Should I get a second cat?

[nwfn]

I have an eight month old female kitten who I adopted a few months ago. She was the last of her litter, and she's the only cat I have at the moment. I love her to bits I am considering getting a second cat because I'm gone during work hours and I wonder if she might benefit from a friend.

She seems happy. She is very playful and very affectionate, sleeps with me at night, snuggles throughout the day and stays close to me when she's not busy catching toy mice or staring out the window. We've moved twice since I got her a few months ago: once across the country to stay with my aunt while I waited for my furniture to arrive, and then into our permanent home a MONTH later when my stuff FINALLY arrived. My kitten took both moves in stride. She warms to new people very fast as well. Mostly she is just curious about everything and everyone around, and she likes to be where the action is.

But she did not get along well with my aunt's senior male cat. I didn't intend for them to meet at all at because I didn't think I would be staying for a month, but after a couple of weeks my kitten was throwing herself at the door and crying to get out of the bedroom. Once she was out, she treated the whole house as her domain. She followed my aunt's old male cat around, swatted at him and even jumped at him on the stairs. I don't know if it was play, but he did not like it. She is only 6lbs, so he was over twice her size, but that did not intimidate her at all. He hissed at her occasionally and definitely did not want her around, but they didn't have any fights because thankfully the old male preferred ignoring her. I was also careful to keep them separated when I was out of the house because I wasn't confident leaving them together unsupervised.

I think she might have an easier time getting along with a cat closer to her own age and energy level. However, I suspect that her outgoing and nosy nature means that she'd expect to rule the roost. And since she seems fine right now, I'm thinking that maybe I shouldn't rock the boat and keep her as an only cat. What do you think? If I do get another cat, any thoughts on personality or other traits that would be helpful for them to get along?

 

[scubacat]

Every cat is different...and though she may not "get along" with one does not mean she won't get along with another. But some cats really are "only cats" either as they do not get along with other cats, because at most they tolerate them, or they really are "people-oriented" cats.

We adopted Jackie knowing it was a must that the home had no dogs, and that at most would only ever tolerate other cats. She looooves her humans though and is a total snuggle monster (she would happily snuggle or otherwise stick with me or my husband 24 hours a day if she could!). She is not able to go in our bedroom (allergies) overnight but will wait outside our door until morning and be there to greet each of us at our respective waking times. She is happy being an only cat and handles our time out of the house during work hours very well. We are on holidays right now and the pet sitter is visiting twice a day and they are getting along famously too. I am the one having a hard time missing her!

So, she will remain an only cat (an only furry kid, for that matter, of any kind). I do not see much benefit in getting another cat she will only tolerate and we love her to pieces, she is such a great cat...so we are content with just her. Over the years the other cats I have had have mostly preferred being "only kitties". At one point, with three cats....one wanted nothing to with the other two, one tolerated the other two, and one tormented one and ignored the other. They were definitely never caught snuggling each other!

Your kitty is still young so she night adjust fine with another playmate...or not. Would you do a rescue? Many rescues can work with you and your kitty to find a good personality match, especially from those in foster care where their personalities have been observed, and you can set up some playdates to see how meetings go. If she really is dominant, you may need to find a kitty that is fine with that hierachy but also will not just end up being bullied.

 

[allenkm]

Perhaps she would like a kitten friend and younger than her. Research how to properly introduce cats online and you will be more successful. The only thing better than one cat is two:lol3:

 

[Winchester]

I can only share Allenkm's post....two are always better as they will keep each other company. And I also second the younger cat suggestion.

We brought Mollipop into the house as a kitten. The older cats took her under their paws and things were fine. We brought Tabby into the house as a kitten and Mollipop was fine with Tabby; so were the older cats. Even Boo, who can be a bit cantankerous when he wants.

We brought Muffin into the house when she was an older cat, about two or so (she was my mom's cat and when Mom went into a nursing home, Muffin joined our family). It has not been pleasant with Molli and Muffin; they continue to fight and argue and pick on each other every chance they get.....and it has been well over a year now since Muffin came. Part of it, I think, it because Molli and Muffin are both alpha-females, so they both want to be the boss. And there can be only one. Until they figure out who the one is, they're going to have issues. But I do think that, had Muffin been a kitten, we wouldn't be having these problems. Unless it's just wishful-thinking on my part.

Be that as it may, two cats are a good idea, if you think your kitty will take to a playmate. And it sounds like she would. I do think the reason your aunt's senior cat might have been grumpy with the kitten could be because older cats just want to be left alone. We have two 18-year-olds and BooBoo, for the most part, is content to eat, to sleep, and to be warm. He doesn't want to play that much and, truth be told, at this point in his life, he just wants everybody to leave him alone. He likes to cuddle with us, he likes to be with us. But he doesn't want to have to deal with rambunctious younger interlopers. And that may have been the case with your aunt's older kitty, too.

 

[nwfn]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I thought if I went for a kitten that I would either get a kitten from a rescue where they keep the kittens in a home and can observe their behavior, or from an experienced breeder who could do the same.