do cats need each other?

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum and a proud new owner of an adorable little tabby kitten, Satou We are currently "foster" parents of her sister as well. They play and fight together and have adjusted well to their new home since they have each other.

My husband and I were wondering if cats really need that kind of companionship with another cat while their owners are gone for a few hours, particularly on longer periods such as vacations. We would love to have them both, but wondering if it is necessary for Satou to have a "playmate" for the rest of her life.

Any suggestions from single-cat and multiple-cat owners?

Its often suggested here that people have at least two cats, as companionship and playmates for each other. However, that isn't always possible, and as long as there is plenty of human companionship a cat can be happy being the only one, in fact, some insist upon and will not accept companions.

Being a multi-cat household though - I wouldn't have it any other way. My two keep each other company while I'm at work, and work out a lot of energy on each other. They play and sleep together, and groom each other, and I truly believe they genuinely enjoy each other's company. Someday I'd like to add a third, but that will be some time from now.

I would say - if there is no pressing reason for you to only keep one (allergies, cost, cat personality, etc.) and they get along well with each other, I would keep both. Two cats are not much more work than one, and while the vet bills might be more expensive, you might not have the behavioral problems that can come from a bored cat with too much energy. You have to do what you feel is right though!

We've never had more than one cat - until Mika moved in with our daughter. I cannot imagine not having more than one now. They play together, curl up together for naps, lick and clean each other. It's a joy to see.

If your 2 kitties are getting along so well and you can afford to keep both, I would strongly suggest not separating them now. Sometimes when cats are separated that have bonded, they will grieve the loss of the other.

I think it is just possible, but do not believe it to be the case with me, that there are those that just want one cat because they would be jealous of the cat having another companion. I am just worried about finding a decent catsitter for more than one since mine needs daily brushing.

I'm in a multiple cat household and I not only suggest having 2, but having 2 that are litter mates. In all my years I've only had 1 case where a set of brothers didn't get along and that didn't happen until they were 8 years old and one became ill with heart disease. Most of the cats in my house are "pairs" of littermates.

Cat cat get along by themselves, but I think they have much more enriched lives when they also live with their own kind. We don't speak their language and even though we can love and pamper them, its just not the same for them.

Originally Posted by Persi

I think it is just possible, but do not believe it to be the case with me, that there are those that just want one cat because they would be jealous of the cat having another companion. I am just worried about finding a decent catsitter for more than one since mine needs daily brushing.

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Um, no. That's just silly. I only have one cat beacuse my cat does not get along with other cats. Nor does she really care for dogs. When I got her, she was on the verge of being kicked out of foster home #2 for this reason, although in each home the people adored her and she adored them. And I don't particularly want to take on another cat.

If you want the second cat, by all means, keep her, but your cat won't curl up and die if she is alone. She'll bug you when she wants company.

Okay I currently live with my dad and I can't have but my one cat. But I do seem to notice Tavia tries to play with the dogs like she would another cat. And I feel so bad for her that she doesn't have a cat to play with. If it was upto me she would have another cat to love. But she is a happy cat and doesn't really mind the dogs.

Is there any reason that you couldn't keep her sister too? I have two unrelated kittens and I don't know what they'd do without each other. Eve was a single stray and cried constantly at the shelter because she was lonely. She's too social to be left alone. Lily is a bit more shy and needs Eve to boost her confidence. She's also very social and usually only sleeps if she's cuddled up with either us or Eve. She'll seek Eve out to sleep with her.

I've also experienced behavioral problems with single cats when I was growing up. Scooter was an only kitten for four years and he was a demon! He played very rough and he destroyed a lot of the house. When another stray kitten wandered into our life, he calmed down almost immediately.

There are lots of single cats that do just fine, but since you're already fostering her sister there's not much reason not to keep her unless you can't afford it.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I cannot imagine not having more than one now. They play together, curl up together for naps, lick and clean each other. It's a joy to see.

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I couldn't agree more. My two girls do exactly the same and i really wished i'd brought home a playmate for Rosie earlier even though she was only on her own for nearly a year.

We had Harley as our only cat for a year before we got Davidson. I really do regret not getting Harley a litter mate when we got him last year. Harley was displaying some distructive behaviour, which pretty much showed us that he was bored while we were gone - and a lot of that behaviour stopped when we got Davidson.

They keep eachother company, and its so wonderful to see them play and cuddle with eachother. I highly recommened 2 cats, if you can afford it!

Keep them both if you can. One of my cats died about 3 weeks ago, and her buddy is grieving horribly. I spent all day today looking for a companion, but came home empty handed. I will continue to look for a pal for Sassy, as it is obvious that she misses Nico, and doesn't understand why she can't find him

Originally Posted by krissie

Um, no. That's just silly. I only have one cat beacuse my cat does not get along with other cats. Nor does she really care for dogs. When I got her, she was on the verge of being kicked out of foster home #2 for this reason, although in each home the people adored her and she adored them. And I don't particularly want to take on another cat.

