1 +1 = kittens?

Hi

I am so happy because I just decided to get a couple of Tonkinese kittens!

As a child we had a tonk and she was the most gentle and loving cat ever!

I'm thinking about getting two girls because I prefer smaller cats, and all the cats my family have had in the past have been girls.

But I read on a website that it's best to get a boy and girl together....?

So I wanted to ask you: what is your opinion? Should I get two girls or a girl and a boy?

Why do you think so?

Much thanks

Girls can sometimes disagree with other girls due to territoriality and such, but that doesn't mean two girls could not get along.

Boys are rumored to be more lovey, in general, but that too isn't always true.

Either way you decide, get them spayed/neutered and there's no kitten worries!

Thanks for that!

Why do you think that some people recommend having a girl and a boy?

As long as EVERYONE is spayed and neutered, you won't have any kittens

Personally I like males over females. As kittens, you could get any combo (M/M, F/M, F/F) and it would work out. But if you have older cats, then it can be more of a problem introducing a new cat.

That's why most of us recommend if the resident cat is a full grown female (spayed), she will probably accept a younger neutered male quicker and better then to introduce another rival female (younger or otherwise).

Females tend to be more territorial then males.

I have three females all of a similar age they are not related are all speyed and get along great, but they all have a similar personality which I think helps a lot.

Good luck in your decision.

Isn't it true that altered cats are more likely to accept a newcomer than unaltered cats? I've always believed this to be the case, but can't think of a single example in which the theory "worked"!

I agree that if you have them spayed, then there are no worries. I have noticed that a male and a female seem to bond better with one another than two females, but like others have said, I also generally prefer male cats.

If they are neutered I prefer two males or a male and a female over 2 females.

If you want them to be buddies, they should have similar outlooks. Two cats raised as kittens get along 99% of the time, but may not be buddies.

In my experience, it's more personality match than male or female that will determine how friendly they are to each other. As for me, I can look at a dozen kittens, and the one I pick out will always be a boy.

But it's very much a personal decision. To help you with making good guesses about personalities when choosing kittens, I have written this guide:

http://wayofcats.blogspot.com/search/label/types

In my experience, cats fall into three types: the Alpha, the Beta, and the Gamma. Choosing two cats with the same personality types will greatly up the odds that they will find each other's company pleasing.

You will be getting two Tonks, so they won't have wildly differing outlooks on life, but still, I think it's more fun for two cats to be buddies. When I got a new kitten, I got one to be a buddy for my James Bond, who still misses his cat companion from several years ago. Mr. Bond is what I call a Beta, so the new kitten I picked partly because he was also a Beta.

My plan seems to have worked. They sleep together, sometimes play together, and generally get along wonderfully.

What an exciting prospect to get two kittens at once!

Thanks for your help everyone!

I should have mentioned that the first priority is to spay them, that is a given.

I think I'll go for a male and female after your advice...

And I'll definately look into your Jungian archetypes Werebear, thanks!

By the way, even if they were desexed, would two cats from the same litter still, ahem, breed?

If you have an intact male and an intact female I've no doubt they'll breed, brother and sister or not.

If they are neutered and spayed then no, they will not.

For the most part, any two unspayed/unneutered cats will breed. If you can't get them both done at the same time, then get the female done first. The male can still get her pregnant about 30 days after being neutered.

And kittens as young as 4-5 months old can get pregnant and breed.