Cat and Kitten?

by B
(Canada)

Hi,
We have a super awesome 6 year old ginger cat. He is sweet with people and he is a love sponge. He loves attention and hanging out with us but doesn't seem to like other cats. We let him out on a leash (we adopted him from the humane society after he was hit by a car- former owners let him run around outside- he is definitely an outside cat who is a seriously good mouser and loves flowers and butterflies, so we let him out on leash) the thing is that as soon as another cat comes near or even a racoon he becomes very dominant and attacks (he's a pretty good scrapper and hasn't lost a battle yet). I know cats are territorial but we also know that before we got him he used beat up other cats even if they were smaller. My question is would he be different with a kitten?
The reason I am wondering is - he is still really playful and loves to be entertained all day/night long and it seems like he needs a friend to play with when we go out - or to bed. Is this type of cat personally suppose to be alone or would he do well with a kitten?
Thanks!
B

RESPONSE:

It is doubtful that your guy would make friends with a kitten so getting a kitten for him is a bad idea. If YOU want another cat, I suggest getting 2 kittens so they can play with each other and not bother the older cat when he doesn't want to play. Our cats are from a variety of backgrounds and some hate other adult cats. They all seem to understand instinctively however, that kittens are just babies and we have never had an incidence of agression/injury between an older cat and a kitten. The kittens often get hissed and growled at, and even smacked on occassion but mostly, the older cats leave them alone. However, we always have several kittens together so they play and bother each other and don't go to the older cats for attention. The kittens are also fed in an area of the kitchen near us so that they don't bother the older cats when they are eating. As the kittens grow, they begin to mingle with the older cats. Bottom line, get kittens because you want them and not for your cat. If you do get a kitten, be prepared to accept that he will lead a seperate life from your older cat. While they will likely learn to live together peacefully, your older cat is highly unlikely to become friends with any kitten or kittens that you adopt. Get a kitten because YOU want a kitten and not for your cat. I'm not sure if this truly answers your question but I hope it helps you decide whether or not you want to increase your fur family.

Donna - House Full Cats Mom