So, Your TWO Cats Are Best Buddies?

[pdaj]

Do you have two cats that get along really well?

If so, please share your story here!

Did you adopt them both at the same time? Introduce a new cat to your older one? Was it a work in progress or did they hit it off immediately? Got any secrets or bond-making tips?

I just adopted two cats and would love for them to get along! I realize only so much is in my control, but I'd love to read about some success stories! Hopefully I can eventually contribute by posting my own ...

 

[strange_wings]

Tips? Follow introductions properly. You can cut corners with some cats, but it's not pleasant finding out which ones you can't skip steps with and that can damage the process - setting it back.
The secret is really just being able to read your cats properly.


All but one of mine get along fairly well.

Sho is 7, he had four years as an only cat. I found Tomas three years ago as a kitten and Sho "mothered" him right away. Sho likes kittens a lot.

Tomas doesn't like new things and will make the biggest fuss at new cats coming in the house. But he's quick to get over it and wants to be friends with everyone. He's social and, again, loves kittens. He probably should have been a mother instead of a boy cat.

Sherman is easy going and wants to get along with everyone. BUT he's still a young cat and is very mischievous. Sho and Siri have problems accepting this and can get very irate at him sometimes. Sherman and Tomas fuss a little but are pretty much buds, Sherman loves playing with the kittens because they share his playfulness.

Siri doesn't like anyone. Grouchy girl cat.

The kittens want to be everyone's friend and try their hardest - even with Siri.

With the exception of Sho and Tomas, all were introduced slowly to each other. I went fast with Tomas because he was 10 weeks old and crying, Sho became very upset and wanted to go to him.
-----------------
If you can share more information about your two - their ages, what you've tried, have they already been put together and how long has it been? Do you have a feliway diffuser going in your home?

 

[otto]

It takes time for cats to build relationships.

I always have multiple cats, so there are always already cats with established residents when newbies come in, and there is always shuffling in the order of things, and how each cat gets along with another.

In general cats who live together do form deep lasting loving bonds, but there are always exceptions.

It's best to let them work it out on their own, meaning let them have their little spats if they need to, don't interfere unless they seem to be really hurting each other.

Cats chase and tumble and hiss and growl in play, too, keep in mind.

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by pdaj

I just adopted two cats and would love for them to get along!

Is one (or both -- or neither) currently inside your home? Are they from the same shelter? (or rather I should ask, have they ever met at all?)

If they arrive at your home at the same time that might be a good thing so they can claim separate territories, both being new.

 

[pdaj]

Same shelter, same day! The youngest (1 year) is super sweet and continually tries to interact. But the oldest (5 years) is a bit more cautious. Once the youngin' gets too close, she hisses. But they're fine being in the same room.

Right now, the 1 year old is napping on my bed, and the oldest is chillin' out under my bed.

 

[c1atsite]

In many cases, if you buy the Feliway Comfort Zone, it can help a lot. Here is a pic of the diffuser. (Feliway is sold in 2 forms: a diffuser or a spray/spritz. The diffuser is more popular. The spray is good for preparing a carrier before transport so that a cat feels calm.

 

[lsanders]

Our two cats are from the shelter I volunteer at. Luna had been there since she was a kitten, shortly after I started volunteering there in 2007. She's a black cat, which makes her less likely to be adopted. In 2008, Albus came to the shelter. He was a couple years older than Luna and I don't specifically remember them interacting in the shelter, but he was very friendly and affectionate with other cats- snuggling with them, grooming, etc.- so there's a good chance he did interact with her. Late 2008, we adopted Albus. Luna was adopted last summer by someone who returned her a few weeks later because she had to move (didn't know that when you adopted the cat?

Oh well, her loss was my gain!)

After she was returned, I decided I didn't want her to have to be back in the shelter after she'd already spent the first two years of her life there, so I adopted her. I was a little nervous about bringing her home, but knew that she was really compatible with Albus. Albus is very friendly, affectionate, but he likes being the center of our universe. Luna is friendly as well, but is very independent and isn't interested in competing for our attention with Albus.

So, I brought her home and tried to keep her quarantined so if she was sick with something that we hadn't detected, it wouldn't get passed to Albus. That lasted about 5 minutes. Luna was hiding under the couch and Albus noticed. He's too chunky to get under there and could just see her eyes. Eventually she came out, there was some sniffing and within a few hours, it was like she'd always been there. It was a few weeks before they were snuggling and grooming each other, but I swear, they remembered each other from the shelter.

Albus is the tuxedo cat:

 

[lisar]

My two are friends but are not best buds. However they are dependent on each other. When you split them up they will look for the other and cry for the other. My two are more comfortable together then apart.

As far as tips, you've already gotten some really good ones. The introduction is KEY. Other then that its just paitence paitence paitence. My two are friends but hated each other at first. It took about a year before they stopped fighting... and then we just had coexistence. Somewhere along the lines they became friends and will now play with each other. EG would cuddle if Isie would let him but Isie is not a cuddly kitty. She doesn't want to cuddle with anyone unless scared out of her mind and in which case EG happily allows.

 

[chinacat]

My two get along fine now but that wasn't the story for the first few weeks. Ripley wasn't at all happy when we brought Newt home. I think that's because Ripley was 3 and used to being an only cat. It took time, patience & lots of attention (mainly to ensure Ripley thought she was still 'top cat!

