Do you have more than one cat?

[emer95]

Earlier in the year my daughters were begging for a pet. I initially refused, not thinking I was a "pet person." Eventually I gave in and we adopted a one-year old cat from the SPCA. We adore her and she has brought so much joy to our family. I can't believe I have lived this long without a kitty. When she hops on my lap and purrs, it is the biggest stress-reliever in the world. She is so much fun to watch when she's in her "psycho" moods. I can't say enough good things about her.

Ever since we got her, I've been thinking that we should get one more cat. My neighbor has two and she said that watching them play together is really great. I also think I would like to start out with a kitten. I know kittens can be crazy, but I think a kitten might be less threatening to our cat.

So those of you with two cats... any advice? How was your first cat when you brought the new one home? Does one cat ever hog the food? Are you glad that you have more than one, or are there moments you regret it?

I'll take any advice you can offer. Thank you!!

 

[wdwmom2]

I love having two cats. I love watching them play together and they have one another to keep each other company while DH and I are at work.

The best piece of advice is to introduce them slowly. Put the new cat in a room with the door closed for a few days. The resident cat will know he is there and will not have to deal with the newby being thrown into his domain. You can let them be in the same room in the meantime, when you are home, just monitor the situation. Expect some hissing and growling initially, this is normal.


There is no hogging food here, they eat peacefully side by side. My Siamese has a sensitive stomach and on occasion will vomit after eating. If I am not quick enough, the other cat will be there to clean up the evidence!!!

No real negatives for me other than twice the poop to scoop.

 

[GJM]

I would also love to hear replies on this. We got our cat 3 years ago from the pound. She is such a good loving cat - DH & DS want to get another one. But I think she is happy by herself and worry how she would react to another cat.

 

[epcotprincess]

We have three and we LOVE each of them dearly. We have even thought about getting "just one more" but we're going to have to pass since our daughter is small and we'll be having more kids soon.

Our oldest was 5 when we got our second. We researched the internet long and hard and consulted our vet about the best way to go about integrating a new kitty.

Our vet recommended going with an opposite-gendered cat who is young. Then we got some great tips on integration (keeping them in separate rooms, sharing smells from blankets, and finally letting them see each other but while one is in a cage, etc.-- these tips can be found online.) When we finally integrated them, the process went really well. Our older cat is a bit cranky in general so I was glad he was cool with it. He seemed a little annoyed at first but was cuddling with her within 2 weeks' time.

Whatever you do, do not just throw the cats in together. You'll almost certainly get hissing and scratching and think it will never work out... but cats are like people in that first impressions are lasting, so if you assist them in having positive initial interactions, you'll be rewarded with a happy relationship between your cats!

Regarding the food, always feed your alpha cat first, then feed your new cat close by but far enough away so it doesn't make your older cat feel threatened. Remember to reward good behavior with treats!!

Regarding the tip to get a young cat: in my vet's opinion, this meant a cat around 1 year old or younger, not necessarily a weeks-old kitten. Certainly if you want a kitten, you should get one, but remember you can go a little older, too. At 6+ months they're just about fully grown and less likely to be adopted as a result, but they're still very much kitten-y in their attitude and behavior.

I have never had any regrets about adding more kitties into our home. We feel great about giving a forever family to homeless kitties who needed one, and they reward us in return with their adorable antics and awesome snuggles. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions. Good luck with your choice and I hope it goes well for you if you decide to adopt!

 

[etoiles]

I think it really depends on the personality of the cat. My mom got an adult cat and had him for a while and then got a younger cat. The younger cat wants to play all the time but the older cat does not and sometimes gets very irritated by it. My MIL also had an older cat and got a kitten (both males, which I think probably was not a good idea) and they did not get along at all. When the kitten grew up he decided he was boss and beat up on the older one. It was not pleasant.

However, growing up we had two cats similar in age and got the second one not too long after we had the first. We kept the second one in a different room until the first one got used to the idea of it and the smell before letting them in the same room together.

Overall, I think it really depends.

 

[GeorgeG]

We have two. They're brothers, but one was the runt of the litter so he is smaller. They keep each other company when we're not home and sometimes fight (just like kids do). I haven't had any luck getting them to do their chores or get jobs, though.

 

[DMickey28]

I had a brother and sister cat for 8 years before they "disappeared" this summer. Two cats was no more work than one but the last few years they started getting "mad" at each other rather than playing together. As kittens they would play and cuddle but as they got older then would attack each other and not in a playful way.

My brother also has a brother and sister cat. As kitties they were best buds but now they are starting to fight as well.

I wonder if it's the relationship!! Maybe two cats from different litters would be better?

 

[MichelleVW]

I have 4 cats. I got the two boys when they were kittens together and they are inseparable. Two years later we picked up an adorable little female stray who was about 6 months old. There was some hissing at first from the boys, but they soon learned to tolerate her and one of the boys will play with her. The other one just mostly ignores her.

Then last year we adopted another young stray (a year or so old) who has been in the house for a year and the other cats still hate her and she hates them. Thankfully we have a big house and Olive hangs out in "her" bedroom most of the time and we shut the door when we are gone so they are separated. The other three cats hang out on the other side of the house in my bedroom so it's pretty peaceful most of the time.

So basically, 3 cats of mine get along well, and the other one just wants to be an only cat!

 

[bitohoney]

I have 3 cats.
The oldest, Kitty, is 13.
The middle, Little Bit, is 10.
And just last month, brought in an 8 week old kitten, Minnie. She's 12 weeks now.

When I brought home the 2nd cat, Little Bit, I had to seperate the 2 for about 2 days. Then I let them both roam the house together. The oldest cat, Kitty, accepted her quickly. But they are girls so there is still a lot of hissing.

