Hey folks! So I'm likely going to get a second cat this weekend, but I'd love advice from people who have done it. Context: my Mozzarella is 4 to 6 years old, healthy, and settled in well at my 1200 sq. ft. apartment. I've had her for 6 months, and both me and my roommate love her. But over the last couple of months she's started displaying behaviors that, taken together, make us think she would greatly benefit from a feline friend. She wants to play constantly, even though her energy levels are those of your typical adult cat. She claws drapes and knocks things over specifically to get attention, obsesses over food out of boredom, and has separation anxiety when we leave or shut her out of our rooms. My roommate works from home, and has done everything she reasonably can to appease the darling monster, to no avail. She's actually looking to move into another job that isn't WFH soon, so that's an additional concern.
When I adopted Mozzie, she was not a fan of the 30+ other cats at the rescue cafe she was at. She got up high (although not as high as she could have) and hissed at the other cats, especially the rambunctious kittens, when they got too close. She was rescued from a backyard breeder with two of her kittens (who she was fine with) and had been spayed fairly recently. When we took her to a less crowded space, she turned into a total lovebug and her only ire with the few cats nearby was competing for our attention. We think that, with a proper, careful introduction, she may take to a single, well-matched cat just fine, and make our lives easier!
Finances aren't much of a concern, and I have plenty of savings for any vet issues that could arise from two cats. My roommate actually wants to be responsible for the day-to-day costs of the second cat since she'll be the one to hopefully benefit from its presence (i.e. Mozzie won't meow loudly in her video calls and unplug her computer). We're going to look for a cat around Mozzie's age, with a similar energy level and an easygoing personality. We're not sure if a male or female would be better; there are possible pitfalls with both. We're both taking a day off this weekend to fully commit to getting them off on the right foot, and since my roommate will be there during the day the rest of the time, that should help too. The new cat will be quarantined in its own space at first, with scent introductions for both of them and maybe feeding on opposite sides of a closed door. Then we'll hopefully be able to introduce them to each other visually in their carriers, open the door a crack during feeding, etc. I fully expect Mozzie to at least put on a show of aggression at first, but I'm hoping she'll warm up; she's a perfectly rational creature and I think she'll learn that the new cat isn't a competitor but a friend and a playmate. If all else fails, the rescue we're working with is always willing to take back a cat if the adoption doesn't work out for whatever reason, so that's comforting.
Mozzie is totally enough for me, and I wasn't even thinking about getting another cat until we realized it might improve her quality of life (and ours, honestly). I'd love having another furball around (although we're hoping to get a shorthair this time lol), and I've got plenty of love for them both, I'm just nervous about the change and how Mozzie will react. If there's anything I haven't considered here, or any warnings or tips y'all have for me, I'd really appreciate it!
When I adopted Mozzie, she was not a fan of the 30+ other cats at the rescue cafe she was at. She got up high (although not as high as she could have) and hissed at the other cats, especially the rambunctious kittens, when they got too close. She was rescued from a backyard breeder with two of her kittens (who she was fine with) and had been spayed fairly recently. When we took her to a less crowded space, she turned into a total lovebug and her only ire with the few cats nearby was competing for our attention. We think that, with a proper, careful introduction, she may take to a single, well-matched cat just fine, and make our lives easier!
Finances aren't much of a concern, and I have plenty of savings for any vet issues that could arise from two cats. My roommate actually wants to be responsible for the day-to-day costs of the second cat since she'll be the one to hopefully benefit from its presence (i.e. Mozzie won't meow loudly in her video calls and unplug her computer). We're going to look for a cat around Mozzie's age, with a similar energy level and an easygoing personality. We're not sure if a male or female would be better; there are possible pitfalls with both. We're both taking a day off this weekend to fully commit to getting them off on the right foot, and since my roommate will be there during the day the rest of the time, that should help too. The new cat will be quarantined in its own space at first, with scent introductions for both of them and maybe feeding on opposite sides of a closed door. Then we'll hopefully be able to introduce them to each other visually in their carriers, open the door a crack during feeding, etc. I fully expect Mozzie to at least put on a show of aggression at first, but I'm hoping she'll warm up; she's a perfectly rational creature and I think she'll learn that the new cat isn't a competitor but a friend and a playmate. If all else fails, the rescue we're working with is always willing to take back a cat if the adoption doesn't work out for whatever reason, so that's comforting.
Mozzie is totally enough for me, and I wasn't even thinking about getting another cat until we realized it might improve her quality of life (and ours, honestly). I'd love having another furball around (although we're hoping to get a shorthair this time lol), and I've got plenty of love for them both, I'm just nervous about the change and how Mozzie will react. If there's anything I haven't considered here, or any warnings or tips y'all have for me, I'd really appreciate it!
