# Adding a second cat, behavior and affection



## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

Hi all!

I have a beautiful 19 week Devon rex male who is a absolute treat.

He follows us everywhere and constantly wants cuddles and to play. Which we are very thrilled about. 

However we were worried about him getting lonely when my partner and I were away at work so have decided to bring another baby Devon into the mix in a few months. 

I have seen a lot of mixed responses about how this fairs. I am aware that they will probably not get along at first. Though Loki (male) has been desexed so I am hoping that will curb a lot of aggression and territory issues.

My concern is more that he will focus on the other cat and will stop being so affectionate.

I would really love to hear other peoples stories regarding adding a new cat to a one cat household and what sort of changes they saw in their furbabies.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I wouldn't worry, babies take to each other pretty readily. I would supervise play at first and make sure they don't DISLIKE each other too much, but even it they do that just means you have to keep them separated while you are gone. No biggee - just play and feed them together once you are home again and in no time I'm guessing they'll be fast friends. They'll learn to coexist soon enough.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

You are right to worry about leaving your Devon alone all day. Even the breed literature says they do not do well left alone for long periods and should have a "friend" whether another cat or dog. What I predict will happen is that your Devon will not slack off on his affection for you, but you will likely end up with two cats in your lap. My girl Alkee usually prefers my lap, and my boy Zuba prefers my husband's, but if hubby's not around I get both in my lap, or lying beside when I have a rest. Devon Rex cats crave contact and most always want to be touching you. I wouldn't worry, do a slow intro and they'll probably be playing together very soon. My two don't always focus on each other unless they're in play mode or play fighting. Most always they're near wherever I am. Have fun


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

I am a fan of adding a pal and the younger they start the easier it usually is to get them to be friends. When they are young they do become more focussed on each other normally as they have someone to play all the games with teach and learn with and that's not a bad thing IMO. That's not to say you don't still et affection from both but it is just different. I think you get as much from two playing and sleeping together as they are so fun to watch.


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## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

I am glad to hear that.

The plan was always to add a second cat we are just have to wait til they are 14 weeks atm. I am sure a playmate is just what he needs!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

You said you're OCD about messes, what if not only the first cat won't use the toilet, and then the second cat won't. That's an awful lot of kitty litter being spread around, which you *really* don't like. And your first cat is supposedly to help you with your emotions. Getting a second cat can change that relationship, it did with me and my first cat. And my second, when I added more.


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## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

My first cat was to help with me overcoming the issue of constant hand washing and aversion of animals and anything I considered "dirty"

If the cat's don't use the toilet then that is fine, it was there as a option to try under close monitoring of my cats. Though from the multitude of blogs and training material I read it is actually easier to teach the second if you have already trained the first. 

However this thread is not about my toileting decisions it was about changes in affection so I would appreciate it if we stayed on topic thank you. 

The decision to get a second cat was for HIS benefit not mine as I felt it was unfair on him to be left alone at home for half the day with only his toys (he has a lot mind you) to keep him entertained.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Wow, you MUST be new. We *never *stay on topic! 

I will repeat, though, that getting a second cat CAN change your relationship with him, and not for the better.

And if getting a cat was supposed to help you overcome issues with getting dirty, I guess the fact that you want them to use the toilet means it's not really working, since you don't want to deal with a litter box. Just saying....


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## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

I am new. The "30 posts" next to my name would indicate that.

That's a awfully big assumption to be making about my progress with the OCD. Though since you would like to drag other posts across into each other if you reread my other earlier posts in the previous forum you will note that I have said I have made vast improvements with my OCD and that my issue is not dealing with the litter box itself but with the constant flinging of litter onto the floor. 

I have zero problems (Now) cleaning out the litter box itself I have issues still with the kitty litter being sprayed all over my house even after making several attempts to adjust the litter box to try and suit his needs.

EDIT: I have also stated that I am going to wait to see if he outgrows the habit before attempting further training so I consider the matter dropped.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

And if you read *my* first post above, having two cats will spread even more litter around (not a litter *box* issue).


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

To prevent the anger of the OP from spewing on me I will try to be very careful to stay on topic.. and try to be as helpful as possible...

I do not know the temperament of Devon Rex cats so I can't be positive. I do know we've had more than one member on here say that once they got the second kitten the first was much less affectionate (Kittens Devon and Cheddar come to mind immediately) to their human.

I know that when I adopted Shepherd Book as a kitten my adult cat's temperament changed significantly and he was never quite the same. He was not affectionate for many years, but again he was an adult, not a kitten when the new comer invaded the house.

Please keep in mind before castigating me that I tried to help.

ETA: Once again, afraid to point out an error in the OP's logic due to the chance of being attacked... but one thing you said may not be correct. Since they are both kittens, chances are good they will get along very quickly after a proper introduction. I'd guess within the week they'll be best buddies.


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## Jakiepoo (Jan 5, 2013)

Kittens are great at getting used to new environments, very adaptable. The issue would be less of the two kittens getting along, and more of the two kittens getting along so well and playing so much they sort of leave you in the dust. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for kitten companions, they're little balls of fluffy energy most humans don't know how to deal with.

There is always the risk of changing your current relationship with your cat when you bring a new one into the home. Don't get another kitten just because you think your current kitten might like a buddy. A new kitten is going to be just as much a lifetime commitment as the first, make sure YOU want the kitten just as much, and be prepared for a change in your current relationship with your kitten. You'll probably be watching from the sidelines during playtime more, as they'll have more fun rough housing with each other than playing with you, but there's nothing more entertaining then kittens playing!!


