To ask if anyone has non-related cats who get on?

[Shrunkenwasps]

It just seems impossible unless they came as a bonded pair/from the same litter?
Has anyone got cats who actually like each other and play together rather than just co exist?

My existing cat followed me around everywhere, even to the toilet, and seemed to want a lot of attention despite having outdoor access, toys, cat tv and a cat tree etc.
My boyfriend also gave her plenty of attention when he came over.
I thought about getting her a companion but sadly she isn't taking it well so far. They don't fight but they don't interact either, just avoid each other. They're OK being in the same room but that's all, even though I kept them apart initially.

I feel like I've let both cats down, I give them both equal attention, treats etc.
I thought a kitten might be less threatening to her but I ended up taking in an elderly cat with health problems, because I know they're harder to rehome and I wanted to give him a chance.

No fights between them, but looking back, she didn't need a companion. I'm not intending to rehome him, he deserves to be looked after.

Just curious to know if anyone's got non-related cats who are friendly together?

I introduced a kitten to my mother & daughter set. Mother loves her, daughter tolerates her. Think it's down to personality really.

Both cats have lived with other cats before which encouraged me to take a chance.
My original cat isn't eating as much and is less affectionate. I feel guilty but it would also be unfair to rehome my new cat, as he's settling in and came from a neglectful home.

Older cat despised younger cat when he arrived (as a kitten, from the RSPCA). He followed her around, idolised her & would wait until she was asleep to curl up next to her.
After a year or so she gave up moving/smacking him when she woke up and now she washes his head & treats him like an oversized kitten (he's 4.5 years old now and twice her size...).
Cat relationships are complicated. They may tolerate each other now but end up being friends; they may always just put up with each other. As long as no one is fighting or stress-weeing, I wouldn't worry too much.

I've got 5 cats, all unrelated -I tend to introduce a new one every couple of years

They all get on, sometimes there is a big cat pile, sometimes they are dotted around -but usually always in the same room

They do play but my eldest cat is definitely the parent figure and will give anyone a good bath that wants one -including the humans!

Introductions were definitely not by the book as I let them meet from day one -always the oldest first and then the others based on personality

When MIL lived with us, we adopted a kitten and introduced him to her older cat (age 6). They got on decently. No real affection between them but they used to play together until the older one got too crotchety at around 11-12. Unfortunately, our younger cat passed away unexpectedly at the age of 9.5. (Vet said pulmonary thromboembolism.) It really affected our older cat. He is nearly 16 now and we think the younger cat's death kicked off or worsened his feline dementia.

So although they weren't bosom buddies, they ended up being important to each other.

I think there is a spray you can use to help calm them? Feliway or so? Good luck!

I had a 5 yr old tortoiseshell that took to a kitten - initially she was grumpy but quickly came to accept the kitten and they would curl up together. The kitten grew up and became protective when the tortie was getting picked on by the neighbourhood bully cat. The tortie still ruled the roost in the house and would assert herself every now and then by giving the youngster a good chase round.

I spent a lot of time making a huge fuss of the tortie when we first introduced the kitten, and she was quite chilled with other cats on the whole so I had a fair idea that they’d learn to get on.

Have a 7 year old girl cat and wasn't planning to get another but last Christmas a box of kittens were abandoned near to me and one needed a home.

The little boy was only 4 weeks old then so I kept them apart then introduced under supervision.

Used feliway friends too. Lucky one of us is always around and I was off work for 2 weeks anyway.

Lot of hissing from my girl at first but no obvious bullying but when the boy got bigger they started to hang out together and now get on ok most of the time.

He's a friendly little thing a year old now and he just persisted till she made friends.
He's very confident and she seems more relaxed now when they go outside as she was always a bit anxious before.

