There are many pros to adopting a bonded pair of cats – or two rambunctious kittens – from your local rescue organisation and doubling the love. While wild cats are solitary creatures, except for female lions who make up a pride, domestic cats have adapted to living in groups. In urban areas with stray community cats, you’ll often see them living in colonies, particularly the females. It can be challenging, however, for a resident cat to adapt to a new furry family member – but it can be done. Some cats are social by nature and crave the company of other felines (and even enjoy the company of calm dogs, too). These cats will quickly adapt to having another friendly cat or kitten enter the mix.
The easiest way to ensure cats are happy living together, and eliminating the weeks or months of slow introductions, is to adopt a pair of bonded cats. Or, if your heart is set on a kitten, you could welcome two kittens from the same litter (or even different litters, just make sure they have similar personalities) into your home to spread the love even further.
Here are some benefits of adopting a pair of cats or kittens:
They keep one another company
Don’t have other animals or people at home and are out during the day? A bonded pair of cats will keep one another company while you’re not around – they’ll be happier and you’ll feel less guilty when you’re not at home with them. If you go travelling or sometimes work away, you’ll take comfort knowing they have each other – particularly if they go to an unfamiliar place like a cat boarding facility or a friend’s house. It’s also a beautiful thing watching cats who are friends with one another. You can joyfully observe their instinctive, natural habits like grooming one another, playing ‘chasies’, or even snuggling up together. Even cats who may not be bonded and don’t sleep curled up together may often be found snoozing or hanging out in the same room as the company makes them feel safe and secure. Or maybe it’s you who just can’t get enough of the company of cats… if one of your cats is off doing their own thing, you’ll have another one who will (hopefully!) be looking for some quality lap time. There’s nothing better, at least in the eyes of cat lovers… and everyone else is just missing out!
Double the love and cuddles
Speaking of lap time, if you love having a cat curling up on your lap, making biscuits and purring peacefully, then why not double the love? Or, if you have kids and are looking to welcome a kitten into your family, it can be purrrfect opportunity to save two lives at once. Kittens are full of energy and love attention, but a single kitten may become overwhelmed in a large family with the kids all vying for their attention. Adopting two kittens means there’s double the fun and cuddles to go around! But it’s still important to teach kids about boundaries and how to be gentle with their new little best friends. Cat Protection has a helpful factsheet that covers just this: Babies, Children, and Cats.
Social development and peace of mind
It might be hard to believe when you’re watching them mid-wrestle and doing 360s down the slippery tiled hallway, but kittens actually teach each other manners through play and wrestling. They learn socialisation skills from one another (particularly when they’re young kittens, but right up into teenhood too) that also apply to how they interact with humans. These skills can prevent habits like nipping from developing into adulthood. This also means a pair of kittens are providing natural enrichment for one another. A cat is a long-term commitment – if you’re lucky, they can live into their 20s in some cases! You may not know whether you’ll want to add another member to your family down the line… maybe another cat, a dog, or even a little human. It can be an easier adjustment for your cat if they have a friend already – this way, they’re used to sharing their home, and they also have one another to provide comfort and reassurance during this transition. Introducing a kitten to a cat who has been flying solo for 10 years would not be recommended, but a bonded pair of cats might be much more accepting of a young, fresh feline face around the house. For lots of great tips, see Cat Protection’s factsheet on Multi-cat Households.
Enrich one another’s lives
While the term ‘double trouble’ may come to mind, in many cases a bonded pair of cats or team of two curious kittens will exert their energy playing with one another and leave your roll of toilet paper, curtains, or pot plants alone (fingers crossed). Still, always remember to only have cat-friendly plants and cat-friendly flowers in the house, no matter how well behaved your kitties seem. And still provide plenty of separate spaces the cats can explore – two cats trees if your space allows, different areas for them to sleep, multiple litter trays (we recommend at least one more than the number of cats you have), and separate food bowls… even the closest of friends or siblings may need time to themselves. For more ways to enrich your cats’ environment, no matter how many kitties you share your home with, check out Cat Protection’s Indoor Cats Factsheet.
By adopting two cats or kittens you’ll also be saving two lives, and who knows, maybe friends or family members who meet your precious pair will see how great sharing a home with cats is and want to adopt their own dynamic duo, spreading the love even further. When you’re ready to add a furry friend or two to your home, read up on Preparing for Your New Cat or Kitten.
For general advice on cat care and everything feline, call the Cat Protection Society of NSW on 02 9519 7201 or visit catprotection.org.au
