Family Gives Senior Cat His Own Baby Kitten to Love and It's the Sweetest Thing
When I first adopted my rescue cats, I knew nothing about felines. In the beginning, I set out to adopt a kitten, thinking that it would be a good companion for my kids. But the rescue claimed they never adopted out single kittens, wanting them to go in pairs or to homes that “already had at least one cat.” I was astonished by what I viewed as these arbitrary restrictions.
Then I did some more research and learned that cats, while bonded well to human, are also extremely social animals who like to associate with others of their kind. Especially as kittens, I learned, it was important for cats to be around other cats. I opted to take a kitten and its mother, and we’ve never regretted it for a moment.
This family, however, went a step farther—they adopted a cat for their cat.
“This is your sign to get your old cat his or her own baby,” reads the caption on this clip, which shows a large tuxedo cat lying on a windowsill, its paws wrapped tight around a snoozing brown kitten.
“Their love is so special,” the cats’ human mom explains. “And we had no idea that our old-man cat was still so playful! The little guy has brought out his frisky side and made him young again. We’re so glad they have each other.”
Now that’s love.
Introducing a New Kitten
But there are steps to take if you want to guarantee a harmonious living arrangements between a senior cat and a new arrival. It’s best to introduce them slowly, and give them separate rooms from which to sniff at each other for a day or two (as well as separate spaces to retreat to while they are still figuring things out. Plenty of treats, careful supervision and a good deal of “alone time” can also make the transition smoother and help the cats learn to love one another.
Even for this senior fellow and his new love bug, it took a while until they truly got along. “There was some hissing at the first introduction,” their mom admits. “Then they tolerated each other for a couple days. Then they started playing together and grooming each other and snuggling!”
Allogrooming, or the process by which cats groom each other, is a highly social behavior among cats who are part of the same pride, colony, family, or household, and is a sign your cats are bonded.
“My cat is eighteen and we call her mama cat bc she’s had so many kittens,” writes one person in comments. “About a year ago we thought she was dying so we got her a baby so she could be a mama again before she went. Turns out that saved her. She acts like a kitten now and loves her baby pepperoni.”
But even the best-laid plans can go awry. Cats are very particular about their companions.
How to Choose a Cat For Your Cat
“We tried this and my cat hated the kitten so much we had to get a kitten for the kitten,” says another person. “They love each other so much it's adorable and my grumpy girl continues to wish death upon them.”
One option is to foster kittens, and let your cat choose the cat they wish to keep.
“We fostered kittens until my cat made it clear he picked himself out a baby,” says one person in comments. “She’s four now and often has a little cowlick from the other cat grooming her.”
How sweet!
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