Moving a cat - and adding another?

Hi everyone,

I'm moving into my girlfriend's and have a ten year old cat I'm
bringing with me. She has no animals.

We want to go to the shelter and get an additional kitten, but I have a
few concerns:::

1) My cat has not lived with a kitten in a very long time, but when he
did live with other cats (about three years ago) he got along with them
well. Are there any special considerations with this? Should I get a
male, or female kitten, or does it even matter?

2) Should I move my cat into his new surroundings and let him settle in
before I introduce another variable into the situation with him?

3) Is there anything else I can do so that his world is not turned too
upside down? He's always been used to a lot of commotion (lots of
people, numerous dog visitors, at times two other cats) so I'm not too
worried, but he's getting on in years and I want to make sure he's not
too unsettled.

Thanks in advance -

Johnny

1) My cat has not lived with a kitten in a very long time, but when he
did live with other cats (about three years ago) he got along with them
well. Are there any special considerations with this? Should I get a
male, or female kitten, or does it even matter?

Some folks will have differing opinions on this, but as long as the
kitten will be spayed/neutered, it does not matter what sex he/she is.
It's better to match personalities instead. (For instance, if you're
cat is timid, don't get an aggressive kitten.)

2) Should I move my cat into his new surroundings and let him settle in
before I introduce another variable into the situation with him?

YES. He'll already have to adjust to a new location and living with
another person, which is stressful enough. Give him several months (or
however long it takes, depending on his personality).

3) Is there anything else I can do so that his world is not turned too
upside down? He's always been used to a lot of commotion (lots of
people, numerous dog visitors, at times two other cats) so I'm not too
worried, but he's getting on in years and I want to make sure he's not
too unsettled.

When you move into the new place, put his litterbox,etc. in a room and
shut the door while you're moving in. As he gets comfortable with the
room, allow him to explore the rest of the place. This could take a
couple of days to a few weeks; just follow his lead. I've had good luck
with using Rescue Remedy, an herbal remedy available at health food
stores. Just put a few drops in his water a week or so before you move.

Good luck!

Rene

Unless you have a very playful ten year old cat, you may find he is
more annoyed than happy to have a kitten. Why not look for a mellow
young adult (2-6 years old) who won't be in your cat's face all the
time?

Gender is not the key issue - temperament is. Accurately assess your
cats' personality (active, mellow, fussy, possive, cuddly, distant -
whatever) and look for a good match. A female who is a bit on the shy
side will often be a fine match for an older male cat, but it all
depends. Find someone at a shelter who really knows the cats and ask
them to help you make a match .... and let your cat settle in the new
place for 2-3 months before introducing him to his new roommate ...


Rene S. wrote:
1) My cat has not lived with a kitten in a very long time, but when he
did live with other cats (about three years ago) he got along with them
well. Are there any special considerations with this? Should I get a
male, or female kitten, or does it even matter?

Some folks will have differing opinions on this, but as long as the
kitten will be spayed/neutered, it does not matter what sex he/she is.
It's better to match personalities instead. (For instance, if you're
cat is timid, don't get an aggressive kitten.)

2) Should I move my cat into his new surroundings and let him settle in
before I introduce another variable into the situation with him?

YES. He'll already have to adjust to a new location and living with
another person, which is stressful enough. Give him several months (or
however long it takes, depending on his personality).

3) Is there anything else I can do so that his world is not turned too
upside down? He's always been used to a lot of commotion (lots of
people, numerous dog visitors, at times two other cats) so I'm not too
worried, but he's getting on in years and I want to make sure he's not
too unsettled.

When you move into the new place, put his litterbox,etc. in a room and
shut the door while you're moving in. As he gets comfortable with the
room, allow him to explore the rest of the place. This could take a
couple of days to a few weeks; just follow his lead. I've had good luck
with using Rescue Remedy, an herbal remedy available at health food
stores. Just put a few drops in his water a week or so before you move.

Good luck!

Rene

I just got 2 cats and found the following article quite helpful:
http://www.myhealthycat.com/new-cat.html

wrote in news:1165521328.541999.159440@
16g2000cwy.googlegroups.com:

Hi everyone,

I'm moving into my girlfriend's and have a ten year old cat I'm
bringing with me. She has no animals.

We want to go to the shelter and get an additional kitten, but I have
a
few concerns:::

1) My cat has not lived with a kitten in a very long time, but when he
did live with other cats (about three years ago) he got along with
them
well. Are there any special considerations with this? Should I get a
male, or female kitten, or does it even matter?

2) Should I move my cat into his new surroundings and let him settle
in
before I introduce another variable into the situation with him?

3) Is there anything else I can do so that his world is not turned too
upside down? He's always been used to a lot of commotion (lots of
people, numerous dog visitors, at times two other cats) so I'm not too
worried, but he's getting on in years and I want to make sure he's not
too unsettled.

Thanks in advance -

Johnny




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