If you want the second cat, by all means, keep her, but your cat won't curl up and die if she is alone. She'll bug you when she wants company.

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Did you adopt her as an adult?

Since the OP is talking about 2 sibling kittens...I would recommend keeping both of them together.

Katie

Originally Posted by Sierra_K

Keep them both if you can. One of my cats died about 3 weeks ago, and her buddy is grieving horribly. I spent all day today looking for a companion, but came home empty handed. I will continue to look for a pal for Sassy, as it is obvious that she misses Nico, and doesn't understand why she can't find him

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Sierra...I'm sorry.....I would consider "fostering" so you can find the right companion for her.

Katie

Certain cats seem to like being the *only cat* others miss their buddies. My cat remy had his mom till a few months ago. She passed away. He has had a personality change. Not too bad but he does things he didnt do before she died. I am getting him a kitten in about 4 weeks. I hope all goes well. *smile*

Some cats do have to be only cats, and some will live with others but only tolerate them (like my lot, I might have 3 on teh bed, but it is rare for them to cuddle up, and i would love to have 2 cats that did that). If you can afford to keep the second, and they get on, then do it. But being a multicat household doesnt' guarantee they will get on and play together like you expect.

Originally Posted by satukitty

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum and a proud new owner of an adorable little tabby kitten, Satou We are currently "foster" parents of her sister as well. They play and fight together and have adjusted well to their new home since they have each other.

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I recently adopted two kittens from our animal control and boy am I glad I did.
Boo and Sassy weren't caged together at the pound. Sassy was in with a group of kittens and Boo was alone. At first they didn't get on well at all, but that changed in short order and they are wonderful companions for each other.

I think your little Satou would probably be sad and grieve her missing sister if you only keep her. If I were ever to decide to adopt again I think I would choose siblings if possible or kittens so young it would be almost guaranteed that they would end up getting along.

I also have one cat that would probably be happy if she were the only one, but she has been here just over a year and most of the other cats just give her wide berth. I've found most cats to be pretty social though.

Even the last feral I had fixed that remains outside and still swats at my guys from time to time likes to stay close to the group when they are laying in the sun or following me around the yard.

I vote that you keep both girls and double your fun and enjoyment!

i have a multi-cat household (actually, they are split into 2 separate crews at 2 locations right now - long story, but now there are 8 kitties who have homes with a real family) and my smaller crew consists of 3 cats who hate most other cats except EACH OTHER I have had Cindy for almost 5 years, and the 2 other cats that she previously liked crossed over RB, and she has violently rejected all my later arrivals, except for TommyScott, who was a feral that I'd been working with for about 2 mos. Cindy was at the house where TS is, and she got outside & I thought, "Oh, boy - this is gonna be ugly" as they approached each other, all fuzzed up & snarling & hissing. Amazingly, that's as far as it got, by the next hour, TS was "performing stunts" for Cindy and she was reconsidering her opinion

As you have two now, if they get on I'd keep them together as they will keep each other company.

When I got Villy from the shelter I learnt that she went in with another cat that she used to live with and they got seperated and her buddy (not littermates as far as I knew) got adopted out seperately. Apparently she wasn't too bothered about her mate, but they could have just been saying that.

Anyway, now I have to keep her alone, she simply won't tolerate any other cats, she just fights. I'd love to have a buddy for her, I worry that she gets lonely, but I think she might be really miserable if I did (bring in another cat), I worry that she might run away or just fight with any other cat that I brought in, so I'm going to keep her alone, as she has been for the last 18 months.

She really makes a fuss of me when I get in, wether it's from a day at work, or a week long holiday, so I think maybe she's lonely?

I would have two if you can. I've had 2 brothers (same litter) and they were together for 14 years until recently. Sam passed away 2 months ago after a year or so with a long illness and his brother Patrick had to watch him loose control in the hind area. But they loved each other very much and kept each other happy. Then just a month ago, we lost Patrick as well. We think because he couldn't stand to be without Sam, that he just made himself ill/sad and wanted to join him.

Now, we have Sarah & Max (brother & sister) who are great company and keep each other happy while we're at work. I wouldn't have it any other way but to have at least 2 cats.

You may find that you cannot seperate them anyways after so long a time together. My Romeo and Dimples were born number 1 & 2 in the evening and 3 & 4 were born the next day. these two have always been inseperable. I found a great home for Romeo and the woman who had him said all he did was cry and try to find a way out. Which was exactly what his sister was doing at home. Of course, I have them both now, and they love each other even more. I am of the opinion that 2 cats are better, they keep each other company, in shape, and well groomed. Good luck