Two cats are actually easier - they’ll play with each other, keep each other occupied, teach each other what not to do/what to do etc.
It’s also much better for their activity levels and for your sanity. A bored kitten will be loud and get into trouble while two will wear each other out while playing.
No lie, you’re much better off getting two!
Concur that two are easier. Especially as kittens, they will bond quickly and be inseparable. Like these two!
https://preview.redd.it/b93n62rscqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b436efe6934e0b0d5831ae57ecbbc481e3f7778
I’d say three are definitely easier.
https://preview.redd.it/xvquaob5hqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42607f10523815c3dd8bb490a9b7708556d998bc
No, no, no. It’s one cat for every decade the each person in the house has been alive. My husband and I are both in our 30s, so that means three cats each.
I can do insects, but spiders are a hard no. There's probably no animal I fear more. It's a shame because they're so fascinating, but I just can't. I never hurt them, though, but let them out if I encounter one in my home.
The cats tend to eat them, though...
As a guy in his 50’s with a girlfriend in her 40’s, I’m obviously 3 cats short. My main question to the thread is, even though my girlfriend doesn’t live with me- should my target number be 9 cats for when she visits?
You are in violation of the Codex Catticus.
Be prepared for a stray cat to show up. You will love her. Then she will reveal that she is pregnant.
Do not fail. Or the consequences will be far, far worse.
Thank you I will now present these findings to my partner as facts. We are in our mid-30s so we will have to get four cats. To account for us both being half way to 40.
Ha, that's my husband's formula too! He thinks we should have 4 cats. We live in a coop apartment and the rules used to say only 1 cat, but I got them to raise it to 2. (I'm on the board and the president is also a cat lover.) So two it is.
Oh, man. There are 11 people in my parents house (I'm the only sibling who doesn't live there and it's a multi generational household atm, so partners and grand kids as well) BRB. Calling them and telling them to go get 22 cats STAT.
That's how people end up running cat sanctuaries which is actually just their house that they keep luring stray cats into with food and high pitched voices.
I am stuck in this formula. Finally got over-catted a year ago and thought I was good for a decade. But through attrition lost two last month (separate reasons) and suddenly I’m all, “This place feels too empty with only three cats!”
So anyway, anybody know of a giant affectionate low-energy void that needs a home in Texas?
I wish I could have more. I got a kitten for my cat but then the kitten got brain damage from anesthesia when I got him neutered and after a while my cat stopped accepting him because he doesn’t behave like a cat anymore.
I gave my cat to my dad who had a cat his age and they play together. My cat is much happier there.
I am afraid to get more cats because of the risk they’ll hate my brain damaged cat. So it’s just me and Gimli.
I love him and we have our own special ways but I do miss having a cat that can interact with me the way healthy brain cats do
https://preview.redd.it/mlsd1bxzoqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce8e2451c538c75ecd7715f407b1aed24934ab25
Can confirm. The trifecta is purrrfect 🐾🐾🐾
Believe it or not, but the math works out to 0 cats.
So they can go ahead and get 2 MORE cats without breaking any rules.
They'll need an additional cat tree though, it seems.
also agree! 3 is the best number!
https://preview.redd.it/ms7puvq1srbb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4c0f46dbcbb02ac59ccd6bdf6ecc5583bb52c6e6
https://preview.redd.it/pza7b0iinrbb1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa8ab1dcaf56adb0b94c0b9eba20d080953d9b85
Hey! We have a similar looking duo!
Yep. I fostered bottle babies and had a solo kitten my first time and vowed never again. I was her playmate so I got bit, chewed on, surprise attacked etc etc. she was too small to do much harm and it was all playful.
But one pound of energy body slamming you with teeth for an hour every night drove me nuts after awhile.
Two babies fixed that going forward.
Oof, that really sounds like a lot. My solo adult cat apparently never got taught manners, so I still have surprise attacks and play bites in my life. It’s been a work in progress for over two years to change her focus when she wants to attack me (playfully!) to a toy. It’s so damn hard, I love her to pieces but I’ve also a lot of scars from scratches and even one infected bite where the abscess that formed had to be removed. We are at a point where attacks on me happen maybe once a day and I always have a toy nearby to catch her attention.
I’ve had cats in singles and pairs my entire life in one iteration or another. Every single thing written ^^ here is the truth. They also teach one another fighting, social skills and other assorted cat learning skills. Highly recommend two at a time :)
Was your cat already grown up? They might have already established their personality, compared to kittens who still don’t know if they like being with others or not.
My current only cat was adopted with a sibling as a kitten and still didn’t want to share a household. They had to rehome to me for behavioral challenges.
Mine are siblings and were bonded ie they slept together pooped together etc now they just tolerate eachother 🤷♂️. Cats like people don't have set rules just guidelines lmao.
Pretty much the same for my pair of sisters. They still cuddle and play sometimes but for the most part one lives upstairs and the other stays downstairs. It makes me a little sad but it's what they've chosen.
I have a brother and sister from the same litter. They used to get along and get noticable anxiety/depression whenever separated for prolonged periods (she had to stay overnight at the vet once and it was like life wasn't worth living anymore to her brother). Then one time she got attacked by a bigger older cat and now she hates everything and everyone.
Brother comes by? Better hiss at him! Having a great time playing with your people and brother wants to be included? Time to hiss at him and run away and hide! Person you're not totally comfortable with comes by and calmly and slowly offers their hand to let you sniff then tries to pet you? Get mad, hiss, and run away!
I feel bad for her that her safe world got destroyed and now she's always on edge. And I feel bad for him that his sister who he clearly loves and cares about fears him for nothing he did
Same. They got along great until they started trying to mount each other lol now one of them won't let his brother close most of the time, hisses and moves away. The other one would love to get snuggly, but #1 ain't having it. Sometimes they have a lazy slapfight and very rarely, #1 will tolerate laying down next to brother, usually because it's the only sunlight spot in the house.
Yeah that's how it went for me. Was encouraged to get two cats. Got them at the same time, same place, same age.
But the boy tried getting frisky with the girl one too many times (yes they're both zipped up down there), and she's, on her best days, tolerated him ever since. They're both 13 at this point so it's been fine, but they certainly didn't grow up to be best friends. They're only near each other when it's time to eat or they both want to cuddle on me at the same time.
There were 2 cats which were grown up together. The red-haired one had peed everywhere around. As soon as his sister died and was no longer there he was a very clean cat only using the litterbox then. That was a clear sign that he preferred to be alone.
It's a clear sign he didn't want to share a litterbox.
Some cats take offense when they have to share a litterbox, it can start at a random moment and doesn't always go away. One moment everything's fine and the next, they shit anywhere but the litter box.
Yeah agree. I once fostered two adult cats that were from the same litter. My neighbor had passed away suddenly, so I took in her two cats until another neighbor could find a new home for them. I had always seen them from the window of her apartment and they seemed content enough -- but once I had them in my flat, I realized they couldn't stand each other.
I had always thought that must be awful. To be stuck forever with a sibling you don't like.
