beds.

inwould live a little kitten - but I just don’t think it would be fair given my cats personality.

If you're going to do it then definitely get a pair of kittens so they keep each other entertained and don't bother your older cat. Even a very cat-friendly cat would find a kitten annoying.

You say your cat hates other cats, so yes, it would make her very unhappy and stressed.

I've had several cats over the past 42 years, only got the 1 old (19) boy now. Twice I've tried to introduce a new cat but he attacked them and was utterly miserable, so I couldn't keep either (they had to go back to the shelter, which was so sad)

I’ve never understood why people think bringing a second cat into the home of an already settled cat is a good idea. They are so territorial they don’t even like other cats in their garden space.

Don’t do it. It would be really unfair.

I got a new kitten when my only cat was 11.

Older cat wasn't overly amused at first as the kitten just wanted to play (wish I got 2). They tolerate each other these days.

We got a single kitten after our ginger boy died. Our female cat was 10 but playful.
I wished we'd got two! She found the kitten very annoying as he tried to playfight with her.

He's now 2 years old, 50% bigger than her & very much still "her kitten". They sleep together on her terms, she washes him furiously and occasionally smacks him when he's getting on her nerves. He idolises her.

However - she never disliked other cats. She got on with our late ginger boy, & although she was a bit cautious when other cats came in the garden, if they proved friendly, she was friendly. I would not have risked it if she actively disliked other cats or was very territorial.

She is an outside cat, very sociable with people, has a v small range, hates dogs and other cats. Would it stress her unbearably?

She hates other cats so yes it probably would. Let her live out her later years in peace. Our cat began spending much more time in the house as he got older. He just wanted to eat and sleep in peace!

Pet ownership is simply another form of destructive consumerism. Domestic cats kill millions of wild birds every year and feeding them is just another unecessary strain on the environment. There’s a reason outdoor cats are banned in some countries.

www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/opinion/pets-uk-ownership-cats-dogs-carbon-environmental-impact-b1249610.html?amp

@OperaStation why are you posting on a pet owners thread if you don’t believe people should own pets?

it’s like going into auto trader and telling everyone cars damage the environment!

or going on to mumsnet and telling everyone the work is overpopulated so stop having children!

sadly a lot of things damage the environment. I am not going up my cat though! I do take public transport though if that make you feel any better!

As an older cat who hates other cats, I think kitten/s are a bad idea and that your cat would never come back indoors

At 13 they are unlikely to be around more much more than the next 4 years at which point I'd get two cats/kittens but please let your current cat live out their retirement in peace

We got two sister kittens when our old cat died and the younger cat we'd got as a kitten to be her friend had proved to be a loner type, now the two sisters make the life of the 2nd cat (who was about 3 when they arrived) a misery and she is always anxious about territory in the house and there are outbreaks of pee wars if anything unsettles her.

There wouldn’t be much point me posting this somewhere where cat owners wouldn’t read it. The OP asked if she should get another cat and I have given my opinion (based on scientific fact). It’s obviously hit a nerve with you.

And no, getting public transport doesn’t make your cat killing wildlife any better.

😂 okay then!

I am sure you do more than post on websites. Neuter stray and feral cats? That would seem to make a bigger contribution to controlling the cat population than advising one cat lover not to adopt a kitten that already exists?

for my part I donate to cat charities who do this - my motivation is more about the welfare of the cats if I am honest than environmental considerations. However it is a start.

I wish you every success in your environmental philanthropy

You just can't tell until it happens. My 12 year old cat loves only me and hates all other animals and people. But recently I got a tiny kitten courtesy of my DS who said I absolutely have to rehome her as nobody wants her.
She was three months old when she came here and although everyone was a bit hissy at first she has totally given my older cat a new lease of life and they are really silly together.
They don't cuddle up together but they have some fantastic chases round the house and go outside together to hang out.