Adopting another catt

Question
I adopted a male cat last year from the humane society and he is currently 2 years old.  He is very very friendly, cuddly, and such a "lover".  He gets along with people and I have never seen him hiss or get aggressive.  As a single owner, he is very spoiled and is "mommy's boy."  He is very healthy and has never been sick, had an accident, etc.  I am very interested in adopting another cat from the same shelter.  I would like to adopt a cat 1-2 years old but I am unsure whether or not a male or female would be a better match or if it matters at all.  I plan on having the new cat spayed/neutered if not already.  Is there a better match?  If I get a male, would there be territory issues?  Either way, I am well aware of the proper way to introduce a new cat into the home and I feel my current cat would be just fine with it.  I think he'd love a playmate, especially when I'm away on vacation, etc.  Any advice would be helpful....Thanks very much!!

Answer
Adrianne,

You may find that adopting a cat who is younger than your cat would mean a smoother integration. You can adopt a kitty of any age though. I would suggest that spaying or neutering be done before you bring your new buddy home from the shelter. You will also want to make sure that you introduce the kitties properly. This means that you will have to give a room with a closed door to the new kitty in the house for about 2-3 weeks. What this quarantine period does is insure that you haven't gotten a kitty with any of the typical shelter viral upper respiratory infections, or even contagious infections like conjunctivitis. The other advantage to doing the 2-3 week isolation is that you can monitor your new kitty and know what normal is for him/her in terms of eating, drinking and litter box use. In your new kitty room you will need a litter box, food and water, a comfy place for your new arrival to sleep and some toys. Your resident kitty will smell the change in the house and gradually he will get used to the smells and sounds that the new kitty brings with him/her. A few days before you plan to introduce the new kitty to your resident buddy you will want to make sure that the new little one is thoroughly vet checked to make sure that there are no health issues including things like parasites or other issues. Once the vet has given you the green light to make the formal introductions you can do the meeting a couple of different ways. You could have a friend come over and bring the kitty out from the bathroom and set him/her on the floor near your resident kitty and see how they react to each other. You can also just open the door to the new kitty's safe room and allow the kitties to meet each other on their own terms. Be ready with a squirt bottle or glass of water just in case the fur starts to fly and they really get into a fight with each other where someone has the potential to get hurt. It is normal for new kitties meeting each other to hiss a bit, some will even growl and swat, use your judgement...If things are escalating to the point that fur is flying and neighbors down the street know that you are introducing a new kitty to your household then it is time to squirt the agitated felines or even pour a glass of water over them to break up the fight. NEVER stick your hands in the middle of a cat fight, you could end up bitten, scratched and possibly needing stitches and an updated tetanus shot. You know your kitty's character, if you find that your little guy is fairly laid back then it is unlikely that you will have problems with a new kitty. If your cat is incredibly territorial and difficult about change or anything that he wasn't expecting then you may want to go for a younger kitty possibly even to the extent of getting a cat of opposite sex just to avoid any lingering territorial spats related to testosterone induced behavior like fighting. Please feel free to keep in touch, I am willing to offer as much help as I can...If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me again.