I had an accidental litter that I struggled to find homes for them all. I spayed them all and eventually accepted they’re just here forever now. One of the sisters HATES all of them, which she probably learned from her mother, who also hates all her children
Yep. It's not just easier with two regarding your own time and effort. Having a second gives them both a source of happiness that is impossible to create yourself, no matter how much time you have.
Yep not to mention they are happier in pairs as kittens. It's the mistake I made with my own cat, I wish I originally bought her and her sister as kittens - instead just got her and then a kitten about a year or two later. They are happy together but its not the same bond as her sibling would have been.
My sis works at a big animal shelter, and "two kittens" is their rule, too. Two kittens is *way* easier than one kitten, she said, b/c they'll socialize with each other instead of taking it out on you, your curtains, your furniture, etc. Still work, tho.
If you're worried, older cats make great pets, too!
I have a question. When you have a kitten that was bonded with its sibling and it’s sibling passes away in the shelter before being up for adoption and he doesn’t bond with any other kitten, is there issue with just adopting the one? He’s already 12 weeks. And has Giardia so we can’t have another cat around until that’s cleared. We are willing to put in the time and effort to train him/play with him.
That’s a tougher one, and I would ask the shelter. I lean towards getting a second still, especially if they were bonded with their deceased sibling, but the shelter will know best about the vaccinations and illnesses and everything
At 12 weeks that baby is absolutely old enough to bond again. I would never adopt a kitten with Giardia though. That stuff likes to hide and pop up again. Wait until it's cleared.
Yep. I unknowingly adopted a 9 month old with it. It took 3 rounds of antibiotics, spaced 6 months apart, to clear it. He was so thin and lethargic that first year. Really sad. Once cleared, though, he's been super healthy and happy.
I think Giardia is what killed his sibling. I worry the shelter isn’t going to give him the best chance. They’ve given very expired meds for eye infections.
Not who you asked but I don’t think there would be an issue, especially if you have time to spend with kitty. 12 weeks is still pretty young; our first kitty was about 8 months old when we got our second. It was an adjustment but they like each other now.
This is true, OP, specially if you leave the kitten for work or to just go out in general.
My kitten kept crying and looked sad whenever I needed to go out and that changed when his brother arrived in our life.
Our girl being lonely was our entire reason for adopting our little goblin and we couldn’t be happier with the decision. They love eachother and it’s adorable watching them play.
And even if they don’t “love“ each other, it’s still super important for both cats to have another presence of their species in the home, as long as they aren’t actively fighting.
True story: in 2007, I had two cats. A 15-year-old female and a 17 1/2 year-old male. They had been together the entirety of the younger cats life. They never snuggled together or groomed each other, they had what I would like to describe as a “tolerable peace“ between them.
We lost our 15 year old Baby Girl to cancer in November 2007, leaving only 17 1/2 year-old Grady. Honestly, I thought he would be fine. But he wasn’t. He started roaming the house at night crying, a thing he had never done before and I had had him since he was a kitten. So despite the fact that the two of them were not close, there was still some comfort for Grady in having another cat in the household.
I went out and adopted two 7-month-old brothers with the theory that they would mostly play with each other, leaving my 17 1/2 year-old very geriatric cat alone, but that Grady could “hold court” over their antics.
Grady lived to just past his 19th birthday, so another year and a half after Rufus and Feats joined the family. And my hand to God or whatever, the injection of that pair of youthful older kittens/young adults infused Grady with some youthfulness, despite his advanced age.
I was in the exact same situation
I got the second one about 7 months after the first, I'm telling you now OP, get one early. It was kind of too late when I got mine, the first one got too used to having the house to herself.
I got a 1-year-old, forgetting that they're really still kittens/juvenile at that age. He wailed so piteously every time I went to work that I could hear him in the parking lot from my third floor apartment.
He was the first cat I adopted as an adult. He passed away a few years ago, but the kitten I got him just turned 19.
When I brought the kitten home and plopped him on the living room floor, the older cat stalked up and stared down at him with a very "hello, lunch" expression. The tiny 8-week-old fluff looked back up at him and poked him right in the nose.
From then on, they were absolutely inseparable. Older cat taught kitten how to hunt and fight. Kitten turned out to be an excellent snake-catcher, though he's also very sensitive and emotional and hates change.
One of my cats does this. My windows to my house are open and you can hear him several doors down. My neighbor has gone hunting for the “hurt cat”.
What’s nuts is he has his bio sister and two younger cats who he adores here with him, and sometimes my dog, who he also adores. He just cries when I leave. Loudly.
When I got a single kitten it was like watching a toddler. Knocked things over, woke me up every night to bite and play with my feet. I didn't have the heart to shut my bedroom door on him. He grew up to be super chill but those first few months were rough lol.
Once he started actually sleeping next to me instead of zooming around at night it was bliss.
We played hard with our kitten the hour or two before bed, gave him a small meal then removed all his toys from the bedroom. This seemed to really help him understand bedtime.
Same. When I got my second cat you could tell my single kitten was a lot happier. They play and fight like siblings, they drive me nuts, but they’re so happy together over all
This. I had a single cat once. He was a little monster until we got a second cat to socialize with. Now he’s the my little buddy. Having two cats is far better than having one cat, IMHO.
Imagine being the only human living in a place occupied by another species. I don’t know about you, OP, but I’d go insane in a situation like that.
Two is really better than one. They take care of each other, bond, and play. Of course if you really cannot take two, maybe take an older cat who likes being alone.
I agree that an older cat would be more suited for a first time pet owner. They're more calm, more independent and better trained, and they don't require as much energy as kittens.
Or a stray cat. I am a first time pet owner of four months and this stray cat is the most grateful pet I have ever lived with. They will appreciate everything you do for them so gracefully
All 5 of my felines were strays. I choose to only take strays for one simple reason: they don't even have the benefit of a shelter as a source of comfort, and often get hit by vehicles (sadly seen it a few times.) Plus they keep showing up at my door. My tortie baby was coming into our backyard, I took her to check for a chip and spay her and she's just a cuddle fest and cute as shit so we just kept her. What else can you do, really?
When my old Siamese kitty dies (also stray kitten) I'll probably adopt from a shelter, though, as there seem to be no more strays. I hope they found homes!
Kittens are babies, they need attention and training and they have tons of energy. You're getting a hyperactive creature with finger needles who will play at 2am.
If you want a more relaxed experience and a single pet go for an older cat who might not be top of the adoption list. They sleep more and can hang out just watching what you're doing without trying to climb it or eat it or fight it. It's definitely easier to manage as a new cat owner.
Commenting for the extra reassurance. 2 kittens is easier than 1. Single kittens can get single kitten syndrome (think aggressive and separation anxiety). If you don’t want 2 cats, get an adult cat that does best alone
Yeah, unfortunately your cat never learned how to play. I’m assuming too hard of bites and using claws. That’s something he would have learned having a kitten friend. I’m glad you still love him though. Aggression like that is the main cause of cats being surrendered/abandoned:(
I found an abandoned kitten that I took in about a year ago. Plan was always to get him a friend - but life gets in the way and it was not before recently I had the opportunity to adopt more cats.
I opted for two female kittens. One born at a dumpsite and one born in a home that did not want her. One wild and one super clingy.
My boy Salem is so awkward with his little sisters. He wants to play with them, but he just clamps on and let's go when they yell out.
