He wants to get a kitten. We have are cats indoor only. Isn't 4 cats too many? And won't the adult cats pick on the baby?
2007-02-28 11:19:00 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
i have three cats, i got two kittens to add to the family when my older one was about 3 1/2. (i thought he needed company when i started working full time) he didn't like them much at first, esp the little male, so i made sure to keep the little ones in the bathroom whenever i wasn't home, until they got friendly (only took about a week). now they're the best of friends!! the older one is also HUGE, and one of my new kittens turned out to be quite petite (she's only 1/3 his size, if that!). the two youngins 'nurse' on my older cat, and he cleans them. he can be a bit grumpy with them at times, but has never hurt them.
just be careful to get the kitten checked out first. mine brought an upper respiratory infection home to the older one, but at least that was all! get them checked for FIV & everything!!!
2007-02-28 11:29:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have the room (large house with a yard) , five cats is not to many cats. Most likely the adult cats wi give the kitten a wide berth - in the beginning. They won't like him at first, but you can introduce him to the pack gradually and safely. The way I do it is to put the new comer in a cat carrier (with doors locked) and allow the other cats to sniff him and check him out. Since the new cat is confined, he won't seem much of a threat to the others and he himslef will feel more reassured in the safety of the carrier. Keep the new cat separate from the older cats for a few days unless the new cat is in his carrier. The times you et him out, keep him confined in a spare room with his own litter box and food bowl and water bowl. When the behavior of the other cats and the new one indicate that they can be trusted to be let together, then allow the new kitty to roam around.
2007-02-28 20:21:18 · answer #2 · answered by Phoebhart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had multiple cats for almost my entire life. Four cats does seem like a lot, but it's up to you. As far as picking on the baby, I don't think they will. I had an only cat who used to be kind of mean sometimes, biting and stuff. Then, we got him a kitten. The only thing he did was stiff her when we brought her home. He would never hurt her. It was so cute, it was like he took on the proud papa role. We figured out that he wasn't trying to be mean before, he just needed someone to play with, because he's so much nicer now.
2007-02-28 12:22:12 · answer #3 · answered by PangiBear 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have this habit of finding poor downtrodden and half starved kittens, so now i have 4 cats. And yes, 4 is alot. my house is 1300 square feet and i have to vacuum sweep and dust constantly due to all the cat hair. and the kitten i found in October STILL gets picked on by the older cats. Plus you have to add in vet bills. My advice, take care of and love the kitties you have. And if you're anything like me, i do all the litter box cleaning. We have to have two litter boxes and they have to be cleaned no less that every other day or the whole house smells. and now that i have a baby, it's only gotten more hectic. I think perhaps the Hubby is alot like mine, he loves kittens, and cats are just ok. Maybe get him a smallish dog if you can afford it, they act like babies until they get old. Just a thought. Good luck!
2007-02-28 11:35:50 · answer #4 · answered by Mali M 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Depends on how much room you have for them. The kitten should be segregated from the adult cats for a few days while it adjusts to the new environment, and then introduced to the other cats for a few minutes at a time for a few days. The other cats will accept the new kitten once they are used to its smell.
2007-02-28 11:30:12 · answer #5 · answered by Holly R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have 3 cats - all different ages. The latest one we have only had for 5 months now. As far as would they get along... It depends on if they are all the same sex or different. Cats usually get along best with different sexed cats. Our new cat is a female and gets along best with our male cat - pretty much avoids our older female cat - luckily our older female just ignores the little one. The male cat likes to play with the kitten. It did take some time and patience for them all to get to know each other - don't leave them alone until you are certain they are okay with each other.
As far as too many cats - that is personal preference and if you have enough room, time and energy. For me, I think 3 cats isn't much different than 1. My cats are calm, quiet and sleep a lot. They all have different personalities and I love them all. I could see myself having another.
2007-02-28 11:31:05 · answer #6 · answered by mmct21 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have 7 cats inside, as well as 2 kittens. My cats dont bother the kittens. My 1 yr olds play with them. I wouldnt worry about it, If you see any sign of fighting or picking on, seperate them until the kitten is older!
2007-02-28 11:42:06 · answer #7 · answered by Paige A 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the more, the merrier! i have 2 grown cats and recently took in a 2 month old kitten and aside from the first few days of ignoring the kitten and a few hisses, they all get all great. they will probably be fine with the idea. give it a shot.
2007-02-28 11:46:56 · answer #8 · answered by portarico2007 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IF you are going to add to your bunch there, i personally would suggest a kitten is the way to go. adult cats find them less intimidating as would another adult. good luck. i have 4 and would never consider 5. but if you have the room, it's a great number...
2007-02-28 12:01:23 · answer #9 · answered by nycindy9 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not necessarily, my vet says to put a drop of perfume on every cats head so they all smell the same so when they are all being introduced, it isn't so traumatic. I have 5 cats and I love them all, they are no trouble but I save money in an account just in case of vet bills.
2007-02-28 12:40:43 · answer #10 · answered by katie d 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