In all my years of living with cats, they’ve all just “got along” and haven’t really demonstrated any major objections to living with each other. However, I want to prepare for the worst and with me considering a second cat to keep Hex company, I was wondering if any of you cat owners out there had any tips or good ideas?
Oh, and off topic – we think we discovered what caused Hex’s bad tummy. It was a certain flavour of his normal cat food. He’s had that type before, so I’m not sure why the sudden reaction, but my suspicions were confirmed when we gave him the same flavour again and his runny bum came back. He’s OK though, and I’m glad we know how to avoid it in the future. (Because seriously.. cat poo? Ew.)
09 Mar at 3:44 pm
I only have 1 cat and I’m not about to introduce a second one yet, not until my apartments reconstruction is done at least. My parents have stable cats and they are outside but not all of them get along. Obviously they have enough space to run away but indoors is a little bit more tricky I guess. Maybe this http://tinyurl.com/33knnf helps a bit? Weird that the food causes a bad reaction for Hex now, even though he’s had it before. But at least you can avoid it now (has he had pet sweets / food with anti-hairball paste in it? They cause a runny bum for Sam too)
09 Mar at 3:48 pm
You shall do no such thing. Instead, you shall give me the second cat, and that will be that. I have no cat and you get two? Pffft. Unfair is not the word.
09 Mar at 3:59 pm
ok jem the best thing to brin two cats in the house its….. hex he is the man of the hoses so you have to do this to the newbee you lock her/him in a room like a bathe room for a day or so so they can talk and stuff tho the bootm of the door if there is nto fighing tho that your fine……….. now if there is big time righing the door geting srached and stuff then you would have to let it ride out they will fight to show who owns the hose and who needs not to strut and stuff ——– if you get what i am saying………i have ad 4 cats at one time i love them
09 Mar at 4:26 pm
After we had our male cat fixed, he still walked around the house, moaning and crying, especially if he saw a stray walking by. So we decided to go out and get a female cat at the APL. It didn’t work out quite so well. She wouldn’t let him near her, not even to play with each other. She didn’t like sharing a litter box either, so, I had piles of mess to clean up, and it was always in the kids play room. I had to throw away loads of the kids play things, and clothes. Ontop of that, our male cat, Goldie, was very territorial, and if the female cat, Lacey, went near any of his things, they would fight. We had to give her to someone else.. So I would recommend, if you are considering a second cat, getting a kitten. It would be easier for the two to get along with each other. Intorducing another adult could complicate things for Hex. IMO, a kitten wouldn’t. Certain brands of cat foods do similar things to Goldie. Though, he throws up hairballs, rather than the other way. We feed him dry cat foods, and sometimes a can of tuna as a treat. But the dry foods, mixed with soft vittles, tend to give him the hairballs.
09 Mar at 4:27 pm
*Introducing [sorry, had to correct my typo. heh.]
09 Mar at 4:28 pm
Introduce them gradually. Since the house is new for Hex too, it can be a good moment as he has less of a sense of ownership. My cat became acquainted with my sister’s cat through the space under my bedroom door…Just discreetly observe how they interact with each other. They might growl or something, let them show their anger as long as they aren’t killing each other. In addition to the house being new, Hex is young so it’s a good time for new encounters.
09 Mar at 4:36 pm
My two cats came together, sisters from the same litter. But introducing the third was tough. There was hissing and such. The other 2 were grown and the third was a kitten at the time. There was some wrestling, but I don’t think anyone got hurt. Just establishing a hierarchy. Not that that worked much since now the third cat is bigger than the other two, so they still fight a bit over who’s boss. Sometimes playing sometimes not. But nothing very serious. Yours will figure each other out and probably be fine.
09 Mar at 4:47 pm
“runny bum” LOL ew, never have I heard such a term. Way to put me off anal. Kidding.