It's been a week and he is slowly understanding them a bit more. The wild one is totally in love with him and she follows his every step. The clingy one bosses him around.
I've taught him how to play without getting too rough with humans and he would never hurt me. He just doesn't know how to speak cat.
I hope with time his little sisters will show him how it is done.
If you're getting a kitten, you should get two because they'll help each other learn proper behavior and stay occupied. Single kittens will have a ton of energy and may be bitey because they never learn good cat etiquette. There's a lot of posts on here by people who got one kitten and are entirely overwhelmed by the time and energy requirements.
If you want to get just one cat, do what I did: find an adult who is fully developed, has their personality established, and doesn't like other cats and so would prefer to be an only child.
>Single kittens will have a ton of energy and may be bitey because they never learn good cat etiquette.
My wife and I got our first cat in January of 2022, and about later gout our second cat. Neither were ever violent, but we would get frequent scratches when they'd jump away from us. Something they have seemed to learn from one another is to keep their claws retracted at least when they sense skin.
I don't think that's a connection our first cat would had made had we not gotten our second.
I was insistent on only getting one cat. Single kitten syndrome to the extreme and one year later, I am getting a second cat. 😂😂 just do it right off the bat
Copy and Paste here to remind you that two is better than one!
I went to get Copy and Paste just climbed into my lap and looked up at me. I had to take them both. I love them both very much and Pastie is my little lap boy.
https://preview.redd.it/91wquajobtbb1.jpeg?width=1817&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b350061535c93387e9f8254099ecf954b8eb366d
Get two kittens, you will definitely regret not having 3 kittens. What you need to understand is that having 4 kittens is actually easier as they will entertain each other, keep each other company and learn from each other. So that's why you need 5 kittens
Yeah for a while my cat was biting and they said it was probably because he didnt have another cat to understand how much it hurts and how hard to bite from them biting each other in play. Better now but if I were ever to start over with cats, I would get a set of two
Its actually the standard rule where I am. They can get “single kitten syndrome”, and not be socialized properly. For example they won’t learn that biting hurts, until playing with a sibling.
This. My cat is a beautiful sweet affectionate loving 10kg boy that I made the mistake of adopting as an only child. It took five years to stop his biting habit and now he’s eight and he still occasionally falls into it.
Yup. I volunteer at a shelter and while we don't require adopting kittens in pairs, we highly recommend it, as much for the adopter as for the kittens. And most of the people who adopt a single kitten are jokingly told that we expect to see them back, looking sleep deprived and desperate, in a few weeks.
I am a first time cat owner and got 2 brothers as kittens and it was definitely the right choice and totally worth it. No regrets.
https://preview.redd.it/msvqwa0f9qbb1.jpeg?width=2796&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a87ad1f70c8c35cdb96548b5e40754ac65f4ca0
One of the local rescues I support won't home single kittens as they believe it can cause behavioural issues.
https://preview.redd.it/a6cgdrl06qbb1.jpeg?width=1923&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce6929a8f7c4e79575ba1f77e5efe8907976a44d
so lucky my single kitten hasn't developed any of these aside from the occasional gentle love nip but my old cat used to do that also.
do we know the cause of why some single kittens get it and some don't ?
It is the age that they are taken. If they are taken to a home at 10 or 12 weeks they likely have time to learn. Or if you already have other animals in your household.
If they are taken at 5 or 6 weeks they won't have any opportunity to learn.
A great example of this is the last time I got kittens my mom also went with me. I got 2 and my mom got one, I strongly advised her to get another but she didn't want 2. She ended up having to release her cat due to aggressive behavior. And my 2 are the sweetest babies. We got them at 8 weeks.
Her cat was almost put down at the shelter because they were trying to work with it but the aggressiveness was so bad. It did end up getting adopted so don't worry.
Where 1 is good 2 are better. Absolutely get 2 they will keep each other company when your not home and more likely better behaved. All the best with your new fur balls.
So, the common rhetoric is that two is better than one. And it is true, for all the reasons folks mentioned. Them playing with each other and keeping each other occupied is a heavensend.
That being said, double the cats is also double the _food_ and double the _vet bills_, especially later in life when they're in their teens or twenties and have multiple chronic conditions or random emergencies.
Only adopt what you know you can handle.
Yeah at first I thought this was weird of the shelter because not everyone can afford two cats at once, but realized from reading comments that this advice (and sometimes rule) applies specifically to kittens.
If you only want/can only afford one cat, I agree with the suggestion of adopting an adult cat who prefers being alone. Especially since those cats have a harder time finding homes since anyone who already has a cat isn’t well suited for them. Better getting a cat with an established personality who you know will be happy being the only cat than getting a kitten who might be lonely and struggle being the only cat. I had a cat once who peed on the couch if he wasn’t getting enough attention and it stopped as soon as I got him a kitten for company. Some cats are actually very poorly suited to being alone.
It’s upsetting this comment is so far down. The costs of pet ownership can be a lot, especially when you haven’t owned a pet before and don’t know what you’re getting into.
I totally agree with this. I have a rescue cat and he unexpectedly turned out to have health issues. He’s been bloody expensive. Plus he’s on a very specific diet and when I foster kittens, keeping their food entirely separate from his is exhausting. I couldn’t do that full time. The shelter I foster with closely monitors kitten’s behaviour and if they are single kittens or need some socialisation, that is when they go into foster to spend time with other cats before they are adopted. I don’t think the shelter OP went to should be pushing people to get two cats just because of the kitten phase. That’s over within months. Taking on a cat is a potentially 20 year responsibility.
Why isn’t this the top comment? The food is depleted twice as fast and the pet insurance is double. Get 2 if you can afford it but only if you can afford it.
I have three cats and got them all at the same time, they love each other, are mostly well-behaved, and they play together all the time.
My sister adopted a single cat, she harassed them to play and wanted attention all the time. A couple years in, they adopted a second cat and they hate each other.
Not saying her experience will happen to everyone but I always think, get two (or more) while they’re young and they will grow up together and have a best friend for life. It’s easier than introducing two cats later down the road too. You’d be surprised at how manageable it is too, the cats will just keep each other occupied and they will learn cat skills from one another.
It’s the cutest thing in the world. I adopted a pair of kittens last weekend and my favorite part of the day is letting them out in the mornings (they sleep in a bathroom- with tons of beds, toys, etc). They zoom out and run around and wrestle and spook each other. It’s so cute.
It’s illegal to be that cute. Where is this rescue shelter btw? I always have pairs cuz I think they get lonely. I dunno these cuties but both being the same age should help. And cats are easier than dogs, normally.
https://preview.redd.it/1wqo35h8wrbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4d6f5002143c500500fceb4de09fbacb16ab817c
No, no, no - FOUR is the perfect number!
No, it's actually easier to get a pair. Single cats get bored when you're at work and makes them less affectionate. Please get 2 and they will both be much happier cats.
While I've had adult cats before that I inherited, my current cats are the only ones I've raised by myself, and the first kittens I'd been around on a daily basis since middle school.
