My senior cat is unvaccinated. Can I safely adopt another cat?

It really depends. Stress and underlying illness (in both cats) can cause a weakening of the immune system which may lead to secondary illnesses taking hold. That said, it would be a good idea to make sure the new cat's health issues are managed and not currently flaring to decrease the chances of spread. Taking a slow approach to introductions (giving each cat their own space, using pheromone diffusers, separate litter and food access) can also help to reduce stress and reduce the chances of spreading illness. I would make sure both cats are healthy enough for the potential stressor by talking to the vet that is treating them. From there, formulating a slow introduction plan, sanitizing any shared spaces, and monitoring for any signs of illness (sneezing, fever, loss of appetite, etc) can help catch early illness and reduce the potential of any problems.

I'm glad you are doing your homework before bringing new fur babies into the situation. Most shelters will routinely deworm their pets and test for leukemia and FIV. So you definitely want to make sure these treatments/tests are run prior to adopting the new kittens. Its not unusual for new cats and kittens to break with upper respiratory infections within the first 2 weeks of being adopted. Herpes virus is very common in cats (some estimate 80% of cats carry the virus) and it comes out in the stress related to being in a shelter and being rehomed. Now, this is not going to happen to every cat/kitten but its not unusual. Therefore, your best chance to avoid this would be to get a cat/kitten that has been kept in a foster home. It will likely still have herpes but the environment should be less stressful, therefore less risk of the virus becoming active. Keep the new pet separated for 2 weeks. That way if it does have an outbreak, you will at least have it contained. You could also put your cats on 500mg of lysine twice daily to help booster their immune system. Kittens get 250mg twice daily. Please post again if you have any further questions!

This is great. I would freshen up your Angora cat's vaccination and when you adopt your new kitten, make sure it is examined, wormed and vaccinated by your veterinarian. All should be well then. Oh, and there will be a lot of hissing and spitting....do not despair. It will take time but eventually they will at least tolerate each other or even like each other. Make sure you give your older kitty just as much loving as up to now so she does not feel neglected.

I would worry a little more about the new kitten passing on diseases to the older cat - viral upper respiratory infections in particular are common. I'd recommend vaccinating both cats with the FVRCP combo and rabies vaccines. If the cats are going to continue to be outdoors then the FeLV vaccine would also be recommended, and I actually usually recommend vaccinating all kittens for FeLV since you never know if their lifestyle might change.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jimmy. I do recommend that he is current on all his vaccines before bringing a new kitten into the home. Personally, I have not seen vaccines cause kidney problems in cats. So I do not believe this is a reason not to vaccinate him. However, his veterinarian will know his complete medical history and can give you more detailed advice. I hope this information helps!

Your cat should not be infectious at this point although the new kitten may have been exposed to another strain of upper respiratory infection so either cat could develop a mild respiratory infection again. This is like kids going to school and being exposed to viruses from the other kids. Regardless of when you adopt this could happen so go ahead and adopt the new kitten. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Blue.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the kittens. I would also check to see that they have been tested for FeLV (feline leukemia) and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). They need a fecal sample tested and to have been dewormed prior to introducing them to each other. If they have had these tests done, then they certainly would likely enjoy some companionship. I hope this information helps!