Is it the right time to introduce new kittens to my existing cats?

Question

Hi - I have 2 rescued cats (one frisky - age 6, one nervous- age 3) and just put my oldest down a week ago. The nervous one tolerates, but is still wary of the frisky one. We love cats and came upon a chance to adopt 3 sibling kittens. I am worried new territory issues may be a challenge for the two I have - but am wondering if now is the time to introduce new kittens as the territories are not fixed. Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | 8 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

If your older cats have been together for several years, they probably have their "territories" picked out. It is quite possible that they just don't like each other. Having more than one pet is often like being placed with a roommate that you didn't choose - sometimes it is a great fit and sometimes you can't wait to move out! It is hard for me to tell you if getting new kittens will help or hurt the current situation, as it would just depend on how happy your current cats would be with new, and very young roommates. Kittens like to play, a lot, and often need to be taught the rules of the house. There will likely be a lot of fighting at the start until the kittens grow up a little. There is a possibility that kittens will help the other cats mellow out together, but my gut feeling is that this may not happen. If you do decide to get new kittens, remember that you will need a drastic increase in litter boxes (and feeding stations and water bowls). Veterinary behaviorists recommend 1 more litter box than you have cats, so that means 6 boxes! And they all need to be in different areas of the house to give a sense of privacy. You will also need additional quiet space so that everybody can feel safe in their own area.

Is it the right time to introduce new kittens to my existing cats?

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