# Multiple cats in one house



## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't been here as much as I would like, I've been busy...

Anyhow, I've got some questions, mostly aimed at those with multiple cats. I've got a 2 year old male (neutered) cat, Gizmo (see my sig to get a glimpse of him, camera's acting up so I can't post new pics yet). The family has been thinking about getting another cat (no specifics yet, probably another moggie), and I was wondering what everyone thought about that... which leads to my questions:

1. Is Gizmo too old?
2. Which would be better, kitten or adult?
3. Male or Female?

I'm definitely doing research about the process and whatnot before jumping in, as I don't want to ruin Gizmo's life (or the other cat) and make a giant mess of things. If you also want to add in your 2 cents, feel free, any advice helps (even if it's the "don't do it" kind).

If room is any help, I live in a house with plenty of room, and I have a 1 year old Lab, Chance. He does leave Gizmo alone (unless Gizmo starts trouble, but they don't get too rough).

Any help is appreciated, thanks.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

I only have experience with adding a kitten to another young cat's (8 months) life, I'm sure others here with much more experience than me can offer good advice on how to introduce a new cat with an adult.

The one thing I have learned is absolutely most important though is temperament! Gender, age, breed, etc. all take a back seat to that. If you get a second cat you definitely want to pick one that matches Gizmo's temperament well. If he's a quiet, shy, laid-back cat, then another quiet, relaxed cat would be a good idea. If he's really playful, then a social, high-energy cat or kitten would be good. If he plays rough, then another feisty cat that can hold his or her own is important.

I was worried about similar things in getting my second cat. I was worried Apollo would be miserable, but in his case it worked out great. His behavior improved as he's more socially engaged now. He loves having a buddy to play with and groom and chase around. But he is a very social, playful cat, so it was sort of a given with him that he'd like a friend. So whether or not it's a good idea may depend on how social or territorial Gizmo is.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I don't think Gizmo is too old, and while one can never be 100% certain, I don't see any reason to foresee problems, unless Gizmo has had problems getting along with other cats in the past. I'm assuming he currently gets along reasonably well with Chance.

I would tend to go with a kitten, rather than an adult, since doing so would increase the odds of success. But, I'd recommend a kitten in the 4-8 month range, as opposed to a baby.

Sex is not really a determining factor, although another male might have a slight edge over a female. The more important factor is personality. You should try to select a kitten with a similar personality to Gizmo. So, if Gizmo is relatively quiet/shy, select a kitten who is also on the quiet side. If Gizmo is rambunctious and active, select a more active kitten. 

You would want to have the kitten neutered/spayed and, if the kitten you select has not already had the surgery, I would try to arrange it relatively soon after you adopt. Otherwise, you run the risk of introducing the two cats, only to have to re-start the introduction when the kitten returns from the vet. So, the sooner that's dealt with the better. Better still would be to adopt a kitten who's already been neutered/spayed.

Good luck!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Too old? Gosh, he's only two!! :grin:

I would introduce a young cat, maybe not too young, 4-8 months old, like Susan said, would be good. And size does matter. Some 8 month old cats are bigger than my girls, so I would get someone definitely smaller than Gizmo so he's not threatened and they'd be easier to integrate. I would get a little girl kitty, but that's just me. I think Gizmo would like a little girlfriend.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

marie73 said:


> I would introduce a young cat, maybe not too young, 4-8 months old, like Susan said, would be good. And size does matter. Some 8 month old cats are bigger than my girls, so I would get someone definitely smaller than Gizmo so he's not threatened and they'd be easier to integrate. I would get a little girl kitty, but that's just me. I think Gizmo would like a little girlfriend.


Yeah, getting a little 4 month girl worked out well for Apollo. He was not at all threatened by her because she was so small (about half his size) and friendly, but also didn't completely threaten _her_ because she was feisty enough to keep up with his aggressive playfulness.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Thanks so much for the replies.

