Introducing a second cat

[AislingDaisy]

We adopted our first cat (Daisy) as a one year old just over one year ago. She is generally an indoor cat (out a few times during the day as she pleases, sleeps inside). We are considering getting a second cat for company for her as I sometimes feel she may be bored and needs more stimulation. Have we left it too late to introduce a second cat?

She’s very beautiful. It’s up to you but I think many cats enjoy being the sole cat in the home. Our previous cat used to live around the corner from us. After a few months, her owners thought she wanted a feline friend and acquired a second cat. She hated the new cat so much that she left home and relocated to our house, where she happily lived out the rest of her life as the treasured sole cat of the house. Personally, if I’d had a cat as a sole cat for a year, I wouldn’t want to risk disrupting things by getting a second cat.

Thank you for your reply. In. hindsight I would have get a bonded pair from the start. This is the main thing holding me back, not knowing how Daisy will react until wehave already committed to the second cat.

Most cats prefer a solitary life, they don’t need company from other cats. It can cause a lot of hidden stress which can come out as cystitis and over grooming. The best you can hope for is that they peacefully coexist without problems, you can’t expect them to be friends (though it does occasionally happen). If you do get another cat, make sure you do not expect them to share any of the resources they value (food/trays/beds/access points etc).

Most cats prefer being on their own. Even pairs of supposedly bonded kittens often grow up and start hating each other.

If you want another cat, go for it - a rescue should be able to advise on a cat that happily lives with other cats.

But it's best if you are doing it because you know you want a second cat, not because you think the first cat needs company.

I have a 2 cat household and the rescue I used picked the perfect second cat for me, he is completely chill about being in a multi-cat household. But really the first cat is gutted he arrived, she'd have been much happier on her own.

My cat seems very happy as a solo cat. We did think about getting him a companion but decided against it as we thought it would be too stressful for him.
I think it’s better if you get two together rather than introducing another later

Cats are solitary animals, even bonded pairs. We had 2 lovely brothers who did love each other, and would curl up and groom each other BUT they lived separate lives, did their own thing most of the time but would tolerate each other and sometimes be together, once we moved to a bigger house they mainly chose to curl up on separate beds in different rooms. I just think cats are naturally solo animals, yes sometimes they get on and those ones cope well being around one another/sometimes play and cuddle but I don't think they really need each other. One brother died 5 years ago and the other has lived perfectly happily alone. If he sees neighborhood cats out and about he strongly dislikes them and prefers not to see them on his rounds out and about! I'm sure there's a few exceptions to this rule, but we had a rolling set of 3 cats growing up and over the 20 years, none of them really liked one another and some actively hated each other. They always seemed much more comfortable when one died and there were fewer cats in the house. The happiest cat was the final one who lived alone for his last 6 years. I'd strongly recommend not getting another one, buy some climbing frames and lazer toys instead if she's bored.

Thank you all for your advice, it has made me realize that I don't want another cat for myself but more because I felt Daisy might need the company. It is good to hear the experiences of other cat owners 🙂

We got our second cat about ten months after our first and I think they do prefer having each other! They do their own thing but also seem to like playing together and occasionally snuggle up/display rare moments of affection. They are just like me and my siblings when we were young! I’m not convinced cats are as solitary as people say, I think they just don’t like strange cats… we introduced them slowly over about a week and all worked out great.

On the other hand my sister had the opposite experience and her cats hated each other so it is a risk!

Thanks for sharing, it's great that it worked out so well for you. What age was the second cat and were they both the same sex?

I did this successfully with my then 2year old cat and a kitten. They took a few days but eventually bonded - the kitten began “feeding” off our older cat 🤣 and our cat welcomed it, we had to keep separating them because it just seemed weird, I think the kitten just missed her mum and our cat was fully willing to be the new mum.

then after a year our kitten had to have surgery and when returned from the vet in a cone and smelling of the vet/anaesthetic our older cat attacked her badly. This went on for weeks of us trying to reintroduce them and we just couldn’t. They were trying to kill each other, the fights were so bad there would be hair and piss everywhere and it is sooooo hard to keep two cats in separate rooms. We eventually had to rehome the kitten it was just too stressful for them and us. So I would never have two cats again even if they were a bonded pair of siblings.

So we got our girl when she was about 5/6 months and then got her brother when she was just over a year and he was 10 or 11 months. So there’s about 3/4 months between them. They are both 6ish now.

cat tax

I have two cats, male and female, neither are related, both are now bonded and quite inseparable.

I had two sisters (proper litter sisters, inseparable, slept curled up together, washed each other) but sadly one died quite suddenly and the remaining cat was lonely so I got idiot cat 4 years ago (we've actually just had the 4 year getting you anniversary this weekend). They got on but I think my ginger sister missed her sister.

When my little ginger sister died last year, idiot cat got depressed and hid under my bed for three weeks only coming out for food, not even sitting in my meetings(I was on the verge of calling the vets I was that worried). I started looking at rescues with no luck, came across this little cat who they said was suitable to go to a home with another cat as long as they were a sociable friendly older cat. It works because neither are dominant cats and both are idiots.

I always fail with the slow introductions, so these two met on day 2.

Idiot cat is 12, his sister 6. She matches his playfulness. When she went missing last December, he spent the 6 weeks moping around just staring out the window. When I came back with her after trapping her she immediately went over to him and nuzzled him, she walked straight past me. He calls for her when he wants to play, she does the crab dance when she wants to play.

It's their personalities that matter. Some cats are meant to be only cats some need company.

Thank for sharing, it goes to show how unpredictable having two cats can be!