# Adopting two cats?



## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

Hello! I was thinking about getting another cat(end of sept.). From a shelter of course. However the bigger shelter around here has an AOGO. And my sister would like to get one too. My dad wants to get two at one time since it is AOGO. We have one cat already and I don't want there to be a lot of more stress with TWO new cats instead of just one new cat. What do you guys think? One cat or two? Would getting two at one time be a lot more stress instead of one? I'd get adults too...


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

What is an AOGO?

It's a difficult one. Two bonded cats might mean that they would be less likely to harass your because they would be busy with each other but there is the risk of one being the "outsider" or even being bullied. So much depends on the cats chosen.

What is your current cat like? Do your sister and you liove together?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Most shelters and rescues don't enforce that policy if you already have a cat.


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

It's adopt one get one. Our cat hasn't lived with any other cats before and my dad doesn't see any sort of problem with getting two new cats at one time. Yes we live together.


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## Augustine (Nov 27, 2014)

I adopted a pair of kittens partly in hopes that it would help our senior cat perk up after the loss of her older "sister". I was very lucky in that the kittens have brought nothing but joy to her life, and all three cats get along very well. 

So.. at best, you could have a situation like mine, in which - after a few months or so of them getting to know each other - everything works out great.

Or.. at worst, they won't get along, possibly to the point of things getting violent.

Can you tell us any more about your kitty's personality..? I mean, even if your cat is a sweetie pie, she may only be that way towards humans, so it's a bit of a gamble. I assume you'd be able to bring the cats back in the event that things take a turn for the worst, yes? And that everyone in your house is prepared for something like this happening?


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Reginald's only one, right? He'll adjust quickly, I bet. If you're adopting kittens who want to play all the time, he's still pretty much a kitten himself. I'd still do a slow introduction (there are dozens of threads on here about that) and let them get used to each other slowly. On the adoption end, I'd get two that are already bonded, or at the very least, have lived together successfully.


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## sbg (Aug 16, 2015)

I think it's luck of the draw, to be honest. Three is a manageable number, but you really don't know how cats will react until they're together. Whatever you do, try to introduce them slowly and just be patient. It took two of mine nearly six months to accept my rescue cat and I expect it'll take longer for them to get used to the kitten I just forced upon them. Hee.


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## Nuliajuk (Oct 25, 2014)

I'd be inclined to just get the one.


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

We've decided to just get one for the time being. And maybe get another in a while. Thank you!!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Elite!
If you're going to get an older cat, I agree with Nebraska Cat, a bonded pair of older cats, would be Awesome!

It's so sad, when a bonded pair, have already lost their home, and then run the risk of losing each other...
Just my thoughts...
Sharon


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## bluemilk (Oct 3, 2005)

I agree, a pair of bonded cats would be great! 2 buds, never a dull moment!

As far as age goes, kittens are adorable, but it's when they begin to grow that their personalities start to appear.

btw, what IS AOGO, anyway?


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

I'll be on the lookout for a bonded pair!  AOGO means adopt one get one!


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

*Possibly adopting a bonded pair!*

Hello  my mom has just got off the phone with my aunt who has a friend going through a divorce. She has two cats that she cannot keep. a one year old and a 10 month old. One is a tabby and the other is a Russian blue! They're both fixed and declawed I believe. Theyre both boys... I've read that two boys in a house will have issues and start peejng everywhere and even more territorial than with females. Would three males together be too much? How would you introduce two bonded cats to a single cat? Thank you!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Elitemittens,
Usually, 'IF' there's going to be litter box issues....it's because of cats being declawed, not because of which 'sex' they are...
Not all declawed cats, will have litter box issues...
if they do, sometimes a simple change to a softer litter for their paws, will take care of that!
I hope other's will chime in here for you! 
Sharon


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

It turns out that they aren't declawed my mom just heard wrong. My dad wants to declaw them though because he likes his furniture :/ which I do not approve of. I've tried talking to him about soft claws and trimming nails regularly but whenever I talk about it he gets mad and talks about he refuses to have his furniture ruined. Suggestions to convince him that you shouldn't declaw cats?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Elitemittens,
I'm giving you a couple of links...
Little Big Cat's Master Index, lists several references about declawing/declawed cats...

The next link is also an interesting read...

