Thread: Kitten vs. Rehomed Adult

I have just got my 2 older girls. Purdie is 4 and Brisca is nearly 2. We chose adult cats because, at the time, we had 2 older cats, sadly we only have 1 now. My girls have settled in really well and have totally bonded with the whole family. They play beautifully and behave like kittens most of the time! I would not swap them for the world and have not had any difficulties at all. Having said that. I would also have a kitten if my OH allowed! You will have less choice and probably have to travel and wait a while too. It isn't as easy to find an MC to rehome as you'd think.

I was offered an adult Maine Coone from one of the breeders I approached as she didn't have any red or cream kittens but had an adult neutered queen which she wanted to re-home but because I have dogs I wanted a kitten as I thought it easier to introduce. This adult had no experience of dogs. She was beautiful though and I was tempted.

My first MC was an ex breeding queen {my daughter had one of her babies from her last litter but she didn't like being a mum} we did find her hard going to begin with but she also had some very good points about her,we were told she would eat any plants & that we wouldn't be able to have anything on our mantlepiece because she would knock them off but we actually found she responded to a "no you don't" very quickly,quicker than the babes,but she also could get a bit rough & nip you & if you went to do something that she didn't like you soon found out by the way of a nasty nip or scratch.Having said that though the MC traits far outweighed everything & although I said I wouldn't have wanted that first year with her again she has turned out to be a most loving friendly girl who likes nothing more than to sit with her arms wrapped round your neck & cover you with kisses,although she didn't like her own babies she has mothered every other one that has come into our house{much to the surprise of the breeder as she had always been a loner} she was not a bit put out with the two dogs that we had at that point,got on better with them at first than us & she certainly made an impression or we wouldn't now own so many of them. I would never rule out that we wouldn't rehome an adult again.
Having said all that I have still enjoyed having the kittens,none more so than the last time when we had the two together,descisions,descisions,but whatever you choose will be right for you,something will pull at the heart strings & you know that is it.I waited six years to get the colour & pattern that I so loved & he was the fourth MC to join the household but he is loved no more or less than the others just because he happens to be my "ideal colour".. Will keep watching for news of the outcome of this journey !

Thanks for all the input and advice - please keep it coming!

I guess one of the most important things for me is that whichever cat I end up with, it chooses me rather than the other way round. I think you're probably right that I'll know the right one when I meet it. If I do rehome an adult I won't make the final decision until I actually meet it (although that will be the same with a kitten).

I know from experience with the rats that often works out the best way (although not always). Of the three rats I've bonded with most closely, one most definitely chose me, one I chose for her colour (as I'd wanted a black dumbo rat for ages when I got her) although we bonded as soon as I got her home, and the other was one of the last two girls in the litter that were the first 'pedigree' rats that I had (so chosen for me, effectively).

We have had both a stray MC mix that we took in and a retiree from a breeder (that we have other cats from). I agree that the first 6 months or 1 year with such cats can be somewhat trying, but our two cases certainly worked out well. The male MC mix that we took in had been living outside for probably two years before we took him in, so he was not used to living with people, but he adapted quite quickly. In the end, he came my big buddy, and he is the reason we now have four MCs (unfortunately he turned out to have HCM so was with us for less than five years). The retiree was not quite one year old when we got her, and she had known the kitten we had just gotten from the breeder. She certainly was not a very happy cat for many months, and did not feel like our cat during that period. Kittens inherently trust you, but Allie did not for a good long time. Eventually, though, she became no different from a cat we had had from kittenhood, and is a big cuddler.

So if you are willing to deal with a cat that is not particularly not being particularly attached to you for several months, getting an adult can be a fine choice. Kittens are fun, but kittenhood doesn't last that long, and kittens can be quite a bit of work.

Thanks for the info on your experience. I guess it can be quite difficult settling a new adult cat in, even if it came from a breeder where it was well looked after (which I'm assuming is the case with your ex-breeder cat.

For those of you who have had kittens, please can you tell me if you think it would be a problem with my not being at home during the day whilst the kitten is still fairly young? I'm particularly thinking about feeding, etc. if they would need a mid day meal? Although there are such things as automatic feeders, but I'm not sure how good they would be.

If you fed the kitten on dry food you can leave it down all day as unlike dogs they don't try and eat it all in one go and will just come and go as and when they feel hungry. When we first got Simba the breeder told us to leave his dry food down all day and offer wet food three times a day but not worry if he doesn't want it. He was never keen on the wet food and I gave up on it eventually - he know only eats his Royal Canin MC adult.

I think if you left him or her with plenty of toys to entertain it all day and access to water and food it should be fine. Have you thought of getting two kittens if you are thinking of leaving them during the day it might be nicer for them to have company. I would have definitely if I was away during the day.

Ultimately though I suspect it will be you that suffers leaving it as they are so adorable as kittens you will want to spend all day playing with him or her.

I agree with karena as we both work full time we had two so they had company in the day I think we missed them more than they missed us! From the first day they had breakfast and kibble down all day then the one home first gives them their tea and then they have supper at about ten. This seems to suit them and you always get a welcome when you come home I like to think its nothing to do with food but I know the truth!

the fact that we will be t work during the day is one of the reasons we will have two kittens when the time comes ....my adult cat ( who i admit is very old now) spends alll day sleeping and doesnt seem to care if we are here or not ...even when she was younger she did just sleep daytime and paly when we got home