How much does gender matter if adopting a 2nd cat?

[daryl the cat]

Daryl is a neutered male about 3 years old.  He's very gentle and laid-back.  If I were to adopt a 2nd cat, should I be looking for one gender over the other?  It would be neutered because all the cats at this shelter are neutered before adoption.  Do neutered males get along okay?  Or is it completely individual with each cat?  I'd definitely want a cat he wouldn't feel threatened by, and vice versa.  I'm just thinking about it right now, but I've been wondering about the gender thing.

 

[mwallace056]

I don't have much experience and knowledge but I do know that neutered males tend to get along better then intact males. It also depends on the cat

 

[anne with cats]

Once they are neutered, male cats usually get along pretty well. What really matters is their personality. Your cat may be mellow and laid back, but could become more dominant depending on the other cat's personality. One cat will want to dominate, one has to be the Alpha cat, usually. My old cat was always the Alpha. He was never one to play with the other cats, but if they annoyed him, they were sure to get a swat if they got in his way. He was a big cat, and all the cats had a high respect for him. Other than that, he didn't mind the younger cats giving him a bath when he got older, and guiding him around the yard as he became deaf. 

 

[detmut]

i've always had better success with opposite-sex cats

 

[fhicat]

 
 Or is it completely individual with each cat?

Pretty much this. Each cat is as different as the next cat, that you can't say X will get along with Y. A social cat is more likely to get along with another cat, male or female. A cat who has had bad experience with other cats (for example, hoarding) is likely better off alone, male or female.

You can't look at the gender of a cat and say, this cat will get along with X or Y gender. The most important part of this is the introductions. A well-executed introductions increases the chance of a cat getting along with another cat, though this is never a guarantee.

 

[canopener]

Personality is most important. Conventional wisdom is that opposite sexes get along better, but this is certainly not a hard and fast rule--so all things being equal, an opposite sex cat may be better, but I wouldn't turn down a cat the shelter thinks would be a good match personality-wise on the basis of it being the same sex as your current cat.

If your cat has never been around other cats, it's hard to say definitely what he will/will not like in a feline companion, but factors to consider are his confidence level and interest in interaction and play.

 

[daryl the cat]

Thank all for the input! The shelter is great about describing their cats' personalities.  They will say if the cat should be an only cat or if it gets along well with dogs and other cats.  There's this gentle and shy female I've been keeping my eye on.  Her owner died.  She's been there awhile. Seeing all the cats needing homes breaks my heart.  I have the room, but I'm afraid of changing the dynamic.  Daryl is so happy and adjusted here with me and the dog.  Ugh, I wish I could decide what to do.

 

[whiskylollipop]

You could take Daryl to meet her if the shelter can set you up in an isolated room for that purpose. Or ask if the shelter is willing to let you take her home for a trial week to see how Daryl reacts to the new addition. I'm sure the shelter would take her back if she can't get along with your existing pets, a happy forever home is the most important thing for their rescues.