Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/6/2008

Question
I lost my 13 year old the other day, she was fighting with the other cat in the house like they always did. Not really fighting but rough housing. Anyway she sustained an injury that she would not have made it through and I had to have her put to sleep. I miss her dearly and am still depressed about it. The other cat has been depressed as well. My sister got me a new kitten which I will be getting in a couple of days. She is 5 months old, the other cat is 8 years, is it bad to bring her in on the older cat or will he work it out. We have five dogs and they were all brought in on him and he was fine, I want to make sure he will be ok with the new kitten.

Answer
Gwen,

I'm SO sorry about you losing your 13 year old cat. It's hard, I know.

It is iffy whether your 8 year old will accept or even want a kitten around. He is grieving for the other cat, which he can do for up to 6 months. Sometimes another cat helps, sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the personality and temperment of the cat. Older cats also do not take stress as well as a younger cat, and are not as accepting of changes in the household.

In my opinion, a kitten is really not a good choice as a companion for an 8 year old cat. You have a cat that is 48 years old (in human years) and you are getting it a 9 year old (in human years) friend. It would be better to adopt a cat similar in age and temperment, and preferably used to dogs. Though he may surprise you, most older cats do not like kittens, at least until they are grown. Maybe it is their smell or their energy level.

If you want to get a kitten, it is better that you get two of them. That way they can play with each other and not always be bothering the older cat to play. A kitten's energy level is not the same as an older cat's and that's not fair to the kitten who will not understand why your older cat doesn't want to play all the time. As the kitten grows and gets more secure and self-confident it may intesify it's annoying behavior towards your older cat out of boredom or to expend energy. That may cause the older cat to become stressed or cause behavior problems (like inappropriate elimination). Or it can cause the older cat to be aggressive towards the younger cat out of frustration. Just some things to consider.

With a kitten or cat you will need to go through the introduction process with the 8 year old, and also another one with the dogs. With an older cat it may take longer. Usually for younger cats it takes about 2 weeks, with an older cat it can take a month or more. Again, everything depends on the personalities and temperments involved. Hissing, spitting, and slaps are normal kitty communication. You only need to worry if there are ears pinned back flat, blood being shed, or major fur flying. Also keep your cats claws trimmed so there aren't any deadly points.

Here are some good links for more information on introductions and older cats: (copy and paste or type the whole links into your address bar)

Here is a good article about cats grieving:
http://www.messybeast.com/cat-grief.htm

Introducing cats to older cats:
http://www.messybeast.com/Oldcat.htm#addition
http://www.understandinganimals.com/article/7
http://www.messybeast.com/first-impressions.htm

I am including a couple of links to articles about cat and dog introductions. Some parts may not apply but you may find some of the information helpful.
http://www.thedogman.net/DogmanArticlesText.asp?ID=366

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=cattodogintro...

I am also including some excellent links on losing a cat and support:
http://www.2ndchance.info/grieving.htm
http://www.pet-loss.net/links.html

Here is a WONDERFUL website where you can have a lasting memorial for your pet, or share your pain with others who have lost beloved pets. It's a very beautiful and moving site:
http://rainbowsbridge.com/hello.htm

And...if you or a member of your family is having trouble dealing with the loss of a pet, call (217) 244-CARE for hours of operation. The C.A.R.E. Helpline was developed to provide a supportive outlet for people experiencing disruption in or the loss of the bond they share with their cherished companion animal. The hotline is staffed by veterinary students who understand the importance of this bond and the emotions involved when that bond is threatened or broken. The students have received training by professional grief counselors
and receive ongoing supervision by a licensed psychologist.

I hope this information is helpful.

Tabbi