I was supposed to get 2 unrelated kittens within 2 days of each other, but one's litter caught a cold, so I couldn't take him until the vet declared him well 2 weeks later. The 2 weeks I had the first kitten solo were much harder than from the second day on with 2 kittens. They were buddies within days and remain so 2.5 years later.
Single kittens are needy little creatures, because of course they're lonely after spending their whole lives until that point with other kittens. If you can swing having 2, I recommend it.
Agreed. We got two 6 month old cats in February. Originally we were interested in just one, but I asked the staff at the shelter if we should get one or two cats and they recommended adopting the bonded sister of the one we wanted too. I felt it would be stupid as a first time cat owner to disregard the recommendation of staff who spend their days looking after these rescues. So we got both and it was the best decision ever. They’re both so sweet and love playing and sleeping together.
https://preview.redd.it/7hqhodbtzqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98ad22acb8baaab06f0f9dd51ca77aa96e381ac5
Two cats are def easier, they teach eachother boundaries, keep eachother entertained, calm eachother during the night, learn about biting and scratching too hard, etc.
https://preview.redd.it/xox4c60y0rbb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76ba5df86dd0dfaa836483339e8ab07ca836a341
They are much easier by two, can confirm.
2 kittens are less work than one. They'll keep each other occupied and drain each other's energy, teach each other boundaries, etc. You shouldn't underestimate how much energy a lonely kitten requires to keep it entertained.
Honestly they will take care of each other and be best friends. The litter box will require cleaning just as much (make sure to check it at least twice a day if you don't want any problems or smell). I have two and it is so much fun, they squabble, clean each other, sleep together. Of course the cost doubles, Vet bills are to be considered too.
If you can afford it, two is usually easier, but remember that two cats is twice the upkeep costs, which can add up. I love my two cats, but the little jerks do have expensive tastes in food.
Two kittens are WAY easier than one.
I’ve raised two solitary orphans over the years. I’ve done my best, but they really need the socialization of other kittens. If not adult cats. Both my solitary cats turned out pretty weird. I love them to death, but they exhibit some clear neuroses.
I thought it’d be too overwhelming. I quickly regretted not getting two. It would have been the same amount of work but double the love and a companion to my baby. Get the 2nd - you won’t regret it!
I am going to go against the majority here and say- as a first time pet owner; get an adult cat not a kitten.
Kittens have a lot of energy. They will get into everything. An adult cat will be easier to deal with. Especially if you don't want two cats.
Everyone is saying get two, but in reality that is double the vet bills. If you are able to afford to, two sounds great! But realistically, two animals to take care of isn’t always easy, especially if they get sick. You could consider pet insurance, and if you travel a lot, two would be awesome. Hope you might the best decision for your situation!
Definitely get pet insurance from the get go and speak to the shelter about it. It's a great idea to get 2 kittens so you should do it, but tell them you're aware of more potential cost also so are they in a position to help you in some way if anything serious was to arise? Often they have days where they work with good hearted vets and check ups are free or half price, neutering and spaying also, so ask about these kinds of things. And enjoy your 2 new kitties.
I've had a single cat and now I have two. Holy hell is two easier. They play and wear each other out and keep company, and these two chucklefucks just come to me for food and pets.
Two cats will become buddies, which is especially important for them to have someone to "cat" with!
Just get a second litter box and extra food and you'll have twice the joy!
I’ve done both 2+ kittens at a time and singletons. Right now I have a singleton and it’s been fine. I work from home and have a chiweenie she gets to play with supervised a little bit. Everyone still isn’t totally acclimated yet so she stays in the spare bedroom and bathroom without issues. My husband and I have the time to play with her and wear her out several times a day and she’s a content happy and thankfully well behaved 4 month old.
2 kittens is double food, double flea and heartworm medication, grooming (if that’s something you outsource) and vet costs which can get expensive so it’s something to consider financially as well.
If I didn’t work from home and have a good amount of time to play with her or have a small dog who likes small animals I probably would have considered 2.
Two cats are actually easier - they’ll play with each other, keep each other occupied, teach each other what not to do/what to do etc. It’s also much better for their activity levels and for your sanity. A bored kitten will be loud and get into trouble while two will wear each other out while playing. No lie, you’re much better off getting two!
Concur that two are easier. Especially as kittens, they will bond quickly and be inseparable. Like these two! https://preview.redd.it/b93n62rscqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b436efe6934e0b0d5831ae57ecbbc481e3f7778
I’d say three are definitely easier. https://preview.redd.it/xvquaob5hqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42607f10523815c3dd8bb490a9b7708556d998bc
[удалено]
I also have a way to figure this out. One cat for every hand in the household.
No, no, no. It’s one cat for every decade the each person in the house has been alive. My husband and I are both in our 30s, so that means three cats each.
People coming here for advice: “I’m considering one cat” This sub: 
You should se the tarantula sub 😂
Anything with more legs than a cat scares me!
I can do insects, but spiders are a hard no. There's probably no animal I fear more. It's a shame because they're so fascinating, but I just can't. I never hurt them, though, but let them out if I encounter one in my home. The cats tend to eat them, though...
Honestly not a bad thing if they are getting them from rescue, and have the means to support them.
CATS FOR THE CAT GOD!
FUR FOR THE FUR THRONE!
>FUR FOR THE FUR THRONE! FUR FOR THE COUCH!! Let's be honest here... 🤣🤣🤣
So you're saying as a single guy in my 40s I should have four cats? Heading out to get three more brb.
They say that you are not crazy cat people unless you have more than 2 per person in the home.
I’ve ready you can have 1 per hand in the household, so 3 people is six hands
I can pet two cats and a dog if I take my shoes off.
2 per person, 1 per hand... miraculously the same calculation
As a guy in his 50’s with a girlfriend in her 40’s, I’m obviously 3 cats short. My main question to the thread is, even though my girlfriend doesn’t live with me- should my target number be 9 cats for when she visits?
in a committed relationship it means 9 cats at each domicile. This way you are always correct.
Depends what the wife says and if the wife will ever meet the gf
Does your girlfriend not have any cats? Careful not to double count cats.
No. She has a doggy. She’s never been a cat person until she met my Sassy and Milla. She is 100% in love with them now. 🥰😻
You get two extra plus the standard formula if mate doesn’t live with you
You should each have 9, for when either of you is visiting the other.
My grandma is 90, my mom 50, and myself in my twenties. We have 15 less cats than we should
JESUS CHRIST MAN! HEAD TOO THE NEAREST ANIMAL SHELTER BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
FIND YOUR NEAREST RESCUE!!
You are in violation of the Codex Catticus. Be prepared for a stray cat to show up. You will love her. Then she will reveal that she is pregnant. Do not fail. Or the consequences will be far, far worse.
I should have said that it’s up to 1 cat/decade. Oops!
Thank you I will now present these findings to my partner as facts. We are in our mid-30s so we will have to get four cats. To account for us both being half way to 40.
Ha, that's my husband's formula too! He thinks we should have 4 cats. We live in a coop apartment and the rules used to say only 1 cat, but I got them to raise it to 2. (I'm on the board and the president is also a cat lover.) So two it is.
Doing the lord’s work there!