Jackson Galaxy has a good article/video about the horrors of declawing...
But I can't find it...I think it is called the 'Paw Project'??

I hope you can convince your dad, that this is a cruel and inhumane practice...
Ask him if he'd be happy if he had all his fingers cut off to the first knuckle...
Sharon

http://www.littlebigcat.com/article-index-2/

http://pawsneedclaws.net/site/mobile?url=http://pawsneedclaws.net/Landlords_Declaw.php#2813


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## sbg (Aug 16, 2015)

I have four cats, one of them a rambunctious kitten, and none of them use my furniture as scratching posts. Give a cat ample things to scratch, and it won't get your furniture. I think I have one accidental ding from when a cat launched off the chair, and it was likely his _hind_ claws that did it.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Found a couple links for 'The Paw Project'!

http://www.pawprojectmovie.com/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paw_Project


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

Thank you for the links!! I'll send them to him tomorrow


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

You're Welcome!
I hope he'll reconsider his stand on this issue!
Some people just don't truly understand what is involved in declawing, and once they do, they change their minds about it.
Sharon


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## KsKatt (Jul 6, 2014)

If your father can't be persuaded not to mutilate the poor cats, perhaps he should get a dog. 
Honestly, the cats are, pretty much, adults, if they haven't scratched furniture in the past they aren't likely to start now. Talk to the owner and find out what their favorite scratching posts are.


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

Officially a cat mom of three!


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Congratulations! Can we see pics? And what are their names?


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

I'll have to get pics tomorrow cause everybody is asleep now  there's a gray tabby called ash and a Russian blue looking cat whose name is still to be determined.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Elitemittens,
Any luck in convincing your dad to change his mind about the declawing??
Will be looking for those pictures! Sharon


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

I think we're keeping the claws! We talked to the lady who gave them to us who told him about trimmkng their nails and that they don't scratch on furniture. However the two cats can't even get close to each other since theu got here without one of them growling and hissing when the other gets near. Is it just because they're both new here or what?


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

The cat that keeps hissing has started following around the other cat and swiping at him! The cat goes from one side to the other after him  its 5:30 in the morning and both cats are running around. Just the one is growling and hissing thouhw


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

That's awesome that you're keeping the claws! Did the cats get along in their other house?


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

The lady said they were the BEST of buddies and whenever one of them was gone the other would go around the house calling for him. The one cat has been hissing at everyone and everything since the moment he got here....


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Maybe separate them for a few hours and then try introducing them slowly through a baby gate. I'm guessing the stress of the move has just upset them.


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## Monkeybuttorama (Aug 18, 2015)

Edit - more posts were made while I was drafting this, but I don't want to go through and change everything... sorry for repetition!

Because your post didn't say if you got a pair of bonded cats or just 2, I will try to cover both aspects. I also wasn't sure if you have the new cats separated from the established cat. Please disregard any info you already know ^_^

Congrats on your new kitties! How exciting! Also, good on you for skipping the dreaded 2-cat dynamic! 2 cats together have no buffer cat for personality clashes, and are thus much less likely to get along (without major daily intervention, such as regular, intense play time) than if you have 3+.

Due to stress, even life-bonded cats can have poor reactions, including fighting, to new environments. They get a -huge- new stress (new home) and because their mate went with, they lash out. It's called redirected aggression. It's like if you and a friend went to a foreign country... got off the plane.. and were utterly and completely, overwhelmingly, lost in a country where you can't speak the language. It can lead to fighting with your friend, while you try to figure out what to do. It's not that you want to fight with your friend, it's the situation.

If they aren't already bonded, cats typically can't just be put together and get along, even if they have met before in the shelter. Perhaps their relationship isn't to the point where they can live in a single room together (you probably wouldn't want to move in with someone you just met, either!). Some cats can be thrown together without introductions, but most of them can't without a lot of fighting. If they didn't have an established relationship at the shelter (the shelter people usually point these cats out as "bonded", so you don't have to guess), you should treat them as strangers. Separate rooms, introduction period, the works.

It could just be that they need a lot more play time (interactive, the sort that tires them out to the point they really don't want to get off the floor), since play reduces stress and releases pent-up energy, keeping it from being directed at another cat, even a litter mate.

