Adding a 3rd SV - male or female?

[PROPERsecretary]

We are considering adding a 3rd SV to the mix & currently have an 11yr old F4A female, Satsuki (10lb) & a 2yr old F6C Male, Haku (17 lbs). We got Haku after loosing our girl Sen to cancer last April.

The dynamic between how the 2 girls were & now how the boy/girl combo is very different. The 2 girls got along but didn't really hang out with each other - they were pretty independent & got attention from us in their own ways. Sen was a velcro kitty & my shadow, which I miss very much. Satsuki is dainty/quiet most of the time with a very unique personality & it has been really cool to see her personality develop & come out even more since we got our boy Haku. Since Sen passed & we got Haku, Satsuki is more playful with him - they rough house & chase each other all over the house. Suki also now wants more attention from me, is more snuggly when it's time to settle down at night & so is Haku. They will curl up together so long as Haku gives Suki her space - it's very much like he's the annoying little (big cus he's 17 lbs) brother.

What I'm interested in is any feedback on what gender the 3rd one should possibly be. Currently I'm thinking it would be best to add another girl because Haku does do the I'm a boy & I'm going to chase the girls thing. I think having a 2nd female coming in at the kitten age would be a good mix because the kitten would match the energy level of Haku & take some of the only female pressure of Suki.

Lastly, we have finally saved our pennies enough to seriously look at an F1 or F2 kitten so I know that the generation will also play a factor in the dynamic as well as gender. We are in no rush & want to take our time with figuring out what the best fit might be, the right breeder & the right kitten.

Thanks for your insight!
Erin

 

[WitchyWoman]

Whatever gender you choose, you can expect changes in the current dynamic and what those changes will be is very difficult to predict. Usually, but not always, males tend to get along better with each other than females. You should assess the temperament of your current cats and discuss with the breeder which type of temperament would best fit in even though there is no guarantee that the temperament of a kitten will not change as it matures. All dominant personalities could make life difficult. Submissive-confident works with dominant or submissive personalities. Submissive-unconfident/scared could be a challenge coming into a house with a dominant cat. So I think temperament is more important than gender but still personally prefer males over females.

I have 4 males. The first one I got, an F2 male, is confident and not submissive. He is the leader of the pack. The 2nd one I got is an F6. He is aggressive-dominant-territorial.

The 3rd one I got is an F2 who is submissive-unconfident.

The 4th is an F1, 2 yrs old and he isn't sure what he is yet.

The F6 is on Prozac because he tortured the submissive-scared F2. The submissive-scared F2 is on Prozac to help him become more chill and confident. The drug is working for both cats but I'm always going to feel guilty about bringing these many cats together. The first 2 bonded as kittens. When the 3rd cat came home, it upset the hierarchy and the F1 turned the house upside down. So, you assess your situation, make the best decision you can, and be prepared for the consequences.

 

[SV Dad]

Go for 3.
It doesn't matter what sex.
The anarchy + fun quotient is X squared, where X = number of savannahs. So 1 SV = 1. 2
SV's = 4. 3 SV's (my fun and games) = 9. Witchy's = >16! Reading her posts about Atticus, I think the wrong species is on the Prozac.

 

[WitchyWoman]

Reading her posts about Atticus, I think the wrong species is on the Prozac.

It's not safe to mix alcohol with fluoxetine. You should know that.

 

[Patti]

If the cats are all altered then there is not that much of a difference between genders as far as everyone getting along together, however, I do find that females are more independent, active, and inquisitive (translation - they get into trouble) than males are, whereas males tend to be more laid back and easy going. Now, having said that, an F1 whether male or female is likely to be much more active and persistent than a later generation, able to find trouble in ways you could probably not imagine. When we talk about house-proofing the house from floor to ceiling, this is especially true for F1s.