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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Is your only cat happy?

43 replies

Wellmeetontheledge · 07/08/2018 19:45

We adopted a lovely year old tabby girl just under 2 months ago. She is now my baby and I’ve become ridiculously anxious about her being lonely when we are at work.

She’s an only cat who can’t jump out of our back garden (missing a back leg) and I worry about her being lonely in the day. She doesn’t seem to like next doors cat at all though! There is posturing and hissing when they see each other.

Please reassure me with tales (tails!) of your content only cats!

OP posts:

Oldraver · 07/08/2018 22:15

Our cat appears to be very happy though he did have me at home until recently and OH 50% of the time to spoil him

EachandEveryone · 07/08/2018 22:16

I felt exactly the same leaving mine all day so, at 11 months we resued a kitten and she has been like a mum to her ever since. She also doesnt mind the strays that rock up to be fed. You can never tell.

SneakyGremlins · 07/08/2018 22:17

I live in a one bedroom flat! So I only have one. And the o ly reason I have one is because the bedroom is upstairs and lounge/kitchen/bathroom is downstairs so it's more spread out for him to roam. He goes on the roof too as I'm on the top floor.

Butterfly1975 · 07/08/2018 22:17

I felt guilty about adopting a single kitten but all my friends with multiple cats said not to adopt 2 as their cats mostly don't get on!

Our cat is 5 now and seems very happy and content with just our company (not that she can tell us otherwise of course )

Congratulations on your new girl and hope she's settling in well!

FlyingMonkeys · 07/08/2018 22:25

Dd has big cat/little cat (little cat is now bigger than big cat). They tolerate each other but aren't best friends. By contrast we also have big dog/little dog, they also tolerate each other. Cats/dogs, respective groups sleep/herd together. Little dog gets very excited after any separation to see big dog, big dog doesn't give a shit if never claps eyes on little dog again. Big cat/little cat sleep in big balls (same for the dogs), couldn't give a toss if other cat not there.

esk1mo · 07/08/2018 22:32

judy my cat does the same. we actually keep a few baubles out all year so she can play with them (even though its very annoying)

her fav toy is a tiny bell. she carries it around in her mouth, drops it into a shoe then pounces on said show and kicks it with her back feet

FelicityFoxworth · 07/08/2018 22:37

Cats prefer to be alone as adults as a general rule. You get all sort of behavioural issues when you try and pair up adult cars such a marlin and spraying and fighting etc

Rest assured your cat is fine

FelicityFoxworth · 07/08/2018 22:38

Cats
Marking

Typos!

SanFranBear · 07/08/2018 22:49

My cat would definitely hate an interloper.. admittedly, he's getting on a bit now but he is badly bullied by our local cats (still!!) and our home is his sanctuary. I totally want more but I've accepted whilst my boy is around, we're a one cat household.

He is worth it though

sirmione16 · 07/08/2018 22:53

Our cat sleeps all of most of the day, loves having the house to herself and is a totally spoilt brat with attention - she wouldn't play nice with others, I can almost guarantee.

Also - my neighbour had a lovely cat who seemed to get on with the neighbourhood cats but the day they bought her sister home she turned into a highly territorial creature and will barely be touched unless you have food.

Don't feel bad, the cat doesn't know any different - especially at that age.

Judydreamsofhorses · 07/08/2018 22:53

esk1mo we have numerous “mouses” here which she goes through phases of treating like the Christmas baubles. She won’t touch them for months, then there will be weeks when I’m forever finding them in odd places, or DP is up in the small hours trying to broker a creasefire. (He snores so I sleep in earplugs and miss a lot of the night-time action!) Poor Mr White Mouse has had to be stitched up several times, and has no tail, from being loved a little too much.

Hmm12121 · 07/08/2018 22:59

Our cat has the dog. Tiny cat, big dog who nose rub every time they see each other. Cat is missing dog who has been staying at my parents while we were on holiday. He keeps wandering by his bed and miaowing. He’s definitely unsettled. Collecting the dog tomorrow so that cat will be happy!
The cat was my aunts who passed away last year and he lived with 3 other cats and a dog.
My dog doesn’t consider the cat to be a cat, if you ask him where the cat is, he will walk right past him to look out of the window. He lives his catdog but he is totally controlled by him

DilianaDilemma · 07/08/2018 23:05

I had a singleton for almost 20 years. I found and bottle-fed him as a tiny kitten and, as a result (I suspect, not being a professional cat behaviour expert at all), he was ridiculously fixated on me all his life.

I never used to fret about him being on his own while I was out until I fell pregnant, at which point (thanks, hormones!) I positively panicked at the thought that my poor kitty might be sad and lonely and set up video surveillance.

Turns out the silly sod spent most of his time sleeping, waking up, lapping water out of the loo, licking his bum with his freshly loo-watered tongue and going right back to sleep only to get up and start whining some five minutes before I was due home.

Stupid animal. He's been gone for 5 years and I still miss the hell out of him, though!

LexieLoos · 08/08/2018 00:13

OP your cat sounds a lot like mine - confident and curious is a great way of describing her! I had her from Cats Protection too.
I felt the same as you and worried about her being lonely, but we had to temporarily move back in with my parents who acquired a stray not long after, and she absolutely hates him.
They won’t be in the same room as each other and it’s coming up to six months now. I’m so glad I didn’t get another myself now, as I think she genuinely prefers being an only cat!

Original poster

Wellmeetontheledge · 08/08/2018 08:27

Thank you all muchly! I’m at home all day today and she really isn’t fussed, she’s currently amusing herself in the garden. I’ve been cat sitting for my parents who have a ridiculously bonded pair of siblings so that has probably clouded my view. I think next doors cat wants to be friends but our cat is having none of it!

OP posts:

LucheroTena · 08/08/2018 11:00

Cats are fine alone, they just sleep all day. I have 2 very bonded siblings but when one went missing the other seemed happy on his own and was quite put out when he came back. They’re fine again now, sleep, play, cuddle and groom. They mostly get on with other cats but if one died I would leave the other as an only.

Hookedoncatnip · 09/08/2018 21:43

When I got a single cat last year I ended up feeling really anxious about her being an only. To be fair I think she could've done with some cat company to play with as a kitten. However, she's 18 months now and I really think she's doing ok.

I have a feeling she would be quite put out if another cat came to live with us.

Botanicbaby · 09/08/2018 21:48

Cats are fine as solitary pets in fact some cats should be the only pet. I’m sure she is just fine sounds like she’s got a fab new home. I think they love routine and she’ll adjust to yours.

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