How will a 17 year old cat react to a new cat?

Question

I have a 17 year old kitty and I am worried about bringing a new cat into the house. I have heard that very old cats can feel rejected and replaced when you introduce a kitten late in life and may stop eating/drinking. A friend of mine's cat actually killed itself that way which worries me. Has that happened to anyone else?

Answer 1

I have a cat who is turning 14 soon (March 20th). A year ago when I brought home a Min Pin puppy, my older cat went on a hunger strike.

He stopped eating and drinking. Then he caught a cold... cut to $2,000 later I finally had him healthy again. He spent 4 days at the emergency vet and then weeks of having to be given fluids intravenously. He's never been as healthy as he was before though.

I'd say just wait until this cat's passing before getting another one.

Answer 2

Ashley is correct. I would also use a washcloth & dampen---just wet your hands & dry it on the cloth, that should be wet enough.

Then just rub the older cat first, then the new one & do it several times back & forth. This will combine the smell of the cats and make the newcomer not stand out as much.

Altho older cats can get stressed from a new addition, it can also work the exact opposite!! You might find that your older cat starts playing more and acting younger & more alive. Don't be surprised at either reaction.

Try the washcloth trick, it does help a lot. I have rescued many cats over the years and even a fair share of ferals {wild} and have used the washcloth & slow introduction methods with great success, even with a 22 year old cat!

PS I have never heard of FUS {a blocked urethra} being caused by stress, it is caused by the cats diet and a lack of taurine!!

Answer 3

17 is really old and I personally feel that the kitty has deserved the right at this point to be the focus of your attention. Most of them at this age will regress. They will not eat, poopy in the box, pee on the floor and it is all because their routine is totally destroyed. You have to remember that this cat is not used to the bouncy little kitten that wants to play all the time. My cat was 18 and I wanted a little one to "keep it young." My vet told me that was the WORST thing that I could do. If you could find one around the same age, that is much, much better. I completely do NOT recommend it.

Answer 4

You need to introduce them slowly to each other.
many people may not like these aproaches but its a easy way to do it, than forcing them togther that day and more liky causing major stress on your cat. Slow and easy is best.

First dont let your cat see the new one at all. Place the new cat in a sepereate closed room where you can havea door shut and not let them meet. You may not like keepn it locked up but trust me its for their good.
First take a toy or towel (clean with with no cat scent on it) and give it to the nedw cat to lay or play with(same for oder cat). Do it for a week. All varries on cats. After a while trade toys so they can smell each other scent and explore it,. They can also check each others smel out by the door. After trading smells and they are use to it, bring the new cat out to meet your old one. Maybe a few hgours or less. Always put your new kitty back in its own room. When you feel that they are comfortable enough to be around each other(no agression showing) then you can leave them together longer and eventually your older cat will get use to the kitten being around out longer and longer and you can let it wander the house and be free(,let the time together go longer everyday until you have full access for you kitten)

This process avoids any major problems and is a very easy transistion for your older cat to get use to anouther. Be paicent and dont rush this.

If you just put the new cat down to run around with out proper introductin your cat will feel threaten by this all of a sudden new cat. SO a slow process of short meeting will help your cat adjust to it.While having the safty of his home still. Keep the meetings int he same room so the new cats smell wont spread to the other part of your house causing yours to stress out. They dont understand why the new guy is here.

Answer 5

One thing you want to watch is the younger cat being too rough on the older cat. I had to keep mine separated when I was not there, because the younger one wanted to play too rough. My older one didn't stop eating and drinking, but he really didn't want anything to do with the younger one. They weren't buddies.

If it were me, just based on my experience, I wouldn't do it again. I know others have had better luck, but it didn't work for me. I think they should be about the same age and activity level for optimum compatibility.

Answer 6

Well, it can go either way. The older cat will accept the young one as possibly a "foster" child of its own, or it will become stressed because the younger one may be more aggressive than it. Make sure that you give your older one special treatment. A new kitten is invading "YOUR CATS" home and it has every right to not like it. Treat your cats for getting along, and just kindly reprimand them when they fight, the older one will settle eventually.

Answer 7

Personally, I would not do it. Any change in the environment brings a degree of stress to any cat. This will be more so in the case of your cat: he is 17 years old and you are talking about about introducing a NEW cat. Its too much to ask from your pet and indeed you risk having him suddenly deveop medical issues like UTI (which is stress related in many cats). Please reconsider.

Answer 8

Generally, cats are very territorial. You shouldn't get 2 cats unless they grew up together. A friend of mine had 2 cats, and one of them chased the other out (the one chased out was younger).
Since your cat is 17 years old, I wouldn't suggest getting a new cat.

Answer 9

Columbus, my cat of 21 yrs., was introduced to an adorable little 8 mo. old brimmel I was going to call "Cousteau" (after Jacque Cousteau). He didn't like "the little intruder" AT ALL, and we had to give him back to the neighbor down the streeet that tried to give him to us. Columbus' attitude may not be typical, hes always been VERY territorial...some cats are like that.

Answer 10

It all depends on your cats personality. If it highly strung or overly dominatent then it won't handle the change well.

Speak to your vet as there are medications such as Clomicalm (antianxiety medicaton) and pheramone sprays (feliway) to help with your cats anxiety and these need to be started a few weeks beofre the kitten arrives.