Would you home a kitten with a 20yr old cat?

[Sheli_80]

I'd agree with the suggestions of a pair of kittens. When we intially brought Henry(who was anything between 14-17) and Charley who was 4 home Charley was always wanting to play with Henry and Henry was having none of it. However things changed when Garfield arrived as Charley had someone to play with he left Henry alone so everyone was happy.

It can be really hard keeping up with kittens, and if they are anything like Basil they won't take no for an answer when they want to play. Active for a 20 year old is quite possibly something different from an active kitten.

I am however really biased when it comes to pairs of kittens as Baxter and Basil might not be brothers but are just too adorable for words when they are together 

[Angiew]

we would be reluctant to home a single kitten but would home a pair.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I would say probably not although it does depend on individual cats so I'd hesitate to say a blanket no.  I find it hard to imagine a 20 yr old who can cope with a kitten tbh, even a lively 20 yr old.  There's lively and lively.  Jaffa was coming up to 9 when i got Mosi and even though he was very lively for his age, it was still quite tough for him coping with a bouncy kitten.  2 kittens now, that's a different story.  If they have another kitten to play with, the older cat may be ok.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

I think rehoming a pair is a much better idea and i have seen that work..
I dont have any qualmns with 12 yrs old etc as they are not extremely senior cats but 16 to 20 etc, i do think (in my opinion) that they just deserve as much fuss as possible in their remaining yrs...

I am always open to a different view on things, but when i spend ages on the phone giving people different views that they really dont want to hear or take notice off, i feel they are not thinking both sides of the argument and thats why i generally make sure they go away and think about it... if they dont heed any advice and never come back to me, then all i can say is that we tried.. we have had instances when the kitten has come back several months later as the resident older cat life is very unhappy. There is of course nothing stopping her getting another cat or kitten from the free add sites but if we say that about every unsuitable home (i.e wrong cat for the home) then what is the point of HC if we say !oh well, if you going out to buy one then we will rehome one with you anyhow!... its hard work people!

[Rosella moggy]

it is like a grandparent constantly having to look after a grandchild.

Whilst my 87 year old mom doesn't have to look after my almost 3 year old nephew constantly, his arrival has undoubtedly put a twinkle back in her eye      If this lady is absolutely set on getting a kitten, 2 would be better than one.

..... isnt it best for a neutered and vacinated kitten go to a loving home rather than her get one from free sites and not neuter and create more unwanted kittens??

Good point but it is not always a good idea to agree to something you disapprove of in the hope of stopping something worse happening 

[Desley (booktigger)]

I wouldn't, and I don't rehome kittens where there are senior cats, I have senior cats and foster cats of all ages, and mine have never tolerated anything under the age of 2, as the youngsters just want to play and dive on them, and not only do mine not want that, but i think it is unfair to put them through it, they deserve some peace in their senior years - if you switch it into human terms, it is like a grandparent constantly having to look after a grandchild. However lively her 20yo is, I think it would struggle with a single kitten wanting to play constantly. I can understand a cat pining, but I think she would be better off with an adult.

[rachelburdett20]

i got my two at 6 weeks when our older cat was 14/15 years old. i did not take them on as company for her as she has been happily living on her own for 3+ years but because my friend had hand rearded them and they needed a home.

although there was a lot of hissing for the first few weeks, things eventualy setled down and they generaly leave her alone (ocasionaly they need a warning bop on the head!)

I would say that rehoming two kittens with an active older cat would be fine as they would amuse each other and generaly leave the older cat alone

having said that isnt it best for a neutered and vacinated kitten go to a loving home rather than her get one from free sites and not neuter and create more unwanted kittens??

[Judecat (Paula)]

I would tend to agree that she shouldn't hve a kitten but should consider an older cat. There are so many needing homes and would be more likely to blend in and get on, but saying that, if she is hell-bent on getting a kitten, all she has to do is look in the local newspaper.

Again the individual has to be taken into account. Occasionally a youngster can give an OAP a new lease of life.

[Rosella moggy]

For what it's worth, I think in general not a good idea but can depend on the cats.  We couldn't home another cat until Gandolf passed away coz he was such a terrible bully with neigbourhood cats.  I'm afraid, when he did pass away, we took in Aslan and Billy (both aged about 2) when Tommie RIP was about 16 1/2.  Within weeks Tom brought in his 1st mouse in donkey's years  .  They really did "wake him up".  We never tried to convince anyone that we were getting the newbies to keep Tom company though  .

