1 or 2

[Tanziadriel]

Hello everyone! This is my first post here so im not 100% sure im in the right place…. But i need advice on if I should get 1 or 2 kittens. I am 19, will be 20 in January, and I have had dogs my entire life, now we are building a tiny home for myself on my moms land which means I can finally get a kitten! (My mom is allergic) I won’t have the kitten for at least a few months, so I definitely have time to prepare but I’m very type A and want to have everything in order before my kittens arrival. I have done sooo much research and I decided a Russian Blue would be best for me. I’ve read everything i could on single kitten syndrome and pros/cons to having 1 and 2 kittens, but i am really not confident in myself to care for two simply because I have never had a cat before. I’ve heard of first time cat owners who were able to keep up with two, and I've heard of first time cat owners who were not. My classes are completely online right now and I only work 20-25 hours a week, so I will definitely be home most of the time to care for the kitten and my brother’s tiny house is right next to mine so he will be over to play with the kitten a lot as well. I’m just not really sure what to do!

 

[DreamerRose]

You will be better off with two, especially if they are from the same litter. They will play with each other and keep each other company when you are busy doing something else. Kittens are very high energy, and it's better to let them wear each other out than you. They will love you and want to be with you just the same.

 

[verna davies]

I would have a bonded pair. As said above, they will keep each other amused and tire each other out. The problems start when two kittens don't get on but if you have them from the same litter then it should be fine. Will it be possible for you to visit the kittens before choosing then you will see if there are two that are close to each other.

 

[ArtNJ]

Sure, above posters aren't wrong, two kittens will play with each other. Nice for them, cute for you.

HOWEVER, practical issue here. You said your home will be "tiny". Two kittens in a tiny home can be quite a handful! You never want two kittens in a studio for example (I did that long ago!). They will literally run over your body playing at 3 am.

 

[Ellis75]

I had the same thought as ArtNJ. It's always better to get two kittens than one, but I don't know that a tiny home would even be big enough for one kitten. Kittens are rambunctious and need plenty of room to play. Do you know what the dimensions of your home will be? Is there maybe room to build an attached, enclosed catio to give the cat(s) more space? Have you considered getting an adult cat instead of a kitten? There are plenty of adult cats who would be happy without a sibling, and they tend to be less energetic and rambunctious than kittens; an adult might thrive more in your situation than a kitten would.

 

[Tanziadriel]

I had the same thought as ArtNJ. It's always better to get two kittens than one, but I don't know that a tiny home would even be big enough for one kitten. Kittens are rambunctious and need plenty of room to play. Do you know what the dimensions of your home will be? Is there maybe room to build an attached, enclosed catio to give the cat(s) more space? Have you considered getting an adult cat instead of a kitten? There are plenty of adult cats who would be happy without a sibling, and they tend to be less energetic and rambunctious than kittens; an adult might thrive more in your situation than a kitten would.

It’s a total of 764 sq ft, a 2 story 16x24. and i am planning to have a “cat room” as well as a catio

 

[ArtNJ]

Not sure what your studying. If its public speaking or rocket science, two kittens in 764 sq ft might be tough. They entertain each other a lot, but I'd say that two in a small space are still going to be a good bit more of a distraction than one.

Certainly possible to go ahead and get two -- you'll survive it for sure. I had two in a studio in lawschool. Wouldn't do it again, but just because I'm (a lot) older and (a lot) more persnickety doesn't mean you need to feel the same way.

 

[game misconduct]

depending on the number of classes /major etc. you might be writing 2 or more papers each week plus the researching and all that other stuff to write your papers. might be better off to just finish up school and then just get 2 kittens and not have to worry about being swamped with homework/work along with the cooking and cleaning online classes are brutal from what i seen my gf going through you get placed into group papers and when that one lazy person fails to complete their part the group gets a bad grade then or must figure out as a whole how to complete things to make up the slack. best of luck in whatever you decide

 

[susanm9006]

There isn’t a significant difference in personality or other traits between purebreds and other cats so I would strongly suggest you not spend the dollars a purebred costs and instead look for a couple of rescue kittens. If you like the look of a Russian Blue I am sure you can find a domestic look alike, and a sibling to go with them.

