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Stick with one cat or...?
My fiance and I got a cat in the fall. He was very much against it (couldn't afford it, small apartment, etc) but I finally convinced him. The cat was a gift from my ex's ex to my son, who was 2 and a half when she gave it to him - I don't what kind of person gives a two year old a cat as a gift, but whatever. My son's dad then started dating someone else, and moved in with her and her kids. As it turned out, her daughter is allergic to cats...so they had to find a solution. He asked me to take the cat first. So I, in turn, asked my fiance if we could take her - the last thing I wanted was for my now four year old to have to give up his pet! He is TOTALLY a cat guy, but money was an issue, and space...and what if she turned out to be a bad cat?
So I talked to my son's dad for a veeeeery long time about it, and asked everything I could ask about the cat. Is she fixed? No. Does she ever pee on things she shouldn't (he and I had cats like that and I hated them)? No. Does she scratch or bite? No. Finally I convinced my fiance that it would be fine. I would help take care of her, obviously, and pay for things too. He said we would take her on a trial basis, and if anything went awry, she would go back. Aden's dad agreed to this, and we took the cat!
Now, just a few months later, my fiance LOVES her...and she totally loves him. And she IS a really good cat. We've never had an experience with her using anything but her litter box as a bathroom, she only ever scratches or bites when she really doesn't want to be touched...and all in all we've been really lucky. Yes we have a very small apartment, and we are trying to save money for our wedding...but she doesn't put much of a financial burden on us that we weren't already putting on ourselves...and being that she's just one small cat, she really doesn't take up much space.
My fiance's suggestion is now to get a second cat...so that Hailstorm (my son named her when he got her) isn't lonely during the day. Yes, he loves his cat so much that he worries about these things.
I'm just not so sure.
I love cats, I really do. But going from one to two in our little place might not go so well. Hailstorm is great...but the chances of us getting another cat who is just right for us are very small. She doesn't shed much...but another cat might. They may fight a lot. The new cat might want to mark it's territory. A million things could happen!
He's also suggested waiting until we can buy a house, and therefore have more space...but who knows how long that will be!
What would you do?
Re: Stick with one cat or...?
It really comes down to personal preference and if you think you're ready for a second cat. I personally wouldn't worry too much about space. I would put stronger consideration into the financial aspect (e.g., food, vet bills). If you do decide to get a second cat, then there are a few tips I could give you.
It's possible for cats to get along. I grew up with multiple cats my whole life, and even though most of them never became best friends, they tolerated each other's presence. If you do get another cat, I've heard that getting a cat of the opposite sex is more likely to get along better than a cat of the same sex. It's not that same-sex cats can't or won't get along, or even become friends, but you're more likely to have a better interaction with a male/female combo. My husband and I adopted a 5 month old female about 2 months ago, and we also have a 3-year old male cat. We weren't sure how receptive he would be since he had been an only cat for over 2 years, and he has tended to be a bit more shy and skittish when placed in new situations or being around new people. However, he really surprised us. He was super curious about the new cat (we locked her in a bathroom for a couple hours to adjust, but she was ready to start exploring instantly), and he followed her everywhere when we let her out. They soon started to wrestle, cuddle, and groom one another and get along great.
Secondly, get a cat that is already spayed/neutered, especially if you get a male cat. A male is more likely to start marking territory if not neutered when young. I would also suggest you get your current cat fixed. It sounds like she is an adult cat now, and unless you are withholding some info, I have a hard time believing that she hasn't displayed any behaviors that are common with a cat going in to heat. If you were to bring a male cat in, it may cause a problem, but I honestly can't say for sure. There are lots of places that wil do spaying and neutering procedures for cheap or free.
Third, get a cat that is younger than your current cat. Hailstorm is more likely to display aggressive or overly-dominant behaviors if you get an older cat (or visaversa), because she may feel as though her place in the home is being threatened. I would liken it to the feelings you might get if a parent adopted a child older than you when you have been the oldest or only child in the family. You're likely to have a better outcome if you get a kitten or juvenile cat.
If you do get a second cat, it's important to make sure Hailstorm still gets plenty of attention, that way she doesn't feel threatened by another cat taking away her human's affection. Encourage positive interaction by having them play together. Also remember that when introducing cats, slow and steady wins the race. Isolating the new cat for a while will not only help him adjust, but it's also a good start to the introduction process. There are lots of articles on the internet about how you can insure a smooth introduction between your cats. Every cat is different and may not get along almost instantly like my cats did, so you have to go at your cat's pace.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck!
What would I do? Well, I'd get another cat.
) But it's really up to you guys and what you want. Cats don't need much room so I wouldn't worry about space. Give them lots of vertical space (things to climb on, cat perches, etc.) Cat vs. Cat is an awesome book that talks about cats cohabitating. I would recommend reading it... it might help alleviate some of your worries... or might help you decide not to.
http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Vs-Keeping-Peace-When/dp/0142004758/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1358529352&sr=8-3&keywords=cat+vs.+cat
Did you get your cat spayed? If not, don't get another cat. That cats needs have to be taken care of first, and a cat that goes into heat is unhappy (think of PMS all the time; cats that don't mate can go into heat back to back to back until they mate... no rest period between), and also more likely to develop certain kinds of cancers.
A second cat, if that's been taken care of, MIGHT be a great idea. Cat introductions can be terrible.Throwing two cats together can be the worst thing to ever hit your home. They don't always get along with their own species, they have territory issues. They might get along great with a dog or other animals, but another cat? Oh no. It'll depend on their personality, and kittens are more accepting of new cat additions than adults. Many older cats are set in their ways as a single cat.
http://www.littlebigcat.com/behavior/cat-to-cat-introductions/
Can you comfortably keep a 2nd cat isolated from the 1st for about 2 weeks while they adjust to each other's scents? If not, wait for a larger space until you can do so.
Also make sure they are both sterilized. The general rule we learned at the humane society was the best combinations of (sterilized, mind you!) genders were: male/females, male/male, female/female. Not to say female/female can't work, but your best bet is male/female.
Everyone is saying get a younger cat--while it's true kittens acclimate to other pets, keep in mind how old your current cat is. Sometimes they're like seniors--how would a senior citizen feel about being stuck with a toddler all day? Same situation.
Definitely visit your local humane society or shelter; a lot of them have community cat rooms, so you know already which cats tolerate their own kind.
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6