Are you fascinated with bringing one other cat into your own home? Perhaps the neighbor’s cat simply had kittens or your native shelter made a convincing plea to discover a residence for one in every of their long-time residents. Perhaps you assume your present cat wants a pal otherwise you need one other snuggly lap hotter. Including a brand new pet to your family is an enormous deal, so don’t take this choice flippantly. There are some necessary issues to contemplate earlier than you absorb a brand new housemate.
Does your grownup cat desire a pal?
First you’ll need to take into account whether or not a brand new cat could be a welcome addition within the eyes of your resident cat, or a supply of stress. We all know that cats naturally stay in social teams and want social interplay. Most cats will usually benefit from the firm of one other cat and so they can kind close bonds akin to friendship.
However – and this can be a large “however” – social bonding between cats is advanced and depending on many components. Not each cat pairing goes to work out. Think about if somebody selected a random human roommate for you. What are the possibilities that you’d really like dwelling with that individual? Equally, your cat doesn’t get a say in what different cats you deliver residence. What are the possibilities that they are going to like one another?
Contemplate your cat’s historical past. Have they ever lived peacefully with different cats? If not, they could be one of many many cats that would favor to be single pets. They may doubtless desire to absorb their human household’s consideration for his or her social wants.
In case your cat has lived fortunately with different cats previously, it could be extra doubtless that they are going to settle for a brand new pal. Attempt to match their ages and personalities for the most effective probability of success. (A kitten could terrorize your 13-year-old that simply desires to snooze within the sunshine!) When introducing the 2 cats, make sure to expose them to one another slowly, one scent at a time, to assist them get to know one another.
A phrase of warning in case you are contemplating a brand new cat after your cat’s bonded pal passes away. Many shut bonds are fashioned between kittens whereas rising up. If in case you have a long-time bonded pair that’s damaged up, don’t make the error of pondering that bond will be simply changed. Your cat could not get together with a brand new cat or in the event that they do, their relationship gained’t be the identical because the outdated pair.
If you have already got a number of cats, do they get alongside? You positively don’t need to add one other cat into the combo if there are already issues between your present cats.
Sure, your kitten wants a pal.
If in case you have a kitten, it’s best to positively deliver residence one other kitten. Kittens want different kittens for wholesome improvement.
Single Kitten Syndrome is a cute time period for an enormous drawback that occurs to kittens that develop up with no different cats within the residence. When a kitten grows up alone, it might trigger conduct points corresponding to destruction, aggression, neediness, and extra. They don’t learn to socialize with different cats and can doubtless be aggressive towards them if encountered later in life. They don’t be taught chunk inhibition and infrequently having fun with taking part in together with your palms or toes. That could be cute once they’re little, however isn’t so enjoyable as they become old.
Kittens that develop up alongside a littermate are usually more healthy, happier, and higher socialized. They learn to work together with different cats and the best way to play correctly. Additionally they hold one another busy in order that they don’t climb your curtains or wake you up in the course of the night time. Additionally they bond extra simply once they’re younger, so if you may want a number of cats sooner or later, two kittens have a greater probability of getting alongside than attempting to introduce two grownup cats.
Do you’ve got the sources for an additional cat?
You in all probability already know that cats usually are not low-maintenance pets. Earlier than you add one other one to your family, ensure that you’ve got the sources to look after them. Keep in mind the entire provides you bought in your first cat? You’re going to want extra. Having ample litter containers, meals stations, cat timber, and resting areas are important for a number of cats to coexist peacefully. Additionally take into consideration the financial funding for added meals and veterinary payments.
Do you’ve got the time to commit to a different cat? For a correct introduction to your resident cat, you’ll should be ready to have the brand new cat separated for a number of days or a number of months, relying on how shortly the cats take to 1 one other. Which means you’ll should put aside time for every day introduction periods and separate play and snuggle instances with you. As soon as the cats are fortunately dwelling collectively, you’ll nonetheless want to order every day high quality time with every cat.
So earlier than you deliver residence that cute new furball, take into consideration all of those components to verify it’s the proper alternative in your family. In the event you and your present cat usually are not prepared for a brand new housemate, unexpectedly bringing residence a brand new cat could cause extra stress for everybody concerned than it’s price. Rescuing a cat in that scenario is probably not doing them any favors. A profitable integration will take considerate planning and the proper cat pairing to result in a contented multi-cat residence.
