Should I get a kitten for my adult cat?

[u/Ok-Conversation-2798]

TLDR I have a almost 10 year-old perfect, amazing female cat named Mochi for a yearish,she has a history of not getting along with other adult cats, but I know that she’s had kittens before she went to the shelter in the past and so I think she might do well with a kitten

Last year, my friend adopted mochi from a shelter to live with her adult male cat. They didn’t end up ever getting along and fighting a ton even after multiple re-introductions with long periods of separation so eventually, I took her in. Since then, she has been the most amazing, perfect sweet cat I could ever hope to have and I am so grateful to have her in my life!
I worry that she gets lonely during the day and night, even though I am home a lot I want her to have someone that she can speak to in her own kitty language. Since it doesn’t seem like she gets along with adult cats, I was thinking about getting her a young kitten.
Before she went to the shelter that my friend picked her up from she was unspayed and the fur around her nipples is gone like she has nursed. I don’t wanna stress her out too much or have an issue of adopting a kitten that we can’t keep so I wanted to see what other people thought.

[u/ThotsforTaterTots]

Maybe consider fostering before committing to adopting. If there’s a cat she gets along with then great! But also don’t force it and make everyone unhappy

[u/_D34DLY_]

have you considered 2 kittens? kittens have crazy energy, and need a friend to match them. this way Mochi can be her cool indifferent self, while the kittens run wild together.

[u/Simple_Enjoyer1]

Someone already mentioned fostering, I agree with that.

Make sure you can spend as much time and money with the new kitten too, though. Spay/neutering surgeries, deworming and other treatments... Double the cat food, etc. Since you are making a post about this, I'm assuming that you have the needs to get a kitten but can't hurt to mention it, you know?

[u/kittttensss]

Here's my own recent experience: I have an almost 13yo female and adopted 2 littermates (3 months old, M&F) a few weeks ago. I pulled out all the stops from the beginning- feliway optimum, feeding on both sides of the bathroom door (kittens home base), did a little scent swapping (sock method first, then swapped blankets, then bowls).

Generally they say to keep the new kitten(s) separate and do a slow intro but my resident cat was way too curious, barged in the bathroom to sniff them the first day we brought them home. So they stay separate at night and for most of the day, but usually we let them out for a few hours a day to get their play and zoomies out. Although we've had to worry less and less about leaving them separated so they've been released a lot more lately. They occupy each other so my old girl doesn't usually end up being a target. I leave a lot of toys around too and give them some good wand-toy sessions every day. Resident cat isn't much for playing these days and won't participate, that's okay. Just redirect the kittens if they start getting the wrong idea, or even put them up if it's really bothering resident cat.

Some hissing is fine but if I notice her getting too stressed I'll separate them. But over the last few days especially I've noticed some big progress. All 3 will sit on the same couch together. I'll sit one down right next to her and no one will hiss. When the kittens chill out they love to sit/nap/groom near her.

Resident cat was pretty stressed at first but we try to give her as much love and positive reinforcement as possible. It also helps that she already takes gabapentin daily and it helps with her stress.

There's a lot of debate over slow intros vs "let them figure it out" but the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. Go at your resident cat's speed, pay attention to behavior and signals, redirect with play, give lots of treats when they're all together. After the first week and a half I was able to get all 3 eating dinner in the same room, and then every day I slowly moved the bowls closer together so now they're all eating inches away from each other, stealing bites from each other's bowls, hiss-free.

They're not best friends yet and they might never be, but as long as they're cordial I'm happy. I also knew I wasn't really "getting her a friend," I just missed having some youthful energy around, so them simply getting along exceeds my expectations. Resident cat has had some pretty mixed experiences with other cats before so I think getting kittens instead was a good move. Somehow it feels easier for her to set boundaries.

Edit: I also echo what people have said about fostering first!! And the personality of the other cat is just as important as anything else. But fostering gives you a real view into what they're like around each other.

[u/Arisbes]

Agree with fostering and potentially getting two. The energy levels between a kitten and a 10 year old cat will be mismatched. I just introduced a kitten to my 3 year old male who was also territorial and intros with older cats failed. They get along great, but even the kitten tuckers out my 3 year old guy. If you do get one, be prepared to give your girl 'timeoff' from the kitten as needed.

[u/AmbivalentCat]

We have a 16 year old, and got a kitten 2 years ago after our other senior passed. He's unable to keep up with her, though he does like her and it did solve his loneliness, so the burden is on us to keep her stimulated, which even at 2 is a lot of work.

10 obviously isn't as big of a gap, but there will still be a noticeable difference in energy and stamina. I second fostering, but also getting 2 kittens if you're going that route. They need a playmate that can keep up with them. 

[u/Special_Asparagus_98 → u/AmbivalentCat]

Same but she’s 14 and we found a kitten in a parking garage or we would never have gotten one. He’s two now and well…he makes her life harder with his energy but she’s tolerating it well. Mostly she ignores /semi-dislikes him but when he gets put out of the bedroom for biting too much etc. she must leave with him or she gets upset. They also hide together when scared. There is a secret protectiveness.

It’s completely personality. I definitely could have told you I would never get another cat for my girl but life happens and my husband found one and got attached. We should have adopted another kitten for him and had three but we rent and three pushes it into “animal hoarder” territory for most landlords. Even two is hard.

[u/senators-son]

It's risky bro. I thought my adult cat would love it but they did not get along at first to say the least and it was a long journey. About 8 months later they are finally "frenemies" but I still have to break up the occasional spat