Kitty adoption advice

[lucky428]

I only lost my girl a month ago, but we are starting to talk about adoption.  My boy is so lonely.  He is such a sweet and gentle guy and he needs a companion.  We are still grieving but we feel like we are in a place to start this discussion and start the research.

I have heard that a girl/boy cat combination is better than boy/boy.  Is this true?  Also, I have heard that calicos can be a bit mean and aggressive.  We are open to any gender or breed as long as they are good with kids and cats.  It's a lifetime committment for the animal and so we need to be sure we have the right fit for our family.

We found what I believe to be a good shelter.  They are no-kill and seem to do thorough research about the potential adoptive parents.  Plus the fee covers spay/neuter and microchip.

I'm certain we will be good candidates and shouldn't have an issue with the application... at least I hope.  We believe cats should be indoor animals, eat wholesome food, and should never be declawed.  We have an established vet and can prove through records that our cats have been fully vaccinated and have awesome health care.

Our two cats found us so we've never gone through a shelter.  Is there anything else I should be looking for?  Any other tips?

Thank you!

Edit to clarify -- I still talk about her in the present, so it might come off as I already have two cats, but one of them is in heaven.

[niemand88f]

I'm sorry for your loss. You seem like a great cat owner and I'm glad you're looking at adopting

Girl/boy is the best combo, followed by boy/boy then "worst" is girl/girl. Of course, I ended up with 3 females and they all at least tolerate each other. If the shelter has a foster program those cats will have a little more info about their personalities.

Good luck!

[Deleted]

It will take time for them to get used to each other regardless of the sex.  I have 3 females..one very old (16) and the others are 2.  The young ones are best friends, they groom each other and all.  The older one tolerates them.  Good luck!

[katietornado]

I'm so sorry about your female, and about your lonely boy. So sorry.

I don't think the sex is as important for cats as it is for dogs. (Source: I own 3 cats and 2 dogs; all are males except for one female cat; plus I have fostered nearly 100 dogs and cats over the years).

Most important is going to be a painfully slow introduction. New cat comes home and goes straight into the bathroom (or other room that you deem acceptable). For the first week, just let them smell each other under the door. During the next week, take new cat out into the house while existing cat stays in new cat's room for short periods of time. During the week after that, let them see each other through a gate. Etc. As you do face to face introductions, make sure each cat has a safe place to go and not be bothered by the other.

We adopted two adult males from the shelter at the same time in 2006. They had never met before, but they spent their first night spooning; it was really love at first sight. When we found a pregnant female a few months later, the introductions took significantly longer (almost 3 months til everyone was really settled).

Also, definitely consider an adult cat. People get kittens because they think the intros will be easier. But adult cats lose patience with kittens *very* quickly, and kittens without playmates are hellions. An adult cat would be a much better companion for your older boy.

Good luck! You'll have to report back and let us know how it goes.

[G22]

We have male/male combo and at first they weren't the biggest fans of each other. They just avoided each other, but after a couple months they started liking each other. Now 5 years later, they cuddle together and give each other baths. I agree with the PP that said gender isn't as big of a deal in cats as it is dogs. Based off my experience at least.

You got good advice from PP. The only other thing I'd add (I only skimmed so this might have been mentioned) is get a 2nd litter box. I didn't do that in the beginning, and cat #2 had accidents around the house and we couldn't figure out the issue. Turns out the main reason for the accidents is he likes his own litter box, and since adding the second one he's had very little accidents since.