These stories are reassuring me, thank you :)

My two cats get on fine. I think it helps a lot when they’ve been socialised around other cats. Both are unrelated British Shorthairs. My boy cat is quite laid back but my girl cat is not adverse to slapping him down if he needs it

I had siblings and one died 😢 surviving one pined so we got another. Spent a few weeks regretting my decision and wondering if I should re-home the new one. However, big one suddenly relented and now they get on brilliantly for the most part.

There's no aggression from either of them, he seems to want to try and make friends, she just looks at him really when he entered the room, she used to hiss at him sometimes but luckily stopped now. It would be lovely if they got along.

The way you introduce a new cat can make or break the relationship. Jackson Galaxy has good advice on slow introductions. The slower the better for many cats.

I have a sibling pair who hate each other, sometimes there's no rhyme or reason 🙄🤦‍♀️😅

I have three cats.

Cat 1 we had for about 18 months on her own.
Cat 2 is a kitten from cat 1’s sister but they’d never met and bonded almost immediately (well, after about three days of glaring and hissing at each other).
Cat 3 is still a kitten who we found as a stray. It took them all a while to bond but we’re about two months in and they’re quite close now. Some hissing from the older ones but I figure that’s just cat societal norms and they need to teach the kitten how to behave (obviously, if they were hurting him I’d intervene but it’s just an occasional hiss)

How long have you had the second cat, OP? I’ve definitely found that these things take time.

I feel like a bad person for getting a second cat, I know that sounds ridiculous as people do it all the time.

Hi , we got a second cat when our older cat was two . I’m afraid to say they loathed each other . I would never get two unrelated cats again .

When I first got my cat as a kitten we lived with a friend and her 2 cats who would of been about 2 years old, they all got on well with each other (cuddling/ cleaning each other). I don’t think they would get on if they met each other now they are older though.

Get one of those Feliway plug ins. It mimics the pheromones a mother cat releases when she has kittens. They feel happier and relaxed around each other.

Cat 1 - a Bengal - was 8 months when I got Cat 2 - a Maine Coon/Ragdoll moggy.
They have only ever tolerated one another and have a mini-scrap a couple of times a month.
The Bengal adores me and barely tolerates the rest of th2 household. The Fluffy Prick loves everyone.

I had two cats brought home from the same litter. They didn't get on. At one stage one of the cats was bullying the other over food, so the bully cat was getting very round and the bullied cat very bony. It took a lot of work to make sure the bullied cat was protected while he ate.

Contrariwise, my brother at one point had four cats, all picked up randomly in different ways at different times, and they all coexisted peacefully, more or less. Possibly they concentrated on bullying my brother.

I did read a book once that said the ideal number of cats was odd - something about it making the relationship dynamics unstable.

Ours ( two Persian boys 3 years apart) coexist happily. The bigger one grooms the littler one.

Yes! I have a 6 year old rescue moggy. I recently got a male Sphynx kitten. Both cats are neutered. They get on really well! My resident cat seems much happier now. He's a clingy boy, so was getting lonely if we were out all day. He and the Sphynx play together. He meows looking for the kitten in the morning.

The vast majority of cats will accept another cat with careful introductions. Tolerating each other is great for cats. Cat relationships are different to ours. A peaceful hierarchy is great for cats.

Non related... Tabby boy was pining his db when he died. Both aged 8. Threw a tiny tiny dkitten at him. Literally in his 'bedroom' with a second tray /bowl /blanket.. Within a few hours they were fine. Bed sharing within a fortnight..
*obvs not actually thrown....

i have a 10 year old black and white princess Poppy bless her and a 3 year old ginger minx. When we got him as a baby we also had my 10 year olds sister as well and it was ok, sadly when we lost Oreo, things between Poppy and Sinki just didn't go well... Oreo was Sinki's partner in crime, and when we lost her, we lost a bit of Sinki too.

We have even considered re-homing Sinki because you can tell he's lost.. so sadly no my non-related cats do not get on

My tabbies aren’t related, 11 & 5. Took a few years but they get on. They don’t cuddle up but they are friends.