one cat or two? (long)

I've been debating this for such a long time, and i can't make up my mind.

I have one cat, he's a purebred munchkin. When i bought him, i was unemplyed and spent his first 6 months (from 12 weeks on) with him at home, basically hand-raising him and instilling love for people and confidence.

Here's my situation:

I have Marsh, i love him to death. I really enjoy having him alone, because i can devote all my attention to him. Marsh's extremely demanding and spoiled. He wants my attention 24/7. he's very outgoing and extremely friendly. He loves to spend time with me. A real lap cat.

I work a full work week, and still come home for about 1/2 hour on lunches, which he loves, because he always waits for me.

I also play with him throught the night and on weekends, and we spend a good 2 hours every evening snuggling, because i love to watch primetime TV, and he'll snuggle with me next to my neck and chest, and purr and sleep till i wake him up.

I've always heard people say 2 cats are better than one... but i think marsh sleeps all day i'm at work, because he's hiper and super-friendly at night. on the weekend, he's just sleeping all day as well.

I'll only get a second cat when i'm again home for a few months at least, so i can hand-raise another kitten, and make him into a cat i'd enjoy spending time with.

I really feel marsh is so great now because i've put so much time into him when he was young. now that he's about a year and a half, he's 100% perfect.

Also, the breeder who i'm great friends with, said that some kittens like to sleep together and bond (she tries to sell them together) and some sleep alone. Marsh was a loner. Oh, and if i get another cat, it will also be from the same breeder.

so... what would you do?

I'd also love to hear your perspectives on this, how was it getting a second cat?

I actually think if i got another cat, it would be really great, the more the merrier since i'm think i'm a pretty good mommy Oh, and i want another male, they's so mushy!

I think it depends greatly on the cat honestly. The cat I had growing up would never have tolerated another cat in the house.

When I got Gandalf, I had every intention of leaving him an only cat but after a couple of months I knew that he needed a feline buddy and Samwise showed up with such perfect timing. So they get along great. I will say this though, both my boys are really lovey but Gandalf is not near as much of a lap cat as he used to be. Don't get me wrong he still loves to be up on me but I do have moments when I'm at home when I'm sitting down that I don't have a cat on my lap now. However I'm not sure how much of that was him growing out of kitten hood and how much was the introduction of Samwise. But it is super cute to see them play with each other and groom each other.

If you really want a second cat, best bet is to try it out. Maybe you could work something out with your breeder.

Alot will depend on each cats personality. I had Princess since she was 7 weeks and she was spoiled rotton. She was an only cat until she was about 18months and very happy being the center of attention. Like you I would spend hours with her playing, cuddling ect... Then one day I went to the pet store to get some food and I ended up bring home more than just food. I adopted Patsy from a rescue group. I had no intention of getting another cat that day but I had to have Patsy. There were some tough days. Princess DID NOT want to share her house and made that fact well known. I almost had to take Patsy back (for her own safety). In time Princess began to tolerate Patsy. To this day they still don't cuddle with each other but deep down they do like one another. They look for each other when one is gone and play together all the time.

To be completely honest it took me quite a while to get as close to Patsy as I was with Princess. I actually like having more than one cat now but at first I felt like I was causing Princess to think that I didn't love her as much as I did before Patsy came along. I know that isn't true but I still felt bad.

Originally Posted by GrayKittenLove

I think it depends greatly on the cat honestly. The cat I had growing up would never have tolerated another cat in the house.

When I got Gandalf, I had every intention of leaving him an only cat but after a couple of months I knew that he needed a feline buddy and Samwise showed up with such perfect timing. So they get along great. I will say this though, both my boys are really lovey but Gandalf is not near as much of a lap cat as he used to be. Don't get me wrong he still loves to be up on me but I do have moments when I'm at home when I'm sitting down that I don't have a cat on my lap now. However I'm not sure how much of that was him growing out of kitten hood and how much was the introduction of Samwise. But it is super cute to see them play with each other and groom each other.

If you really want a second cat, best bet is to try it out. Maybe you could work something out with your breeder.

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Yeah, i'm mostly afraid of losing closeness with Marsh. I'm sure a cat-buddy is better than a human-buddy LOL at least in size, and language, and of couse, as you say, i can't lick him clean! ehehe....

well.. Ive had teufel since november so he is nearly 7 months old now.
I have a rabbit here and he wants to play with her and sleep with her.
He goes constantlu and sleeps on top of her cage and when i let her out they play chasey. I really would love to get another cat but financially i have to get teufel first spayed and get my house, car ect payed and fixed before i can permit another cute feline in the house!
I have been though on a constant look to see a small kitten out on the streets alone but so far no luck. I know teufel would love another playmate, but i think it really depends upon the cat.
Some of my cats in Australia never got along at all!