09 Mar at 5:31 pm
I think you should get a dog. :)
09 Mar at 5:36 pm
I have 2 cats but we’ve had them since kittens so they’ve just learnt to stay away from one another. They dont fight anymore cos their pretty old but the only issue is when one cat is on my lap and the other wants to be. One cat used to eat string – cat poo was interesting when that came out – all strung together!! :S
09 Mar at 5:37 pm
Does anyone you know have a cat that they could bring over so you could see how Hex does? I’ve never really had two cats living in a house together. All of my cats always lived outside together except Pouncy. There was about a year where my sister’s cat lived in half of the house and Pouncy lived in the other half. They would fight under the doors. Pouncy is so protective and territorial though. Glad his tummy is better and you know what caused it. :)
09 Mar at 5:39 pm
Get one of same sex and younger, and preferably same energy-level. Cats are more likely to accept new additions as long as they’re younger then themselves. For about 1-2 weeks they’ll most likely hiss and throw fits at each other. Very common, just break them up when the fighting gets too tough. They need to work out the hierarchy by themselves without you interfering too much. what you should prepare yourself for is that not all cats get along. Just like with people, some cats just don’t like each other. So if you’re getting a second make sure it’s a cat you can return if it doesn’t work out.
09 Mar at 6:07 pm
I second everything that Maja says, if you get another male kitten and have that chopped as soon as possible there shouldn’t be any major problems other than a little bit of jealousy to start with and so long as you carry on doing all the things you do with Hex now they should both be fine :o) One tip though…feed Hex first, that will make him certain he’s ‘top cat’ and tell him lots how much you love him and how lully he is. As for the trotty tum syndrome, note to Jem…don’t get that flavour catfood again hehe
09 Mar at 7:28 pm
Book: http://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0140288546
09 Mar at 9:49 pm
Put them in separate rooms and let them sniff each other through the door. Once the growling, if any, stops and they are not sounding like they are going to attack each other, if it ever sounds like that. Then let them into the same room together. A kitten would be best. Also realize that Hex will put the new cat into the hierarchy of the household. When that happens it will either look like Hex is trying to hurt the new cat or something, but he isn’t. It is just like what the wild cats will do to new comers in a pard. Though cats are domesticated they still remember their history. Also I would highly suggest another litter box in a different place. Even if it is hardly used, it is better to have two then to have one. My vet told me when I had my cats (3) to have one more litter box then cats so I had a total of four litter boxes around my house. Three in their bedroom and one in my bathroom. Now Jem, unless you honestly think Hex need company I wouldn’t worry about him being lonely. Cats are very good at entertaining themselves. If they have enough toys and scratching posts then they are happy to be by themselves. Cats are self-survivors, unlike dogs. As for the gender of the other cat I had two females and one male in my house. My hierarchy went me, Babbi, Fanci, and then Tai (my male). I honestly think it would be your decision as to the gender. I would suggest a female though. A young female, you will want to fix her though. She will scream when her cycles hit and she wants to find a mate. But then mine didn’t cause Tai was around even though he was fixed. Again, these are just my suggestions. Cats can have very finicky stomachs. It is very funny what will make them have upset tummies. I am glad he is feeling better.
09 Mar at 11:29 pm
I would love a cat, but I don’t have one, so I can’t really comment there. I have two birds though, but they’re in a cage, so I think it’s different. I guess my advice would be to make sure at any cost that your first cat doesn’t feel jealous, and give them equal amounts of attention. Also, maybe give them some time to get to know each other, or try involving them both in an activity? I’m not sure though, lol. :)
09 Mar at 11:39 pm
My cat has had to adjust to other cats and to dogs. We’ve never had any problems with the animals fighting, but my cat is pretty laid back. He only has a problem with one of the dogs (the dog, a bulldog, is scared of him), but they generally stay out of each other’s way. I would go ahead and get the other cat. :) Don’t leave them alone together at first and just watch how they interact.
10 Mar at 12:00 am
The more the merrier! (And more cat poo.) We had one cat for a while, then we introduced another. It’s been a few years, but they still fight every chance they get. I wish I had two cats that would cuddle together and play with each other.
10 Mar at 12:07 am
I just sorta threw my kitten into the picture with our two other cats. They get along well enough except for the fact that he’s still playful while the other two are 7 years old. I haven’t had any major problems at all…Whatever happens, I hope it all works out for the best. He’s still young so I doubt he’d have any serious issues with a new cat.