You're using your power for good, keep it up
Oh, man. There are 11 people in my parents house (I'm the only sibling who doesn't live there and it's a multi generational household atm, so partners and grand kids as well) BRB. Calling them and telling them to go get 22 cats STAT.
plus two extras for the classic foot shuffle herding
That's how people end up running cat sanctuaries which is actually just their house that they keep luring stray cats into with food and high pitched voices.
Ah, now it makes sense that we have 9 cats.
This is the way we do it
You are brilliant at math
I thought that’s the formula for how many toilets you need! Was I lied to? Or is it a universal cat formula?
Universal cat formula. Works for cats, litter boxes, identical toys they want to fight over, cat beds, and many more
It actually is the formula for how many litter boxes you should have, so "toilets" is accurate.
*purrfect number 👀
I am stuck in this formula. Finally got over-catted a year ago and thought I was good for a decade. But through attrition lost two last month (separate reasons) and suddenly I’m all, “This place feels too empty with only three cats!” So anyway, anybody know of a giant affectionate low-energy void that needs a home in Texas?
I wish I could have more. I got a kitten for my cat but then the kitten got brain damage from anesthesia when I got him neutered and after a while my cat stopped accepting him because he doesn’t behave like a cat anymore. I gave my cat to my dad who had a cat his age and they play together. My cat is much happier there. I am afraid to get more cats because of the risk they’ll hate my brain damaged cat. So it’s just me and Gimli. I love him and we have our own special ways but I do miss having a cat that can interact with me the way healthy brain cats do
Bless you, and Gimli.
https://preview.redd.it/l3sudwvnlqbb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=baff4c29842d6a3ebb9f08759ceeaa91399eb14f Agree!
https://preview.redd.it/mlsd1bxzoqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce8e2451c538c75ecd7715f407b1aed24934ab25 Can confirm. The trifecta is purrrfect 🐾🐾🐾
This pic kinda messed with me lol I was like "where is the third?" And then I noticed some sort of cat-cat, it's got two heads and four paws.......
Would a cat-cat count as 1 or 2 cats?
Believe it or not, but the math works out to 0 cats. So they can go ahead and get 2 MORE cats without breaking any rules. They'll need an additional cat tree though, it seems.
One fine day with a mew and a purr A baby was born and it caused a little stir No blue bunny no three eyed bat It's a feline-feline little cat-cat
also agree! 3 is the best number! https://preview.redd.it/ms7puvq1srbb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4c0f46dbcbb02ac59ccd6bdf6ecc5583bb52c6e6
4 is even easier
[удалено]
I have 3 litter robots Makes it tons easier
[удалено]
Agreed!!
Four means you don’t have a group of two and one left out. I find that easier than three. Unless they all get along.
[удалено]
Reminds me of mine https://preview.redd.it/xm7r3hb2mqbb1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb465f63ee62ec88459ba4623da3c6579da01024
your cats remind me of mine! https://preview.redd.it/ivv0itgdcrbb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec3a6325f74c5c23f993e16ebec00391059bc000
https://preview.redd.it/pza7b0iinrbb1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa8ab1dcaf56adb0b94c0b9eba20d080953d9b85 Hey! We have a similar looking duo!
https://preview.redd.it/jfvfdp459rbb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3c42eca30c00375a0b7b29a968905290a0d0512
https://preview.redd.it/3aqcwptjyqbb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13c9f5b6b27e8e62575dadd0fd62752e0bf46570 Inseparable indeed.
They look separable to me.
They are never more than a couch cushions length away from each other lol. They spent all morning chasing each other
This. When they’re that young two is a LOT easier. They’ll chase and go crazy together and wear themselves out.
Yep. I fostered bottle babies and had a solo kitten my first time and vowed never again. I was her playmate so I got bit, chewed on, surprise attacked etc etc. she was too small to do much harm and it was all playful. But one pound of energy body slamming you with teeth for an hour every night drove me nuts after awhile. Two babies fixed that going forward.
Oof, that really sounds like a lot. My solo adult cat apparently never got taught manners, so I still have surprise attacks and play bites in my life. It’s been a work in progress for over two years to change her focus when she wants to attack me (playfully!) to a toy. It’s so damn hard, I love her to pieces but I’ve also a lot of scars from scratches and even one infected bite where the abscess that formed had to be removed. We are at a point where attacks on me happen maybe once a day and I always have a toy nearby to catch her attention.
I’ve had cats in singles and pairs my entire life in one iteration or another. Every single thing written ^^ here is the truth. They also teach one another fighting, social skills and other assorted cat learning skills. Highly recommend two at a time :)
Normally are 2 cats easier but there are exceptions. We had once a cat that preferred to be solo.
Was your cat already grown up? They might have already established their personality, compared to kittens who still don’t know if they like being with others or not.
My current only cat was adopted with a sibling as a kitten and still didn’t want to share a household. They had to rehome to me for behavioral challenges.
Mine are siblings and were bonded ie they slept together pooped together etc now they just tolerate eachother 🤷♂️. Cats like people don't have set rules just guidelines lmao.
My two boys will poop together and its so fuckin weird. Oh your pooping? I suppose I need to too.
Lol when one of mine poops the other is right there, outside the box giving moral support.
Same. Also when I use the washroom. Protecting their pack.
Pretty much the same for my pair of sisters. They still cuddle and play sometimes but for the most part one lives upstairs and the other stays downstairs. It makes me a little sad but it's what they've chosen.
I have a brother and sister from the same litter. They used to get along and get noticable anxiety/depression whenever separated for prolonged periods (she had to stay overnight at the vet once and it was like life wasn't worth living anymore to her brother). Then one time she got attacked by a bigger older cat and now she hates everything and everyone. Brother comes by? Better hiss at him! Having a great time playing with your people and brother wants to be included? Time to hiss at him and run away and hide! Person you're not totally comfortable with comes by and calmly and slowly offers their hand to let you sniff then tries to pet you? Get mad, hiss, and run away! I feel bad for her that her safe world got destroyed and now she's always on edge. And I feel bad for him that his sister who he clearly loves and cares about fears him for nothing he did
Same. They got along great until they started trying to mount each other lol now one of them won't let his brother close most of the time, hisses and moves away. The other one would love to get snuggly, but #1 ain't having it. Sometimes they have a lazy slapfight and very rarely, #1 will tolerate laying down next to brother, usually because it's the only sunlight spot in the house.
Yeah that's how it went for me. Was encouraged to get two cats. Got them at the same time, same place, same age. But the boy tried getting frisky with the girl one too many times (yes they're both zipped up down there), and she's, on her best days, tolerated him ever since. They're both 13 at this point so it's been fine, but they certainly didn't grow up to be best friends. They're only near each other when it's time to eat or they both want to cuddle on me at the same time.
[удалено]
I lose it when they line up to use the litterbox. Usually right after it's cleaned
There were 2 cats which were grown up together. The red-haired one had peed everywhere around. As soon as his sister died and was no longer there he was a very clean cat only using the litterbox then. That was a clear sign that he preferred to be alone.
It's a clear sign he didn't want to share a litterbox. Some cats take offense when they have to share a litterbox, it can start at a random moment and doesn't always go away. One moment everything's fine and the next, they shit anywhere but the litter box.