 

[vince]

Two is definitely easier on you. If you can deal with two of them and the extra expense, by all means do so. The space available isn't that big of an issue, but providing cat trees and high perches will make the available space do better duty. I think the major problem might be with them disturbing you in your studies.

 

[Ellis75]

It’s a total of 764 sq ft, a 2 story 16x24. and i am planning to have a “cat room” as well as a catio

Oh, that's bigger than I was thinking for a tiny house; my apartment is about 800 sq ft and my two cats seem happy with that space. I do think that it's still worth considering getting an adult cat instead of a kitten. Kittens tend to take up much more time than you think, and they'll often demand attention when it's least convenient for you. There's also a certain amount of destruction you kind of have to expect when you get a kitten. Depending on how much time you spend in classes/studying, it might be really difficult for you to balance caring for/playing/cleaning up after a kitten (or two). Not to dissuade you from getting a kitten if your heart is set (and I do think two kittens would make life easier for you than just one), but just some things to really consider as you get closer to your decision

 

[LTS3]

It’s a total of 764 sq ft, a 2 story 16x24. and i am planning to have a “cat room” as well as a catio

That's about the size of my 1 bedroom place. I have two cats and both get along fine.

One thing to note: kittens are extremely energetic and will literally bounce off the walls and get into all sorts of mischief and trouble. Plus they eat a ton of food until they are about a year old. You may want to consider a bonded pair of adult cats instead. If you want lazy and quiet while you're studying or attending online classes, a pair of seniors may work out very well.

Does it really have to be a Russian Blue? Purebreds are expensive. A shelter cat makes just a good a pet as a purebred and you're saving a life. Many shelters are kill ones.

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

Besides the space concerns (and it sounds fine) you should also think about the financial concerns of 2. Can you afford double the food, toys, litter and vet care? I got one because we wouldn't be able to afford 2 if something happened to one of our jobs or us.

 

[LTS3]

Besides the space concerns (and it sounds fine) you should also think about the financial concerns of 2. Can you afford double the food, toys, litter and vet care? I got one because we wouldn't be able to afford 2 if something happened to one of our jobs or us.

Pet expenses and vet bills add up quickly. Some people say that two cats don't cost any more than 1 but that's debatable. The main expenses are food and litter. You don't want to feed a dirt cheap brand that is full of junk ingredients but you don't necessarily need to feed a super premium hard to find brand either or feed raw or home cooked. Toys can be homemade like a simple empty shipping box or a knotted old sock. Vet care is expensive so have a plan on how to afford unexpected bills. Setting aside money from a paycheck into a separate bank account is one way. You can look for a low cost clinic for routine basic care and vaccinations but have a second vet hospital in mind in case your cat(s) need more comprehensive care and for emergencies.

 

[Juniper_Junebug]

I adopted my first kitten last fall and opted for one, for no better reason than I only wanted one. Like you, at first I wanted a Russian Blue, but after learning more, I realized I just wanted a blue/gray kitty, which are readily available at rescues. I was attracted to the personality description of RBs, especially that they bond closely with one person and are happy being onlies, but after doing a lot of reading, I came to think breed personalities (perhaps with some exceptions) are probably still a crapshoot.

I asked the rescue for an adult but was offered a kitten first and jumped at the chance. So glad I did! It was so fun watching her grow up. If you discount my bedroom, which I don't regularly let my cat into, my place is probably close to the size of yours, if not smaller.

I'm still now sure I did the "right" thing by adopting her as an only-- sometimes she gets needy for my attention when I'm trying to work from home-- but I also think she's happy and appears to have bonded closely to me; she seems to enjoy having my full attention. So I've decided there is no "right" answer, for now at least.