Your best bet is to look for a cat that is the opposite of what you have at home. If your cat is a lap cat, then look for one that is more independent. This way you won't have as much conflict because the cats aren't the same. It really doesn't matter what sex they are unless you don't get them fixed, then that matters.

I had Squirt alone for 3 years before I decided once and for all to bring another cat in. He was not happy with me at first when Joey arrived. As a matter of fact, I think he liked Joey before he forgave me. But now they are good buddies and compliment each other well. As hissy said, though, their personalities are completely different. Squirt's my lap cat, and Joseph hates to be held.

Merlin, L.S., and Ho Ho get along wonderfully. They snuggle and play together. I haven't noticed any difference in Merlin's attitude towards me except that he's seemed to want even more attention, which is great because he was always a loner. I love the attention.

My mother, though, has said that L.S. won't spend as much time with her as he used to. He used to be a real needy cuddle kitty with her, now he'd rather play with Ho Ho all the time.

I think it just depends on the cat on how they react. I knew the personalities of Merlin and Ho Ho before I brought them home, and L.S. was just supposed to be a foster, but he was so sweet I had to keep him. I was never in a situation where if something went wrong, we'd be in trouble.

Boy I guess I have to put my 2 cents in here.

I started with one cat, a stray; 6 months later adopted a second, and then another adoption and another stray; and then someone gave me a cat they didn't want and then I got my last cat due to a mouse problem at my old house (and cuz he's about the cutest little thang on the earth).

I'm all for multiple cat households. I see how they play together, groom each other, LOVE each other, follow each other! Mine would be lost without each other.

Re: cat-buddy vs. human-buddy; depends on the cat. My cats have all been from either multi-cat households or they came to me young enuf to be raised in my multi-cat household. Dusty is more of a "people cat" and she does not pal around with any of the other cats; she only wants to be around us humans. But my other 5, they wanna be around each other & love to attack & play.

Originally Posted by darkeyedgirl

Boy I guess I have to put my 2 cents in here.

I started with one cat, a stray; 6 months later adopted a second, and then another adoption and another stray; and then someone gave me a cat they didn't want and then I got my last cat due to a mouse problem at my old house (and cuz he's about the cutest little thang on the earth).

I'm all for multiple cat households. I see how they play together, groom each other, LOVE each other, follow each other! Mine would be lost without each other.

Re: cat-buddy vs. human-buddy; depends on the cat. My cats have all been from either multi-cat households or they came to me young enuf to be raised in my multi-cat household. Dusty is more of a "people cat" and she does not pal around with any of the other cats; she only wants to be around us humans. But my other 5, they wanna be around each other & love to attack & play.

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See, that's what i feel, i think from what my breeder said and how i see marsh, i think he's really a people-cat. Although i've NEVER seen him interact with other grown cats, just his littermates.

He had a rambunctious sister, who bothered the hell out of all 4 of them. I remember visiting them, he'd just take and take her attacks until he'd react and just chase and bite the hell out of her!!! ehehe.. you could hear yelping! but then again, the sister would do the same to all 3 of them - constantly she was a laperm, so long-legged in a litter of 2 munchkins and one regular cat.. so long legged and MAJOR attitude.

Oh.. at the vet, when Marsh sees other cats, he mostly hides in his carrier, not willing to come out and 'introduce' himself. though i think the vet is not teh best place to start intruductions.

March sounds like a very happy and contented cat. Personally, if it were me, I would not get another cat as I figure it would probably stress Marsh out. My motto has always been - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I had a lone Siamese years ago and she and I were really, really close. I'm sure she would never have tolerated another cat - I was her property, period.

BTW - Marsh is absolutely gorgeous.

Originally Posted by GrayKittenLove

I think it depends greatly on the cat honestly. The cat I had growing up would never have tolerated another cat in the house.

When I got Gandalf, I had every intention of leaving him an only cat but after a couple of months I knew that he needed a feline buddy and Samwise showed up with such perfect timing. So they get along great. I will say this though, both my boys are really lovey but Gandalf is not near as much of a lap cat as he used to be. Don't get me wrong he still loves to be up on me but I do have moments when I'm at home when I'm sitting down that I don't have a cat on my lap now. However I'm not sure how much of that was him growing out of kitten hood and how much was the introduction of Samwise. But it is super cute to see them play with each other and groom each other.

If you really want a second cat, best bet is to try it out. Maybe you could work something out with your breeder.

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I just wanted to say you have beautiful cats. I'd love to give them each some lovin! LOL