10 Mar at 12:33 am
My cats just sort of… got along. Kizzie is 2 years older than Charley, so Kizzie kind of took on a bit of a “caring,” role with her. But that could just be a girl thing! Since Hex is a boy he’ll probably be a little more territorial. Feed him first, show him a lot of love, don’t show the new kitten more attention than Hex. Maybe you could see how Hex reacts to other cats? Take him for a walk to look at the cat down the road? Or… maybe the SPCA (or wherever you get cats from in England) will let Hex meet the other kitty before you adopt it?
10 Mar at 1:21 am
Everyone here has said everything I would want to add. For pretty much any domesticated animals that, in the wild, does things in a hierarcial pack, it’s often best to introduce a younger animal of the opposite sex. The older cat will feel less threatened by this, less like it’s being replaced. Yeah, they’ll tussle a bit before falling into a grudging truce, but they’ll be great pals in no time. But being careful to get matching energy levels is a must. If Hex wouldn’t want to play 24/7 and have his ears batted at etc, then you shouldn’t get the super-hyper kitten. However, if Hex would want to bat ears and roll around (which, I’m betting, he does :) ), you don’t want a more shy cat, ’cause then you’ll end up with the permanent resident under your bed. At least, that’s what happened to my cat, haha. The other one scared the bejeesus out of him.
10 Mar at 2:40 am
• I hand raised my kitten Thomas from when he was only a few days old, but introducing him to my cat jasmine was hard at first. I waited til he was at least a month old before he had contact with her, and even then she was scared of him “taking over” and wouldn’t go near him. She hissed and spat and ran away every time he came near her. I just let them be near each other (supervised of course) every day for a few hours and slowly she got used to him coming to her. It wasn’t until he was at least 5 months old and bigger that she wasn’t scared, and even shared her toys with him. Now they get a long great and are best friends. I’m not sure how to introduce older cats to each other though I have read it is easy if you just spend equal time with each cat so they don’t feel threatened of the other cat, and keep them together supervised until they get along.
10 Mar at 2:53 am
I second what Stephanie said on the energy levels. Our first cat, Muffin is a pretty aloof cat, and really did not like our other cat, Melfina, since Melfina was a really hyper cat and would pounce on Muffin around every corner. On the other hand, our newer cat, Peach likes to play around with us sometimes, but she’s not as hyper usually leaves Muffin alone. Occasionally, they’ll acknowledge each other by touching each others’ noses (and pawing each other in the butt), but that’s about it. (Erm, I hope that helped, ehe.)
10 Mar at 10:29 am
I read a lot of internet guides before getting a second cat, and the process went very smoothly despite my initial fears. Since our first cat, Fergal, is male we were advised that getting a female would work best so that’s what we did. We were also told to get an older, laid back cat that would compliment Fergal’s personality. However, we then visited a cat shelter and fell in love with an eight week old kitten called Zoe. We decided to go ahead and risk the personality clash. We cleared out our spare room and made it kitten-proof, and kept Zoe in that room for the first week. Fergal showed the closed door a little attention but nothing more. We kept swapping food bowls, toys, blankets and litter trays so they could get used to each other’s scents (something that ALL the guides agreed on). After the first week we opened the door and let Fergal venture in and meet Zoe. We were expecting fireworks but nothing happened – they butted heads and then ignored each other. We had a few more short ‘meetings’, and then started to keep the door open. They had a few scraps, but not enough to hurt each other and things very quickly calmed down. Fergal has become a lot more lively since Zoe’s arrival, but sometimes will calm her down and keep her in line. Prepare yourself and go for it. Fergal has been a lot happier since he got his new friend (we both work 9-5, weekdays and poor Fergal used to be left alone), and I’m sure it will be the same for Hex.
10 Mar at 1:36 pm
All cats poo aren’t they? Well, if Hex can tolerate another fur ball with him then I think it’s a great option to get another one. :D
10 Mar at 6:12 pm
We’ve got two female cats and we introduced the second one a year later, they don’t really get on that well and they just try to avoid each other. Occaisionly we find tufts of fur lying around due to a scrap they’ve had. However, generally they just stay out of each other’s way. We’ve never needed to pull them off each other anyway!
