Another cat?

[LeahBoo]

I'm not sure whether to get a second cat or not. My cat, Fin, is really really friendly, and I feel bad that I can't love on him as much as he wants. I think having two would be good for him. I'm thinking kitten, since they are generally more accepting of new cats, and Fin is pretty easygoing.

I found a nice little male kitten (already neutered) at an adoption fair at petco. He's not as friendly as fin, but that's not a bad thing, Fin is obnoxious at times. He is more playful and independent.

Would another cat help, or be good for him? What are the chances that I get a new one and they don't like eachother? I wouldn't mind getting another cat, kinda like the idea, but I'm not sitting here DYING for a kitten, ya know?

I would only get from a shelter or this particular rescue.

What do you think? Fin is about a year or two, rescued from pancake-dom (running around busy street) a couple months ago, if this helps.

Dawn

[Aries1985]

Go for it!

My Sullivan was a pyscho before we found Quinn. He wanted to play ALL the time and was very needy at times. As soon as Quinn came to live with us, he was MUCH happier! They're best friends. Then we found Max a few months later and he is Sullivan's wrestling buddy! All 3 of mine will lay together and cuddle, it's so cute!

[lifeguard]

I found having two so much fun. They entertain & love on each other. Even my grumpy girl seems to like that she is no longer alone.

[Rebecca]

I think it's actually better to have 2 cats than just one. The amount of work really isn't that much different and the cats are so much happier to have someone to chase, play with and lick.

[phatchristy]

Actually, you may find that a new kitten tempers his personality a bit, which it sounds like you may actually like!

[Halfasianmomma]

I agree with the PP with regards to getting a kitten. Usually a kitten is easy to integrate into the family, and unless there's some aggression or territorial issues, the transition is easy. I'd make sure you introduce them slowly to each other, and if there is a bit of hissing, give it a good 3 weeks before it dies down. When I introced cat #3 to cat #1 and #2, he tried his very cutest poses to get them to love him, but there was a great deal of hissing before they accepted each other. Eventually though, they played together like crazy and I think it provided them all with a lot of stimulation.

[LeahBoo]

Thanks everyone!

I decided to get one. I happened upon an ad for my local shelter, and they were having a promotional deal for june. All altered cats are $25. I thought I'd go look, see if anyone caught my eye.

I got one! Found a sweet, mellow, male cat in the altered cat room at the shelter. There were about 5 or 6 cats in there. I put him nose to nose with a couple, one hissed at him. He ignored it. I walked him past the puppy run and he didn't even flinch.

I took him home.

The shelter staff had named him Megus (and pronounced it May-gus). He's now Max.

He was so mellow at the shelter, that I just brought him home and showed him the litterbox (litterbox resides in the shower when the shower is not in use, he has obviously had a couple baths in his lifetime, oops), then I gave him another litterbox on the bathroom floor, incase he won't use it in the shower. Then I showed him the food bowls, which happened to be near Fin. Fin sniffed, no hissing, nothing. Let my little dog in, they sniffed noses. He seemed dog-friendly. Brought in my kelpie, the real test. She's scared of cats, so their relationship depended on whether or not he hissed at her. He didn't. She wagged her tail and sniffed him, he rubbed against her head.

Perfect. Couldn't have gone better.

He's HUGE, could stand to lose a pound or two (or more, hehe). But he's still gonna be a big cat. Shorthaired, gray/black tabby with white belly and feet.

[BeanyMama]

Aww! Glad you went for it