Getting my cat a new friend?

[redrosse]

Hello guys!

I have been thinking about this lately. Getting my cat a new friend - but I just want to make sure it's the best decision.

I think of my cat, as I would think about a child. And I know I would have loved to have a brother or a sister.

Do cats need a companion? I think he'd love to have someone to play with. But here is the tricky part.

My current cat, is male, neutered, and he is 1 year and 5 months.

He is very calm, likes attention, follows me around, he is a sweetheart. He has his random bursts of playfulness but he is adorable when he does that.

Would another cat affect his current behavior? I'm afraid they will pair up and become destructive.

I know a new cat needs to be properly introduced - that is not my concern.

I'm asking people who had a cat, and then got another - how did things change?

Thank you!

 

[fearlessbenjamn]

Getting a second cat was the right choice for me..It is so adorable watching them play together and take naps together..They have really grown to love each other..My cat, Benjamin was about 5 months old when we adopted Caya in September of this year..It took a little while for them to adjust to each other but they really have done great..They have totally different personalities.. Benjamin is very active and Caya is laid back..As laid back as Caya is, she is a little bit of a bad influence on Benjamin..I tell my husband that if Caya was a human, she would be the girl smoking cigarettes in the bathroom at school..She is a climber and a jumper and little Ben wants to do everything she does..He is a little on the clumsy side..I find them both on the top shelf of my closet and have no idea how they got up there..I had to take my Christmas tree down two weeks before Christmas because they knocked off just about every limb..I bet you are rethinking getting that second cat now!  Please don't..It truly was the best decision for me..These cats have brought so much joy into our lives..The good totally outweighs any negative..

 

[mani]

I think two cats are always better than one, but not necessarily for the cats. 

My two tolerate each other... they never cuddle and their playing has a 'fighty' edge to it.  But then again, in the past I've had cats that just adored each other and it really was lovely to see.  You will get many different stories from people.

And of course choosing the right cat and the introduction process are really important.

So I think getting another cat is a great idea, but I just wanted to say that there are no guarantees.

 

[sheesha]

My cats get along like a house on fire, and I think the thought and work I put into finding the right match was a big factor in that. My first cat was about the age of yours when I introduced her 'brother'. Generally, you want cats of opposite sexes.

I would recommend a rescue which uses fosters, rather than a shelter, because you can be more particular about temperament. I opted for a cat slightly younger than my girl but not a young kitten, so they could grow together at similar life stages. I also asked for a cat that was accustomed to getting along with cats other than his littermates, and who didn't have major anxiety problems (although, it is something you'll face with rescues, there's not much getting around that).

Warning, though. The first couple weeks are going to be extremely stressful. Even if you take your time with exchanging scents and glimpses and do everything right, there will be animosity and posturing when they first meet. It's not a pleasant experience, but having cats who ultimately not just tolerate each other but genuinely love each other? Worth it.

 

[handsome kitty]

You could try fostering a cat to see how it goes. 

Our 2 cats, male and female, are very different.  Eclipse likes to be up high and Fluffy is a down low girl.  They play together and get along great.  Sometimes they are off doing their own thing.

I would recommend getting another male cat.  My sister (who's had cats most of her life) says females play for the first year and males play for life.

 

[karys3]

I'm in this same spot right now. I have a girl, 10 months old, big cat. Some Coonie in there or similar big tabby.

Anyway, she had some pretty bad upper respiratory issues starting about 1 week after I brought her home. Between growing out of that and having a random blood issue that delayed her spay, I've not thought at all about getting my pet a pet.

Recently there have been 2 separate issues that were slightly traumatic to my Gidget. The first was a night of panic where I thought I was leaving town immediately to be with my dying Dad (he didn't), Gidget was hustled off to a friends house where she spent the night. I was lucky enough to be able to bring her right back home the following morning.

But then she became miss "I'm not gonna eat THAT"

Then while attempting to find or make something she would eat on a regular basis, Christmas came around. I was gone for 4 and a half days, after having planned for 3. Weather issues. She had a sitter in our home up until about 12 hours prior to my return, but she hid under the covers on my bed most of the time and, apparently, ate very little.

So I've been home 3 days and she's been eating great. She hasn't really left my side. Not unusual. She's always been clingy, walking between my feet, laying on my feet when I'm at the sink, standing in my face when I brush my teeth, sitting on the edge of the shower, being a little too nosey when I do my toileting. She's slept on or touching me since day 1.

The thing is, I always felt she would benefit from a friend of equal temperament. Another lazy cat, slow moving, easy going.

My problem now is, after the 2 back to back traumatic things, is this a bad time to introduce another? Will I make things worse, better?

Work related, now is a great time! Gidget age related (10 months) it's still good. I worry that as she gets older it will be more difficult to bring in another.

Opinions, please? Fostering is not an option. I have to register each new pet with my rental office and pay the deposit regardless of whether or not I keep said pet. (Crazy rules here)

Wow, sorry for the novel. Thanks for listening. All opinions appreciated.

 

[nbrazil]

Ragdoll boy hyperkitten, play aggressive little snot is how my Artemis started out. Nothing I could do could calm him down - I discovered no matter the mellow breed, kittens are just that - kittens.

At six months of age I'd had enough so I began reading the profiles of kittens offered at rescue sites. Found a cute orange ticked tabby with a description that went - don't let her little doll face fool you, she is spunky and can hold her own with the big boys. Well my Ragdoll was 9 pounds at six months, a big boy.

Based on personality, I broughth the little 4 lb girl home and did proper introductions (over two weeks, sight/sent swapping) and by the time they were ready to meet the first thing they did was play, play, play! Instant BFF

Two was better than one, and play aggression was gone - they chased out of themselves in olympic play sessions. Only two months apart too.

So, if you can match personalities - Go for it. You save another cat, and double you pleasure, double you fun. They burn out their energy and so come over to you to rest.

That's my viewpoint and I'm sticking to it.

 

[sheesha]

Karys: I got my second cat due to separation anxiety in my first, and it did help a lot with that. However,your cat is probably feeling a little insecure about her territory at the moment, so my advice is that, if you want to introduce a new cat (which isn't a bad idea itself), take your time with it and be really picky. Taking your time means your cat has more time to calm down from the recent incidents, and it means you're less likely to bring a new cat in rashly. The same advice I gave to redrosse applies: be picky about temperament; that's the most important factor in having them get along.

 

[caitini]

Fuzzy is really shy and nervous, and tends to play on his own (I can't really tempt him too much with the feather toys etc), so I had a lot of the same concerns you did. The rescue that I got him from temperament-matched him to Pierre. They're similar in age - Pierre is a little younger - both male and, as you can see, quite similar looking. They took to each other almost immediately, and can always be found cuddling together and grooming each other. It was the match made in heaven and I feel so much better when I have to be away from home for most of the day.

At the moment I'm looking after a third cat while his fosterer takes a Christmas break. He's totally different to these two - very playful and excitable, not the least bit shy, very much still kittenish although he's technically an adult. I don't think he would have worked out as Cat No 2 at all, he's just way too different. They mostly tolerate each other, but I do have to keep my eye on them.

So I'd say definitely get a second cat, but try to match them as closely as possible, and think of No 2 as a probationary cat until you're sure they'll work out.