One Kitten or Two?

[MichelleVW]

Hmmm, that is a tough call. I definietly believe that you should get 2 cats. My main concern with getting two right away is that they will be so attached to each other that they won't bond as easily with you. I prefer my cats to be very affectionate and I handle them a lot. Both mine are lap kitties and I can do pretty much anything to them.

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I don't think the bonding is an issue with two kittens...two puppies would be a problem, but cats are different. My boys are the sweetest cats ever and are totally bonded with me. As soon as I get in bed at night both of the boys hop up on the bed with me for the night and if I move to the couch or some other bed in the house they follow me! My boys are total love bugs, lap kitties!

 

[dakcp2001]

We got two because we work a lot and wanted them to have company! They love each other, and are totally different personality wise. It really worked out, cuz I have one that likes me best and DF has one that likes him best.

If your cats are indoor cat, your vet bills will be slightly better but they can still be costly. Our cat food bill is not too bad, and we buy our litter in the big buckets at BJs. You can also buy crunchy food in big huge bags to reduce the costs.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Yes to 2!! (Or more.....LOL)

We have a pair and they are brother and sister. We also took in a stray that was hanging around our house last year.

It is so cute to watch them play with each other, sleep with each other, groom each other, etc. You won't be disappointed with 2....I promise!!!

 

[DMRick]

The rescue group I volunteer at has a rule, that you must take two, if you don't have another pet at home for the single cat to play with. We have found that when we adopt out two, they aren't returned for doing, well, kitten things. They play with each other and entertain, as well as a buddy to sleep with and if you wanted to go away for a weekend, they have each other.
We do offer the second for $50 (the first is $80) if two needs to go. They are fixed and vacc'd so I think it's a good deal.

 

[claudia]

My DH and I have recently purchased our own home and we are both really looking forward to having a pet again. Both of us grew up in homes with one cat.

We would like to get another cat - my DH wants a kitten, having had some sad experiences with losing older cats - and have been checking all the animal shelters nearby.

However, all of them with kittens have the requirement that they be homed in pairs of siblings, not singly. We weren't planning on getting two cats at once, but would strongly prefer getting one from a shelter instead of buying one.

My main concerns are the extra cost and effort - 2x vet bills, 2x food spend, etc. We can afford it but I wanted everyone's thoughts and advice - how much "extra" is involved with a second kitten as opposed to only one?

We adopted our kitty from a shelter and the cost factor was a major consideration for us.....so we decided on getting only one. Our food/litter cost for him is about $50 or so a month, but we do get him Wellness (wet food) and also use Prescription Diet for dental care as his dry food. The initial costs we're a bit expensive as he did have an umbilical hernia and a host of other issues as he was a rescue....probably a cost of about $550 or so to get him neutered and the other issues/surgery done. Now, just the cost of his annual check-up....but he is an indoor kitty, so hopefully no other major things for him.
If you can afford it go for the second kitty! I would have....but with a dog as well we really couldn't take on more.

 

[alexandria674]

The fiance and I are going to be getting a bigger apartment and decided to get two kittens. I have been doing some research and two kittens seems like the right choice. Not only would they keep each other company but I also found out they learn to use a litter box faster and besides, its adorable and I think it would be good for the cats to have a little companionship.

 

[PollyannaMom]

...They have incredibly different personalities, but that doesn't affect their relationship at all, nor theirs with us. One kitten likes to be held, sit on laps, sleep near us, etc. He is constantly up for someone to pet him or hold him. He also loves water and likes to drink from the tap and stick his head under the running water. The other cat does not like to be held at all, will allow you to pet him for a brief period before he moves on, likes to sleep alone on a blanket, hates water (like a normal cat), etc. The 'loner' cat is also much easier to groom in terms of trimming his nails, cleaning his ears, etc. The more affectionate cat needs to be restrained in a towel for those activities. So they are truly night and day...

Your boys sound just just like our girls! - even down to the more cuddly one loving water, and the more aloof one not minding her nails trimmed. How funny!

OP - Go for the pair. I had one growing up, and thought that was perfect, but DS and DH convinced me to get two last year, and it is soooo much fun to watch them! It is more money for food, but it's not really more work. Mine have no problem sharing one litter box, and they amuse each other - so I don't feel guilty if we're out all day.

 

[puffkin]

We adopted our kitty from a shelter and the cost factor was a major consideration for us.....so we decided on getting only one. Our food/litter cost for him is about $50 or so a month, but we do get him Wellness (wet food) and also use Prescription Diet for dental care as his dry food. The initial costs we're a bit expensive as he did have an umbilical hernia and a host of other issues as he was a rescue....probably a cost of about $550 or so to get him neutered and the other issues/surgery done. Now, just the cost of his annual check-up....but he is an indoor kitty, so hopefully no other major things for him.
If you can afford it go for the second kitty! I would have....but with a dog as well we really couldn't take on more.

If you are feeding grocery store brand foods, then cost is not much more for a second cat. But I agree with Claudia that it can be a significant factor if you feed the better brands. I am very picky about the quality of food I give my girls and read every label (used to feed them Purina until my one cat had health issues and I did my research...I was appalled at what I found). I feed them mainly Wellness wet 2x a day and Halo dry every now and then as a treat and I spend about $90 a month on just their food. So yes, food cost is a big factor for us now and why we haven't added any more pets to our family.

 

[DMRick]

However, if you are feeding good food (I use Royal Canin) they generally don't take as much food to fill them up, and I use less kitty litter, because they 'hold' on to the food and do a lot less pooing, and a benfit of good food, it keeps the smell down. I give wet food only as a treat..a small amount in the morning and evening.
It's of course a personal choice, how many to adopt, but with well over 250 fosters under my belt (albeit all but a few kittens) I see very happy cats when in pairs or three. Much less boredom and less mischievous behavior.

If you are feeding grocery store brand foods, then cost is not much more for a second cat. But I agree with Claudia that it can be a significant factor if you feed the better brands. I am very picky about the quality of food I give my girls and read every label (used to feed them Purina until my one cat had health issues and I did my research...I was appalled at what I found). I feed them mainly Wellness wet 2x a day and Halo dry every now and then as a treat and I spend about $90 a month on just their food. So yes, food cost is a big factor for us now and why we haven't added any more pets to our family.

 

[supercarrie]

Thanks for the advice everyone! It seems quite obvious now.

I've shown my DH this thread and we have both agreed we'll be getting two kittens in a few weeks, once we are a bit more unpacked and settled in.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Thanks for the advice everyone! It seems quite obvious now.

I've shown my DH this thread and we have both agreed we'll be getting two kittens in a few weeks, once we are a bit more unpacked and settled in.

PURRRRRRRfect choice!!!!

 

[Silent1CB]

We are also thinking about getting another cat so this thread has been helpful.