The world is full of bullies that will use any token to stimulate themselves. You must remember them from the grade school playground? Hopefully sweet kitty was rabid and bit him! Hopefully your little friend was adopted by a teenageish girl that dotes on his every whim providing him with a happy life of luxury. If you live near Michigan I can offer a two year old fixed female that still has her claws. I named her Favorite because that is who she aspires to be in a seven cat household. Her sister Star Trek is also people friendly and a bit bolder in personality. While friendly, sister Chrissy is shy so I'll keep her where she is comfortable. The others, Yoko, Lulu, Annie, and Jessy are fairly established as residents and have no plans to let me give them away. WAIT... I think I found your kitten's online diary... DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from shredding the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant and cough it up on the carpeting. DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favourite chair...must try this on their bed (again). DAY 762 - Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with sleep depriving, incessant pleas for food at ungodly hours of the night. DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was...Hmmm. Not working according to plan... DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth and the tiny bit of flesh under my claws. DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer." More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage. DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The Bird on the other hand has got to be an informant. He has mastered their frightful tongue (something akin to mole speak) and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time. : ) lyra

That title certainly caught my attention!!! (see link to my April post below) First let me tell you how sorry I am about your losing your 11 year old buddy to CRF & cancer.. I've been through that..:( This said I wish I had given more consideration to the cats I adopted. 6 MONTHS later, my older Calico cat has not yet accepted them, and we have an upstairs/ downstairs situation!! You do not say whether your remaining cat is a female or male. That could be an element in your decision... Some thoughts: 1. it might be easier if you took in 2 cats that came together to the shelter and already know each other, to avoid the risk of having a 3-way fight. It also would be great to keep 2 'buddy' cats together. I always wonder how stressful it might be for them to be separated... I have to admit, too, that it is wonderful to see our 2 'sisters' groom each other, snuggle against each other..etc 2. You have to realize younger cats (like the ones I adopted--2 sisters, about 18 months old) will be very, very energetic!! My 2 had been at the shelter for almost a year, and when I got them home they unleashed all the energy they had not been able to display in a crowded small area (not in a cage)... Oh boy, the running they did!!!!... They have now calmed down a little, but this drives our older cat crazy! She is the aggressive one, not the 2 sisters. 3. An older cat is set in her habits and might not accept new comers (wish I had listened more carefully to the suggestions of some wise posters... you can read them below). All this said, each cat is different of course (and a Calico is not a very accepting cat --I see this over and over at the shelter where I volunteer. Hope your older cat is not a Calico ).. However, if I may have any suggestions, observe the cats you are thinking of carefully, and also consider 2 older cats that came together.. we always seem to get some at our shelter.. we have a wonderful duo right now.. Anyway, whomever you go for, give it a chance and just be patient... Congratulations on your decision! Anne-Marie Here is a link that might be useful: Adopting 2 cats.. questions

My DH uses those soft earplugs all the time. One day they started disappearing from the dish he’d keep them in and he was finding them all over the house in the strangest of places. Turns out our cat was completely fixated with them. She’d carry them around in her mouth, toss them with her paws, watch them bounce around and then attack them. It was a hoot to watch. He didn’t have the heart to take them from her so he bought some more and started keeping them in his desk drawer instead. A couple of weeks later the problem started up again and we caught her opening the drawer with her paw. It was hilarious.

It sounds like the behaviour of a cat or kitten who was removed from its parent too soon. The kneading is how they got the milk from their mother. I adopted a kitten who was removed from its mother way too soon otherwise they were going to put it down. For a long time it attempted to chew on me and knead me Etc. What finally worked in my kitten's case because it was still doing it at the age of one was a rolled-up cheesecloth dipped in chicken broth or yogurt that it could suck a lot. Not sure if that would work for every cat but it did for him. Every time he did this behavior I would allow him to chew on that while I held him gently. It took about six months before he was completely satisfied and his brain I guess started to mature. After that no more kneading and attempted chewing. I think your cat's aggressive behavior is often a cat who didn't get enough milk from its mother and had to be very aggressive with the other kittens. Often kittens growl while they're eating as well. When he does this behavior take him and firmly but not punishingly or painfully pinch his skin between his shoulder blades then with your other hand underneath him for support gently but firmly move him off of you. It is how a mother cat carries her kittens and most cats respond by going limp. He cannot be allowed to do this to you even for a minute. You have to be persistent and you have to be firm. Sometimes a sharp no will suffice as well. It depends on the cat. Good luck!