Gizmo does get along well with Chance, in fact, Chance leaves him alone and he'll start trouble with Chance, resulting in them playing together.

Socially, Gizmo's in the middle somewhere, he doesn't seek attention, but he won't shun it either. He's really not all that active either, but at night he can get a little rambunctious.

It's tough to gauge him with other cats, he doesn't really look like he wants to strike at them, but he does become alert when aware of them (he did swat at the window once).

Lol , as for him being too old, call it a result of my research, I read in some articles that a cat can become too old for another cat (not all articles said it). Naturally I agree with you marie73 in that he isn't too old, but I wanted to make sure.

Size is going to be the fun part, he's not that big, in fact, he's quite small (not tiny, but he's definitely going to make things hard).


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

He sounds like he might do well with another friendly cat then. Egging on the dog is a good sign that he's willing to engage in play with a housemate.

It'll probably be easier to find a cat smaller than him in the 4 month range, depending on just how small he is. I think in some breeds females are smaller than males too, so you may have some luck with a young or petite female cat.

But honestly, if he plays with your dog, then size probably isn't an end-all concern for him. Sounds like he's fairly social and confident.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Alrighty, thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

My family is interested in getting a Siamese baby kitten (8 week mark).

I think he's supposed to weigh about 11 pounds (vet said that's to be his ideal weight), right now he weighs about 13 pounds (little chubby lol, working on getting that excess weight off).

Would a baby kitten be too risky? Would a Siamese be able to work, or should I consider a breed less outgoing than a Siamese (I hear they are very social, but I lack first-hand experience)?

Right now I think I've got the entire introduction process down, as well as what to do when something goes wrong, and what signs to look for that show that the entire thing is a bust.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

A couple of points on an 8-week old kitten. First, it's not clear whether you intend to bring home the kitten in the next few days, whereupon he/she would be around 8 weeks, or in a few weeks to a month, whereupon he would be 10-12 weeks old. I might suggest the latter. In fact, I'd be a little concerned about a breeder who would let their kittens leave at only 8 weeks. Staying with their Mom/littermates until at least 10, preferably 12, weeks helps to teach the kitten proper behavior. 

As for bringing home a baby, whether 8 weeks or 10/12 weeks old, the only problem (which is not insurmountable) is they can tend to be a little too "in your face" at times...a bit of a pest, if you will. So, with a baby, you might need to spend some time distracting him/her if he/she starts pestering Gizmo too much. On the other hand, Gizmo might put the kitten in its place from the get-go, which would save you the trouble! I can't speak to the Siamese breed, so I'll leave that for someone who has raised one before.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Definitely not bringing one home within the next few days that I'm aware of, but I'll make things clear with them. So no 8 week kittens, I forgot that they needed up until around the 10 week mark (thank you for reminding me).

I'll definitely look for a breeder who lets their kittens go at 10-12 week mark (I'll also look for other things to ensure the breeder is a good one, and not some BYB), I'm not in that big of a hurry and I'd rather the kitten know everything there is to know from the mom and littermates.

I hope the Siamese will work, as the family has been wanting one for quite some time. But if it doesn't, I'm sure they'll find another breed to match what they want and will go well with Gizmo.


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

I recently got a Balinese (a long haired Siamese). She is now 7 months old. One of the things I notice when she's relating to my other cats is that although they get along quite well, she always wants to be the center of attention. If I am petting another cat, she will run and nudge them out of the way so she can be petted. She wants to be on my lap all the time and although she will share the couch with the other cats, she has to be the one closest to me. She's like that with everything.

If you have a good relationship with Gizmo and he's very affectionate with you, this will most likely change if you get a Siamese. My other cat, Egypt who was the one closest to me before Lacey, the Balinese came along, has felt a bit neglected at times. I sometimes have to lock myself in a room with Egypt alone to get some private cuddling time with her without Lacey barging in. Lacey has to be front and center all the time. However, if Gizmo is more of the independent type, it will work quite well...just something to think about.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

My kittens are lynx-point siamese. Possibly/probably mixes as they're shelter cats, but they display all the classic behavior traits of the breed so hopefully I can offer some helpful input!

