First Time Cat(s?) Owner: Should We Get One Or Two Kittens?

[jacoby75]

Hey cat folks,

We are new to the world of cats, and new to the forum. My wife and I have had dogs separately in the past, but never a pet together, and never cats. And we have a 6yr old daughter - a lover of all things animal - looking for her first pet. We considered things like rabbits or guinea pigs, but we also like the idea of something that will love us back. We'd love a dog, but we often go out of town for the weekend to visit family, and can't leave one alone. Thus we have landed on the world of cats, and are looking forward to getting one or two.

We have the opportunity to adopt a kitten or two through a local rescue. She has two kittens, about 10wks old, brother and sister. Having never owned cats in the past, we are a bit overwhelmed at the prospect. We have spent a significant amount of time reading forums/books, and watching videos, especially the stuff by Jackson Galaxy. Among the myriad of advice topics are opinions on how many cats one should have. Many say that it's best to get two cats so they can socialize with each other. However, my wife stays home with our daughter, and she home schools, so someone is almost always home and there will be socialization. When we go out of town for the weekend, we will often be able to bring it/them with us to grandma's house. But some have said that having two cats also allows them to socialize off of each other and grow together as cats. Others have said that having multiple cats mean they bond with each other and not the people, which we don't want.

In summary, there is a crap-ton of information out there about cats, and we don't know who to listen to. And we also realize that there might not be a right answer to all of our questions. But our first, perhaps most important, question is this:

In the kitten stage, with people who are largely home, know very little about cats and have a healthy fear of the whole concept, would you recommend starting off with one to break ourselves in and get comfortable with cats in general? Or is it always better to start with two, all things being equal?

Thanks

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! welcome!!
I'd suggest two cats that are siblings, or in other words bonded in some way.
This is no guarantee of total peace and harmony forever, but in my opinion it helps a lot.

First-time Cat Owner's Guide

How To Mix Cats And Kids The Right Way
Cats As Individuals
and one more...
How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats

and with all THAT said, there's an awesome amount of joy, love and laughter with a cat.

 

[abyeb]

Welcome to TCS! We’re glad to have you here! Getting a kitten is definitely an exciting time, and we’re here to help you along every step of the way.

For your question of one kitten vs. two, there are several factors to consider. It is better to get a bonded sibling pair, than to introduce two cats later. Having two cats also can help prevent boredom. That being said, two kittens can be overwhelming for first-time cat owners. Usually, we like to tell people to consider two kittens if they will be away for most of the day. Also, it’s important to note that if you get two kittens, often times, they will be more bonded to each other than they will be to you.

 

[Pucks104]

We recently adopted 2 kitten brothers after we had decided to adopt one kitty. I have to say that inspite of our hesitation I can’t imagine having one of the kittens without the other one! They play with each other and burn off kitten energy, they sleep cuddled together and give each other confidence when facing new situations. Yet they each cuddle with us and interact with us separately. I think 2 is the way to go!

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[jacoby75]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Keep it coming! We have until Friday to decide. She's bringing both of them over. But I have a feeling once we see them both (again) it will be hard to keep one and send the other one packing.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

LOL, I agree, and I think you have two kittens! Not to fret, we'll be here for your questions...all 10,000 of them!

 

[ArtNJ]

I've always had two cats, several times adopting kittens together, but there have been periods where I had one cat as a result of deaths, or had two cats but it was similar to having one (adding a kitten with an older cat). Two kittens are very entertaining with their crazy antics, but also a bit more taxing. One kitten is more likely to bond super close with the family, following around your wife and daughter to the degree it might be a bit annoying when trying to home school and such, but it will be super cute. If two kittens, your families' interactions will be more playing time, and later, petting time and following around is less likely or less likely to be constant -- i.e. likely to be more independent, interacting frequently, but when they want, rather than following around. One kitten + home all day can be surprisingly taxing because of the sheer devotion the kitten may show, so this is both good and bad. Cats sleep a lot, but it won't feel that way when your wife is trying to home school and a solo kitten *always* wants to be in the lap, on the keyboard or on the book. Of course, even though there is more independence on average, two cats gives 2x the chance one will be in the mood to turn to you guys for attention, and a chance that both will, so I dunno lol.

