What Makes A Friendly Cat?

[Merlin77]

Yesterday my cat met a friend:

My cat: the little fluffy guy
New cat: the ginger

They meowed at each other and "talked" for a while. The ginger seemed inclined to jump down into our backyard, but didn't (probably wanted to keep a polite distance).

What causes some cats to be "nice" to each other, and others to nearly hate each other? Our cat stayed with his siblings until around 6-8 weeks, and since then he's lived alone, so I wouldn't call him very socialized.

Thanks in advance

 

[Kflowers]

Being fixed is a good start. Living with others at least until 8 weeks, or living in a colony for awhile. colony or communal life teaches how to work together and that a friend on a cold night is a good thing, perhaps the difference between life and death. That means they know a friend can save your life in a lot of situations. Two cats can win in a fight against a larger animal where one doesn't have a chance...

 

[Kieka]

My former feral who was in a colony until she was 3-4 months old with siblings.... Absolutely hates other cats. She'd rather be an only sibling but tolerates the boys mostly.

Nightfury who was found in a box at 3 weeks old and due to inappropriate suckling had to be kept apart from his litter mate unless supervised.... Is indifferent to other cats. He would also be fine being an only cat but siblings are good to steal dinner from.

Link who was rehomed at 5 weeks old (according to vet, we were told he was 10 weeks) and came into our home with Nightfury already there absolutely loves other cats. He has brought stray neighbor cats to the house and practically invited them in for a bite. I am pretty sure Link would be in heaven with a foster room filled with kittens to play with. He shadowed Rocket everywhere when she was a kitten and watches out for her even now. But Rocket would hate kittens in the house, she went on a 24 hour hunger strike when there was a kitten in the house for 15 minutes.

All three were raised in the same home and with the same environment. All three were spayed and neutered when they could be (2 pounds for the boys, Rocket had health issues so 6 months for her). And they have drastically different personalities and approaches to other cats (and humans). I don't think there really is a good predictor of how to determine if a cat will be good with other cats until they are in the position

 

[Willowy]

Who knows? It seems to be entirely individual. Just like humans, really---some are jerks, some are gregarious, some are shy, some are independent. Their upbringing can influence that but their basic personality is what it is. I haven't really noticed any pattern to it, and I have a lot of cats. It's just that individual cat's particular mixture of nature and nurture.

 

[Merlin77]

Who knows? It seems to be entirely individual. Just like humans, really---some are jerks, some are gregarious, some are shy, some are independent. Their upbringing can influence that but their basic personality is what it is. I haven't really noticed any pattern to it, and I have a lot of cats. It's just that individual cat's particular mixture of nature and nurture.

Indeed! I know some extremely friendly cats, and a few exceptionally grouchy ones.