How social are cats?

marge

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 27, 2003
Messages
2,428
Purraise
1
I can't figure out how much cats need other cats. Case in point: I have an only cat. He goes outside sparingly. And lately I noted he goes out and hangs out near the courtyard where there is a 3 cat household. They don't excatly play together, but will sit and stare at one another. I did see him chase one playfully. And he got into a tussle with another, it broke up pretty quick. He is neutered. I can tell he wants to go over there from time to time. yet I look outside and will see them all just sitting there, like old men chewing the fat or something.

So I guess I am wondering, are they really social? I know in the wild, they will form colonies, but that is often a survivial thing. Their survial instincts know together they are more likely to survive. and I keep reading here how people adopt another cat for a companion for the original cat and they just end up wrestling and the parents worry and worry. They don't snuggle each other the way a dog might.

I have thought of adopting another cat for mine to have a friend, but I wonder if that would be amistake. I mean this place is his, I am his. would his quality of life improve? Or are we putting human values on cats?
 

lorie d.

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
7,253
Purraise
339
Location
Upper Midwest (SE MN)
My cat Snowball had a friend named Midnight for 10 years. Sometimes they interacted and played, but a lot of times they would just be near each other in quiet companionship, and they kept each other from getting lonely when they were home alone. We had to put Midnight to sleep 2 1/2 years ago, and at first Snowball went through a period of grieving, but now he has adjusted to being alone, and he is happy.

IMO cats can be happy either alone or with another cat, but the introduction needs to be done correctly. There are a lot of archieved threads here that have good information about introducing two cats, and knowledgeable people on the boards who can give additional help if it's needed.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

marge

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 27, 2003
Messages
2,428
Purraise
1
Thanks it's good to know some do form bonds and miss their friends like that.

I am just confused, I pretty much decided to keep it to just my one. He seemed happy, and being realistic about my time, money and space-I felt one made sense. But lately things are shifting. I feel like the parent of a teen ager. He used to be so into me, always in my lap. Now he seems to eager to go outside and not a lap sitter anymore. Much more independent.
But I wonder if another cat is what he needs. I take adopting so seriously, and I don't want to make a big mistake.

I have been trying to wean him off going outside, but take last night, i had friends over for the holiday and he started with the crying at the door so I gave in. See he was found as a stray so very used to living outdoors.

Ugh, well take life a day at a time...
 
Top