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#1
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Newly solo cat
Hi all,
I have just recently lost one of my kitties (12 years) to a sudden pulmonary embolism, and the other cat (Jane) doesn't really seem to care that much. She is an exclusively indoor cat and reacts very strongly when other cats are lurking around the house. Additionally, when my other cat was alive, she would chase the now-deceased one a lot -- I joked with my boyfriend that Jane thinks she's lost one of her toy mice, not another cat. However, Jane is definitely prone to boredom. She's quite the talker and demands a lot of attention when we're home. I am wondering if I should bring a new friend into the house or if Jane would just act hostile toward him/her, as she does toward stranger cats outside the house. Additionally, I favor adopting adult cats from the shelter since they tend to get overlooked with all the cute kittens around. But of course, if a kitten is warranted in these circumstances, I would be happy to adopt one. Some more background - now-deceased kitty was the reigning queen of the household when Jane was adopted -- as a young adult -- but quickly established dominance. So she's used to being "top cat," as it were. Any suggestions would be welcomed! Thanks, kss |
#2
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If your cat is prone to boredom and is used to having a companion,
then yes, by all means, get her a new partner in crime. But most twelve year old cats would find a kitten a little tiresome. The advice to get a somewhat younger cat makes sense - but there's lots of room between kitten and 12. I'd look for a 5-10 year old cat and that is a great range for a shelter cat. There are so many at that age and they have a tough time finding new guardians. Try to chat up the volunteers at the shelter about the cats social skills with other cats. They usually have a good idea which cats have a positive point of view about others : A slightly shy cat might be advantageous for Jane and give her the opportunity to get the new cat well-trained in living with her : Just be patient during the introduction process. It's never a walk in the park, but it will probably work out fine in a few months. |
#3
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Thanks for all of your thoughtful responses. I really appreciate
them. Jane is, as far as we can tell, middle-aged (7 or so). She was a "young adult" (according to the shelter) when we got her 5 years ago so that's our best guess. I guess that getting her a similarly-aged cat (do you think that gender would matter?) sounds like the best thing for her. Thanks again for everyone's input. -kss |
#4
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If your cat is prone to boredom and is used to having a companion,
then yes, by all means, get her a new partner in crime. But most twelve year old cats would find a kitten a little tiresome. The advice to get a somewhat younger cat makes sense - but there's lots of room between kitten and 12. I'd look for a 5-10 year old cat and that is a great range for a shelter cat. There are so many at that age and they have a tough time finding new guardians. Try to chat up the volunteers at the shelter about the cats social skills with other cats. They usually have a good idea which cats have a positive point of view about others : A slightly shy cat might be advantageous for Jane and give her the opportunity to get the new cat well-trained in living with her : Just be patient during the introduction process. It's never a walk in the park, but it will probably work out fine in a few months. |
#5
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If your cat is prone to boredom and is used to having a companion,
then yes, by all means, get her a new partner in crime. But most twelve year old cats would find a kitten a little tiresome. The advice to get a somewhat younger cat makes sense - but there's lots of room between kitten and 12. I'd look for a 5-10 year old cat and that is a great range for a shelter cat. There are so many at that age and they have a tough time finding new guardians. Try to chat up the volunteers at the shelter about the cats social skills with other cats. They usually have a good idea which cats have a positive point of view about others : A slightly shy cat might be advantageous for Jane and give her the opportunity to get the new cat well-trained in living with her : Just be patient during the introduction process. It's never a walk in the park, but it will probably work out fine in a few months. |
#6
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Thanks for all of your thoughtful responses. I really appreciate
them. Jane is, as far as we can tell, middle-aged (7 or so). She was a "young adult" (according to the shelter) when we got her 5 years ago so that's our best guess. I guess that getting her a similarly-aged cat (do you think that gender would matter?) sounds like the best thing for her. Thanks again for everyone's input. -kss |
#7
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Thanks for all of your thoughtful responses. I really appreciate
them. Jane is, as far as we can tell, middle-aged (7 or so). She was a "young adult" (according to the shelter) when we got her 5 years ago so that's our best guess. I guess that getting her a similarly-aged cat (do you think that gender would matter?) sounds like the best thing for her. Thanks again for everyone's input. -kss |
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