Help needed - should i expand the kitty family?

[Millys Mum]

I would get an adult cat towards your existing ages, you have already thought of one thing that many people dont and thats the catflap being closed, a new cat would need 1 month indoors a kitten will need several.
Also you get a better match with an adult, a kitten may grow up submissive or may try to overthrow Baileys new reign as top cat. If you go to a decent rescue they can offer you a cat that will fit your circumstances and it will be very grateful of a home at a time of year where its mainly kittens in demand

[Sootyca]

I'm going through the same decision making process but have only one cat to worry about!  Lilly has been missing 6 months and Robbie doesn't seem to have missed her one little bit......he likes having all the attention (was always pushing her out the way to try and claim her share of fussing).  But I'm sure it would do him good to have a companion again.  Like Jake, he seems to have lost his confidence a little and does wander round the house like a lost lamb at times.  But I do worry that bringing another cat in would upset him...

I'm catsitting for a work friend next week who has just got a kitten......kitten may be being kitten-napped for an afternoon to see whether Robbie likes him!

I think if you do get another cat you have to find one that would best fit with the ones you have already - an 8 week old kitten may not be the best fit for an 8 and 10year old (well, depending on how playful they are!)!!!

Sorry, I'm not much help at all really!

Karen
x

[Nicola (RockysMum)]

 Hi All,

I’m hoping for some advice to help me make up my mind on whether to get a new kitten so apologies for the long post but hopefully you’ll have the patience to read through my rambling!.
Any of you who have read my thread on rainbow Bridge will know that I lost one of my cats, Rocky, very suddenly to kidney failure almost 6 months ago.
I have another 2 wonderful boys, Jake and Bailey but Rocky and I had a very special bond and he was my devoted tabby companion for nine years. I miss him dreadfully.

I have been thinking of getting a kitten pretty much since about 2 months after I lost Rocky. I had three boys for such a long time and am a completely devoted cat lady so I know I could give a wee mite a great home. I also feel like I have all this love and affection left behind that previously went on rocky and having a new kitten to love would help but I’m worried about whether this is the right thing to do for a few reasons;

Jake(10 years) is very independent but is also very timid and I’m concerned that the introduction of a new cat would upset him too much. He and Rocky were great friends and since Rocky died Jake has been less confident as Bailey has tried his best to step into the ‘top cat’ place that Rocky left. I’m worried about what a new kitten would do to the dynamic. Jake was my first cat and although introducing Rocky was hell at first he came round fairly quickly so it could be OK…but he was a lot younger then.

Bailey (8 years old) is a complete lap cat and has taken full advantage of Rocky not being around to hog the attention from me. He’s very jealous and can be very demanding of our attention so I’m worried that he would never accept an interloper! He was ‘last in’ so has never had to adjust to a new addition before. He’s also huge and can be a wee bit of a bully (but he’s a sweet heart really)

I’m also concerned because they are both outdoor cats and have a catflap, so obviously I would need to keep this closed while a new kitten was around – which neither of my boys would take kindly to!

Lastly, my partner is worried that I’m trying to fill the gap left by losing Rocky and that a new kitten could never do that. I must admit that I have a yearning for another tabby in my life. Am I trying to find another Rocky? I don’t think so and I know he was one of a kind and could never be replaced but I don’t want to make a decision without really thinking it through. I also don’t want to do something for myself that would impact badly on my other two boys. Any advice?? Am I worrying too much? So confused!!!

Thanks,

Nicola