10 Mar at 8:44 pm
Cat poo = definitely ew. But luckily, cats use litterboxes, unlike dogs, who have to be taught to defecate outside otherwise they will shit wherever they damn well please.
11 Mar at 3:21 am
Whatever you do, don’t get a FEMALE CAT! They are b*tches and will act that way to any other cat. Unless of course they were raised together. I first had my girl cat, Miss Miss, and she was already a year old when I brought Midnight, my guy cat, into the house. I made sure slowly let them approach each other, watching that Miss Miss’s claws didn’t come out. She instantly hissed at him and since that day, she smacks him in the face and is always hissing and growling at him, yet he doesn’t do it back. He like to lick her and sleep with her, but nooo she has to be the biggest b*tch to him. So, I think bringing another male wouldn’t be that bad. I would let them see each other first, before actually letting them together on same ground. Like you hold one cat, while the other is sitting there wondering who the hell is he/she. Maybe bring out some treats and toys for them to share. I did that a little with my cats and they got along only then. Good luck!
11 Mar at 3:33 am
Because seriously.. cat poo? Ew. Oh yes! X-P
11 Mar at 7:26 am
The one thing I have learned while introducing another cat is to not hold the one your introducing into the house when you let them meet. I held Bella when I introduced her to Kali and Kali hated her for a few weeks out of what I am sure is jealousy. Now though they both get along grand, sleeping together, playing, etc. It took Kali a couple months to warm up to Bella though out of jealousy it seemed. I also echo what others have said, generally introducing a cat of the opposite sex can make it easier, even if they are both fixed.
12 Mar at 11:01 pm
I have 9 cats, and have had up to 37 (no, really, not kidding) at one point, so I’d like to imagine that I know what I’m talking about. Just imagining, though. Make sure there won’t be any tomcat fights, spraying, or kittens. So, if you’re going to have two boys, both must be neutered, otherwise, they’ll try to dominate each other (fighting, peeing all over your house, and ahem…) When more than one cat is involved, cats will get insanely jealous. All you can do is try to pet them both equally, or at the same time. They will probably remain insanely jealous indefinitely. It’s just something cats do. Hex may have many different reactions to another cat, but if you decide to find him a friend, good luck.
13 Mar at 5:21 am
We had our kitten, Mocha, for about 3 months when we decided to add another kitten to the mix. By some miracle, we were able to find a kitten of about the same age as her, in a near-by shelter. All by my lonesome (as husband was at work), I picked him up, and introduced the two. I was expecting the worst, as my mom has two cats that were like oil and water when they first met – the one hid under the bed for a good week; the older cat was probably madder than hell that we dared bring a cat into our home. Ha. But our experience with the two kittens was drastically different – I kept him in the carrying crate, made sure to get Mocha’s attention on him, and let her sniff him out. Less than a minute later, he was out of his cage and sniffing the house, with her following his every move. No scrapes, no hissing, no nothing! I was in awe. Miracles do happen.
14 Mar at 9:07 pm
When we got our second cat, we decided to let them fight each other – under supervision, of course, so that we could pull them apart if it got nasty. When we weren’t home, we kept them in separate rooms. It took a couple of weeks and a whole lot of flying fur, but they eventually decided who got to be the boss of the house. It probably helped that the new cat was just a kitten – apparently grown cats have a certain amount of patience when it comes to kittens, because they know that the little ones just don’t know any better.
04 May at 5:44 pm
[…] with the intention of having a second furball to keep her cat Billy company. She totally copied my idea, however, I have said that I’d help out by asking for name […]
05 May at 1:11 pm
hey i live at home with mum,dad,brother and bf and he has bought his 8 months old cat with him,the thing is we have two small lasha apos,we introduced them yesterday and today the cat is on the tv and the dogs are stood there kinda of yelpin in a way,what can we do to help them all get along?? if they dont we have to get rid of her and we dont really want to. email me plz
05 Oct at 5:34 pm
we are getting another cat as soon as the rescue centre has one to suit our daisy (old toothless only one eye and a bald neck)will let yiu know how we get on