) but it all worked out in the end.
One of the reasons we got Newt was that a change in my job meant Ripley was home alone a lot more than she had been used to & I was worried she was lonely during the day. After she accepted Newt into the house I noticed she was a lot more active & playful now she had a little friend to keep her company.
They're still not cuddly with each other (after almost 3 years) and have the occasional spat but they never hurt each other and they're always up to some sort of mischief together. I love watching their antics and the way they interact. Newt is smaller than Ripley so often has to rely on cunning to get her own way and Ripley is definately the boss.
Give them time to get used to having each other around & before long they'll both be ganging up on you to get their own way!

 

[fifi1puss]

All my cats are very curious about things. So when a new cat comes in the house they are more curious than territorial. I lucked out.

Rocko was my last addition and he is also the oldest. He walked in like he had lived with us his whole life. He wasn't bothered by the other cats and actual ignored them for quite a while. Fiona would hit him on the head and hiss at him many times a day and he would just ignore her. If he fought with her I am sure things would have been stressful for everyone. But he was so easy going.

All of them play together and sleep together occasionally. The two boys more than Fiona will play and sleep together. She keeps her self on a pedestal...sometimes literally. LOL They do fight sometimes but they are more like "disagreements" among roomates than fights.

 

[david's steph]

Originally Posted by chinacat

My two get along fine now but that wasn't the story for the first few weeks. Ripley wasn't at all happy when we brought Newt home...

I LOVE the names for your kitties, I'm a huge "Aliens" fan too! (I love all of them, the first 4 w/Sigourney Weaver are fabulous!)

I adopted my first 2 10 yrs. ago, they were at the shelter at the same time, but I could only take one home first, because I had to get them both spayed/neutered. David was first home, when Lilly came home a week later, she was horrible to him! It took them (or should I say her) at least 3 months just to peacefully co-exist. About a year or so into it, they got along just fine, and do now. But I 3 months ago brought a new young male into the house, it was really bad at first as Lilly wanted to kill him, but now they 'just co-exist', the new boy Jake can now read her "language" and stays away from her (he walks on eggshells when she is around) when she "barks" at him to get the hell away from her, and not to invade her personal space..

 

[3catsn1dog]

Out of my three only 2 really get along. They are boyfriend and girlfriend and have only really been like that since my male got neutered in Sept. GiGi his girlfriend is constantly up his butt and he is the same way. They are constantly tearing thru the house together give each other nose kisses all the time and gang up on Fatman together. Its a 'peaceful' coexistance in the house.

 

[fulpmes]

I'll second the Feliway diffuser suggestion. I have 3 running now to help keep peace between my 2 girls. I got the kitties at the same time and they had been fostered together (with other cats in that home as well) and their foster mom said they got along fine, but, whew, they didn't do well being the only 2 cats in my home - at first. Now after 2 years they get along pretty well -- just occasional spats that typically start as play, but one is a wimp & it stops being play pretty quickly for her and then the screaming starts. I can usually tell by a little spike in tensions & how often those spats happen when the Feliway diffusers have run out. They may help faciliate peace with yours, too. Good luck.

 

[pdaj]

There were a couple of minor spats over the weekend, but nothing major. The majority seem to occur when they're both vying for my attention. It'll always be Vicky (the oldest) who groans and hisses.

This AM, I was trying the get the house cleaned, and the little buggers were shadowing me everywhere! So, I scooted both sweeties into one room for an hour or so while I finished up. I heard some initial rumblings, but soon after it was silent. When I finally opened the door afterward, they were both on the bed, about six inches apart, and gettin' along fine. Go figure!

 

[-_aj_-]

It took my two over night to be best of buds, i think it helped that they were both so young

i got flash at 6 weeks old in the august and in the october i got sooty also 6 weeks old and flash hissed at sooty about twice but that was it no fighting and stuff and by the next night they were cuddled up

we find them like this an awful lot



this was a week or two after we brought sooty home

 

[Asteria]

My two girls are littermates. They get along wonderfully. Once in a while they can get a little snarky with each other, but mostly they play and sleep with together very peacefully.
They despise being apart and even when they were little they couldn't stand to be in sepeate crates on the way to the vet's office.

 

[fadeaway872]

I got Rocko first from the SPCA and Bear a few months after from a lady down at the beach. They fought ALL the time, but eventually, I guess, got use to eachother. Bear was the dominate one until I got him neutered, now Rocko will clamp down on his neck sometimes. They have the occasional fights here in there but thats about it. I haven't seen them fight in a while. It like starts off with them playing and then they get ruffer with eachother.

 

[clpeters23]

For four years I had two cats: Rocky (alpha) and Moose and they have always been buddies. About six years ago I adopted Lucy and she and Rocky get along, but Moose just tolerates her. If she gets too close he sometimes hisses at her, but at other times she can knock him over and he doesn't seem to mind.

Lucy is very good natured; she doesn't take offense when Moose hisses, in fact the look on her face seems to say "What did I do now?"

I run feliway diffusers 24/7 and they definitely make a difference.

 

[kylew]

Franklin & Franny are pals

Franny is almost 4 and Franklin is 2 1/2. When I picked Franklin up from the breeder (he was 16 weeks) she told me that Franny (then called Jocette) was going to be having her last kittens soon. She only breeds her females 3 times and then retires them. About 7 months after I brougt Fraklin home I adopted Franny. It took her about a week to reacquaint herself with Franklin.

 

[laureen227]

Pixel, my senior, is pleasant to everyone, & will willingly snuggle/sleep with any of the others - but it's usually either Cable or Firefox - altho Chip will occasionally annoy her when attempting to assert dominance.
Firefox also enjoys sleeping with anyone. but Chip is her bestest buddy [he feels the same about her].
Cable will snuggle with Pixel or Firefox, but Chip keeps his distance from my alpha girl.
Java's a loner, pretty much.