Given that your wife and daughter are home all day, either would be a reasonable choice. If you want the maximum chance of a super-close bond I'd go with one. If you want to watch the crazyness and joy of two kittens playing together, and have a bit more time when they aren't following you around, get two. YMMV, all kittens and cats are different.

 

[jacoby75]

I've always had two cats, several times adopting kittens together, but there have been periods where I had one cat as a result of deaths, or had two cats but it was similar to having one (adding a kitten with an older cat). Two kittens are very entertaining with their crazy antics, but also a bit more taxing. One kitten is more likely to bond super close with the family, following around your wife and daughter to the degree it might be a bit annoying when trying to home school and such, but it will be super cute. If two kittens, your families' interactions will be more playing time, and later, petting time and following around is less likely or less likely to be constant -- i.e. likely to be more independent, interacting frequently, but when they want, rather than following around. One kitten + home all day can be surprisingly taxing because of the sheer devotion the kitten may show, so this is both good and bad. Cats sleep a lot, but it won't feel that way when your wife is trying to home school and a solo kitten *always* wants to be in the lap, on the keyboard or on the book. Of course, even though there is more independence on average, two cats gives 2x the chance one will be in the mood to turn to you guys for attention, and a chance that both will, so I dunno lol.

Given that your wife and daughter are home all day, either would be a reasonable choice. If you want the maximum chance of a super-close bond I'd go with one. If you want to watch the crazyness and joy of two kittens playing together, and have a bit more time when they aren't following you around, get two. YMMV, all kittens and cats are different.

This is good to know. I think above all we do want something that will be more devoted to us, and our daughter definitely wants a snuggle buddy. As long as it can develop into a healthy cat mentally as an "only child" (I was, and I guess I turned out alright), one might be the way to go. It's certainly the way I'm leading at this point, only because the amount of work two kittens might pose is overwhelming, and having twice the cat to chase is a daunting task.

 

[ArtNJ]

There are millions and millions of "only child" cats and it normally works out just fine. About the worst that can be said is they tend to be a bit more bored and more likely to be overweight, but with your wife and child home all day, the kitten will have plenty of stimulation. Go ahead and buy a cat laser pointer, Da Bird, Cat Dancer for like $15 bucks total, add a ping pong ball & some crumpled paper balls and a 6 year old will have no problem having fun with a hyper kitten. (Seriously, get those. People waste money on stuff like catnip mice which are hit or miss, and don't help you interact with the kitten.) Snuggle time might take a little longer.

If you don't already know, it helps to set up a home base / safe room for the kitten to adjust in. Ideally not a bedroom as people tend to get stressed when the kitten hides under the bed for several days -- but letting the kitten roam the house and having him hide under the stove is worse! Some kittens don't need time to warm up (especially home raised/fostered) but some definitely do (especially shelter kittens).

 

[BonitaBaby]

Personally, if the two cats are really bonded, I wouldn't split them up. If you can afford care for two and they're bonded, I would get two. But if you're a one cat person/family, then I'd find a one cat or kitten who's happy being the only cat (unless you add another later on). I adopted an adult cat and I think she likes being the only cat. She also runs and hides when children visit.

 

[Jcatbird]

You have gotten lots of great advice here. All correct. I am sure you will make the choice that is the right one for your family and kitty or kitties. Just so you know, the individual kitty personality plays into their reaction to everything. I do kitty rescues and I currently have 35 kitties living here. Although they could bond just with other kitties they all want time with people. They all like to snuggle, play, take a nap beside me, and interact with me in every way. They also bond with each other. I , personally, find they have enough love for the people around them and the other kitties. Whethe you get 1 or 2, if you give them love, they Will return it. I do like it when the people who adopt them from me take two that are attached to each other. It seems to make the move to a new home easier for the kitties. When adapting to a new home it’s comforting to them to have another kitty they know to provide something familiar and reassuring. I am happy that you are adopting. It’s a great thing to do. So many need families to love. Whatever you choose, I think you will really enjoy this new experience. Good luck and post here if you want information. Thecatsite is the perfect place to get information. Welcome! I look forward to hearing about your first , great kitty adventure.

