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?

How long has it been? Sorry if I missed it. I got a kitten to keep my cat company when we went back to the office after being with her 24/7 during lockdowns and wfh.
She hated him for a good week or so, I felt like you. They are now absolute best friends and definitely don’t just tolerate each other. They adore each other. Give them time.

Of course not! They hate each other!

I just did this. Got a male kitten for my 4yo male. It's been five or six weeks. In not gonna lie, the first couple of weeks especially were tough and I thought I made a mistake. I felt for a long time that my 4yo was bored as I can't cat with him.

So now they get on and play hide and seek. Kitten is still learning how to behave so is still getting hissed at. Mostly if he gets too close to 4yo too quickly and the older one feels a bit threatened. They obviously aren't buddies yet, but I can see that they might in the future.

I made sure to spend time with both separately and occasionally protect the older one from the madness of the kitten.

My older is already more active. There is just more to see and do. Occasionally they play wrestling. No way could I have given that to my cat.

My cats all love eachother. They all cuddle and groom eachother. Two are twins. Two (one has now died) are totally unrelated. The two unrelated boys are the biggest love bugs with eachother.

Pictures are lovely!
I'm now wondering if I should've got a kitten instead of an elderly cat, as she may have warmed to the kitten more?
But I know they can't be left for more than a few hours and I wasn't sure I'd be able to dedicate enough time to one.

I've got six cats, none are related and apart from sometimes bickering over who's having the igloo or over food, get on fine. Some snuggle up together, some prefer to sleep separately.

@Shrunkenwasps I took a kitten because I thought it wouldn't be set in his ways yet and would adjust easier to what there already is.

You did a lovely thing, with the best of intentions. If there is no aggression, I think that's great. Cats can be so gradual in adapting to change, and then after months or even a year they accept the situation more happily. My rescue got markedly more affectionate after about 10 months with me, suddenly became a lap cat, which I wasn't expecting after all that time.

I'm sure you've read all the stuff about having a litter tray each plus a spare (in different locations) and feeding them separately?

I read up on introducing cats lots before doing it. It's common that they take 6-12 months to become friends, so I'm hopeful mine will. I'm using Feliway friends as well and won't stop until I'm sure both of fully adjusted to the change, i.e. probably another year.

Mine are related but they wouldn't know - they are half brothers, so born at different times, and introduced when they were 1 and 2 years old. They get on really well, groom each other, play. The first introduction was easy - the older one stood high, the younger one went low, a bit of hissing, then they were sorted. They are 9 and 10 now! They are Ragdolls though (a notoriously relaxed and easygoing breed).

I hand-reared my first cat from when he was just 2 days old. At around one year after, a tiny kitten showed up at our door. Big cat was confused but very intrigued by him straight away. They were very snuggly and playful from the get-go. 3 years later, they don’t snuggle so much, but will sleep next to each other and occasionally groom each other. They touch noses on a daily basis and they will chase each other around the garden and house playing. Not super clingy with each other, but do enjoy each others company more than just “tolerate” each other. They both then had the experience of several puppies joining the crew over the years, and each one has been quickly accepted. The eldest cat plays like a kitten with the dogs and it’s actually hilarious to watch them stealing around the garden chasing each other. There’s a neighbour dickhead bully cat and I’ve seen the younger cat (who is, I swear, part lion) leap 6ft across wall into full on attack mode when he’s seen the dickhead bully cat attacking the older cat (who is so soft he chases butterflies but never harms them). He’s very protective of his older cat brother and will fuck up the dickhead cat if he needs to. It def can work - it’s just personalities and also, largely, how they are socialised from an early age. Eldest cat was intentionally passed around a lot to ensure he was exposed to different people, animals, environments as much as possible to help him grow up to be laid back. I took him everywhere with me as a kitten, different friends houses, even when I popped to the shop down the street he’d come sitting on my shoulder. He’s chill AF 😂

So lovely that you've offered an elderly cat a loving home. As long as they tolerate eachother, that's fine.

In answer to your question, my two came from different litters and were introduced when one was 4 months and the other 6 months. Our first one hated the newcomer but after some weeks that changed and now they are like a married couple, moving from room to room together and loved up.

I know though that if I ever introduced another cat/kitten to either of them it wouldn't happen again.. in my case it worked because they were both young.