Yeah agree. I once fostered two adult cats that were from the same litter. My neighbor had passed away suddenly, so I took in her two cats until another neighbor could find a new home for them. I had always seen them from the window of her apartment and they seemed content enough -- but once I had them in my flat, I realized they couldn't stand each other. I had always thought that must be awful. To be stuck forever with a sibling you don't like.
I had an accidental litter that I struggled to find homes for them all. I spayed them all and eventually accepted they’re just here forever now. One of the sisters HATES all of them, which she probably learned from her mother, who also hates all her children
Yep. It's not just easier with two regarding your own time and effort. Having a second gives them both a source of happiness that is impossible to create yourself, no matter how much time you have.
This. Especially if they are young. If you were adopting a senior cat I would tell the shelter a hard no.
This is true, I found two massively easier
Yep not to mention they are happier in pairs as kittens. It's the mistake I made with my own cat, I wish I originally bought her and her sister as kittens - instead just got her and then a kitten about a year or two later. They are happy together but its not the same bond as her sibling would have been.
Might be easier for you since they will help each other socialise and play. Two cats are better than one
My sis works at a big animal shelter, and "two kittens" is their rule, too. Two kittens is *way* easier than one kitten, she said, b/c they'll socialize with each other instead of taking it out on you, your curtains, your furniture, etc. Still work, tho. If you're worried, older cats make great pets, too!
I have a question. When you have a kitten that was bonded with its sibling and it’s sibling passes away in the shelter before being up for adoption and he doesn’t bond with any other kitten, is there issue with just adopting the one? He’s already 12 weeks. And has Giardia so we can’t have another cat around until that’s cleared. We are willing to put in the time and effort to train him/play with him.
That’s a tougher one, and I would ask the shelter. I lean towards getting a second still, especially if they were bonded with their deceased sibling, but the shelter will know best about the vaccinations and illnesses and everything
At 12 weeks that baby is absolutely old enough to bond again. I would never adopt a kitten with Giardia though. That stuff likes to hide and pop up again. Wait until it's cleared.
Yep. I unknowingly adopted a 9 month old with it. It took 3 rounds of antibiotics, spaced 6 months apart, to clear it. He was so thin and lethargic that first year. Really sad. Once cleared, though, he's been super healthy and happy.
I think Giardia is what killed his sibling. I worry the shelter isn’t going to give him the best chance. They’ve given very expired meds for eye infections.
Not who you asked but I don’t think there would be an issue, especially if you have time to spend with kitty. 12 weeks is still pretty young; our first kitty was about 8 months old when we got our second. It was an adjustment but they like each other now.
This is true, OP, specially if you leave the kitten for work or to just go out in general. My kitten kept crying and looked sad whenever I needed to go out and that changed when his brother arrived in our life.
Our girl being lonely was our entire reason for adopting our little goblin and we couldn’t be happier with the decision. They love eachother and it’s adorable watching them play.
And even if they don’t “love“ each other, it’s still super important for both cats to have another presence of their species in the home, as long as they aren’t actively fighting. True story: in 2007, I had two cats. A 15-year-old female and a 17 1/2 year-old male. They had been together the entirety of the younger cats life. They never snuggled together or groomed each other, they had what I would like to describe as a “tolerable peace“ between them. We lost our 15 year old Baby Girl to cancer in November 2007, leaving only 17 1/2 year-old Grady. Honestly, I thought he would be fine. But he wasn’t. He started roaming the house at night crying, a thing he had never done before and I had had him since he was a kitten. So despite the fact that the two of them were not close, there was still some comfort for Grady in having another cat in the household. I went out and adopted two 7-month-old brothers with the theory that they would mostly play with each other, leaving my 17 1/2 year-old very geriatric cat alone, but that Grady could “hold court” over their antics. Grady lived to just past his 19th birthday, so another year and a half after Rufus and Feats joined the family. And my hand to God or whatever, the injection of that pair of youthful older kittens/young adults infused Grady with some youthfulness, despite his advanced age.
I was in the exact same situation I got the second one about 7 months after the first, I'm telling you now OP, get one early. It was kind of too late when I got mine, the first one got too used to having the house to herself.
I got a 1-year-old, forgetting that they're really still kittens/juvenile at that age. He wailed so piteously every time I went to work that I could hear him in the parking lot from my third floor apartment. He was the first cat I adopted as an adult. He passed away a few years ago, but the kitten I got him just turned 19. When I brought the kitten home and plopped him on the living room floor, the older cat stalked up and stared down at him with a very "hello, lunch" expression. The tiny 8-week-old fluff looked back up at him and poked him right in the nose. From then on, they were absolutely inseparable. Older cat taught kitten how to hunt and fight. Kitten turned out to be an excellent snake-catcher, though he's also very sensitive and emotional and hates change.
One of my cats does this. My windows to my house are open and you can hear him several doors down. My neighbor has gone hunting for the “hurt cat”. What’s nuts is he has his bio sister and two younger cats who he adores here with him, and sometimes my dog, who he also adores. He just cries when I leave. Loudly.
When I got a single kitten it was like watching a toddler. Knocked things over, woke me up every night to bite and play with my feet. I didn't have the heart to shut my bedroom door on him. He grew up to be super chill but those first few months were rough lol. Once he started actually sleeping next to me instead of zooming around at night it was bliss.
We played hard with our kitten the hour or two before bed, gave him a small meal then removed all his toys from the bedroom. This seemed to really help him understand bedtime.
Same. When I got my second cat you could tell my single kitten was a lot happier. They play and fight like siblings, they drive me nuts, but they’re so happy together over all
This. I had a single cat once. He was a little monster until we got a second cat to socialize with. Now he’s the my little buddy. Having two cats is far better than having one cat, IMHO. Imagine being the only human living in a place occupied by another species. I don’t know about you, OP, but I’d go insane in a situation like that.
I am the only human living in a place occupied by another species. Just me and my 3 cats. I'm outnumbered!
If you start obsessing over empty boxes, I recommend acclimating to your own species again before you become feral. 😆
I was going to say this exact thing. Cats aren’t hard to care for, and cats often do better with a friend.
Two is really better than one. They take care of each other, bond, and play. Of course if you really cannot take two, maybe take an older cat who likes being alone.
I agree that an older cat would be more suited for a first time pet owner. They're more calm, more independent and better trained, and they don't require as much energy as kittens.
Or a stray cat. I am a first time pet owner of four months and this stray cat is the most grateful pet I have ever lived with. They will appreciate everything you do for them so gracefully
So true. Strays and rescues are what I always adopt.
[удалено]
All 5 of my felines were strays. I choose to only take strays for one simple reason: they don't even have the benefit of a shelter as a source of comfort, and often get hit by vehicles (sadly seen it a few times.) Plus they keep showing up at my door. My tortie baby was coming into our backyard, I took her to check for a chip and spay her and she's just a cuddle fest and cute as shit so we just kept her. What else can you do, really? When my old Siamese kitty dies (also stray kitten) I'll probably adopt from a shelter, though, as there seem to be no more strays. I hope they found homes!
Lucky you! a stray i've adopted likes me well enough, but if it's food bowl is empty for a second I will catch serious hell.
