Does My Cat Need A Friend?

[RosyBlue]

My cat Klaatu has spent his entire life with his brother, Charlie, until a few months ago when Charlie died. They always slept together and played. Since Charlie died Klaatu has become very clingy and I feel bad that I can't always give him as much attention as he needs. I was thinking maybe he would like another cat to play with at least. I'm sure they probably won't sleep together like he did with Charlie but maybe they would at least play together. It would give him something to do. My concern is that instead of playing together, they would just fight and hate each other. To prevent this I was considering getting a female kitten. It seems like maybe another male might be an issue and I figured a kitten would be less intimidating for him, so hopefully they wouldn't fight. What do you guys think?

[Scary Guy]

Cats are very social creatures, not as bad as ferrets (which will die without a companion which is why pet stores refuse to sell only one) but still pretty bad.  Anyway absolutely get another cat, especially if you can't give it the amount of affection it needs.

Think of it like getting a roommate though, some work out and others are completely incompatible.  See if you can get one that's a bit older and has been with other cats and gotten along well and/or see if you can get a cat on a temporary trial basis to see if they'll be a good fit.  Keep in mind that they might play a bit but if it gets rough then I'd say it's a no go.

Not that I know anything about anything as I've never owned cats and only took care of one for a month or two, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt.

[RosyBlue]

Thanks for the advice Scary. Maybe I could foster a cat to see how it goes.

[sekhmet2002]

I have been wondering if my cat needs a friend too. He is very lonely but unfortunately he is terrified of everything. So, getting a new cat could have him acting out for a while which I'm not sure I want to deal with (a.k.a. clean up). He does have anger issues if I am not giving him the proper amount of attention which is next to impossible right now.

[Draco1958]

 

1 hour ago, sekhmet2002 said:

I have been wondering if my cat needs a friend too. He is very lonely but unfortunately he is terrified of everything. So, getting a new cat could have him acting out for a while which I'm not sure I want to deal with (a.k.a. clean up). He does have anger issues if I am not giving him the proper amount of attention which is next to impossible right now.

If you have a friend who has a cat.  Try to set up a play date for them.  Get your cat used to another cat in the house.  If adjustment goes well, then you can decide if getting another cat would work.

[sekhmet2002]

Unfortunately all of my friends are in Detroit. That's a long drive for a kitty to go. Good idea though.

[RosyBlue]

On 11/6/2016 at 10:19 PM, sekhmet2002 said:

I have been wondering if my cat needs a friend too. He is very lonely but unfortunately he is terrified of everything. So, getting a new cat could have him acting out for a while which I'm not sure I want to deal with (a.k.a. clean up). He does have anger issues if I am not giving him the proper amount of attention which is next to impossible right now.

Maybe you could try fostering too. I'm going to get a hold of my vet tech friend tomorrow and see if she knows of a way that I can foster. My poor kitty is bored alone.

[Class-Punk]

I think most animals need at least one companion to be as mentally healthy as possible, usually of the same species, but cats and dogs can sometimes still keep each other company.  It depends on the pet owner too and if they want any more pets.  I think the cats would end up sleeping together if they got along.  They could keep distance at first and you can eventually convince cats to get along by regularly rubbing paper towel all over one of them, then rubbing it all over the other one, so they have the same scent.  Even once they get along they might still shriek and fight, but it might be the same rule with guinea pigs, where as long as they aren't drawing blood its annoying but not a big deal.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Class-Punk

[RosyBlue]

On 11/15/2016 at 1:46 AM, Class-Punk said:

I think most animals need at least one companion to be as mentally healthy as possible, usually of the same species, but cats and dogs can sometimes still keep each other company.  It depends on the pet owner too and if they want any more pets.  I think the cats would end up sleeping together if they got along.  They could keep distance at first and you can eventually convince cats to get along by regularly rubbing paper towel all over one of them, then rubbing it all over the other one, so they have the same scent.  Even once they get along they might still shriek and fight, but it might be the same rule with guinea pigs, where as long as they aren't drawing blood its annoying but not a big deal.

Thanks for the advice! I don't expect them to get along as well as him and his brother did, but just so long as they're not trying to draw blood, like you said. My vet tech friend said I should get a kitten for the best chance of them getting along. So the search begins! 

[sekhmet2002]

On 11/7/2016 at 11:14 PM, RosyBlue said:

Maybe you could try fostering too. I'm going to get a hold of my vet tech friend tomorrow and see if she knows of a way that I can foster. My poor kitty is bored alone.

It's a thought. I always wanted to help out the local shelter in a way that's not just a donation.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

On 10/28/2016 at 0:36 PM, Scary Guy said:

Cats are very social creatures, not as bad as ferrets (which will die without a companion which is why pet stores refuse to sell only one) but still pretty bad.  Anyway absolutely get another cat, especially if you can't give it the amount of affection it needs.

Think of it like getting a roommate though, some work out and others are completely incompatible.  See if you can get one that's a bit older and has been with other cats and gotten along well and/or see if you can get a cat on a temporary trial basis to see if they'll be a good fit.  Keep in mind that they might play a bit but if it gets rough then I'd say it's a no go.

Not that I know anything about anything as I've never owned cats and only took care of one for a month or two, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt.

Hrmm interesting , never heard that.   

[Troy Spiral (13)]

On 10/27/2016 at 10:59 AM, RosyBlue said:

My cat Klaatu has spent his entire life with his brother, Charlie, until a few months ago when Charlie died. They always slept together and played. Since Charlie died Klaatu has become very clingy and I feel bad that I can't always give him as much attention as he needs. I was thinking maybe he would like another cat to play with at least. I'm sure they probably won't sleep together like he did with Charlie but maybe they would at least play together. It would give him something to do. My concern is that instead of playing together, they would just fight and hate each other. To prevent this I was considering getting a female kitten. It seems like maybe another male might be an issue and I figured a kitten would be less intimidating for him, so hopefully they wouldn't fight. What do you guys think?

This is an interesting article about having more than one cat, says cats make other cats less bored (and a lot of other stuff)

http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-behavior-care-adoption-tips-two-multiple-cats-better-than-one

[Maureen Falcon]

I've found if they aren't littermates..2 girls or 2 boys are best together. Make sure they are neutered/spayed. Let them work out the pecking order together. Leave the new one in the carrier closed for an hour with current kitty in the room, then open it and walk away. Wait for the hisses to subside.. Approach with treats in hand, sit on the floor and hold current kitty, give pets/treats and try to coax new kitty to approach and pet current to assure current they are loved and not being replaced. then scatter treats and maybe catnip and let them work it out. I just did this with my 2 year old female and a male kitten. They cuddle and sleep in a cat pile together now. Scary can verify.