Kitty/Cat Owners - Advice Please

I completely agree with the previous poster about a proper introduction. Jackson Galaxy has a good video on the topic. 

I have a crabby old cat who is 15, and only weighs 7 pounds. I had a companion for her when she was just a few months old, but they always ignored each other. [HASH]2 passed away. 

I really wanted a new one or two, but was terrified of starting WW3. I saw that happen to a friend first hand. I've also seen plenty of people bring home a second cat with no issues after a proper intro. Finally, I decided to foster a litter of kittens for a local shelter last summer. My thought process was that if old cat truly didn't tolerate them, then I could give back the fosters when they were old enough for adoption and I'd have my answer with no lasting ill effects. 

I wound up keeping 2 (my avatar), and two were adopted out via the shelter. Old cat will never cuddle up with them, but they all tolerate one another. Kittens outweigh old cat by 3-4 pounds each, but she just needs to glare at them and they cease and desist. I'll add that introductions moved at a glacial pace, and I think that helped. 

I'm not sure what your situation is, but perhaps a foster situation would be a good way to test the waters. 

Maybe, maybe not. Isn't that helpful?

We adopted Cleo, fondly called Grumpy Cat. She was about 6, had been rescued from a hoarding situation, and was enjoying being in a new home and queen of the manor. However, she technically adopted ME, and not the family. Everyone else in the family was kind of like...we thought we adopted a cat, but we don't see her...

We figured since she'd been in the shelter and in a room with multiple cats, we'd act quickly and find another kitty. We sent the word out, and about 6 weeks later, we adopted Layla, also called Velcro Kitty. Her shelter name was Love-a-lot, so you get the idea. She was about a year old, and wanted another friend, blahblahblah.

She'd try to play with Grump. Grump would just try to eat her. Layla had her best luck with our elderly sick dog, who probably could have been great friends with her had she not been elderly and sick. Eventually, both cats found their realms and all was kind of a friendly detente as Cleo got more comfortable with her home.

About 2.5 years after we brought home cat [HASH]1, we fell in love with a rescue kitten. He was about 2 months old, and seemed to have a great middle-of-the-road disposition. He's friendly but knows when to back off, is social but likes his alonecat time, plays but not incessantly. This was just about a month ago, and he has managed to get Layla perkier again, and even Cleo the Queen will play with him sometimes. However, Cleo and Layla still won't mix except to get food.

Soooo...

I think the main thing is getting the right personality when you're trying to MAKE a match. There's also not a shot in the world that cat [HASH]3 would have worked for us had he not been a kitten. It could be a wonderful, wonderful thing, or it might not be. If you do it right, it PROBABLY won't be a disaster, as long as they have separate spaces to "own." So I'd probably try to see if you can find a good match, but don't force it. The foster idea might be a great one!

There was a point when exH and I were both commuting an hour to work/school, and when we would come home, Pouncer would be waiting by the door yelling. Adding a 2nd cat definitely helped her.

Something to keep in mind, is that you may have to rehome the new kitty if it doesn't work out. Or at least have a plan in case they do not get along.

We found a kitty that had to be barely a year old, weighed 5 pounds and pregnant while we were canoeing about 10 years ago. We took her home with us and within 2 weeks had 3 kittens. She fed them just long enough and never looked at them again. She was very shy and kept to herself. After the kittens were given away, she came out more and let us pet her some. Now, she's fat, sassy, and always with a "sneer". We've tried several times to bring other kittens or grown cats (male and female) home, but each time we ended up having to rehome them. I was so not prepared for that. It was hard to keep a kitty for a while and then have to give them away. But Mrs. Princess (River) had to come first for us. She loves us and shows it in her own little way.

Don't worry about the size the second kitten will get to be. We had a runt who weighed all of six pounds at her heaviest. She was boss of our sheltie who weighed about 20 pounds. We had the cat first then added the pup after about six months. They became good friends.

Your first cat will make some lasting impressions on kittencat as to who is in charge.

I agree with volt, don't worry about size. We have a 17 lb male cat who ended up being an only cat for many years after our older cats passed. We eventually got a kitten, she was about 6 months old and petite. She weighs about 8 lbs now at a few years old. Anyhow they get along great, size just doesn't seem to matter with cats.

My parents have the nastiest 6 lb 17 yo cat. They have 2 others and who are 16-17 lb cats. The 6 lb one runs the show!

As everyone has said, properly introduce and hope for the best. Even though mine was definitely a mama's boy and alone for many years he did very well. My dd calls them best friends, because if you see one, the other isn't far behind.