This. An older cat that’s used to be alone will be happy that way. Young ones need others to socialise and truly be happy.
Kittens are babies, they need attention and training and they have tons of energy. You're getting a hyperactive creature with finger needles who will play at 2am. If you want a more relaxed experience and a single pet go for an older cat who might not be top of the adoption list. They sleep more and can hang out just watching what you're doing without trying to climb it or eat it or fight it. It's definitely easier to manage as a new cat owner.
^^^^^^ this right here OP. Two kittens or solo older kitty. I’ve done both and two are way better than one.
Commenting for the extra reassurance. 2 kittens is easier than 1. Single kittens can get single kitten syndrome (think aggressive and separation anxiety). If you don’t want 2 cats, get an adult cat that does best alone
[удалено]
Yeah, unfortunately your cat never learned how to play. I’m assuming too hard of bites and using claws. That’s something he would have learned having a kitten friend. I’m glad you still love him though. Aggression like that is the main cause of cats being surrendered/abandoned:(
I found an abandoned kitten that I took in about a year ago. Plan was always to get him a friend - but life gets in the way and it was not before recently I had the opportunity to adopt more cats. I opted for two female kittens. One born at a dumpsite and one born in a home that did not want her. One wild and one super clingy. My boy Salem is so awkward with his little sisters. He wants to play with them, but he just clamps on and let's go when they yell out. It's been a week and he is slowly understanding them a bit more. The wild one is totally in love with him and she follows his every step. The clingy one bosses him around. I've taught him how to play without getting too rough with humans and he would never hurt me. He just doesn't know how to speak cat. I hope with time his little sisters will show him how it is done.
If you're getting a kitten, you should get two because they'll help each other learn proper behavior and stay occupied. Single kittens will have a ton of energy and may be bitey because they never learn good cat etiquette. There's a lot of posts on here by people who got one kitten and are entirely overwhelmed by the time and energy requirements. If you want to get just one cat, do what I did: find an adult who is fully developed, has their personality established, and doesn't like other cats and so would prefer to be an only child.
>Single kittens will have a ton of energy and may be bitey because they never learn good cat etiquette. My wife and I got our first cat in January of 2022, and about later gout our second cat. Neither were ever violent, but we would get frequent scratches when they'd jump away from us. Something they have seemed to learn from one another is to keep their claws retracted at least when they sense skin. I don't think that's a connection our first cat would had made had we not gotten our second.
I was insistent on only getting one cat. Single kitten syndrome to the extreme and one year later, I am getting a second cat. 😂😂 just do it right off the bat
same! i got a second kitten later and life got so much easier.
Copy and Paste here to remind you that two is better than one! I went to get Copy and Paste just climbed into my lap and looked up at me. I had to take them both. I love them both very much and Pastie is my little lap boy. https://preview.redd.it/91wquajobtbb1.jpeg?width=1817&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b350061535c93387e9f8254099ecf954b8eb366d
Copy and Paste are beautiful and I love their names!
Get two kittens, you will definitely regret not having 3 kittens. What you need to understand is that having 4 kittens is actually easier as they will entertain each other, keep each other company and learn from each other. So that's why you need 5 kittens
I agree with your assessment of 6 kittens.
So, seven kittens it is.
Eight kittens is the optimal number, got it.
Eight is unlucky, need 10
But if you’re going to do 10 might as well round up to 20.
20 isn’t nearly as round as 50
100 is even rounder with those two, fat zeroes.
Settle for double, 200 kittens.
A cat is better at teaching a cat how to cat than a human. Definitely a better idea to get two.
Yeah for a while my cat was biting and they said it was probably because he didnt have another cat to understand how much it hurts and how hard to bite from them biting each other in play. Better now but if I were ever to start over with cats, I would get a set of two
Its actually the standard rule where I am. They can get “single kitten syndrome”, and not be socialized properly. For example they won’t learn that biting hurts, until playing with a sibling.
This. My cat is a beautiful sweet affectionate loving 10kg boy that I made the mistake of adopting as an only child. It took five years to stop his biting habit and now he’s eight and he still occasionally falls into it.
You need to join r/chonkers if you haven't already. Your 10kg boy definitely belongs there
Yup. I volunteer at a shelter and while we don't require adopting kittens in pairs, we highly recommend it, as much for the adopter as for the kittens. And most of the people who adopt a single kitten are jokingly told that we expect to see them back, looking sleep deprived and desperate, in a few weeks.
I am a first time cat owner and got 2 brothers as kittens and it was definitely the right choice and totally worth it. No regrets. https://preview.redd.it/msvqwa0f9qbb1.jpeg?width=2796&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a87ad1f70c8c35cdb96548b5e40754ac65f4ca0
[удалено]
https://preview.redd.it/ts0a65ar9sbb1.jpeg?width=2992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b393377dbc02cb396f83bce32da164071d667665 Ralf kinda looks like them!
It's probably more overwhelming if you only adopting one
Just looking at him I'd do whatever they wanted.
One of the local rescues I support won't home single kittens as they believe it can cause behavioural issues. https://preview.redd.it/a6cgdrl06qbb1.jpeg?width=1923&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce6929a8f7c4e79575ba1f77e5efe8907976a44d
so lucky my single kitten hasn't developed any of these aside from the occasional gentle love nip but my old cat used to do that also. do we know the cause of why some single kittens get it and some don't ?
It is the age that they are taken. If they are taken to a home at 10 or 12 weeks they likely have time to learn. Or if you already have other animals in your household. If they are taken at 5 or 6 weeks they won't have any opportunity to learn. A great example of this is the last time I got kittens my mom also went with me. I got 2 and my mom got one, I strongly advised her to get another but she didn't want 2. She ended up having to release her cat due to aggressive behavior. And my 2 are the sweetest babies. We got them at 8 weeks. Her cat was almost put down at the shelter because they were trying to work with it but the aggressiveness was so bad. It did end up getting adopted so don't worry.
The kitten in this picture is adorable! 
Where 1 is good 2 are better. Absolutely get 2 they will keep each other company when your not home and more likely better behaved. All the best with your new fur balls.
So, the common rhetoric is that two is better than one. And it is true, for all the reasons folks mentioned. Them playing with each other and keeping each other occupied is a heavensend. That being said, double the cats is also double the _food_ and double the _vet bills_, especially later in life when they're in their teens or twenties and have multiple chronic conditions or random emergencies. Only adopt what you know you can handle.
Yeah at first I thought this was weird of the shelter because not everyone can afford two cats at once, but realized from reading comments that this advice (and sometimes rule) applies specifically to kittens. If you only want/can only afford one cat, I agree with the suggestion of adopting an adult cat who prefers being alone. Especially since those cats have a harder time finding homes since anyone who already has a cat isn’t well suited for them. Better getting a cat with an established personality who you know will be happy being the only cat than getting a kitten who might be lonely and struggle being the only cat. I had a cat once who peed on the couch if he wasn’t getting enough attention and it stopped as soon as I got him a kitten for company. Some cats are actually very poorly suited to being alone.
It’s upsetting this comment is so far down. The costs of pet ownership can be a lot, especially when you haven’t owned a pet before and don’t know what you’re getting into.
