Adopting two cats together is better than one
A common myth is that cats are loners and don’t really care whether they have company or not, but research has shown that this is incorrect. Not only do most cats enjoy the company of other cats, they also create close emotional bonds with their human carers.
What this means is that if cats are left on their own for any significant length of time and don’t have enough stimulation they can get bored and lonely. This can lead to behaviours that are not appreciated by their owners. This might mean that the cat becomes destructive, or tries to escape, or stays away from home for long periods, or maybe is just annoying by demanding attention from its owner constantly or by waking them up in the middle of the night to play. Even the most dedicated cat parent may not have hours and hours to dedicate to playtime.
One of the easiest ways to keep one cat amused is to give it another cat to play with. Two cats provide each other with exercise, social interaction, and other forms of mental stimulation.
BUT this only works if the cats get on, otherwise it becomes a massive source of stress and tension. At the shelter we often hear people say that they want to adopt one cat first and get it settled into the family and then think about adopting another one later. Introducing a new cat into the house of a resident cat is never guaranteed to be easy. And even if some cats learn to co-exist in a house over time, it doesn’t mean that they will play and happily interact together.
The best way to avoid this is to adopt a bonded pair. This might be siblings who have grown up together or a pair of cats that have been happily cohabiting together in the shelter and enjoy each other’s company.
Another benefit of two cats is that they are sometimes cleaner than a cat living by itself. Cats will groom each other’s ears and coat, often getting at places the cat can’t reach on its own.
And of course, you benefit from the love and companionship of two cats rather than one. What could be better than having one cat purring happily on your lap other than having two cats doing that?! And there is a lot of enjoyment to be had watching cats playing, grooming or sleeping together.
By adopting two bonded cats or kittens at the same time you are more likely to have happy kitties and happy owners.
Brothers Lulo and Kenzo are currently looking for a home