 

[danteshuman]

IMO if you can stand the kitten mayhem & afford the double vet bill for spay/neuter vaccinations, I would go ahead & adopt siblings if you can. If not you can do what I did. I staggered my kitten adoption by a year. It allowed us to afford the vet care easier plus we only had to train one cat at a time to let us sleep.

 

[Etarre]

I think it's wonderful that you're adopting a kitten or two. Your daughter will be so happy to have her own pet-- I was an only child and my parents got me a dog when I was 10. She was the absolute best thing to happen to me during my childhood.

I've only ever had only cats, and did feel that they bonded very closely with me. It sounds like an only cat, should you decide on one, would have plenty of love and attention in your household, so I wouldn't feel guilty about making that choice if you do.

Either way, having your daughter pick a few regular times per day to play with the kitten using interactive toys like the ones ArtNJ suggested will help them bond. Brushing small kittens if they like it will also encourage them to cuddle and become lap kitties. This is how my Gwen, who loved being brushed, turned into a huge cuddlebug.

 

[Gizmobius]

So I'd had cats before I adopted my Gizmo, but I had never had kittens. After my previous cat had passed, I opted to adopt a kitten and my biggest regret is not adopting his brother too! He was 10 weeks old and a complete terror. I couldn't keep him entertained enough like another kitten could, I couldn't teach him what was too hard of biting, I couldn't get him to stop getting into all sorts of trouble! He never learned that hissing meant no so when I finally did adopt another cat when he was a year and a half old, he couldn't comprehend that her hissing meant don't play so rough.

In the future, when I adopt again and I choose kittens, it's definitely going to be two. It's just easier and causes so much less stress!

 

[talkingpeanut]

Definitely get the two. Even though they will be bonded and entertain each other, they will also likely pick their favorite people.

Kittens require an extreme amount of playtime that you, as humans, can’t match. They will keep one another busy and out of trouble. It’s really important for their socialization to have that outlet and play with an equal.

Also, your kittens might not like traveling. Most cats would find that quite disruptive. You may need to reconsider that plan.

 

[ArtNJ]

Oh yeah, good point re: Grandma's house, didn't notice that. But if they have one (or two) of those kittens that settles in to their house easy and start doing the weekend trips immediately it should be ok. Its not something most people do, but if started early and have the right type of kitten(s) it could work.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Oh yeah, good point re: Grandma's house, didn't notice that. But if they have one (or two) of those kittens that settles in to their house easy and start doing the weekend trips immediately it should be ok. Its not something most people do, but if started early and have the right type of kitten(s) it could work.

Really depends on the cat!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

And I will add here that only adopting one doesn't guarantee that the one will be a snugglebug, nor does adopting two mean that neither will. That's a function of the individual cat's nature. My Hekitty is an only, and not overly snuggly...or...only on her terms and a the time she chooses. AND you may get kittens who show no interest in snuggling, but as they reach maturity and that wild kitten energy slows down, they turn into velcro cats.

 

[socaffeinated]

Not long ago I was facing the same dilemma so wanted to throw in my two cents.

Like you I also did a lot of research and was advised by many, including breeders, that two kittens was better than one. However, even though I would have LOVED to get two kittens, I knew that I wouldn't be able to provide the same level of care for two cats (e.g. premium foods, potential vet costs) compared to one. I was definitely worried that my kitten would be lonely while I was at work - especially since she's a ragdoll. But so far it's worked out fine! I just play with her a TON to burn off her extra energy and give her extra snuggles after work. Since you'll have family at home during the day - this will be less of a problem.