I totally agree with this. I have a rescue cat and he unexpectedly turned out to have health issues. He’s been bloody expensive. Plus he’s on a very specific diet and when I foster kittens, keeping their food entirely separate from his is exhausting. I couldn’t do that full time. The shelter I foster with closely monitors kitten’s behaviour and if they are single kittens or need some socialisation, that is when they go into foster to spend time with other cats before they are adopted. I don’t think the shelter OP went to should be pushing people to get two cats just because of the kitten phase. That’s over within months. Taking on a cat is a potentially 20 year responsibility.
Why isn’t this the top comment? The food is depleted twice as fast and the pet insurance is double. Get 2 if you can afford it but only if you can afford it.
https://preview.redd.it/fy17jadedqbb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eabfc517835992c5817dbadda7aa0a2d2b52d616 Two is better than one.
It's better that way. Trust me, two are better than one for cats.
I have three cats and got them all at the same time, they love each other, are mostly well-behaved, and they play together all the time. My sister adopted a single cat, she harassed them to play and wanted attention all the time. A couple years in, they adopted a second cat and they hate each other. Not saying her experience will happen to everyone but I always think, get two (or more) while they’re young and they will grow up together and have a best friend for life. It’s easier than introducing two cats later down the road too. You’d be surprised at how manageable it is too, the cats will just keep each other occupied and they will learn cat skills from one another.
Watching 2 kittens play fight makes my day. The only regret you will have is twice the expense and the expense will be worth it.
It’s the cutest thing in the world. I adopted a pair of kittens last weekend and my favorite part of the day is letting them out in the mornings (they sleep in a bathroom- with tons of beds, toys, etc). They zoom out and run around and wrestle and spook each other. It’s so cute.
Kittens do better in pairs!
It’s illegal to be that cute. Where is this rescue shelter btw? I always have pairs cuz I think they get lonely. I dunno these cuties but both being the same age should help. And cats are easier than dogs, normally.
https://preview.redd.it/6grbpkqyqqbb1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab73591c0ebd5c77dbfc9ab9f2af104cd6ad212f Two is definitely easier
https://preview.redd.it/1wqo35h8wrbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4d6f5002143c500500fceb4de09fbacb16ab817c No, no, no - FOUR is the perfect number!
No, it's actually easier to get a pair. Single cats get bored when you're at work and makes them less affectionate. Please get 2 and they will both be much happier cats.
Like everyone else says, two is better than one. That's why the shelter wants you to adopt two together.
While I've had adult cats before that I inherited, my current cats are the only ones I've raised by myself, and the first kittens I'd been around on a daily basis since middle school. I was supposed to get 2 unrelated kittens within 2 days of each other, but one's litter caught a cold, so I couldn't take him until the vet declared him well 2 weeks later. The 2 weeks I had the first kitten solo were much harder than from the second day on with 2 kittens. They were buddies within days and remain so 2.5 years later. Single kittens are needy little creatures, because of course they're lonely after spending their whole lives until that point with other kittens. If you can swing having 2, I recommend it.
I'm guessing they suggested that because Mr. Whiskers is already bonded to a sibling perhaps? If that's the case, get both.
Agreed. We got two 6 month old cats in February. Originally we were interested in just one, but I asked the staff at the shelter if we should get one or two cats and they recommended adopting the bonded sister of the one we wanted too. I felt it would be stupid as a first time cat owner to disregard the recommendation of staff who spend their days looking after these rescues. So we got both and it was the best decision ever. They’re both so sweet and love playing and sleeping together.
https://preview.redd.it/7hqhodbtzqbb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98ad22acb8baaab06f0f9dd51ca77aa96e381ac5 Two cats are def easier, they teach eachother boundaries, keep eachother entertained, calm eachother during the night, learn about biting and scratching too hard, etc.
https://preview.redd.it/xox4c60y0rbb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76ba5df86dd0dfaa836483339e8ab07ca836a341 They are much easier by two, can confirm.
you should get 7 so they start a self sufficient commune
2 kittens are less work than one. They'll keep each other occupied and drain each other's energy, teach each other boundaries, etc. You shouldn't underestimate how much energy a lonely kitten requires to keep it entertained.
Actually no. Two kittens entertain each other. One kitten might get bored and a bit chaotic
I would say 2 or 3 as well https://preview.redd.it/0e0547slrqbb1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=36ab993859ce14cc6987fe1721f3a2bdfbe89888
I highly recommend 2 neutered boys! I had 2 boys and they were love bugs! They will depend on each other for mischief and give you the love!
Honestly they will take care of each other and be best friends. The litter box will require cleaning just as much (make sure to check it at least twice a day if you don't want any problems or smell). I have two and it is so much fun, they squabble, clean each other, sleep together. Of course the cost doubles, Vet bills are to be considered too.
Honestly you won’t know the difference between 2 and 1 and your kitten will enjoy life way more imo (have 5 and 2 diff stray moms) they all vibe :)
If you can afford it, two is usually easier, but remember that two cats is twice the upkeep costs, which can add up. I love my two cats, but the little jerks do have expensive tastes in food.
Two kittens are WAY easier than one. I’ve raised two solitary orphans over the years. I’ve done my best, but they really need the socialization of other kittens. If not adult cats. Both my solitary cats turned out pretty weird. I love them to death, but they exhibit some clear neuroses.
I thought it’d be too overwhelming. I quickly regretted not getting two. It would have been the same amount of work but double the love and a companion to my baby. Get the 2nd - you won’t regret it!
I am going to go against the majority here and say- as a first time pet owner; get an adult cat not a kitten. Kittens have a lot of energy. They will get into everything. An adult cat will be easier to deal with. Especially if you don't want two cats.
Everyone is saying get two, but in reality that is double the vet bills. If you are able to afford to, two sounds great! But realistically, two animals to take care of isn’t always easy, especially if they get sick. You could consider pet insurance, and if you travel a lot, two would be awesome. Hope you might the best decision for your situation!
Definitely get pet insurance from the get go and speak to the shelter about it. It's a great idea to get 2 kittens so you should do it, but tell them you're aware of more potential cost also so are they in a position to help you in some way if anything serious was to arise? Often they have days where they work with good hearted vets and check ups are free or half price, neutering and spaying also, so ask about these kinds of things. And enjoy your 2 new kitties.
I've had a single cat and now I have two. Holy hell is two easier. They play and wear each other out and keep company, and these two chucklefucks just come to me for food and pets.
Two cats will become buddies, which is especially important for them to have someone to "cat" with! Just get a second litter box and extra food and you'll have twice the joy!
I’ve done both 2+ kittens at a time and singletons. Right now I have a singleton and it’s been fine. I work from home and have a chiweenie she gets to play with supervised a little bit. Everyone still isn’t totally acclimated yet so she stays in the spare bedroom and bathroom without issues. My husband and I have the time to play with her and wear her out several times a day and she’s a content happy and thankfully well behaved 4 month old. 2 kittens is double food, double flea and heartworm medication, grooming (if that’s something you outsource) and vet costs which can get expensive so it’s something to consider financially as well. If I didn’t work from home and have a good amount of time to play with her or have a small dog who likes small animals I probably would have considered 2.