How do you know if your PFC (Precious First Cat) can live with other animals??

[paneer]

cheesycat would have been with us for a year in May. I am thinking about another rescue. So I had a look tonight

But then, how do I know if she can live with other cats? I've never seen her interact with others, apart from moan (not hiss) at other animals when locked in and they are outside.

How do I gage it?

Oddly enough I've just had this very situation. But it was easier for me. We've had a stray in the area for some time which has been coming in the house and my very spoiled cat has been fine with him. See Stray Cat thread. Now Stray Cat has moved in and still absolutely fine with each other. But we were able to test the water a bit first. It can cause problems bringing a new cat into the environment so I would be a bit wary of doing so to be honest.

Moaning doesn't sound too bad, mine goes batshit crazy if he sees another cat in the garden.

Speak to the rescue, you need a cat whose lived with other cats & has manners.

In my experience it's quite rare for it not to work itself out eventually. Even if that 'working out' consists only of the cats tolerating each other.

As Fully said if the rescue can point you towards a cat that has been demonstrated to actively like other cats, then that's half the battle won already.

We'd had my mopcat for a year before we thought it would be a good idea to get a kitten. Mopcat2 arrived, cue much hissing, spitting, fighting and a DH who had to sleep on the couch to stop them from killing each other.

They're now 14/13 respectively and have tolerated each other all their lives. They shared a bed - once. And that was when the heating was broken and the house was freezing. It's only ever tolerance, but it works. They sleep in the same room at night, their food bowls are beside each other - but put them outdoors and they hate each other.

While they do tolerate each other, I'd never add a cat to a resident cat again, if that makes sense.

thanks for the comments. am so so tempted but 5yo dd is not keen at all, she's protective over her 4 legged sister.

now... how to persuade the5yo.

I'm still mentally scarred by trying to get Seniorboy and The Lodger to live together in reasonable harmony. I would have been quite happy with simple tolerance but Seniorboy hated The Lodger (one of the nicest cats in the world) with a deep and deadly loathing and was simply not prepared to give up his singleton status and share. After a long time, it was clearly not going to work so The Lodger went on to happier and newer pastures where he hasn't looked back.

I'd be wary, therefore. I think it's a lot easier to add a cat to a house where there is more than one cat already (or the resident cat is young and can still remember kittenhood) because they're used to being one among many.