Have one cat, can I get another?

Question

I have a 9 year old male cat. He is not nice most of the time, not a lap cat and likes to be by himself alot. He only wants you to pet him when he comes to you and only for a short time. He was not always like this, but when I got him back from the vet from being fixed and declawed...(which I will never do to another cat)...he was a nightmare! Any reasons why he came back to me like that and is getting another kitty out of the question...if not would male or female be better?

By the way , dont know if it matters, but he is part Himalayan.

Just so everyone knows...I will never declaw another cat. Had I known the turn out before hand, I would not have done it. Shimano is my baby and I love him still, even though he dont like me much, and I would never want to hurt him intentionally.

Answer 1

ah yes... declawing changed his personality - I have one kitty who I adopted after her owners surrendered her to the shelter when her personality changed following the declaw.. lovely cat but if you piss her off she bites..(common behavior in declawed cats)
its a pity vets dont tell you how bad the declawing can be but then again.. they make money from doing it..

ok another kitty?? at his age I would say probably not... typically if you get another its best to get oen the same age for feeding reasons (since he is on senior food it would be very important to get another cat at least 6 yrs or more) and introducing cats at this age is particularly tough, although it can be done but only if you are willing to lock the new cat up for a period of at least 2 weeks (allowing them to sniff under the doors)
it works best if each cat has lived with others at previous times in their life

male or female? wont matter.. he is neutered so he wont care- however an unfixed male could be a problem with marking...

certainly DO NOT get one that isnt vaccinated or dewormed.. even if your kitty is vaccinated its still a risk

Answer 2

Cats that are declawed sometimes do have a bit of a personality change. He was fixed at the same time too...so he likely has a bit of trust issues. (not blaming you; just looking at it from the cat's perspective)

Older kitties can be a bit less welcoming to new additons to the family. I wouldnt suggest a kitten because the like to play and may really annoy the older beastie. If you go to a shelter or humane society, they will be able to tell you what cats they have for adoption that get along better with others. Some cats just dont like other cats. (kind of like people not getting along)

Do a VERY slow transition when you bring the friend home. Separate rooms, etc. You may want to invest in a Feliway difuser as well. It looks like a Glade pulg in, put it puts cat phermones into the air and can relax cats. They arent cheap...mine was $70 for the first and $45 for the next. I wish I would have had mine before my last cat came; I think it would have helped. Patience is the key, and the place you adopt from can help you with integration tips.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Yes, this can be done. But only go for a female...don't even bother with another male. If you want to make the transition smooth, a kitten would be in order (or a *very* young cat). You will have to lock them into different rooms for at least a day or more so they get used to their smells and you will have to supervise.

You can further the process with a cat you find at the shelter or sanctuary by getting it's blanket with it's smells and let your cat smell it well in advance of the cat coming home. This gets your cat a head start on it's smell.

With a sanctuary, you can always take the kitty back if it all fails. Cats are funny and you'll never know how it will work out but you can at least try...just remember to have some patience!

Answer 4

If your kitty has been alone with you all this time and seems relatively happy (declawing aside), I would refrain from getting a new cat. It could work out great, but there's a chance that it won't, and not only could your new kitty get beaten up, but you risk the chance of your 9-year-old being jealous of all the attention you shower on your new kitty. It sounds silly, but he can get back at you in a variety of ways, like using your bed as a litter box. I have two cats that I adopted within a month of each other and both are fixed and the same age, and at least every other day they have problems being together in the same room with me, although when we're outside on neutral ground they get along fine. I know it's tempting and fun to get a new cat, but I would personally advise against it, especially given your cat's age.

Answer 5

Declawing is actual removal of a cats bones (fingertips) - it is very painful for them and some consider it inhumane. I can definitely understand why his personality may have changed. Neutering may not have had any effect on him.

How do you think he will react to another kitten/cat. Will he put it in danger? If not, I don't see any reason why you could not get another. I would suggest a female, spayed - but with claws. I would let her get accolomated to the house, you and him - and after everyone is in harmony, buy claw covers from your local PetSmart or pet store. They are easy to use and do work very well.

I suggest a female as I have had issues with males spraying around other cats, even if they were neutered. This of course may be an issue for you with another cat in the house.

Answer 6

We brought a kitten into the house and our cat (he was 6 yrs old) almost killed it.
He was a lap cat but he had a temper and when we tried the kitten, he was so mean. He wasn't declawed when we got the kitten and he used those claws the minute we let him near her. (we'd kept her away from him for a week to let him get used to her scent and we introduced them gently with her crated for a few days)

We found the kitten a wonderful home and didn't get another until our cat passed away at 13. Our current cat likely wouldn't care if we brought a dozen cats into the house. She's so easy going.

Answer 7

It depends on how the cat is. Sounds like other cat is out of question. My mom has a female cat that is about 14-16 yrs old. She tried another cat after her cats half brother died and she didn't like the kitten. I guess she was to old for a playful kitten. I would not recommend it. If your cat is not nice she might consider another cat as a threat. It would be like the other cat was taking over the cats territority.

Answer 8

Declawing is painful! No wonder kitty came to mistrust you. None of my males has ever shown any discomfort with neutering, though-and they really should be fixed to avoid them fighting and spraying.
As to your question-this cat will probably not get friendly with another cat, but if you get a young female they will most likely coexist w/o problems.

Answer 9

Hmm...for 9 years he was the center of attention, then you had his sex organs and natural means of defense removed. Oh, and he's a cat, which means he already comes and goes as he pleases...

yeah, get a kitten...that'll make his day :)

imagine if you were a 70 year old man who just had his fingernails removed and his (...) removed, and you were being kept in a house maintained by a bunch of cats.

would you want a six year old?

Get a goldfish tank and feed him soft food. And some catnip.

Answer 10

I would say yes get another cat Just make sure when you get another cat get one that is quiet that way there should not be to many fights.