23Feb/117
What do i need to know about when getting a new kitten for my cat i have now?
I have a 9 month old male Siamese cat that is has been neutered and de-clawed. He lives in my apartment and just seems so bored that I want to get him a friend. Does it matter what type of cat I get? Does new cat need to be male also? Will my cat adjust to a new kitten okay or will it be WWIII in my apt.? Do cats need their own litter box? Any useful information you can offer is greatly appreciated.
-Thanks!
February 23rd, 2011 - 17:33
You need to introduce them gradually. You can probably expect that the old cat will not like the new cat at first, they feel as though their space is being taken over. You will probably need a litter box for each of them. Make sure that you give your old cat as much if not more attention than the new cat.
February 23rd, 2011 - 18:05
It greatly depends on the cat. Even though breeds have common patterns they vary greatly depending on their personality. Go ahead and get the kitten, whatever gender you want (it doesn’t matter if the Siamese is neutered and de-clawed), and experiment with them slowly. Keep them separate for the first week or so (keep the kitten in another room or something) and let them interact slowly for short periods of time. Have another person around if you can so you can both grab the cats at the same time so they don’t hurt each other. If they don’t like each other, maybe give the kitten to a friend.
February 23rd, 2011 - 19:04
In my experience it is not uncommon for the existing cat to get incredibly po about a new kitten, and your siamese will probably let both you and the kitten know how upset he is. Eventually, as the kitten gets older he will probably mellow out. Cats can share litter boxes. It probably doesn’t matter if your cat is siamese or not. I would stick to males as they tend to be less high strung to begin with, although you might have to contend with alpha-male syndrome.
February 23rd, 2011 - 19:30
My experience with siamese is that they prefer solitude. But he’s your baby and if he needs a buddy then go for it. Breed really makes no difference. He will likely adjust better to a female and if you want to be extra sure of compatibility get a kitten or a young cat. Make sure that both he and the new cat are fixed (males will spray, females will go into heat and then he’ll have lots of new buddies). Start by placing the new cat in your bedroom for a few days with the door closed. This way they will get used to each others’ smell before they come into contact. Don’t make a big deal out of the new cat. Treat them both equally but don’t act as if its a huge change, he will pick up on that. Also keep in mind you new pet should be checked for fleas and worms before you introduce her so she doesn’t bring anything in. As far as litter boxes go the rule of thumb is one more litter boxes than you have cats. So if you have two then you need three boxes. This is just the recommendation, I have two boys and two boxes and that does just fine. If possible keep the boxes far apart. Some cat’s don’t like to share. I think that you will be just fine!
If you like my answer name it after me!
February 23rd, 2011 - 20:09
You’re gonna want a cat that matches you current cat’s personality. Get a younger kitten, so the resident cat can maintain his dominance; ex isnt’t all that important since both animals will/should be spayed/neutered. Young cats have a better chance of getting along with other cats than older cats do, so you should be okay. To make things easier, separate the two initially while heaping love and attention on your old cat. Over a period of 2 weeks (or however long it takes) get them familiar with each other ie allowing them to sniff each other’s things, putting their food bowls on opposite sides of a closed door so they can smell each other and associate food with the other cat. Yes, as a rule there should be one litter box per cat, otherwise you can get dominance issues that end in one cat eliminating in unwanted places.
One last thing, since your current cat is declawed he might not be able to properly defend himself against the new cat if they do fight. Since I don’t recommend de-clawing (google if you want to know why) you might want to go with a more submissive cat that will be unlikely to get into fights with your Siamese. Or if you don’t care, just get the other one declawed. But seriously, de-clawing sucks.
February 23rd, 2011 - 20:55
My girlfriend and me recently bought 2 kittens.We already had 2 male cats(both fixed).The kittens are 1 male and 1 female.They get along great.You do need to clean the litter box more often,but 1 should be fine.
February 23rd, 2011 - 21:09
Your cat if very young and it shouldn’t matter what sex you pick or breed for it’s pal. Do keep in mind they may fight a little bit at first. Keep your kitten in a cage so your cat can sniff if first and get used to it alittle. Sometimes cats just will not get along together, just like people. Put a separate litter box out for your kitten.