Cats- Solo or Social?

[QueenDee_]

I have recently bought a kitten who is bouncy, playful and seems very content. He lives out in the tackroom but can come in the house if he wants, however I was wondering whether I should buy him a friend. I always thought cats tended to prefer their own company, but do they enjoy having a partner in crime?

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Mine are bro and sis, they probably enjoy the company, but they don't play together, they live an independent outdoor lifestyle [house trained and fed]. The big one bullies the little one occasionally.
I have bought mine toys and they have all been ignored whereas neighbour has two indoor cats who play with toys, and one outdoors who is more natural, nocturnal and fights with my cat occasionally, though not as far as tooth and claw.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

We have three unrelated cats of different ages and they sometimes like to be alone and at other times actively want feline company. The brown cat will go round calling if he can't find one of the others and he's feeling lonely. They also wash each other, play fight, bring each other prey and snuggle up together for a kip.

 

[cava14una]

I have 2 litter brothers who are indoor cats. They are great friends play together sleep together but also have times when they will be doing different things in different rooms. I would always have 2 at a time now

 

[Umbongo]

I have a brother and sister. They played together when they were kittens but have hated each other ever since.

 

[Overread]

Cats make up their own mines mostly.

Our remaining two don't get on at all; its rare for them to share the same space although once or twice they'll share the same sleeping spot (so long as they don't really notice each other....). They are related, though we've forgotten what the relation is between them.

I would say that a cat with access to the out-door world and able to free roam and is made a fuss of and fed should be pretty content. If its an outdoor cat chances are there will be one or two local roaming cats or semi-ferals which it will befriend (or try to) if it seeks its own kind for company. So your cat should not suffer; however if you wish you can try adding another - it will be up to the cats if they like each other (though there are a good few tricks you can use for introducing a new cat).

 

[horserider]

My cats are brothers so get along fine and the slightly older one grooms his little brother. There is a lot of cats at my yard (6-ish) and there is a new kitten aswell. The kitten doesnt really play with the cats that much because there is lots more to play with (ex. The lunge whip, the hay, peoples whips and pens) so not really but i find it nice to have more than one x

 

[epeters91]

I recently got a kitten from cat protection, I was offered two decided to keep just one. A few weeks before she was coming home I decided to get a second for company she had a week home alone before he arrived and now they are inseperable. Missy loves her little brother and they're constantly playing together I think they are definitely better off for having each other.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

They are soooooo cuuuute!

 

[epeters91]

Haha she's giving me the this is my brother don't even think about taking him off me look

 

[cava14una]

My two boys do get on very well. When I add another would it be best to get a female?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

At the moment we have three neutered males (in my post above) and they get on great. We have had a mix of males and females before and the only issue was that the female siamese didn't like the brown burmese. He was a lot younger than her and did torment her by pouncing on her tail and of course the more she wagged it, the more he wanted to pounce on it. So I don't think the issue was that she was female, plus she was still alive when I got the Mau (grey spotty dude) and she liked him (he didn't pounce on her tail).

A very rare photo of them all together.

 

[cava14una]

What gorgeous cats you all have. Faracat is the one in your avatar the Mau? I've been admiring him for a while!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yes, Kasper is the Mau.

 

[duckling]

I have 2 litter brothers who are indoor cats. They are great friends play together sleep together but also have times when they will be doing different things in different rooms. I would always have 2 at a time now

This
My boys go outdoors too and sometimes go off alone, but when you see them grooming each other or playing together or curled up on the sofa together you can tell they enjoy each other's company. My neighbour told me she loves watching them in her garden as they're so cute together, she caught them kissing the other day!

I was speaking to our vet (specialises in cats) who was saying that there had been extensive research done (in NZ I think) about the bonds between cats - the feeling was that kittens should live with a sibling or other kitten of a similar age that they have bonded with before 12 weeks. She said a few rescue centres she's worked with now pair up their kittens and try to only let them go in twos

 

[cava14una]

This

I was speaking to our vet (specialises in cats) who was saying that there had been extensive research done (in NZ I think) about the bonds between cats - the feeling was that kittens should live with a sibling or other kitten of a similar age that they have bonded with before 12 weeks. She said a few rescue centres she's worked with now pair up their kittens and try to only let them go in twos

That's interesxting. I was only going to have one kitten at first had picked Timothy and never thought about 2 as 2 pups from same litter isn't a great idea. Breeder suggested I have 2 and after a bit of thought I decided I would.

When I arrived at the house one kitten really pushed himself forward so he came home with Timothy and I. Named him Piper and when I look at the photos the breeder sent those two were always sleeping together.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I'm in the process of integrating a kitten (tom) in with another tom who's 4 years old. Existing tom is very laid back anyway but it seems to be going very well-kissing and some mutual grooming. When the kitten has a funny 5 minutes the older one just sort of sits back and rolls his eyes a bit.

 

[hackneylass2]

Cats like people get on with some and not others. Generally I have found that neutered males are more accepting of others than neutered females, but that is just my own experience.
I do feel though, that cats should have another of their own species to interact with. Its a bit of a lottery really, but I would go for another neutered male. I liken neutered males to geldings and neutered females (loosely) to mares.

Lovely cats on this thread! I am hankering big time for another Oriental Spotted Tabby after losing my dear boy to pancreatitis last year, Orientals and Siamese do have such big personalities.

 

[cava14una]

I'm thinking about adding another kitten in the not too distant future but not sure to go for another boy or to risk having a girl who may boss the 2 neutered boys I have to death??