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Cats/adopting new cat for companionship of older cat

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Expert: - 12/4/2008


Question
We had 4 cats, 2 are my sons (male and female diva) and 2 (males) were ours.  We had to put to sleep our 15yr old cat which left our 10yr old cat (part siamese) alone. Although the other 2 cats are in the house they're buddies while our 10yr old cat now doesn't have anyone. They all get along. We want to adopt another male cat and hope he bonds with our 10yr old cat. What age cat would be best to hopefully bond with our 10yr old cat?  We want to be able to get pet insurance for it so believe it'll have to be under 2yrs old.  Any suggestions on how to help the friendship along?  My son will be moving out in 1yr with his cats so want the new cat to bond with our 10yr old more so then with the other cats.  Thank you so much for your help.  Sincerely, Dolores

Answer
Dolores,

Check around for insurance policies because as far as I know that so long as a cat is healthy there can still be pet insurance issued for him. I would recommend an older cat, say in the 4-10 year age range so that the kitten crazies are worked out of the new boy's system and he doesn't bother the senior kitty. I would also highly recommend that you read my previous answers on new cat/kitten introductions to avoid any nasty interactions between the resident cats and the new boy. I would also like to tell you that there isn't any guarantee that the new cat will bond specifically to the older cat once he is allowed to roam free throughout the house after a quarantine period, cats are similar to people in that they all have different personalities and some just aren't meant to be close friends. Questions regarding new cat introductions are very common and I have answered countless questions on this subject, if you need me to clarify anything that you read in my previous answers regarding this issue I will be more than happy to do so.

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Ali

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I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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