NOW...with the kitten...the 2 big cats do not like the kitten and I kept them seperate for about 10 days. Still a lot of hissing and slapping and will be because they are all girls but I have no regrets. I love them!

 

[MichelleVW]

This thread is no good without pictures......

Here are my two original cats....together since birth and pretty much this is how they spend their days!

 

[emer95]

This thread is no good without pictures......

Here are my two original cats....together since birth and pretty much this is how they spend their days!

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!

That is absolutely precious!! My heart is melting. They are so adorable!!

 

[MichelleVW]

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!

That is absolutely precious!! My heart is melting. They are so adorable!!

Thanks, they are both really awesome and sweet cats too! I love them!

 

[mickeysaver]

Currently, we have three cats. Our boy is the oldest and he is a big fat boy, who is about 9 now. He brought home a stray that is more or less his mate when she was just a baby. She is now about 6 years old. The other cat that we have is somewhere between about 4 and 6 and we adopted her over the course of the last year. The two girls are either playing with each other or hating on each other most of the time, which keeps us entertained for sure. My older girl is cuddly, but the newer girl is not at all, but she is so wildly playful that it makes up for it. The old man, well, he wants attention about once a day and his favorite thing is an ear scratch. Most of the time, he sleeps and cuddles with one of the girls or his stuffed Test Track Mickey. (Yes, even my cat is addicted to Disney. )

I enjoy cats, I do think that it depends on the nature of the cats you have as to whether or not they will appreciate or benefit from having other feline company. When bringing in new cats, we usually like to get kittens, but then again, adult cats can be added, just realize there will be an adjustment phase that can last a couple of hours to several months.

 

[emer95]

We have two. They're brothers, but one was the runt of the litter so he is smaller. They keep each other company when we're not home and sometimes fight (just like kids do). I haven't had any luck getting them to do their chores or get jobs, though.

Really? That's too bad. My cat regularly vaccums the house while I'm at work, and she recently got a part time job at Target. Driving her back and forth is a pain, though. I'm actually starting to look forward to when she gets her driver's license.

 

[MichelleVW]

When bringing in new cats, we usually like to get kittens, but them again, adult cats can be added, just realize there will be an adjustment phase that can last a couple of hours to several months.

Lol...we're going on 12 months and I don't think there will ever be harmony between the 3 and the 1.

 

[LJRJR]

We have two cats. My oldest cat is a male and he is nine or ten, we had him for about six years before we suddenly were asked by my brother in law to take a three week old male kitten. With such a large age difference, I didnt know how they would get along. They turned out to be best buddies. They snuggle together and sit and lick each other all day. The little guy goes around looking for the older one if he needs company. I do need to be careful about the food, the younger guy will eat all the food, so I try to feed them at different times.

 

[lizbaby007]

If you already have 1 cat then you know how "big" their personalities can be

I say it depends on the cat.

Up until recently I had 3 cats. My oldest cat (she was 20) passed away in July. I had her since she was a kitten and when she was about 10 I introduced 2 new cats into the household over a few months.

She and my little Siamese took to each other immediately. They were best friends. Slept together and everything. While the 3rd cat loved human company but ignored the other 2

When my oldest cat died, my little Siamese was just devastated. She has since tried to make friends with my 3rd cat (the calico) but the calico wants nothing to do with her. Hasn't wanted anything to do with her in the past 10 years.

My little Siamese wants so badly to be close to another animal that she has started curling up next to the dog Luckily the dog tolerates her. Well, at least he doesn't jump up and run away anymore when she lays down next to her.

Animals are weird. Each has its own personality. All I know is I could not imagine not sharing my love with them and enjoying the companionship.

 

[bballmom56]

I agree that it all depends on the individual cats. We have had many, many cats over the years with as many as 4 in the house and 1 in the barn. The barn cat, a female, never wanted to come to the house (we tried once in really bad weather) and never wanted another cat in the barn.

As for the house cats, 14 years ago we adopted a 2 week old kitten abandoned by her mother and siblings. So she was well socialized by us and the cats in our house. But she never lost her feral attitude. She has no use for the other cats, in fact pretty much despises them, although one is in love with her and always has been. She is the smallest of all the cats and the feistiest. Actually she is that way with us too, lol. Everything is on her terms. She would probably be much happier as an only cat, but at this point she has to deal. We don't turn our back on any animal that shows up on our back porch.

OP, so I would say if your cat is happy, I would leave well enough alone. There is no guarantee they will like each other, no less play with each other. Now if a needy cat comes your way, that is another story

 

[dhcoffey]

We have five cats and love them all. Such great personalities and so different. Our oldest is a male and he's 10. We adopted him from the shelter. The next one we got is a female and we found her outside our church when she was a few weeks old, so we brought her home. They get along fine. Really don't interact much. She's kind of a strange one. Our male is super affectionate, though. Our female is now 3. Then we had our oooppps moment. She got out and got pregnant. Now we have her three kittens who are coming up on 3. They're all female. They get along great. Our male is sooo good with them. When they want to eat, he sits back and waits to go last. We've been very lucky with them all .

Heather

 

[Jusacuz]

I have 7 cats and as much as I love them, I wish I'd stopped at 3. When one gets in a playful mood, it gets 4 others all riled up and they tear through the house, knocking stuff over. they get along most of the time, but when they don't it's noisy. The hair is impossible to keep cleaned up constantly.

Most of them are fairly young (youngest is 5 or so), so I know I have a lot of years left, but when they are gone, I will not replace them. I am done with multiple pets.

Of course, they are super sweet to take naps with and I'll miss that when they are gone.