If they ARE bonded, and play doesn't work, or if they aren't bonded at all, you might want to think about separating all of them and doing a 1-3 week introduction; if there's hissing and chasing, it's likely it will escalate without a proper intervention. If not done properly, it is possible that your cats will never get along. I don't say this to scare or worry, I say this to emphasize how important proper introductions are, even for bonded cats who suddenly aren't getting along in a new environment. Re-introductions can be done in much the same way as new-cat introductions, but they don't always work if the negative associations are strong enough from years of fighting. Best to address it early.

A lot of people say you should let the cats work it out.. They will, but you won't like their solution, and neither will the cats. Without proper guidance on how they should react, at best, they will avoid each other, but even this is stressful. Imagine hating your room-mate, but knowing that you will live with them for the rest of your life. Ouch. Cats can be social, but they don't need to be, and their social side only comes out if their needs are met, they are calm and not stressed, and you actively encourage harmony. That means breaking up disagreements -without raising your voice- (an air can (preferable) or spray bottle work well for this) and associating "together time" with "good things happen now" like food and play. That also means randomly rewarding good behavior while they are sharing spaces. A wrist pouch for treats makes this much easier, as you should have treats (whatever kind THEY like most) with you all the time until the cats are established as happy housemates.

I, too, recently adopted an older pair of bonded cats, and one of my established cats could not possibly be more aggravated about it. I've had them separated for introductions for nearly a month, because that's how long this particular dynamic has been taking. I do site-swapping, so that the boys and my girl can both have house access without having direct contact, and I installed a temporary screen door between two rooms for feeding time - not so they can see each other, which they aren't ready for, but so they can smell each other; it's covered with a towel. While eating, I lift the towel for a few seconds at a time to give them limited views of each other, because this makes it very easy for them to succeed at getting along; there's no time for fighting!

That's not to say that my new cats get along all the time, either; they do, but they don't. Despite being litter mates who have spent the past 8 years together, they have different personalities, and react differently to situations. Their play gets out of hand about once a day, and that's my sign to play with whomever -isn't- making noise, as they are the ones pushing too hard for play. I'm learning their cues, this is just the most obvious and reliable hint I've found so far.

The one growling and hissing is the one being forced out of their comfort zone; cats typically only react vocally to other cats when they must. The badgering from silentcat might not even be obvious to you, since cats communicate primarily through body language. It might seem as though the cat doing the hissing and stalking is the aggressor, but it could just as easily be that the other cat is acting stressed and anxious, which stresses out the other cat, who then tries to force the stressed cat from the territory. This is a survival mechanism, and they simply may not have better tools for handling the situation than raw instinct.

I know it sucks to have to separate everyone for such a long while, but cats have very specific needs in that regard, and you really do need to cater to them, since they are the ones who will react poorly. Cats also, typically, appreciate having a space without other cats in, where they can think over all the new changes taking place without interruption. Just like humans, cats get overwhelmed by big changes, and just like humans, they tend to take it out on whoever happens to be around.

Just remember; this is a few weeks to a few months to establish a groundwork of harmony that will last the rest of their lives, however long that may be. Successful introductions also decrease the chances of poor introductions if you add more later, as it teaches the established cats that there is nothing to be too concerned about.

I hope this helps!


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

Thank you so much for writing all that! It's really helpful. They're bonded. there's no more chasing or hissing at the moment. Does age play a part in any of it?


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

What a brilliant post from Monkey! Age does enter into it but it isn't always that clear cut. developmental levels also counts.


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## Monkeybuttorama (Aug 18, 2015)

elitemittens said:


> Does age play a part in any of it?


It can, but not necessarily. Older cats tend to have less energy (personality/breed dependent) and so can be calmer... but not always.

I have an 8YO siamese mix that gives my 4YO a run for his money, and another 8YO, same breed, same litter, who tends to sleep all day.

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link things like blogs on here, but I have found a blog by a cat behaviorist who describes the three primary cat personalities (to say nothing of the plethora of other topics about living with cats), and the energy levels that come with, as well as a rough guide on how to identify each cat type by physical characteristics. I found the information she provides to be very helpful with my cats, and I'd be more than happy to share if you'd be interested.


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

Please share!  the cat that hissed is about a year and a half old, born last March. The other will be a year in October.


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## Monkeybuttorama (Aug 18, 2015)

This is a link directly to the posts about cat types, but if you go into one of the posts, and scroll down to near the comments section, on the right hand side, there is a listing of posts by topic. Kind of a pain to get to, but I find that sorting to be more useful than the keyword sorting near the top.

