How long should you wait to adopt another cat?

Your goal in facilitating introductions is to set the stage for the cats to peacefully share their living quarters, but understand you simply cannot “make” them like each other. This process takes time: count on 2-4 weeks if integrating a kitten and an adult, and 4-6 weeks (or longer) if integrating two adults.

Is it wrong to get a new cat after one dies?

We strongly recommend giving your surviving cat time to adapt to life without their companion and avoid getting a new cat or kitten straight away. Getting a new cat soon after the death of another cat could cause your pet even more stress.

Is it disrespectful to want to get another cat right after the death of your cat?

“It’s not dishonoring them; it’s not replacing them. It’s actually allowing all that love and bonding that you had to grace another animal.” If you really feel like you are not ready to adopt a new cat, a good alternative is to volunteer as a foster parent for a shelter or rescue.

Will getting a second kitten help?

If you bring a second kitten into the equation, you’ll have a lot less work on your hands, because together, they’ll teach each other life lessons. By playing together, which kittens do best, they’ll learn social and hunting skills, and it will also help develop their coordination – essential for all cats.

When getting a second cat does gender matter?

Are you prepared to play matchmaker? Congrats on your decision to add to your brood — but now you’re tasked with finding the perfect companion for your four-legged kid. As long as both pets are spayed or neutered, the sex of the cats doesn’t matter; it’s temperament and age you’ll want to take into consideration.

How soon is too soon to replace a pet?

Some people only wait days to weeks, possibly because they cannot bear to go long without a canine companion. Others need several months to years before they are ready to bring a new dog into their lives. Some people even decide they no longer wish to have dogs.

How long should you wait before getting a new pet?

The time to obtain a new pet is when you have worked through your grief sufficiently to be confident that you can look forward to new relationships, rather than backward at your loss. For some people, that might be a matter of days or weeks; for others, it might be months or years.

Should I get a kitten for my grieving cat?

Wait until both you and your grieving cat have recovered from your loss before adopting another cat. Chopper’s passing is stressful for Harley. Adopting a cat too soon will compound your cat’s anxiety, because introducing cats to each other can be stressful under any circumstance.

Do cats know when another cat has died?

But cats do exhibit behavioral changes after the loss of another cat and sometimes these can be difficult to understand. While no-one will ever know if a cat understands death, they certainly know that a fellow housemate is missing and that something has changed in the house.

Is it too soon to get another cat after a cat dies?

If you wait until you fully grieve your cat’s death, you’d never be ready to adopt another cat. It’ll always feel “too soon” to get another cat. “I highly recommend getting a new cat after your cat’s death,” says Julie on Comforting Prayers After the Loss of a Beloved Pet.

Should you buy a kitten after losing a cat?

Some bereaved pet lovers feel guilty, sad, or confused about adopting a cat or buying a kitten from a pet store. Others are worried about opening their hearts to another experience of great love and loss. “I hear many people say they don’t want to replace a cat they’ve lost,” says Sandra on Healing Your Heart When You Miss Your Cat.

How long should you let your cat Grieve after a death?

Litzinger recommends allowing at least a month for grieving, in most cases. And if you have other cats, they, too, will be grieving. Both the humans and surviving animals can each support and nurture each other, Litzinger explains.

How long does it take to get over the loss of cat?

Some people may actively grieve for days or weeks after losing a cat, while others will grieve for months or longer Richman recommends considering how raw you still feel, and whether you have the emotional strength and energy to put into a new human-animal bond. If you don’t, it wouldn’t be fair to a new cat.