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Are two cats just as easy as one?

35 replies

Surferjet · 07/06/2016 13:12

I know that may seem like a silly question but there's 2 kittens ( brothers ) in my local pet shop & I'm tempted to buy them both. I only want one really but I don't want to separate them as they look so happy together.
Any advice welcome.

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pnutter · 07/06/2016 13:13

I have 3 . 2 would be lovely together!

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3amEternal · 07/06/2016 13:13

Easier as kittens as they will play together. But think about vets and food bills, plus chattery costs for holidays, etc.

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WannaBe · 07/06/2016 13:16

As kittens they will play together, but chances are they may not stay close as adults. Plus double food, vet bills etc.

TBH though I wouldn't buy kittens from a pet shop, you have no idea of their health status etc.

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Mycatsabastard · 07/06/2016 13:17

I have three cats. One boy and two girls. We had boy first and he's the oldest. He wouldn't tolerate another male cat in the house but is fine with our two girls who we got separately and two years apart. He sometimes plays with one of them but mostly just tolerates their existence!

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Fluffycloudland77 · 07/06/2016 13:29

Are these rescue kittens or farmed kittens?

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Surferjet · 07/06/2016 13:36

Are these rescue kittens or farmed kittens

Oh gosh, I have no idea? I didn't think to ask.
They're just in my local pet shop & selling for £150 each, no idea if that's an average price?
The pet shop has been there for years & I've never heard anything bad about it. I assume they're farmed kittens.

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Wolfiefan · 07/06/2016 13:39

Why not rescue instead?

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Iknownuffink · 07/06/2016 13:42

£150 each?????

Have they been vet checked , how old are they.

Very dodgy buying kittens from a pet shop.

Check out your local cat rescues.

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Archfarchnad · 07/06/2016 13:44

Surfer At this time of year all rescues are absolutely bursting at the seams with adorable kittens, and that would undoubtedly be a better source for you. It's cheaper (depends on the rescue but generally less than 150 quid), good rescues will only give you kittens which have been checked out for health issues, wormed and de-flead, they'll check YOU out too to see if your home is appropriate for looking after animals and that you promise to get them neutered at the right age, and give you plenty of advice on looking after them well. And you'll have the knowledge that you're helping to solve the problem of ruthless cat-farming for profit, not contributing to it. If you're willing to name the area where you live, I'm sure one of the lovely ladies of the litter will be able to find you a good local rescue so you can become a cat slave like the rest of us.

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Wolfiefan · 07/06/2016 13:47

It does sound very much sound like an impulse buy. You do realise they could live for over 20 years!

Flea treatment
Worming
Feeding
Cattery
Vaccinations
Food
Litter
Insurance

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lavenderdoilly · 07/06/2016 13:51

Please adopt a rescue or two. Please.

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lavenderdoilly · 07/06/2016 13:59

Preferably a black one or black and white. They are the last to be chosen and have lovely temperaments. My black and white ugly/pretty overlord is currently stretched out on the window sill asleep in the sun. We got her as a rescue kitten and she is a lovely confident cat who adores my dd.

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Surferjet · 07/06/2016 14:09

Thank you everyone for replying. Maybe I do need to think this through a bit more, although I'd never buy a cat unless I was 100% committed. ( although buying the two would have been an impulse buy I admit )
I'll look into rescue kittens. Smile

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NarcyCow · 07/06/2016 14:12

Definitely get rescues, and definitely get two.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 07/06/2016 14:21

Rescue kittens are the way forward.

I bet mum is a moggy being put through repeated pg until her body gives up.

Rescue kittens are about £60 each. There will be loads of them going.

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WannaBe · 07/06/2016 14:33

For £150 you will only get the kitten. If you rescue one you will probably pay around half that, and your adoption fee will include flea'ing, worming, vaccinations, micro chipping and neutering. At my local vets neutering alone is £95, vaccinations are £60, not sure about chipping etc, I stopped enquiring after that.

Somebody local to me was advertising kittens for sale for between 150/200 (depending on their colour.). They were moggies. If she'd managed to sell them all she would have made around £700, great incentive to not spay one's female if you can sell them for that price.

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OasisOrBlur · 07/06/2016 14:36

Two can be so lovely if they're close. My boys are always having cuddles (and friendly scraps too). But yes of course vet bills and cattery fees are more. We've always had two and def feel they're worth it, but of course you have to be sure.

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Wolfiefan · 07/06/2016 14:41

We have two beautiful rescue kittens now a year old. They were fostered so we knew what we were getting. They had already had first vaccinations and been health checked by a vet.
They were bloody hard work as babies though. If you don't want to have to teach them not to shred you or the furniture or the wallpaper. Or to get on the worksurfaces. Or to climb in the dishwasher.....
Maybe a slightly older cat!

Are two cats just as easy as one?
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FannyFifer · 07/06/2016 14:47

£150, that's mad. Are they some sort of pedigree cat?

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CopperPot · 07/06/2016 14:57

That's how much kittens go for on Gumtree too. Madness.

Always rescue, there's so many who need good homes :(

I adopted two brothers; black and white 3 years ago and they're lovely boys

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SharingMichelle · 07/06/2016 15:00

I think if you're planning to get two, get them as a pair. I have ended up with two cats from different places. They utterly loathe each other and I sometimes think their lives are made quite stressful by having to share their space with each other.

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Choceeclair123 · 07/06/2016 15:37

£150 each is crazy money for a moggy. Another vote for rescue cat. I would go for two if you can, as mentioned two bought as a pair would be better. Having said that we've had many cats over the years and even if they don't like each other initially, they usually sort themselves and the hierarchy out over time.

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clarrrp · 07/06/2016 16:09

They're just in my local pet shop & selling for £150 each

You can get all the kittens you want for free on the likes of Gumtree and Donedeal. Hell, I had to beg people to take out kittens a month or two ago.

I certainly wouldn't be paying a hundred and fify quid each for them.

But in terms of work, I have six at the moment (four are off to their new homes this week and then mummy cat is off to the vets to get spayed) and they are a handful, but I think that's because the kittens are young. The older 2 cats are fine, you'd barely know they were there if they didn't spend so muh time tormenting the dog.

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Allergictoironing · 07/06/2016 18:00

Kittens are cute and adorable (and very destructive!) for a few months, then they become cats. If you get adult cats (from a rescue of course) then you miss out on the cute but you also miss out on the hard work & destructive bit, and you have a better idea of their adult personalities. These cats will be with you for up to another 20 years, so it's well worth considering the longer term rather than the few months of adorableness.

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Toddlerteaplease · 07/06/2016 18:38

Yes. If you are buying all the stuff anyway you might as well have two and they are company for each other.

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