Siamese are definitely very very outgoing cats. They're way more energetic than any cats I or my boyfriend had growing up. They can definitely be a little "in your face." 

My first one, Apollo, was such a trouble maker for the first few months. We actually got our second cat Athena to keep him occupied and work off some of that excess energy so he didn't cause so much trouble, and that worked great. We got Apollo at approx. 8 weeks. Not from a breeder, from the local county shelter, so we don't know his exact age or when he was separated from his littermates/mother. Thankfully he turned out fairly well-adjusted. Just very rambunctious. We definitely had to be very patient and persistent about training him out of any bad behavior.

I definitely second the recommendation of waiting until 10-12 weeks if you're going the breeder route for all the reasons Sassy mentioned.

They're very social cats, and demand a lot of attention from their people. It's not unbearable. I still have time to get work done and do the things I need to do, but they definitely have their moments where they're like, "Ok drop what you're doing. I am going to sit in your lap/on your keyboard until you pay attention to me."

They're also extremely clever and playful. I've never had a kitten before these guys but I assume any kitten involves some of this...you may have to curb some bad habits at a young age. Both of mine at some point or another have started chewing on or playing with things they weren't supposed to. They also love tearing around the house chasing each other.

They can be somewhat vocal, especially purebreds. Athena is almost silent, but Apollo is a little noisy. Not as noisy as his purebred counterparts though. They definitely like to meow. Sometimes when they want something, sometimes when they're bored and want to play, sometimes it seems for no reason at all. XD

All that said I absolutely love them. They're not skittish or shy at all. Athena loves to snuggle and actually plays fetch with me. Apollo runs up to me any time I get home from being gone and promptly rolls over onto his back wanting me to rub his belly. Basically I am hooked on them and will probably always own siamese/siamese mixes. They're a good combination of friendly and challenging, which is what I like in a pet.

My only concerns with Gizmo would of course be their energy levels, especially in a young kitten. They're pretty over the top hyper as kittens and while mine aren't adults yet (Apollo is 8 months now, Athena is 5 months) they haven't mellowed a whole lot. Apollo's most marked behavior improvement/mellowing occurred when we got Athena though, so already having a cat should help with the hyperness if Gizmo takes to the kitten well.

My cats _do_ play a little rough. Apollo especially. They're definitely not generally a timid breed at all. It's hard to say how Gizmo would react without seeing his temperament in person. From what you've told us, it could go either way. He might be perfectly fine with a nutty siamese, and enjoy the enthusiastic play, or he would find it a bit overwhelming. I have heard stories of siamese that outright torture another cat to the point where it hides all the time but those cases I've heard about have always been when a very shy, timid cat was placed with one or more siamese. They're best matched with a confident, energetic cat that can hold their own and deal with their energy.

My experience (in owning and reading up on them) is specifically with the classic "applehead" siamese (the stockier more traditional cat looking ones) rather than the modern wedgeheads (the lankier ones), so I don't know how much of this will apply if you're looking at a modern siamese, but applehead siamese are also one of those breeds where the female is often smaller than the male, so if you're still looking into getting a cat that'd be a close size match for Gizmo, you may have good luck finding a small female siamese. The males (at least of the applehead variety) tend to be much bigger and stockier. Apollo filled out to be a very muscular cat, while Athena is still pretty petite. She's still about half his size.

This is not all pertinent to behavior or compatibility with other cats, but another one of my favorite siamese traits is the way their markings develop. Siamese kittens (lynx or solid point) start out white or very pale and their markings come in darker as they age. So the kitten you get may look dramatically different when he or she reaches adulthood. Some people may not like not knowing what their cat is going to look like eventually, but I personally think it's really neat. They're like surprise kittens. Although I would imagine a good breeder would be able to give you at least some notion of what sort of markings they'll develop based on how their markings are starting to come in and what genes their parents carry. A well-informed breeder with a clearly documented lineage can to _some_ degree work out the possible color combinations a litter of two specific cats might produce, although they may not be able to know for certain.

