Not sure if this is the right area for this but I am debating getting a companion pet for my 14 month old cat, Magnus.
I have not made up my mind yet, and am weighing the pros / cons (not to mention I live in an apartment so I don't have any good way of separating the two animals initially).
Anyway, I may very well NOT get a second cat but I wanted to figure out a couple of things so as to make a better decision.
1) I already have a male cat, Magnus, age 14 months old, but he's fairly timid. He used to be a feral, and had one littermate and was with his mom up until almost 6 months old, when he was caught by a TNR group and we adopted him. He's been the only cat in our apartment since then. It took him a month to be comfortable enough with us to come out from under the bed and start exploring the apartment. He still hides from strangers. But he has bonded with my husband and I and is not timid around us.
I was CONSIDERING getting him a playmate because, even though I work from home, I do have to work while I'm at home, and I thought if he had a little buddy to play with he would like that. BUT given his timid nature, I'm wondering if he would have a hard time with another animal? Do you think he'd better off as a solo cat? when is a cat NOT a good candidate for getting them a companion? would they teach each other bad habits or would the second cat help build his confidence?
I probably should have adopted him and his brother and the same time but his brother was apparently not as socialized at the time and the TNR group didn't want to adopt him out (he went back to being semi feral but then eventually moved in with the woman who had been feeding him).
Also I've only ever had one cat at a time so not sure how it would be to have to take care of two cats (more food bills obviously). My landlord is OK with one cat but I'd have to double check if he'd have a problem with two.
2) Should the second cat be a male also? I have more experience with male cats than females, i admit. I was thinking if we got a second cat it should be about the same age or slightly younger than Magnus? (so an older kitten to about a year old?). Or would it be better to get a slighly older cat (role model), as long as he is mellow / gentle (not alpha)?
3) IF I get a second cat, I know you are supposed to separate them for a while, but I live in an apartment and there is really no way of confining him to one room without stressing Magnus (the only rooms that can be closed off is the bedroom (where Magnus sleeps and is his "base camp"), or the bathroom, where Magnus litterbox is. how would that work?
I probably am NOT going to add a second cat while i live in an apartment. Maybe if I ever move to a house... but I wanted to get some answers / suggestions so if the opportunity presents itself I know what I should do.
Probably it's just kitten fever as well; I keep seeing cute cats that need to be rescued from the rescue group where I got Magnus, as well as on other rescue sites online and I am probably thinking with my heart and not my brain lol....
I have not made up my mind yet, and am weighing the pros / cons (not to mention I live in an apartment so I don't have any good way of separating the two animals initially).
Anyway, I may very well NOT get a second cat but I wanted to figure out a couple of things so as to make a better decision.
1) I already have a male cat, Magnus, age 14 months old, but he's fairly timid. He used to be a feral, and had one littermate and was with his mom up until almost 6 months old, when he was caught by a TNR group and we adopted him. He's been the only cat in our apartment since then. It took him a month to be comfortable enough with us to come out from under the bed and start exploring the apartment. He still hides from strangers. But he has bonded with my husband and I and is not timid around us.
I was CONSIDERING getting him a playmate because, even though I work from home, I do have to work while I'm at home, and I thought if he had a little buddy to play with he would like that. BUT given his timid nature, I'm wondering if he would have a hard time with another animal? Do you think he'd better off as a solo cat? when is a cat NOT a good candidate for getting them a companion? would they teach each other bad habits or would the second cat help build his confidence?
I probably should have adopted him and his brother and the same time but his brother was apparently not as socialized at the time and the TNR group didn't want to adopt him out (he went back to being semi feral but then eventually moved in with the woman who had been feeding him).
Also I've only ever had one cat at a time so not sure how it would be to have to take care of two cats (more food bills obviously). My landlord is OK with one cat but I'd have to double check if he'd have a problem with two.
2) Should the second cat be a male also? I have more experience with male cats than females, i admit. I was thinking if we got a second cat it should be about the same age or slightly younger than Magnus? (so an older kitten to about a year old?). Or would it be better to get a slighly older cat (role model), as long as he is mellow / gentle (not alpha)?
3) IF I get a second cat, I know you are supposed to separate them for a while, but I live in an apartment and there is really no way of confining him to one room without stressing Magnus (the only rooms that can be closed off is the bedroom (where Magnus sleeps and is his "base camp"), or the bathroom, where Magnus litterbox is. how would that work?
I probably am NOT going to add a second cat while i live in an apartment. Maybe if I ever move to a house... but I wanted to get some answers / suggestions so if the opportunity presents itself I know what I should do.
Probably it's just kitten fever as well; I keep seeing cute cats that need to be rescued from the rescue group where I got Magnus, as well as on other rescue sites online and I am probably thinking with my heart and not my brain lol....