All ours - all rescues, all different ages - mostly get on well. The boys are all really good friends, the girl loves our oldest boy and tolerates the youngster (she will bat him when she has enough, one day he will learn...). We took our time on introductions but they've all been good even when we got a kitten unexpectedly.

The only trouble we had was a few years ago when we were adopted by a cat who got a serious injury, he was never very good with some of the cats we had at that time and I think it was because of his injury. But even then, he had two good friends although he was a bully with the older cats.

Awww - so lovely reading these - now I’m tempted to adopt another cat 🤣🙈

I've never even had related cats that get on! It's all lovely and bonded until they get to about age 3 and then the passive aggression and bullying sets in.

I have one very anxious, very territorial girl. When I looked for another cat the rescue advised a boy would be easier than another girl. They chose a laid back boy cat who had gelled easily with other cats in rescue.

This has worked as while they aren't friends, she bosses him about despite him being twice her size and the neighbourhood thug. And he just chills and accepts it.

I have four non related cats and they're all fine.

The new cat seems to respect the boundaries, he never approaches the original cat at all, he will go past her but has never tried to make any contact with her, and he has his sleeping spot in another room.

New cat constantly runs around my feet and follows me from room to room which is sweet, but I've already stood on him twice by accident because of the running around my feet. Any ideas on how to stop this? It just takes me forever to get between rooms sometimes, i know he's likely just wanting attention

Following with interest as am a week into having a new girl aged about a year - a rescue stray - alongside clingy 2 year old boy who I've had since he was a tiny kitten.

He is pathetically invested in being friends with her and she's basically hissing at him if he gets too close. No fighting though, and they both settle on my bed at a respectful distance. They've gone nose to nose a couple of times though, without incident, so I'm hopeful as she settles they'll get happier....

Had to go out this afternoon for a few hours and they were both fine when I got back and the flat was intact which is also hopeful.

I think it will just take time......

Is he possibly imprinting (attaching) onto you? It will stop in time once he's done, hopefully.

@MistressoftheDarkSide that's good given you are just a week in.

Have the same with my kitten being so eager on the older cat and the older cat not having much of it. If too boisterous I take him away, but otherwise I let them sort it out with a few hisses.

We got 2 new kittens (siblings) when our sole cat was around 15 months old. I think he was a bit bored until they showed up! He got on reasonably with one and not at all with the other! They figured out their boundaries though and I suppose rubbed along reasonably well for around 14 years, but I wouldn't call them friends. It's down to personalities I think.

Completely normal - I’ve accidentally booted both my cats fully across my kitchen numerous times, and they just shake themselves off and have a treat and some cuddle and they’re fine 😂 honestly, it’s just something they learn with experience, to move out the way once you’ve booted them a few times. Supposedly, cats view us as over-sized, slightly useless, cats and learn our behaviours as much as we learn theirs. Your kitty will learn to move out the way in time. It sounds like you’re doing amazingly well at proving a stable, secure environment for each. It’s still VERY early days for you, and as long as there’s no real fights and they’re tolerant of each other, it most likely will get even better with time. Just keep doing what you’re doing, give each one plenty only 1-1 time with you, play time, cuddles, treats (the stinkier the better!) and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how it all turns out xx

We've got 3 cats. I had 2 of them since they were around 6 months old (now 7). They were said to be "bonded sister siblings" by the rescue they came from, but have never particularly got on and just tolerate each other. We've just recently taken in a 3rd stray cat (male) who's super sweet natured and desperate to be friends with the two girls. One can't stand him and hiss/ swipes if he goes anywhere near, but the other seems fine. They are now quite happy to all be in the same room together too, which is a good sign.

This is years ago now but we had a 5 year old male cat and we introduced a kitten. He was a very chilled and friendly cat and never hissed or bopped her - she on the other hand bopped him and hissed a fair few times! However they did end up best friends - they would snuggle up against each other, play etc.

We did try introducing a third, thinking that it would help the younger as the older one was nearing the end but it didn't really work. As in turns out, the younger (who is now 16!) much prefers being alone now her one true love is gone. We did have a kitten briefly and they tolerated each other but the kitten sadly died after a year due to a genetic condition.

It's definitely down to personality more than anything else I think.