Pets
sweetpea200
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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should we get a second cat?
in Pets
DH and I are proud parents of a three-year-old cat. When we adopted him as a kitten, we wanted to get a pair of kittens, but our landlord would only allow one pet.
We are thinking of getting a second cat now, but we are worried because kitty is a bit of a diva. He thinks he is king of the house. We are not sure how he would adjust to a new kitten/cat and how this would affect both cats. When I was a kid, my family had multiple cats who did not get along and I feel like it made them all a little miserable.
What do you cat-lovers out there think? Should we get another cat? If so, what can we do to ease the transition for both cats?
Re: should we get a second cat?
I think 3 years old is a good time to get another cat. If you get a kitten, your cat is still young enough to put up with the silly antics of a baby.
As far as introductions go, it's always recommended that the new cat stay in a type of "quarantine" for a number of days (a week or so?) In another room, separate from your current cat. This way they can smell each other and get used to the idea of another animal without feeling the need to defend one's territory.
I would also suggest that before you introduce the cats, do a thorough house-cleaning (ie: if you have carpets, rent a carpet cleaner and do a deep clean to get all the previous cat's scents out of the carpet.) I'm not talking pee, but you know how cats rub against things? supposedly that's scent marking. This should reduce the territoriality issue.
FWIW, I've never been able to do this. When I adopted Eastwood and put him in his quarantine room, he cried like a baby until I let him out, much to Jack's dismay. They really didn't like each other much and wouldn't be in the same room together without hissing until maybe 5 or 6 months later, then they'd play together, sleep together, chase each other around, etc.
There are other multiple cat owners on here, hopefully they can add to this!
Good Luck!!
100% this!
I would remind you that it could take awhile for the kitties to be friends. So if you do bring home a cat-sibling and they're not BBFs on say, day one, two, three...etc...not to be discouraged!
Even the most Diva of cats can surprise you! My mom introduced a kitten to my childhood cat who was 10 at the time, it took a month for him to adjust, but now they're best of buddies!
We introduced our 2 newest boys over the course of a month or so. S is kind of a cranky pants to begin with, but she tolerates them. The 2 boys pretty much leave her alone. But, the other 4 get along very well and often play together. GL with your search!
5 cats. 1 baby.
I think you should see if there are any cats you feel are a good fit for your family. The biggest thing that helps the transition is time- don't force them to interact before they're ready. As PP said, keep them separated for a while. Even my cats who love each other now, hissed at each other when they first came face to face. If they actually really fight, take it even slower.
You can also let them explore each other's space and scent when they aren't around- put original cat in a bedroom and let new cat out to explore, etc. Or give them beds and toys and switch them after a couple days. I believe most cats will at the very least learn to tolerate another cat.
You can plug in a Feliway diffuser a couple weeks before you bring a new cat home, it can make them feel more comfortable. Supposedly opposite sex pairs get along best (providing they are both fixed!), but I have 2 females and they do fine.
We adopted both of our kitties at the same time, but I think having two cats is great
Slow intro is key, and hopefully some of the resources PPs listed will be helpful.
Maybe try a rescue that has someone fostering multiple cats together, so that hopefully the new addition is friendly with other cats and you wont have quite as much adjusting to do. Every cat is different, but if the new cat has been around other cats before, I honestly think that can only help.