New kitten with elderly dog and 12yo cat

[Melancholiest]

I’ll be getting a new kitten in about six weeks. Currently have an elderly dog, very good natured and used to cats, and shy but affectionate 12yo female cat. She has lived with another cat in the past but not for 4 years or so.

i know all the usual things about introducing, but have only ever done it with young animals before. Anything I might not have thought about or be expecting?

Honestly I think a kitten is going to annoy the hell out of the other two. They’re in the sunset of their lives, enjoying peace and quiet, and you introduce the very definition of craziness. 😟

@Overtheatlantic While I agree with you about the age difference the older cat could live another 8-9 years.

I would get two kittens so that they have each other to play with and won't torment the older cat as much.

We got a kitten when our oldest was 8 and I think that was the cut-off for us in terms of introducing new kittens to the home. While he's very tolerant and will play with the kitten, I think we were just on the cusp of it being a bit too much for him, in all honesty.

I don't regret it and generally they get along very well (we also have a four year old cat) but I wouldn't want to do it to a cat that was heading into their senior years.

Is there a reason why you need to do this? Put your existing pets first, you won't have them forever.

You haven't thought this through.

I'm currently fostering a 4 year old cat, and he's really upset my 8 & 11 year old cats. They just want to chill and he wants to charge around like some kind of demented dinosaur. Luckily it's not for long but still!

Don't do it.