Advice please

[dinahsmum]

Right.
This boy is available near me - 'due to child's illness'.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/Dinahsmum/blueboy.jpg

He's 6 months old, used to cats and dogs.

My OH has fallen for his picture (he's wanted a longhair or semi longhair for ages - Maine Coon etc).

Is 6 months young enough to integrate easily? (remember 2 old girl cats - 16 + 18 and teenage cat-friendly staffie). I'd hate to offer him a home and find he was just a wreck who hid upstairs away from everyone.
I presume that when I get ginger (hopefully very shortly)(as a little kitten) they will bond, as the 'young boys'?

Any advice, particularly from anyone with similar experience, gratefully received.

[Fran]

They are still quite young and 'kitteny' at 6 months old, however personally, I think it easier to integrate a much younger kitten. He is a lovely looking boy. He seems very big and mature looking for 6 months old :shock: Good luck if you decide to go for him DM!!

[dinahsmum]

I thought he looked more than 6 months too, even allowing for his fluff! (Maybe that is a child-sized chair he's sitting in, which is distorting our ideas?)

I think my original - and long thought-over - decision, to get the two kittens to form the younger contingent of the family, is the best way forward.

Kit is very gorgeous though, and I'm not much of a fluff-lover!

[Jac]

Sorry not to good with adice but I would say follow your gut instinct.

[Naomi]

He is lovely DM but as Jac says go with your gut instinct

[andy]

sorry cant really offer any advise except we have taken on cats/dogs at varies ages and they always seem to bond hope this helps :)

[Mags]

Sorry, unable to advise you on this one DM, just wanted to say he was a beautiful kit (and it looks like a childs chair to me;) ).

[Het]

He is a beauty...can see why your OH is drawn to him. Six months is still very young but it would depend when you got your ginger baby. I would say that there is every chance that the two younguns would bond...but it may well be easier bringing two small kittens in together. It is a tricky decision and going with him may be harder work.....but might be worth it in the long run

[Kazz]

Go with your Gut instinct.

[Luke]

Hes gorgeous DM i would snap him up!

[Moli]

Can't advise you DM, But he is a beautiful boy!!

[Donna]

He is gorgeous, but think your idea of two younger kittens coming in together is a better idea.

[EmmaG]

Oh he is a stunner :)

Not sure if it really makes a great deal of difference whether you get two together or not, my female cat who is two gets along amazingly well with my 7 year old cat, he was even cleaning her head the other day. I think it is just down to how sociable the two cats are.

[Kay]

I think it is easier to intergrate a young tom cat into a household with older she's than to introduce another female. Six months is a young age although I to have my doubts as to that being correct as he look extremely large for that age I would doubt you would have a problem. But you never know. It would probably make more sense in getting to little uns together. This fella may be too rough for a little kitten to play with. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Elaine]

I'd love to say GO FOR IT! He is very beautiful, but my experiences over the last 3 months say go with your gut instincts. You know you animals better than anyone and would have a pretty good idea as how they would react to this new comer. I wish you luck as its a toughie;)

[Emm]

he is a stunning looking cat - I don't have any advice sorry - I'm sure you'll make the right decision

[dandysmom]

Really hard decision; a very outgoing kitten may be able to win over the older girls...all I can say is repeat what the others said, go with your gut

[dinahsmum]

Thanks everyone.
Apart from saying 'rumble', as I haven't had breakfast yet, my gut says lovely but leave him. Wait for the babies - they'll be here soon enough.
Hope the blue boy finds a nice home.
(If I had kittens and was finding homes for them, I would not let them go to a home with children who had never lived with a cat before. Childrens' allergies are cited so often as a reason for a 'just bigger than kitten' needing a new home.)

[Booktigger]

he is lovely, although I would be tempted to leave him as he may be too playful for your older girls, so two kittens would be better as they have each other for company. i can certainly understand why your husband is drawn to him though - I am hoping to foster a semi/longhair this year so I can find out if my allergies can cope, as I adore them but don't want to risk it permanently until I have 'tested it'!!

[CJK]

my older boys have always been good accepting new additions to the home, but i cant really offer much advice, he is a lovely boy though

[deester]

I think he's just gorgeous. All cats take a while to get used to each other be it kittens or adult cats.