Thinking Of Adding A Third...

[Erin80]

Kaia and Binx are very different. Kaia wants nothing to do with Binx and prefers our dog, lol. Binx tries over and over again to get Kaia to play just to have her hiss at him and walk away. Kaia is an outdoor/indoor cat. All she cares about is eating her meals, some love from us, and getting outside (a decision we struggled with but live on a very quiet gravel road, no other cats, very few people, and she stays right around our house after being chased up a tree one evening by a neighbours dog when she was letting him out to pee . I always bring her in by 3pm for the night). Binx is quite content as an indoor cat (thankfully)....and i would really love to get him a male kitten to be friends with who would also stay in the house with him (our cats have always been indoor only....I’ve never had one just obsess about getting out like Kaia!). He’s always so happy to see her when she comes in, but she brushes him off and he honestly LOOKS disappointed!
Does anyone have 3?
Binx and Kaia are both a year and Binx is still full of kitten energy. I feel a kitten would be a good match that way and also an easier stranger for them to accept!

 

[betsygee]

We have three.

We'd adopted a sister and brother who loved each other and got along great. Our friend who worked at the SPCA wanted us to check out another one who was in danger of being euthanized because he'd been overlooked for adoption for too long. I think it was because he was so quiet. Ozzy didn't have the usual run around and play energy that so many kittens have.

We decided to take a chance and brought him home. There was some hissing and swatting for a couple of days but he integrated in really well. They're all ten years old now and we call them the 3 Amigos. We were lucky, though--not all new cats integrate so easily.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[maggie101]

I have 3. It could be Karla doesn't want to play with her because she prefers to be outside. Is the dog your neighbor had outside on a leash? If you bring in a tiny kitten, it's possible Kara will want to be inside

 

[rubysmama]

My family, and now myself, only ever had one cat at a time, so I can't advise on a 3-cat household. But, and you probably already know this, if you bring another cat home, even a kitten, be prepared to keep it in a separate room/area for a while, and do slow introductions with your current cats.

Here's a few TCS articles in case you haven't seen them.
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide | TheCatSite
Introducing Cats To Cats | TheCatSite
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat | TheCatSite

Plus: The Multi-cat Household | TheCatSite

 

[Jem]

We also have 3. We have a female and two males. We adopted them all at the same time though and they all came from the same shelter. Our female is not as interested in playing all that much, and is more interested in us but the two males definitely keep each other entertained. We found that the two males even helped our shy female to come out of her shell too, she was depressed and timid when we adopted her, so not like your cat, but who knows? Maybe seeing the two males play together will encourage her partake in the fun?
Although NOT an ABSOLUTE rule, I would recommend a male, and make sure it gets neutered in a timely manner (very important!). Males do tend to be more accepting of "multiple household" situations, and females tend to be more accepting of males than other females. Let your queen be the queen, without competition, and add a court jester to the mix!
And also, again, not an absolute rule. But you're right about getting a younger cat/kitten. They are seen as less threatening by the resident cats so introductions do tend to go smoother. But it's still a good idea to do introductions slowly and only advance the introductions as fast as the least adjusted/accepting cat.
Talk to the shelter people, let them help you decide on a cat who they think will be good in a multi cat household.

 

[maggie101]

Reminds me when I had 4 cats. Josie, maybe 12 yrs, would act like referee when ever Maggie bothered Peaches to play

 

[Erin80]

We also have 3. We have a female and two males. We adopted them all at the same time though and they all came from the same shelter. Our female is not as interested in playing all that much, and is more interested in us but the two males definitely keep each other entertained. We found that the two males even helped our shy female to come out of her shell too, she was depressed and timid when we adopted her, so not like your cat, but who knows? Maybe seeing the two males play together will encourage her partake in the fun?
Although NOT an ABSOLUTE rule, I would recommend a male, and make sure it gets neutered in a timely manner (very important!). Males do tend to be more accepting of "multiple household" situations, and females tend to be more accepting of males than other females. Let your queen be the queen, without competition, and add a court jester to the mix!
And also, again, not an absolute rule. But you're right about getting a younger cat/kitten. They are seen as less threatening by the resident cats so introductions do tend to go smoother. But it's still a good idea to do introductions slowly and only advance the introductions as fast as the least adjusted/accepting cat.
Talk to the shelter people, let them help you decide on a cat who they think will be good in a multi cat household.

When we got Binx, I actually emailed the shelter lady and told her exactly what I was looking for. Appearance didn’t matter to me, I wanted a cat with the right personality for our house. She was amazing and suggested a few....Binx was one of them. While there, I was “chosen” but the sweetest black and white male named Monty. I still regret not getting them both. I hope Monty found a wonderful home.