The patterns they come in are solid (the most common obviously, and the "traditional" siamese look), lynx (this is what Apollo's markings are), tortie, or torbie (this is a lynx-tortie, and what Athena's markings seem to be coming in as). The colors are seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, and red/flame.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

saitenyo said:


> I definitely second the recommendation of waiting until 10-12 weeks if you're going the breeder route for all the reasons Sassy mentioned.


D'oh, sorry, Susan, not Sassy. Don't know where I got Sassy from.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Most breeders don't allow their kittens to go before 12 weeks minimum, and often it's 16 weeks. I got my 2 Devons at 16 wks. and they had already been neutered and spayed. It would be better to get your kitten after all the Christmas celebrations are over and you're more settled in your usual routine.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the help,

So, it stands right now to find a good breeder who sells the kittens at 10-12 weeks (12 weeks being the preference), and we are definitely going to wait until after Christmas for things to settle down and for our routines to get back to normal.

Now, I'm starting to think that the Siamese is going to be a bit much for Gizmo, he's confident, but not that energetic and the Siamese might drive him bonkers. They are definitely gorgeous cats though.

Is there a more calm breed? I've started looking into cats like the Maine **** and Ragdoll, how are those? The Maine **** might be a little too big, but a female might be just his size ( I hope). I want one that's easy to groom (heard that about the Ragdoll and Maine ****), and maybe a little more easygoing than the Siamese. I'm going to definitely research the breeds before making any further decisions.

Thanks again , I appreciate the help.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

saitenyo said:


> D'oh, sorry, Susan, not Sassy. Don't know where I got Sassy from.


I can be pretty sassy from time to time!


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Gizmokitty said:


> I want one that's easy to groom (heard that about the Ragdoll and Maine ****), and maybe a little more easygoing than the Siamese.


Don't believe everything you read! 

I have a purebred Ragdoll, Muffin. She requires daily grooming or her coat will become matted. She sheds like the dickens in spring and fall. When I change my vacuum cleaner canister, I have enough white fur to make a new litter of kittens!

I also have a Ragdoll/Persian mix, Abby. I would have expected her to be the one that would be difficult to groom, since they say Persians require a lot of work. Nope. Abby's coat is very easy care. I don't have to do anything.

As for temperament, Ragdolls are very laid back, easy going and gentle. My Muffin has some "issues" in that she's very skittish, but that's less related to her breed and more related to the fact that she was not well socialized as a kitten. And that's another thing to watch for if you do buy from a breeder.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Ah yes, the dreaded sorting out with articles lol . That's why I'm doing research and asking questions.

Yeah, that's why I figured I'd ask someone whose experienced with the breed (Muffin's gorgeous). I'm mostly looking for something that is calm and can be a little active, but nothing that almost bounces off the walls, I'm willing to groom, but nothing too difficult in maintenance. I am starting to grow kind of fond of Persians, how is Abby, the Ragdoll/Persian mix? Aren't Persians overall difficult to groom? (I'm gonna call this website my Mythbusters lol).


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## Ummm (Jul 16, 2010)

I don't know if you'd consider getting one from a rescue, and not sure if it is too far from you? We adopted 2 cats from this rescue in July this year, and it was a 6 hours one way drive for us (made 2 trips) and it was worth the drive! They have some sesame cats, as well as ragdoll right now. You can always write to them to see which one would be a good match for Gizmo?

Available For Adoption | Purebred Cat Rescue


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Thank you for the link, but that's unfortunately too far away.

Right now, the family's looking for a breeder quality kitten, but I try to keep all options open as much as possible, so if they decide to adopt, then I'll be sure to find a closer one.


