Is it good for kitties to have a buddy (cat buddy)

I’ve always had two cats until I got Jasper. They’ve always played and snuggled together. We didn’t get a playmate for Jasper and he does have two dogs to snuggle with and annoy. We meant to but time passed by and we didn’t get around to it. I would love a kitten but I don’t think he would like that at all now. He’s so used to being the top cat (and dog) in the house.

Yes!!!

They may or may not learn to like each other if they are both adults and are introduced.

I’ve had more than one, always. All ages, not siblings, handicapped, fully abled….They’ve all gotten along. I do train them well for the introduction period, though.

I think so. After having two dogs that came as a package duo, I’d never have just one pet. Those dogs were so close I had to take both to the vet when one had problems. The vet’s policy was only bring one. He questioned me the first time I took them after they’d been with me for a while. He was insistent so I said okay, I’ll take her out to the waiting room. The door was barely closed when he yelled bring her back. He couldn’t work on him without her in the room. He never had a problem with it after that. After that when one had surgery they both stayed at the vets. It was more expensive but worth it.

I think they’re happier when they have a friend. Typically, though, you should either adopt them both young at the same time, or if you already have an adult, you should get a kitten. In my experience, bringing a kitten around an adult cat is less threatening to the adult, so they seem to accept it better.

This little female needs a home. I am not able to have anymore, though.

With my guy, he gets lots of human time, so, he’s okay. Just wondering.

I personally think more than one cat is too many cats. I love kitties, but I refuse to have multiple litter boxes in the house – and I don’t like the idea of indoor/outdoor cats, so that won’t work either. And the shedding fur from two cats, no ma’am!

If my cat is any indication, they like being alone. They love their human-time, but they’re happy as a pig in shit (charming simile, I know) to lounge on a windowsill or on the back of the couch all day while their people are at work.

We got a puppy a few months ago and, while the cat has warmed up considerably to her, I think she would love nothing more than to have her clean canine-free house back. I can’t imagine her feeling differently about another cat.

They are a lot like people, some like having other cats around, some don’t. They can almost always be trained enough to tolerate each other, but not always.

Yep, always multiples here too except for my last old guy whom I kept as an only cat, the last of 4 from years gone by.
My two newer cats of the last 3 years and 18 months, are best pals, play, wrestle, together all the time. My female was 2.5 when I adopted my now, 6.5 yr. old male. He was estimated to be 5 at the time.
They got along great within the first week and are good pals now after 18 months together.

2 cats afford another potential bonding experience for them and company when you have less time some days.

@livelaughlove21 Just curious, why the aversion to indoor/outdoor cats? I have only ever had cats that I guess you would describe as indoor/outdoor cats, definitely outside at night, the thought of using a litter box as a permanent arrangement fills me with horror.

To me, two is the optimal number of cats. They do keep each other entertained, and don’t seem to engage in as much naughty attention-seeking behavior as one cat alone does. Three is too many for me to handle.

It depends on the cat and, usually, if they are spayed/neutered. Even when raised together since kittens, they can become indifferent to one another (or even hate each other). We have four cats. Two are always cuddling. The other two prefer to sit alone. One of the latter two never sits near the others. They all get into little spats once in awhile but usually get along. The two cuddle-bums are very bonded. All are neutered males. We’ve had them all since they were kittens.
All but one still love their human time. The one is a snob to everyone but his cuddle-bum mate.

@Adagio Well, our litter box is hardly even a minor inconvenience for us. It’s upstairs in a small room, it never smells, and the cat is always clean and safe in the house. I’ve had indoor/outdoor cats as a kid that always came home dirty and smelly with matted fur and battle wounds – and don’t even get me started about when it rains. I just think domesticated cats should live inside and, if not, you might as well have a dog instead. As it stands, I can bury my nose in my cat’s fur, take a whiff, and get a very pleasant Chloe aroma. I don’t want her smelling like outside, begging neighbors for food, and possibly getting run over or in a fight with another cat (or worse). We live in a subdivision right in front of a frontage road so, nope, only indoor cats for us.

YES, this is really good to have buddy in home with the kitten.

@livelaughlove21 Our experience of indoor/outdoor cats is markedly different, I’ve never noticed any of my cats smelling unpleasant, or having matted fur. My cats have always had an under house to escape to, there is even a bed down there, made from an old feather duvet. If ever a cat is unwell, of course I keep it inside and make up a litter box/dirt box. I’m quite sure the majority of cats in NZ live indoors and outdoors, in fact it would be entirely true to say I am yet to come across a cat that lives its entire life indoors. And I love to have my doors and windows wide open in the summer, there would be no way to prevent a cat from going outside, my cat always wants to go outside straight after breakfast in the morning, unless it is raining, in which case she snuggles up warm on a bed, sofa or armchair. My present cat, Lucy, will be 16 this year, she is perfectly healthy and always receiving compliments about how beautiful she is, I would say she is more than happy with her lot.

@livelaughlove21 I’ve also been considering your comment regarding domestic cats being inside otherwise why not have a dog not a cat. I have found cats to be far more independent than dogs, the dog that I had for 13 years and the dogs I know are far more inclined to want to be around their owners and in the house. Just an added thought….

@Adagio I wish I had you by my side when I was recently harassed by another member because I let my cat outside. I asked for help to clean my kitty properly after it was sprayed by a skunk (we live on a farm. that never happens around here~) I received many helpful comments until this person started spouting off with their agenda. I don’t get it. My kitty came in from outside today and is now sleeping with my daughter. He’s clean, not all matted and gross.

It’s nice to have a playmate. There are no guarantees that the playmate you choose will be the right fit. but don’t take my advice. I’m such a terrible pet owner. I shouldn’t own pets,~

^^ Yeah, don’t listen to that awful woman! She shouldn’t be trusted with animals!~

@Adagio To each their own. We open our windows as well, but screens prevent the cat from getting out. She gets outside time by sitting on our screened-in porch occasionally. A friend of mine came over last night and told us that her indoor/outdoor cat came home a few days ago after getting into a fight with another animal. Her eye was so swollen she couldn’t shut it, so they had to take her to the emergency vet. $600 later, the cat is blind in one eye. I’ll deal with the litter box and keep my kitty safe at home, thanks.

@livelaughlove21 Please don’t misunderstand me, I wasn’t trying to change your mind it was more a case of thinking about what you had said and realising how differently people do things and feel about things, also how strongly held are our views can be.