Find the cat problem, find the cat solution

I also want to clarify something I wrote earlier; when your cats aren't actually fighting, but you know or suspect they are going to, it's usually good to try with a toy first. Something like a wand or dangle toy If that doesn't work (quickly), drop a sight-blocker, like a big piece of cardboard, between them; the air or water spraying is for if they actually start going after each other, and distraction or sight-blocking isn't enough to diffuse it. 

I would suspect, at that age, that they might need more play, and nothing else. From about 1-3 are "teenage" years, so they are still very full of energy. Depending on the type of cat, they may not fully mature and lose their adolescent energy until they are 10 or older. With my high-activity seniors, 2 interactive play sessions a day are the bare minimum, morning and night, and that's in addition to playing with each other, themselves, and all the vertical spaces in the house. Limiting them to one room for more than a few hours is a major pain for getting their energy out, heaven forbid they were younger! ^_^


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Overall, really great advice from MB-orama. :thumb

I have never personally done cat-cat intros, but there's already a TON of threads on this subject if you need more guidance and how-to's from those who have done it and literature/links from cat behaviorists. My favorite thing to do is watch Jackson Galaxy's shows. You can watch all previous episodes for a fee from Amazon if you don't have cable TV. In the UK and possibly Canada, I think Pam Johnson-Bennett's has her kitty show.

From my readings, introductions timelines are never set in stone. What can take one cat 1-3 weeks can take another cat 6 months or even longer, just depends on the cat. When you adopt a new furry friend from a shelter, they often ask your resident cat's personality so they can find the best possible matches. Sadly, some cats never get along in the end, no matter how gradual and painfully slow these intros are done, much to the dissapointment of their owners. Cats are always introduced via _scent first_ for a while, before sight. (It's the _humans_ that are very much sight oriented; not the cats--they are more sensitive to smell more than vision, and recognize other cats this way.)



Monkeybuttorama said:


> From about 1-3 are "teenage" years, so they are still very full of energy. Depending on the type of cat, they may not fully mature and lose their adolescent energy until they are 10 or older.


I thought kitty's "teenage years" started at 6-7 months. Mine sure acted that way. And I sure hope they calm down a bit before they hit 10 years! :shock:


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

I think I have an Alpha type kitty with some Beta tendencies thrown in for good measure.


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## sbg (Aug 16, 2015)

This is a very helpful thread. I have two bonded cats, a rescue and an adoptee. The two bonded never, ever fought...until I picked up and moved. And then move again two years later. Every once in a while, one will stalk the other down. There's yowling, there's fur flying. And if he can't get to his bonded sister, he goes after the rescue.

Of course, he tends to pick times like when I'm just heading out the door so I do my best to distract him, but still come home to fur everywhere.


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## elitemittens (Jan 23, 2015)

Thank you so much for all the information! They're both doing better. No hissing for a while  one groomed the other so that's a good sign.


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## Monkeybuttorama (Aug 18, 2015)

sbg said:


> This is a very helpful thread. I have two bonded cats, a rescue and an adoptee. The two bonded never, ever fought...until I picked up and moved. And then move again two years later. Every once in a while, one will stalk the other down. There's yowling, there's fur flying. And if he can't get to his bonded sister, he goes after the rescue.
> 
> Of course, he tends to pick times like when I'm just heading out the door so I do my best to distract him, but still come home to fur everywhere.


If your cat isn't terribly picky about his target, but prefers his bonded sister over cats he'd be more likely to actually fight with, he might just be looking for someone to play with, especially if it's infrequent. Other cats don't want to play just then, but his urges aren't satisfied, so he keeps trying, and it turns into a fight. IF this is the case (and mind, this is just an educated guess based on a few lines) upping how much intense play time he gets with the human(s) might be all it takes, especially on days when you can see it coming. :thumb


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## Monkeybuttorama (Aug 18, 2015)

elitemittens said:


> Thank you so much for all the information! They're both doing better. No hissing for a while  one groomed the other so that's a good sign.


Really glad to read this! hopefully it was just passing stress from moving, and they are over it now. I'm sure you will anyway, but just keep an eye on it for a few days/weeks to make sure; sometimes you get regressions, and you just need to step in and help them be friends ^_^


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