Need some advice please??

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I love your cats that exotic is wonderful 

Now Angie was probably talking about me when she said sometimes new cats destroy the harmony 

I have 4 cats now but originally had two who get on great but then I added two birmans to the family and the birmans and the big cats do not get on very well.

They all tollerate each other most of the time but my birmans who are 14 do not have the right cat language and are a real little gang!

However there are loads of people on here who have added new cats without a problem 

[angel148]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It just seems everytime we add another to the tribe they just all have more to play with and are happier, along with us. I just like giving a great animal a great home. As for the Dane, well he's 9 and his problems were 8 years ago. He LOVES all animals and always makes a huge fuss. Another reason is that my dogs are getting towards the end of their lives now. I would NEVER want to replace them but feel there would be a gap as one goes. I am a final year med student and so work soon would be quite full on so the responsibility of a dog would not suit our lives right now. My two have had years and each other to get use to days alone. Having said that my partner is a nurse and so works shifts. They are only ever left for around 4 hours max a day. Since having the cats I have fallen even further for them and really would like to think, not immediately but in the future about another little one. I am not irresponsible enough to rush out and get one, thats why I like to hear others opinion. Thanks again.
Paul

[Millys Mum]

  i love dilutes   

You can afford it, and your other animals seem open to others so sounds ok!
Im all for multicat homes, theres just too many unwanted cats for people just to have 1 or 2!

Be it a pair of particular breed or moggies i would go for something 6 months upwards so you know the personality of what your getting. When increasing your numbers its most important to match up the best you can. Small kittens can easily grow up to be the opposite of what they were when you chose them and then you can end up with issues a year down the line when boss cat gets ousted by the now mature kitten.   

  btw

[smudgepickles]

what adorable happy animals.......you must be a really good daddy..
My personal opinion would be to keep your happy house as it is, they all look so happy and chilled and to be honest if it were one or two new fur babies you really don't want to upset their tranquility

As you said your Dane had issues and has settled, you may well find that all changes with new babies again

Helen 
x

[lucy]

I am by no means the expert, but as you seem confident your babes, who you know well, would be OK with another cat, maybe the factor to think about is the new cat's personality . Instead of deciding now whether a boy or girl would be better why not look at local rescues at cats where the rescue can give you an idea of how they get on with other animals before you commit?

[angel148]

Hi,
Cost is NEVER an issue for me with animals. I would sell body parts before their health was compremised. I know some people do struggle but we are lucky enough to not be in that situation. They are all insured and I have a wonderful vet. I have huge respect for people who foster but I am not strong enough. My heart would just break to let them go. Knowing the way my animals are I really don't think there would be an issue but wanted views, especially the best sex to avoid probelms, or two cats? My fiance's parents sometimes stay and bring their dog. After a bit of noise from Bob they all get on fine. There is never hissing nor claws shown, they just take a while to settle down. I would just want things to work out and I know there are no guarantees but wondered if I was doing the right thing? My cats are all hard worked here!!!
Paul

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[Angiew]

the other thing to consider is can you really afford more pets?
I'm thinking more here of vet costs/insurance rather than the day-to-day feeding/litter etc.
I know some people on here have regretted getting more cats as it has shaken up the harmony of their existing household but then others have the exact opposite experience.

Have you considered becoming a fosterer for a local rescue? - as long as you are prepeared to give them up to a new home (a sore point with me today as 2 of mine went yesterday and the house seems to be in mourning!). It's nice to have cats that are used to dogs as a lot of people now have both. It would also mean the rescue would pay the vet bills etc for the foster cats.

[Rosella moggy]

As you can see they are pets and not show quality but I'm so proud of them.

Hi   to Purrs. Don't sell your "little" uns short. They are absolutely gorgeous.  

They all look so chilled out. You are obviously a very good dad.  Difficult to say whether another cat or two would cause problems coz all depends on the personalities involved.  Naturally if you home any cat with existing behavioural problems things may not run smoothly. This site is however predominantly a rescue site and tbh you sound like just the right kinda patient dad to give a rescue puddy the chance he or she deserves.