A kitten is a bit different.  I think we can forget how manic kittens can be esp if we are lucky enough to have the same puds for many years. Our 2 are of course the best behaved young girls in the universe   but oh my     Tom being Tom would have aimed to please as always but don't think he would choose to have such young pals if given the choice.  This lady's 20 year old would have to be unusually lively to want the company of a kitten  

[blackcat]

If, as she says, the 20 year old is in good health and active, then I would have no qualms about that. It is not a decision that can be made on a generic basis, but which must be considered individually. A younger cat (say 6-9 months) might be preferable to a kitten, but Bob, aged 19 was still going strong, beating up the neighbourhood cats who entered our property and so forth and inciting scampering games with the younger ones. Some 90 year olds sit in a corner and drool, others are out their rap-dancing. Cats are individuals too and should be considered as such.

[JackSpratt]

We have pretty varied ages here, and I have to say Astryd is actually very concerned about Mog when she shows signs of distress due to her dementia. She'll find her and rub around her to reassure her. 

[Kirst]

Gizzy and Jerry won Beavis around pretty soon , and they do tend to stick together and not annoy him too much. Beavis is 11 , but he is a right grumpy old man!

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

I did suggest a young adult cat that was used to other cats that wouldnt need to be indoor for so long. But she was adament it had to be a kitten.. no adults at all.

The story about the 24yr old having a new lease of life i have heard of that before... but if someone rang me up about rehoming to such a cat i would probably say no... I think there is more chance of it going wrong then right..  But maybe its just me...

[Mollyrock]

I have known someone with a 24yr old cat. Their new kitten gave the senior cat a whole new lease of life. She had started showing interest in feeding & playing again where her interest had started to decline. I guess it's all down to the individual cat & personality.

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

To be honest, I wouldn't put a kitten with a cat of that age- wouldn't be fair but if she is adament she wants another cat as she genuinely feels he is pining for feline company (he might well be) I would home an middle aged or older cat that is used to living with other cats and won't be boisterous as s/he's passed that stage.

[Millys Mum]

If one of mine were to reach such a grand age i wouldnt put them through a kitten or 2, i dont think its fair.
However looking at her case eg farm area, maybe a pair of kittens circa 6 months would be out together an awful lot not at home messing with the oldie, i say 6 months as after the settling in period they would be able to go out thus preventing a long stint indoors as little ones which would probably upset an oldie.

I wish people would just be honest and say they want a kitten instead of my cat wont accept an adult cat, what do kittens soon turn into! You never know what kittens are going to turn out as so id always opt for an older cat who isnt going to turn into an alpha cat and upset the applecart 

[bonnielass]

I have 2 oldies ,one almost 20 and one 17 and no way would i rehome a kitten with them,George is happy to do his own thing and the others just ignore him and keep out of his way, Eddie occassionally tries to join in with the younger ones (min age 18mnths to 10yrs ) but on the whole he to enjoys just pottering about,to home a young kitten that wants to play all the time would i think be very unfair on the older one

[Tiggy's Mum]

I'm not in rescue but I wouldn't have thought it was a good idea.  Knowing how boisterous the boys were, even as tiny kittens, to inflict them on such an old cat wouldn't be fair on the resident cat imo.

The sad thing is she'll probably get a kitten from the free ads anyway 

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

This has been nagging me since yesterday.. Call, a lady who lives in a nice area (farm area no rds nr by) had 2 cats. One 12yrs old and one 20.. The 12yr recently died and she was keen to get a kitten as she said she didnt think her 20yr old would take to an adult cat.

I spent ages on the phone telling her that a 20yr old cat deserves a few yrs of peace and quiet and not a kitten . She told me her 20yr old cat was very good for his age and was very lively.. She did work part time.

Again.. i compared that a kitten will grow up and may indeed start bossing her older cat about and also it may make its life really unhappy. I told erh we were unlikely to rehome with an existing older cat and to let her 20yr old cat have a few more yrs of peace and quiet and then come back to us when he passes away. She then told me her 20yr old cat was pinning for the 12yr. to which i replied that getting a kitten may not replace the relationship they had together. So in teh end she got very offish and i told her to go away and think about it.

So what would you do?
As a rule (that i have not branch policy i suppose) i really dont like rehoming kittens to older senior cats.. Indeed i put them off from getting a cat or kitten all together, some people do take notice and some dont.. Indeed we have had people ring me yrs later to say that what i said turned out to be true, and the older cat had a very unhappy last few yrs.. But then i think of my brothers cats who was 12 and (which is hardly old) and they were okay with Jes (1yr old but not a kitten) and also took too 2 new kittens. So 3 males all around 1yr of age and a girlie cat of 12 who is in reality the boss.

So i am interested in what people think?

I have heard that rehoming 2 kittens when there is a older cat in the household cat mean that they keep themselves to themselves and dont bother an older cat. I am sure tht people do this for their own reason and dont think of the cat in the equation.. but then maybe i am just getting tired of people and their ongoing views of things..