Burmese Cat and Kitten Mad!

Hey Burmese lovers! I’ve been on a wait list for a Burmese kitten for a few months now. A reputable breeder contacted me saying while they don’t have any kittens, they think our family might be just perfect for a 4 year old retired Burmese who’s looking for her forever home. This was one of their Queens who had her babies and is ready to move on to her forever family. While I had my heart set on a kitten, so many positives have come to mind. -Already spayed and microchipped -established personality is sweet, affectionate, cuddly -bypass the mischievous, insanely busy kitten phase -providing a safe home and a beautiful life for a cat who’s looking for exactly that.

I’ve never adopted an ‘older’ cat, my only experience was with our one and only Burmilla who we fell in love with as a kitten, and just recently crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 15.

My question is, and I know it probably sounds like a weird one, when taking on a 4 year old cat, what does this look like? Will I love her, and will she love us, to the same degree (eventually, anyways) as if we had taken her on as a kitten? Is that bonding process something that can happen at any point in a cats life? Or will she always really feel like somebody else’s cat who just lives with us? I have two kids, and that vision of us welcoming a kitten into our family is a very dominate dream. But also, I had a feeling that our next fur baby would find us, not the other way around, and I can’t seem to stop thinking about this potential new member of the family. Is this simply meant to be?

Any advice from those who have adopted an ‘older’ cat? Would love to hear about some experiences, or pros and cons I haven’t thought of. Would appreciate some outside views on this topic very much!

One year ago I adopted two female Burmese cats. Originally it was three of them, the two girls and a boy who all lived with an elderly lady who sadly passed, hence why they were up for adoption. I adopted the two females, because the male had already been adopted and I didn’t want to spilt the two girls up. They aren’t siblings, they just had the same owner. There’s about a year between them. The place I rescued them from a recognised rescue centre, it was a little strange in that it was a little bit run down, but the cats seemed in good health when I visited them. And then brought them home immediately, I was sent all their paperwork etc in a couple of weeks by post and it all checked out:

The older female (6 years old) she is very confident and friendly. However, she loves to chew plastic, bags for life, electric cables and also loves to obsessively lick my skin.

The younger female (4) is more grumpy and reserved. However does love a cuddle here and there. She will literally grab food and run off with it. She will also persistently try and open kitchen cupboard doors. When she succeeds at openining them, both of the cats will eat what’s inside (including a whole packet of bread sticks, a tea cake, a packet of crisps)

I adore these cats! I obviously feed them twice a day, as advices by the James wel beloved bag on how much to feed in door cats. I feed them 21g twice a day.

Although I feed them plenty, they still try to get to my food and my housemates food. They will snatch and run off with food. Put their heads into stuff and go crazy, acting like they haven’t eaten. I also had to move the kitchen bins into the bathrooms because they were knocking them over and eating out of them.

I got some cable ties for the cupboards and they lasted a while, now they’ve managed to open them again.

I worm them regularly as directed by the vet so I’m not worried about that.

Personally I think it’s a behavioural thing, and they’ve learnt if they do it they’ll get more attention even if it’s annoyed at them attention.

They are indoor cats, they always have been, and due to their age and gullibility I’m not sure I’d want to let them out. I live in a busy city.

They have each other’s company and also my flat mate whilst I’m at work.

I’d like to train them not to go onto the kitchen counters because they really get themselves in the way when I’m cooking. Especially if it’s meat or fish, it’s impossible to have them in the same room without them going ballistic and trying to get the items that smell good to them.

I’ve basically just ranted… I’m wondering if anyone has any advice or has had any similar situations which they have solved etc.

Also fyi, I don’t have a door on the kitchen, otherwise that would be an easy win.

Many thanks

This is Rocco. Rocco (and his brother) are not allowed to go out, as he is far too stupid and lacks the street smarts to be trusted.

I have cat proofed the garden, so they have the run of a reasonably sized garden. Rocco has however escaped a few times out of windows and the front door so now knows there is wider world out there, and ever since he will not stop howling. Going out in the garden is no longer enough, he wants to go out-out!

He howls constantly, he howls when in the house and he howls up at the fence in the garden, it is so loud that I have to bring him indoors as it is not fair on the neighbours to have to listen to it. I hoped it would settle in time but it has not, if anything it is getting louder. It really stresses me out, but more importantly it means that the little guy is really not happy.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

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