If you were to consider rescue, do yourself a favour and get homechecked by the rescue before you start looking at the cats as upsetting having to wait an age to be home checked when you have set your heart on a kittie.

Give Bob a cuddle from me. Bob the Bengal, fab name 

[angel148]

OOOPS, I didn't even give you names 
Chester the Dane
Kaysha the Mastiff
Isabell the Exotic
Bob the Bengal
Thanks guys for the kind words on them.
Paul

[karenjet]

Don't have any advice cos I don't know enough about this stuff, just wanted to say all your pets are gorgeous. I love the cat laying in between the dogs, it's so cute. And can we know their names, please?

[lucy]

Gorgeous!

[angel148]

Thank you for the welcome. They ALL get huge amounts of fuss and there is no competition. They all come for their loves but no one pushes in. I love the nature of them all, the Bengal is in your face kinda love, the Exotic is far more gentle and sweet. The dogs were both around 7 when I got the cats. They had never seen a cat before. Knowing my dogs I knew there would be no problem and before the week was out they all shared a bed. I like to bring my animals up to just know love if I can. I have put in a couple of pics, hope you like my babies. As you can see they are pets and not show quality but I'm so proud of them.

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[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Hi Paul,

  to the forum, we'd love to see some photos of all the furries, doggies included 

As to your question, as i am sure you know Bengals are very social cats and love lots of attention and friendship alike.

I think that provided you think the other two would be ok with it, another cat or two probably won't mess up the mix. It really does depend on how well you know your cats right now, and the dogs. Do they get jealous easily? Do they fight for your attention? If so another cat or two might annoy them, but if they are the type of cat and dog that aren't overly fussed because they get to play with each other I would think that if you add more it won't be too bad. Bengals will generally socialise with others well, and provided they are spayed/neutered there is no competition so to speak amongst either sex.

Again, we can only give you advice from our own experience, but you really know the habits and personalities of the furries in your care.

[angel148]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. Firstly, I would NEVER turn my back on an animal nor just give up on a problem. My Dane came with HUGE problems. He suffered from separation anxiety and was terrible for a long time. I came home every dinner time and evening to a ripped up house, soiled throughout. I worked really hard with him and really turned him into a loving baby. It was extremely hard and tiring but at no point was letting him go an option. He is nearly 9 now. My point here is that I know animals are for life. I would just really like another cat around the house is the bottom line. We had the Bengal first which he was a bit of a handful but since getting the little girl things have been wonderful. I am not one of these people that just thinks the more the merrier, I just get such pleasure from my animals and would welcome another into the house. I would also do nothing to upset my others, thats why I turned to this forum for advice. So I guess what I'm asking is for others experiences and if they thought another would be OK or a bad idea. Also if I were to get one what breed and sex (or both) would you think would work the best?
Paul

[blackcat]

Hi Paul, and Welcome to Purrs!!

I guess my first question would be why do you want another cat? Is there one in particular you are thiking about or is it just a general, I want, sort of thing?

If you did get another cat and it caused probs in the household, how would you manage that? Cos once you have a pet it is your responsibility for life, which means you may be subjecting yourself to 18-25 years of neurotic cat syndrome.

There are lots of multicat households that work really well. There are others where it just doesn't work out at all.

I would be thinking first about the happiness of my existing animals and my motives for wanting another before I acted.

[angel148]

Hi, I'm new here and really would love some advice please from you cat lovers. We have kept cats for many years now and ADORE them. At the moment we have a 2yr old Bengal boy and an 18 month old Exotic. They are a wonderful combination and they really bring out the best in each other. They are totally in love and really do work so well together. I also have 2 dogs, a Mastiff and Great Dane. They all get on brilliantly together. My question is, I would like another cat, or two, is this fair on the other cats? I would like another little girl but I don't want either of the other two cats, or new one to be left out. What would be your advice please? I would happily get two new ones if you all thought that would be better. I would also be happy with the two I have now if you thought I would have problems. What I don't want is the cats to be unhappy and also things like my boy start spraying. They have both been neutered and there has never been this problem before. Niether are dominant or protective at the moment. ALL comments and advice would be welcome pleased as I really do adore my babies and want to know what to do for the best.
Paul