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## Gloworm (Nov 19, 2010)

Gizmokitty said:


> Ah yes, the dreaded sorting out with articles lol . That's why I'm doing research and asking questions.
> 
> Yeah, that's why I figured I'd ask someone whose experienced with the breed (Muffin's gorgeous). I'm mostly looking for something that is calm and can be a little active, but nothing that almost bounces off the walls, I'm willing to groom, but nothing too difficult in maintenance. I am starting to grow kind of fond of Persians, how is Abby, the Ragdoll/Persian mix? Aren't Persians overall difficult to groom? (I'm gonna call this website my Mythbusters lol).


If you want a persian look but easy to groom, Exotic Shorthairs are beautiful lovely cats. Easygoiing but very playful (mine anyway) They ahve a shorter coat so not as much grooming, but its very thick and does moult quite a bit in my experience


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Even though Abby is part Persian, her coat is relatively coarse. As a result, she never mats. Muffs coat is sooo soft...she feels like a giant cotton ball...but soft, fine coats have a tendency to become matted very easily. 

What's Abby like? Well, I love to talk about my girls! It's hard to tell how much of Abby's temperament comes from the Ragdoll side of her, the Persian side of her, or the Abby side of her! She's very playful, but not bounce-off-the-wall playful. Whenever I grab a toy, she jumps up and down like a little Mexican jumping bean trying to catch it, but she's also happy to play with Muffs, or just play quietly on her own with her mice. She's rarely demanding. I often work at home on the computer and she just sits on the back of my chair, puts her paws on my shoulder and watches me. She's very cuddly, although she usually won't sit on my lap for more than five minutes at a time, since something will catch her eye and she's off to play. 

She can be a little mischief, but it's in a cute sort of way and not in a destructive sort of way. I have ornaments and other breakables all over the house, and neither of my girls have ever destroyed anything, even though I've had both girls since they were babies. They tend to play with their cat trees and their toys and leave my things alone. Ragdolls aren't jumpers. Both of my girls occasionally jump on counters or tables, but not that often (perhaps once every few weeks). Abby can be chatty at times, but she doesn't meow incessantly. She's also very shy with strangers. 

All that said, I think a cat's temperament is somewhat related to their breed, but is much more defined by their individual personality and their home environment.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

I don't know a ton about Maine Coons, but I know they require some decent amount of grooming. My boyfriend's mother has one and she has to be brushed/shaved occasionally or she'll get mats.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

How occasional is this brushing/shaving? I don't mind a weekly brushing, with shaving every now and then to prevent mats. However, if it's daily, then perhaps I'll have to find another choice. 

All that being said, I'm still considering a ragdoll, I've read an article where a cat's fur can vary just like human hair, and even a persian can be easy to groom if the hair is right (can't remember if it was silky or coarse, but judging from Susan's Abby, I'm inclined to believe coarse). Now, I did try to find Exotic Shorthair breeders, but I only found one (who I did not trust, she had two other breeds on the website), so they're unfortunately out, unless someone here can tell me where is a good place to look for breeders.

Abby sounds absolutely wonderful, looks gorgeous too.

So, I'm still doing research, I'd hate to ask, but what about the Bengal? I wouldn't be surprised to hear that one would be incompatible with Gizmo (articles said that, but yet others said they were good with other cats and dogs), but that's what I'm here for, and doing lots of research. I hear they are fairly energetic, I don't mind energy, just not bounce-off-the-wall energy. I might have to ask elsewhere about that breed though.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Hmmm, I just had a thought, going by what Susan said, perhaps I'll reconsider the Siamese, and I'm going to scratch the Bengal (read some previous threads in this forum, all spoke of high energy bengals which may be a bit much for Gizmo). My final breed choices are:

Ragdoll
Siamese (see below for reasons for adding back in)

I had the final thought that any cat may just defy what I research about it (look at Muffin and my research that Ragdolls are easy to groom lol), and perhaps with a Siamese kitten, Gizmo's not so old where he can't put him/her in his/her place if the kitten gets a little "in your face", and of course the family will help with distractions if Gizmo needs to get away. Plus, there's also the thought that despite what I'm researching and being told, Gizmo might reject any kitten/cat, no matter how hard I try to match them up together (and believe me I'm trying). I think those two breeds are the closest things I can get to what the family wants, and to what Gizmo's personality is.

