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Posted	Introducing new kittens?
25-10-2006 by Jayne Goodson	Hi, I hope you can help me, advice is appreciated. We have recently lost our lovely cat Jess age 14. I would like to have another cat but we have a 10 year old in residence who is fairly timid and very possessive of me. It looks like I have several options: 1. A couple of kittens. I thought if I adopted one only it may pursue my older cat. However both may still give her no peace! 2. A cat about one year old who maybe a bit calmer or 3. I often see a young Mother (about 1 year) to be adopted with their kitten which could be a lovely idea. I'm really not sure which way to go. I love my older cat very much and am keen to distress her as little as possible. I understand the various ways of introducing new arrivals to an existing cat.
25-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	You will probably find that she will look after herself if you introduce a new arrival. You could always put the new cat/kitten in a wire mess cage with toys and play stuff and introduce your older cat that way so she doesn't feel anxious and worried about her territiory. Reward her for good behaviour with tit bits and fuss, but ignore the bad.don't pamper her too much,she has to stand on her own too feet. Feed your older cat at the same time by the younger cat so she does have the upperhand though being fed first. Reassure her that this new pet is ok and will not hurt her. I have a friend who has taken in younger and older cats from rescue centre while she has others at home and they learned themselves to get along and live with each other.if they wern't keen on each other they just stayed out of each others way.
25-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	typing error: feed your older cat at the same time as the younger cat where they can see each other,so the older cat does not have the upper hand through being fed first.. i think thats a bit clearer.
25-10-2006 by Jayne Goodson	Thank you very much Kay for your advice. Do you think there is a preference for one or two new arrivals?
26-10-2006 by Kim405	Hi my suggestion, i dont know if it will be any good or not is to introduce a female cat over six months of age. At that age a cat wont look at your existing cat as a potential mother,ie wont attempt to suckle which could distress a timid cat, if your cat is female a male cat is a bad idea cos even a nutered cat will pester a female. If you introduce two kittens you always face the problem that they may 'gang up' on your exissting cat, especially if they are littermates. I currently own cats and have three kittens which are 6 weeks of age which annoy my other cats something stupid. Please consider getting a slighlty older cat as kittens are easily homed. I should have all of mine reserved within the next few weeks, but there poor mum who has been looking for a home for 6 months is still unwanted. see forum My Cat Precious.
26-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	from experience,ive known kittens to be annoying little devils too.But they have soon been put in their place,with a couple of paw swipes from the elder. If the older cat is bold enough the kitten won't get chance to try and suckle. Also over 12 weeks of age the kitten should not be attempting to suckle anyway as it should of done all the weaning before it has left its mother. complete weaning can be anything from 8 to 12 weeks of age depending on the size of the litter and a good sign is to see if all its milk teeth are present. Far too many breeders take the young away from the mother too early causing this behaviour,because they are too eager to sell them.
26-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	Oh the answer to your question is about 1 or 2: Id introduce 1 due to her nature
26-10-2006 by Jayne Goodson	Hi Kim and Kay, Thank you both for your helpful comments. They are much appreciated. Best wishes to you, Jayne
26-10-2006 by Kim405	After owning cats since god knows when ive found that a kitten will always look for a mother figure. i dont sell my kittens until they are 12 weeks old so that they are more stable and are not so vunerable. there are people advertisin kittens for sale at 6 weeks of age, which is just stupid.
26-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	If thats what you personally find then thats a good comment to make and You are correct that breeders are stupid about selling kittens at such a young age.i totally agree. I think we can take it further by saying they are not just stupid,they are inconsiderate and cruel as the kitten as you know needs mothering and weaning properly and be able to feed themselves, and they need contact with other kittens too, to bond and understand general cat behaviour. I glad i am dicussing this with someone who is sensible and knows what they are doing
26-10-2006 by Kim405	Yeah i feel sorry not just for the kittens sold by the irresponsible breeders but also the new owners. They only see a cute bundle of fluff and end up with a cat which may have behaviour problems. I make sure all my kittens are well socialised with other people, cats, dogs and rabbits(cos i own a house rabbit). I also make sure they are used to all everyday noises and take them out in the car a few times before i sell them, just so they can get used to being in a car. I might sound a bit over caring but it really annoys me.
26-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	I own rabbits too.I have had 20 years personal experience with rabbits. Ive got a very nervous (non biting) continental giant doe who has the run of the house and garden and lives in a 6x4 shed(no hutch) with a newzealand white buck,he is use to cats but she has had no experience with them and is forever thumping at night out of fright because she can smell the cats on the roof of the shed. So it doesn't harm any bunny to have a good relationship with a cat. The regular feral visitor called patch who took to my friends other cat and followed him home one night. When my friend goes away i look after them and he has managed to work out where i live.(friend for life)
26-10-2006 by Kim405	Yeah i have 3 cats and 3 kittens at the mo, a house rabbit, hermans tortoise, 2 boa constrictors and a Shar pei. Due to a new job i have to sell some of my animals which is really upsetting. My two boas are looking for new homes along with my female cat precious. I only want the best for her she is my baby.
26-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	Its sad when you have to sell your pets,but we have to think about their welfare,which of course you are. I have had as many as 6 rabbits at one time,but reduced the numbers when they passed away,4 guinea pigs 6 frogs,a tank of tropical fish,a pond of koi, a whippet,two mice and 2 hamsters. I am now down to 2 rabbits,fish and my frogs which are easy to look after and easier to give one to one care and maintain. My last g.p.,a texel cross,died the other week of old age,he was 7 years old and i had him from a young baby when i worked as consultant to a pet shop. He was an accident from a texel sow g.p that came in.
26-10-2006 by jessica	know what its like giving up pets, ive had to give my pair of khaki campell ducks up (they were just getting theyre adult feathers ) due to cats constantly after them . My brother took them though so its not too bad. I have at the moment, a hermans tortoise, goliath bird eater, adult iggy, leopard gecko, corn snake, 3 dogs, 2 rabbits, 1 guinea pig (who formed an unlikey bond with my rabbit.. i know you shouldnt house them together but they absolutely love eachothers company, my rabbit grooms the guinea pig and makes a little nest for her every night- shes the sweetest thing i also have community fish and hopefully a boa or two soon ey kim
26-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	I had to house my texel with netherland bunny because he refused to get on with any g.p. He would look up when you mentioned the rabbits name and try to get away. when the bunny died he was distraught so i put him in the shed with the newzealand white(Cuthbert)and parsley a rescued sealpoint dwarf lop and provided wooden housing so only he could get in for safety,i then lost parsley to cancer as unknown to me she had not been neutered. (i always neuter my bunnies) and the g.p. became Cuthberts shadow until the g.p.died.Then i had the problem of cheering up Cuthbert as he was depressed loosing basil(g.p.) by getting him a girlfriend which turned out to be Tilly the C'Giant, who is a total nut case with loads of energy and eats me out of house and home.
28-10-2006 by Kim405	Disaster my rabbit died yesterday, he was my little sweety i rescued him after some cruel person dumped him in our local forest. Im going to miss him loads.
29-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	i am sorry to read that.was it a natural death or was he ill?
30-10-2006 by Kim405	Natural, he was fine on the night when I went to bed and when i got up the next day he was dead My poor bunny, I know i said i needed to cut down on the number of animals that i keep but he was one i did not want to loose.
30-10-2006 by KAY GARDNER	I don't think we want to loose any of our animals. But unfortunately they do have to depart at some point.Its never the easiest thing to deal with. The same sort of thing happened with my g.pig.he was is normal quite but alert self, when i went to work,when i got home i found he had died in his sleep. The only consolation is that he had a happy life.