It's hard doing the right thing... Fox News gives up even trying to.

[thistlechaser]

Two unrelated topics! One seemingly-related subject line!

During lunchtime I went to the pet store to pick up more food. They have both an adoption center and an enclosure where cats can be kept 24/7 for people to see them. There was this beautiful 10 month old calico I fell in love with. She was the sweetest cat ever! So beautiful! (Calicos are my favorite!) And she kept rubbing her cheek and body against the glass trying to make contact with me. I wanted her so badly! I have the money and room for another cat! And eeeeee cats I love them and I want 394702349057349057091 of them and just eeee!

But my current cat is 18, and for all of those 18 years it has been just her and I living together, no other people, no other animals of any kind. Lately she's been having trouble walking, and she never climbs or jumps (so she couldn't get away to someplace quiet if the new cat bothered her). And what if the new cat became alpha cat because my current one can't fight! And what if she did try to fight anyway and hurt herself or the other cat hurt her?

Still, just to confirm this was a bad idea, I did some googling. All the official sites said older cats could be impossible to get to accept a new younger one (they used 8 years old as "old", ha!). They said if you must get another cat, it's best to get one of the same age/lifestyle... which a 10 month old cat wouldn't be.

SIGH. I want her so much, but I have to do what's best for my current kitty. I have visions of them sleeping together and cuddling and the new cat grooming all the places my old cat can't reach anymore, but... she's lived her whole life alone with just me, this new cat would make ME happy, not her. Hopefully someone else will give that beautiful calico a new home.

---

News Corporation, the parent company of Fox News, Donates $1 Million to G.O.P. Governors.

"The donation makes News Corporation the Republican group’s single “biggest corporate donor"."

"This donation from News America has allowed the group to double its fund raising for the second quarter of the year. "

I'd say "It's not like even before this anyone believed that Fox News was "fair and balanced"," except... some people really do believe that.

Comments

[veloxe.livejournal.com]

I remember when we got my sisters cat. At that time my mother's cat was about 14 years old and had always been very hostile towards new things (totally my fault! The cat was older then I was so I was born after the cat had already settled in and I tormented the hell out of it apparently). Well, my sisters can decided she wanted to go introduce herself to my mothers cat. Walked over, sniffed her up, went tumbling across the room after my mothers cat threw a wicked left. Of course, then my cat (the only male cat we've owned) can over and smacked my moms cat upside the head (which surprised everyone cause he was a total wimp) and a hasty balance of power was created between the 3 in that instance.

If you were still going to do it, I remember something that was posted or commented on here awhile back about spending like 80% of time with the current cat and then only 20% of the time with the newer cat because the new cat doesn't know any better and will think 20% is great and the older cat will think that a newer cat is a good thing because they get even more affection when the other cat is around.

Also, Calico's/Tortoiseshell cats are awesome. When I get my own place, it's going to be a decision between a Calico, or hunting down an orange tabby cat.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I love orange tabbies, too!

and a hasty balance of power was created between the 3 in that instance.

I wish I could count on that happening!

I remember something that was posted or commented on here awhile back about spending like 80% of time with the current cat and then only 20% of the time with the newer cat because the new cat doesn't know any better and will think 20% is great and the older cat will think that a newer cat is a good thing because they get even more affection when the other cat is around.

Huh! I've never read that, but it makes sense!

[veloxe.livejournal.com]

I know more about your LJ then you do! That can't be good...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I think it's a good thing! It should happen more often, then I'll learn things. :D

[itsbacon.livejournal.com]

Well... they say similar-ish things about old dogs meeting younger dogs. My old dog, Summer, is not only old but had a history of dog-aggression (and a facial scar from a fight! O_O) and her breed, the Shiba, is fairly notorious for not getting along with strange, same-sex dogs. I was pretty worried about adding a hyper, unspayed young female to the house... but...

Summer is so old that at this point she doesn't care; she ignores Momo and only seems to think about food and sleep these days. And Momo, luckily, is mellow and nonaggressive, so there's been no issues between them, except for a few small scuffles over food (so we're careful to separate them at mealtime now.)

So, while these are dogs and yours are cats, and we've got some advantages like having a two-story house, having at least one human at home most of the time, and being able to separate the dogs with a baby gate, I wouldn't think it's necessarily impossible for you to integrate a kitten. It'd be really risky, but you might be able to do it. Though in the end letting your older cat live in peace may be the best choice. :(

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yes! I did think of Summer/Momo during this! Dogs are social animals though, and cats really aren't (or at least no where near as much), so... I'm not sure. I think I have to error on the side of my little old cat and let her live in peace. (That sure was a nice calico though!)

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

I have a 2yr old cat. My wife (I'm a newlywed!) adopted a 3 month old kitten. Adorable little bugger named Captain James T. Kirk (Tiberius for short, and I didn't name him). My 2yro cat hates. Not just hates the kitten, but hates everyone who smells like him. The kitten is confined to one room of the downstairs, the cat growls anytime she's forced to go anywhere near that room (her food is 2 rooms away). The rest of the time she spends upstairs. She used to be sweet and cuddly. Now she'll jump on the bed in the middle of the night, wanting to cuddle, and smell the kitten (who is locked in a bathroom down the hall), and start hissing and growling.

This makes 2 weeks this has been going on. I've loved my cat for the 2 years I've had her, but if she doesn't adapt soon she'll be taken to the animal shelter. Our 3rd pet is a 6 year old 65 lbs boxer mix. Most submissive dog in the world. Tiny kitten has adopted the dog as mom (or at least litter-mate), despite the 60 pound weight difference. Older cat hisses and growls at the dog, initially the dog just went to her bed and cried about it. Lately, the dog has started growling back. Even more so when the older cat hisses at the kitten. If it continues escalating at its current rate, older cat will be in the animal shelter in about 10 days, as I'd be worried about her safety.

Horror story I know...but the cuteness of Cpt. Kirk, who makes my older cat seem stand-offish by comparison, and how well he gets along with a 6 year old pit mix (supposedly 'notorious' for slaughtering cats on sight) has made most of the trouble worthwhile.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Based on what I read, it's a really slow process to get them to accept each other (just accept! Not even be friends!). It could take months.

I hope it all works out! D:

Edit: And congratulations, too! Yay wedding!

[gconnor.livejournal.com]

We have an older cat and two much younger cats. It works out OK, but yes, the young ones will hassle the older one sometimes. M is home all day so she is able to keep them from damaging each other.

If you do end up getting another cat, consider getting two the same age, so they can play with each other most of the time and leave their elder alone more than they otherwise would.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oh that's a good idea! I'm sure a few hisses and a swat would convince the younger ones that they're more fun than my old one is.

I'm pretty much recovered from my CALICO LOVE MUST HAVE, but if it happens again that's something to consider!