So, I think I've settled on the top two breeds, the Siamese I'm probably gambling on, but after reading, hearing saitenyo's experience, and researching, and seeing Gizmo's personality (plus seeing his interaction with Chance more in depth), I think that the two might just work better than I originally thought.

So, once again, I thank all of you for your help.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Have you considered the Tonkinese? Has somewhat similar Siamese coloring with acqua or blue eyes. It was developed from Burmese and Siamese. A little calmer and laid back than the Siamese.

Breed Article: Tonkinese


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Actually, I haven't, I'll add that to the list of Siamese and Ragdoll.

Thanks . Hopefully I'll be able to find a breeder in the area.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

With regard to your question about brushing: I need to brush Muffs daily during the high shedding seasons (likely about 6 weeks a year), but otherwise I usually brush her every few days. I should point out that Muffin doesn't really like being groomed (which is a function of Muffin not all Ragdolls), so the grooming sessions only last about a minute. If she enjoyed being groomed and I could get a decent brushing in all at one time, then I likely wouldn't have to brush her as often.

As you've already figured out, not all Siamese or Ragdolls will be the same. So, you should speak to the breeders about the personalities of their kittens. Admittedly, their personalities will not be fully formed at such a young age, but even as babies you (or the breeder) can start to see which are the more active and which are the quieter ones. It sounds like a Siamese (or Tonkinese) on the less active side or a Ragdoll on the slightly more active side would be what you're looking for. And, just to make life interesting, you will also need to determine what color and pattern you like!

Good luck and keep us posted on your search.


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## XmalD73 (Nov 23, 2009)

We've introduced new cats to existing cats twice in our home.

First time went amazing! We had a 5 year old neutered male Domestic Shorthair, Phantom. After his brother passed away, we found a kitten sooner than we expected, a 4 month old female Siamese Mix, Phoebe. The introduction was smoother than smooth - within 2-3 days he was tolerating her presence, no hissing or growling. He was also 22lbs to her 5lbs, so she clearly was no threat. He took her on as his little sister and they got along amazing.

This September Phantom passed away, leaving Phoebe! Three weeks ago we brought two 12 week old Bengal male kittens, Phineas and Phaelan into the house. We kept them completely confined in a room the first few days, and gradually let them out for supervised romps. 

Phoebe Jean (she has a middle name now) tolerates their presence to an extent - still hisses and growls at them, but is okay if they leave her alone. It's a work in progress - all three cats have free reign of the house except at night.

I think temperament is important as well - Phoebe has always been an active playful cat, so we felt good about bringing in two lively Bengals. 

Good luck to you whatever your decision is, and I'll watch for any updates.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

Gizmokitty said:


> How occasional is this brushing/shaving? I don't mind a weekly brushing, with shaving every now and then to prevent mats. However, if it's daily, then perhaps I'll have to find another choice.


I'd have to ask her, but I can't imagine she brushing is more than once a week. I have a pomeranian (one of the fluffier dog breeds) and he only requires weekly brushing at most. During shedding season I did always do occasional quick "maintenance" on his coat, just pulling out bits of undercoat as he was shedding them so they didn't mat in his fur. But he didn't need full brushing sessions every day during that time. I don't know if the same applies to maine **** cats though.

And then if they're shaved down, my understanding is less brushing is required during that time period, until their long fur starts growing back in. She only does shaving once and a while in the summer (it gets super hot here in CA).

And yeah, as long as Gizmo's not totally shy and timid, you needn't necessarily discount a siamese. If you do end up going that direction though, I would make sure the breeder is alright with taking the kitten back after a trial period if for some reason it doesn't work out. You may not know exactly how Gizmo will react until you actually put him with the kitten.

