I lost my 21 year old ginger puss in February. His 9 year old friend just seemed lost so I thought it would be good to get him a little friend to keep him company. He's got a great, friendly, playful character so I figured he would like it.

The little friend came home tonight & I've heard the 9 year old hiss & growl for the first time ever!! Baby is in his basket just now having a nap but I wondered if anyone had any tips on socialising the two of them.

Socialising the old boy with the second one was no problem at all ... he hissed once & that was it! I suppose I expected this introduction to be the same ... stupid woman! It's not that he's tried to attack it or anything ... I think I might just be a bit shocked as I'd never heard him hiss or growl in all the years I've had him. The 9 year old is quite a big boy although normally as soft as butter but I'd forgotten just exactly how tiny kittens are & I'm terrified he's going to do it some damage. It's such a timid wee thing.

Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated!!

With new kitties we have always kept them in the bathroom for the first few days - visiting frequently of course. With baby kitties we have brought them down to the lounge for a play as well.

This has many benefits.

1. Litter training. As the litter is in close proximity, they use it.
2. Safety. With another cat, I would be reluctant to leave a baby alone with it unless I was sure they were happy.
3. Lets both cats get used to each other's scent without direct contact which should help introductions.
4. Smaller area is more reassuring for baby kitty.

Just make sure the toilet lid is kept down and instruct any men to be careful of diving kitties. Or use another room if you have a spare room.

Another tip would be to use a soft cloth to scent the house with both cat's scent. Just rub a cloth on the cats' heads and rub it on soft furnishing, stair way etc.

Good luck with new kitty - hope old kitty settles Sometimes they don't take to each other but they usually tolerate each other even if they aren't best of chums.

Where are the photos!!!!

Thanks for the advice ... never thought of keeping him in the loo!! He's sleeping in the cat carrier at the moment with the door closed so the big man can see him & smell him .. but he seems to be studiously ignoring him!!

He's really not a bad cat, which is why it was such a surprise that we had the hissing & growling so I'm hoping he'll come round & realise that it's going to be fun!!

As for photos ... well I've taken a few but my son's gone off with the camera to let his mates see the new baby (21 years old & still just a baby himself!!) Besides, I wouldn't have the first idea of how to post a photo on here!! Honest, he's a wee cutie pie though ... little cream/ginger toot with what looks like white specs on his eyes!!

He sounds lovely

I'm sure they'll be fine, just take a little time to let big boy get used to the little usurper!

I was unexpectedly lumped with a 7 week old male kitten when I already had a female cat that was 16 years old, and not a fan of other cats.... She hated him, then was scared of him, then got the hump with me, but an amnesty was finally reached all by themselves. I left them to it. The little one was tiny enough to get under the wardrobe/round the back of the sofa etc etc if refuge is required...

They'll be fine. I'm a big believer that you can't make a cat do anything it doesn't want to, and you can't rush them either. They'll be fine without too much interference from you, I promise!

Now all we've got to do is decide on a name!! I've got a huge list but if I say black, my son says white so I think it's going to be a major job!! The lady I got him from called him Bailey (as in Irish Cream) I like it but son doesn't (of course!) Suggestions welcome!!

A year!! Oh no!! I so badly wanted the big man to love the new kitten ... I really thought he would!! Maybe he will eventually!!

As for names ... I think I've been through a list of hundreds!! Everything from Kamili (Swahili for "perfect" apparently) to Charlie, Seamus, Tyler, Pucca (Swahili for "cat") but for now I think Bailey suits him.

I only got him tonight so he was a bit scared early in the evening but he's finding his feet now & getting quite brave ... looks like it's going to be fun over the next wee while anyway!!

And here am I sitting here with a similar conundrum, we have a 15 year old cat who appears to be missing his brother who was PTS 3 weeks ago.

I am going to see some kittens tomorrow but don't know f I am doing the right thing or not.

Our existing cat is such a little love and follows us everywhere. We don't want to upset him but are concerned as he wanders round the house at 2 or 3 am every morning crying and and "calling" his brother.

Does he want company or is he happier on his own ?

Who knows ?

I just don't know what to do for the best.

I knew an older cat who got on well with a kitten. Some do,some don't.

My cat still follows her adopted Mum from next door about two years later from the first introduction. There was some hissing from my cat when she was a kitten but not now.

It is lovely to see them play in the garden and watch the birds together.

So it can be done.

I think when a cat misses another cat, it is that specific cat not cat company in general. Cats are fairly solitary creatures by nature but can form great bonds with each other.

At 15 I would wonder if an ornery little kitty would be the best companion - perhaps a more mature puss from a rescue that has been assessed as liking the company of other cats might be a better option?

Even if you decide on a kitten, this can work with a bit of management.

What ever you decide, it is obvious it will be done with love and old puss's best interests at heart, so will be the right decision.

Sorry for your loss.

www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2005&PID=11025&0=Generic

I am attaching a link (I hope!) to a paper by Karen Overall presented at the 2005 World Small Animal Veterinary Association conference. It gives very good advice on how to introduce cats & the background to the sociability of cats, how they form social groups & attachments etc.

The best way to introduce cats is initially by smell (do not let them see each other at all). Rub pieces of cloth over each cats' scent glands (around the cheeks, mouth, flanks) & bring the cat's' smell to the other cat to investigate. Swap their bedding over. After a few days give them tasty treat but with each cat the other side of a closed door (they will still smell each other). Then gradually open the door a crack, then further etc.

Do not allow them full access to each other until you have gone through this process. Also you must ensure that the resident cat has its own space (preferably a room) that the other cat cannot have access to ~ a sort of place of safety for the resident cat (especially if you are introducing a kitten to an older resident cat).

Don't despair if you have done things differently so far ~ just make sure that the cats can keep their distance from each other & each cat has its own space where it can go to escape the other cat. It is likely to take time before they are comfortable in each others' presence, possibly months, and you may never get to the stage when they are best pals. But if at least they tolerate each other & there's no fighting or intimidation, then they can & will exist amicably together.

I can't get the link to work now but if you google WSAVA 2005 you'll get to the conference reports & Karen Overall's paper is called "What every veterinarian should know about cats".

Very interesting reading - thanks for that.

My 2 never got on at all They never actually fought but a lot of hissing and spitting went on and the wee one was always springing away from it lol Sounds cruel but it was funny to watch and little Gizmo always went back. Sadly my older cat was pts about 4 wks ago, so now i have a quiet house with just the little one, but after what I went through the first time I wouldn`t get another one, Gizmo`s just turned 2 so I have a good few years left with her

Also, Not sure if its already been said, but I thought because I already had a female I`d be best with another female and apparently that`s not the case, I should have got a male kitten, As the 2 females fight for who`s going to be boss lol

Good Luck with them

Well what a turnaround from last night!! The big man has been playing with the kitten for short periods, the kitten has been chasing the big man's tail and there's been no hissing or growling at all!!

The wee one us currently curled up asleep in my lap & the big man is lying along the side of my leg where he always lies.

Peace perfect peace ....... so far!!

Been to see the kittens tonight - still don't know what to do for the best.

I haven't agreed to take them - but they are adorable !!

Inclination is to hang off for a while and see how things go for the next few weeks before committing.