Are cats better in pairs? In some cases yes. But usually only if they have known and bonded to each other from a young age. Older cats used to their own space might not do so well if paired up. Read on to learn more…
Do you leave for work and shut the door on your cat and feel slightly guilty? Do you wonder what your cat is going to do all day? While cats have a reputation for being independent loners, they aren’t as independent as you think.
Cat’s enjoy company. As social animals, they often congregate in colonies when they start to develop feral tendencies in the wild.
We see cats as independent and loner animals because they like to keep their space. However, they actually get along really well with each other. We’re sure you’ve heard about the crazy cat lady with 22 felines in her apartment somewhere in America.
If you’re adopting a cat, would it be smarter to adopt a pair? Let’s unpack everything you need to know about raising cats in pairs.
Pairs Adjust Easier to Their New Home
The best option for new cat owners is to get a bonded pair of kittens. Bonded pairs are typically cats from the same litter. Occasionally, they might be kittens lumped together from several litters that get to know each other, such as in a pet store or an animal shelter.
Bonded pairs act like siblings, and they tend to do everything together. Moving into a new home is stressful for cats, even more so than it is for dogs. Bringing bonded pairs to your home makes the adjustment phase easier, as the cats have each other to rely on when they feel stressed or anxious.
Cats Learn from Each Other
Cats learn from each other. If one of your kittens makes a mistake, the other will generally avoid making the same mistake in the future.
Cats are very social in the first six to twelve weeks of life. If you keep a kitten away from other cats or kittens during this period, it’s likely to develop personality and behavioral issues.
By bringing two cats home, they learn these social skills with each other, ensuring you raise a level-tempered and emotionally stable animal.
The cats will also learn how to adapt to you better. You’re less likely to raise a kitten that ends up biting or scratching as an adult cat.
Your Cats Will Keep Each Other Company
As mentioned, stress and anxiety are big problems in cats, especially when you’re not around. While it might look like your cat wants nothing to do with you most of the time, the reality is they’re happy you’re around.
If you have a busy career and social life, leaving a cat at home alone for ten to twelve hours or more each day isn’t fair on your kitty. Imagine if you had nothing to do at home all day and no one to speak to for hours.
When cats have a friend, they can keep each other company. As a result, they’re less likely to experience separation anxiety and less likely to develop behavioral problems. You’ll also find that the cats are less needy when you’re at home after being out for the day.
When they have a partner to keep them company, it balances their personality and their maintenance requirements. Raising cats in pairs is ideal for pet owners that want to reduce the effort of pet ownership and raising a clingy animal.
Pairs Take Care of Each Other’s Needs
If you adopt a pair of cats, they’ll become best friends. As a result, they often groom and play games with each other all day. As a result, you don’t have to worry about many of the demands of pet ownership.
Just play with your cats a bit from time to time, give them fresh water, litter, and food, and they’ll love you forever. When you have cats in pairs, you’ll never have to feel guilty about not playing with your kitty when you’re feeling tired and just want to lie on the couch.
Double Up On the Playtime Fun!
As mentioned, having two cats in the house reduces your pet ownership responsibilities. The pair play with each other, look out for each other and calm each other’s stress and anxiety. Any cat owner can tell you that cats might appear lazy, but they can get manic at times, with a burst of energy that requires you to calm them down.
If your cat decides it’s playtime, it’s going to bother you until you pick up its toys or start playing with them. When they have a friend to play with, there’s less of that crazy manic behavior, and playtime will be more on your schedule rather than your cats.
When you do feel like playing with your cats, you’ll find that it’s twice the fun of playing with one of them solo. They like to rough and tumble with each other while they play with you, and it leads to some entertaining and humorous interactions between you and your animals!
Is There Any Downside to Having Two Cats?
While it sounds like owning pairs of cats is the way to go, we also have to take a look at the downside of owning two animals. Some of the things you need to consider before adopting a pair of cats include the following.
- It’s going to double your expenses on food, vet bills, entertainment, and living costs (litter, etc.).
- There’s going to be more fur flying around your home and more cleanup involved with managing the litterbox.
- You have two animals to worry about and look after.
The only real downside to adopting a pair of cats is the financial cost involved with the additional animal. However, we think that this downside is minimal for the extra joy you’ll get from having two cats in your life. Please do yourself a favor and adopt a pair of cats; it’s worth it.
Should I Get a Friend for My Cat?
If you already have an adult cat, you might be wondering if it’s a good idea to get them a friend. Raising bonded kittens is very different from introducing a new cat or kitten into an existing household dynamic. Pet owners should take care when bringing a new kitten or cat home, even if they think their current cat is an easy-going animal.
So cats adapt to new additions easily, while others may take weeks or months to acclimate to their new home. Your current cat may also have an issue with you bringing home a new addition and protest your action or welcome it.
Typically, most cats will get along with each other. They will walk up to each other with tails in the air, inspecting each other from end to end without displaying aggressive behavior. However, if you introduce the new cat, and either one of them starts showing aggressive behavior like hissing and spitting, you might have a problem with the animals on your hands.
If you bring a new cat home and it displays aggressive behavior toward your current cat, it’s best to take it back to the agency and replace it with another. If the problem lies with your cat, you might have to abandon the thought of introducing a second feline to your home; sometimes, it’s a lost cause.
Each case is unique, and you’ll never know how the cats respond to the situation until you give it a try.