My siamese are pretty bouncing-off-the-walls crazy, but one is definitely calmer than the other most of the time. I don't know how much of that might be influenced by whatever other lineage she has in her, but as Susan said, obviously personality can vary dramatically from cat-to-cat within a specific breed to, so you never know. A mellower siamese might be perfect, or even a standard hyper one may be fine if Gizmo is energetic and playful.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Have you looked at Birmans? They don't matt and they're gentle and loving. (Cinderella was a Birman.)

Cat Fanciers' Association: Breed Profile: Birman


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

Marie73- actually, I did look into Birmans, I'll have to try again, but I can't seem to find any breeders near my area. I'm definitely considering one if I can find one.

After what Saitenyo says about brushing Maine Coons, I've decided to reconsider that breed (I really don't mind weekly brushings, it's daily I'm worried about). It does get hot here in Ohio (summertimes), so shaving will probably be necessary too.

Gizmo's not that shy actually, that's why I'm reconsidering the Siamese, it's his energy that I was worried about, but if I can find a less active Siamese kitten, then I think it can work. Considering colors does make it a little more interesting, I was thinking Blue or Lilac for the Siamese, and for Ragdolls I was considering Seal or Chocolate.

Thanks David C for telling me your experience with cat introductions, and good luck to you and to Phoebe Jean, Phineas and Phaelan.

I'll try to keep everyone updated as well, but right now I'm just in the research phase, nothing will really happen until sometime next year. Though I guess I can tell you how my research goes lol .


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Have you tried looking at petfinder.com in your area. Click to see the rescue groups and shelters. If you find a rescue group that fosters at home its a plus. You can tell them the type, temperment and they can match you up. The foster parent knows how the cat/kitten acts with the other foster to know its temperment and how well it would blend into your existing family. Wether it would be a good fit or not. That might be an avenue to try. And youd be rescuing a cat!


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

It's something that I have considered, and am still open to looking, but the family wants to get a kitten from a breeder.

As I said before, that option will always be open should they change their minds.

Thanks for the tip .


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

I know it's been some time since I've posted here, making this one old thread, but I thought to give everybody an update on how things are going here.

Update: Things are getting rough and as such we are going to have to postpone getting another kitty so we can at least guarantee that we can give Chance and Gizmo the care they deserve.

A sign of worry has also come up, Gizmo tried to attack another cat through a window screen, and I mean attack, he almost tore right through it, it might mean nothing but then again it might not be and I don't want to risk it.

So, our kitty search has been put on hold, possibly permanently, but then again, I don't think Gizmo minds as he is king of the house :lol:.


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

My Chiquita would see another cat through the window and go absolutely Feral Kitty, she'd then attack Samantha with severe violent intent, I'd have to shoo her into the garage to chill out.
This is known as redirected aggression and is a serious and common problem.
Samantha has gone to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for her beloved Papa and as much as I'd like to get more kitties I don't dare.
I'm afraid Chiquita would attack on site and at her advanced age of 12 I believe she deserves to be the spoiled alpha kitty, she spent 10 years living in Samantha's shadow after her Mom my ex left and deserted her.
She's been a very good kitty since Samantha died and a comfort to me.


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## Gizmokitty (Nov 10, 2009)

I'm so sorry for your loss of Samantha... and I'm happy to hear that Chiquita is a happy girl. Thank you for sharing your experience.

That's precisely why I'm gonna call off getting another cat. I'm not gonna risk it after seeing Gizmo act that way. Gizmo will be my one and only kitty, and I think it suits him.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

Gizmokitty said:


> Hi
> I've got a 2 year old male (neutered) cat, Gizmo
> 
> Is Gizmo too old?



sorry had to go back to this part.. it makes me chuckle... I have and 18 year old and two 16 year olds and just recently introduced a 3 year old to the bunch..... so every time I read this I can't help but laugh.:cool


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