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## Mochas Mommy (Dec 9, 2013)

I am happy to read that you are thinking about your first kitten's needs before your own. That is a huge step! 

I don't know anything about Devon Rex's, but I have 3 bengal kittens. They are extremely high energy and it is more than highly recommended to have at least two if they are to be on their own during the day. So...my experience....

All three readily accepted the "newbie" as we introduced them. Very minor hissing and posturing...but that lasted not even a day. Being kittens, they much prefer playing with each other during the day. But the middle one especially comes to me for loving quite often. At night, they all have their own rooms to sleep in and each gets nighttime loves from us...about 15 minutes in each room one-on-one time. As for less affectionate, they are still affectionate kittens...but they are kittens..which means play always comes first. You will just have to make time to be with each and be content that they are kittens and want to play with each other at times. As to how they will be when they are adults, no idea. As kittens, they love each other and play all day. 

marie73 is right about the extra mess....I am forever cleaning litterboxes and litter dust off my floors. I have had to learn to live with their toys forever underfoot as well. They get into a lot of mischief!


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## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

I wouldn't be too upset if we lost him a little bit to another kitten and I don't have a problem adopting the life long responsibility of it.

Although I haven't own cats before I grew up with a LOT of animals as a kid x.x 

Everything from 24hr care of a joeys, sheep, dogs, lizards, tawny frogmouths even had a couple of emus in there


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## sheiladoreen (Jul 11, 2014)

We had an Oriental and that's the same reason we got our second cat. They're so social, so it was heartbreaking to leave him home alone (we could hear him yowling when we shut the door behind us).

Our guys got along great really quickly. We read all the instructions online about isolating and introducing slowly. There were a few hisses/swats but I think they were happy to have a friend- if you have a social cat it's likely they'll adjust very quickly (we have two males too- our resident cat was already fixed and we got our new cat fixed a week after he arrived).

Our resident cat has less time for us than he used to. It was sad at first, because we loved him sitting on our lap and talking to us. He doesn't 'need' us as much for his social life. He used to sleep on our bed every night and now it's about half the time. He still sits on our lap but he's not as aggressive about it as he used to be (he used to jump up as soon as one of us sat on the couch). 

On the other side of things, we now have two cats to show affection to so we still get lots of cuddly bonding time. They greet us at the door together and watch us leave in the window. I can tell our resident cat is happier/more stimulated and we feel SO much less guilty about leaving them at home for work every day. It's so sweet to see them so bonded as well, that's why we wanted a second cat, so to see them cuddling together and cleaning each other is really nice. I'd say if you're prepared to sacrifice some time with your current cat then it's well worth the reward. You have to also be committed to a long introduction process to ensure they will get along- it will be longer and more tough than you expect. Having to divide your time between your current cat and your new one who's alone in his isolation room feels like betrayal. Also be prepared to almost double your food/litter/supplies/vet budget! But if you're willing to do all of that then go for it, it's one of the best decisions we've made!


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## sheiladoreen (Jul 11, 2014)

Just read some other replies and realized they are both kittens- introductions won't be nearly as long/gruelling as I made them out to be  our guys were 14 months and almost 2 years old and it took us about a month. Kittens would be more like a week!


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## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

Your resident cat sounds just like my baby haha! !

As soon as you sit down he is on your lap and if he hears one of us coming home he is at the door meowing for love. 

That's why I knew he needed a playmate. He must be so lonely at home all day and even at night because we don't let him sleep on our bed much. Only cause im a light sleeper and he doesn't sleep just jumps around in play mode. 

We can afford the extra costs of keeping another cat so I'm not worried about that. Though I think I will take out some pet insurance just to be sure. 

So glad to hear your babies eventually got along. I don't mind sacrificing a little affection for his long term happiness.


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## Dumine (Jun 30, 2014)

I agree with the others. Adding a second kitten should be easy. They should be running riot all over your house in no time.
They will most probably be more into each other in the beginning, but most cats (especially males) grow out of it eventually and will tend to seek out their humans for affection. You just need to wait them out. 
The benefits of not having to constantly worry about leaving your baby all alone will out way any additional mess. And yes, there will probably be more mess, but that will be like another step towards overcoming your OCD. We cannot evolve without a few challenges, right?


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## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

Well that's why I got him in the first place 

I grew up with so many animals and then when I got older I just couldn't tolerate them because of my irrational fears. 

I went from not even being able to pat him without furious hand washing to now comfortably letting him sleep on my lap and bed. 

He still gets bathed a little more often than perhaps he would like (Once a month) but he gets a lil oily anyway cause of the bald spots so he needs it anyway!

I am not sure what the gender of the second kitten will be, s/he will be born any day now. I am going to choose based of personality/colour rather than gender this time 

Unless anyone finds that a female/male cat gets along better with another male? 

Though I am sure either gender will be ok


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

As others have said, introducing two kittens isn't a big deal. Although, if the second one isn't born yet, by the time he comes home your first cat will be 8-9 months old and that gives him time to feel more ownership/territorial. So you will need to go through a more formal introduction. He will also significantly outweigh the baby, but as a youngster may be rough and tumble so you will have to watch their interactions carefully. 

Anytime you bring another cat into the house you can expect the dynamic to change. Sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. Sometimes things go back to the way they were quickly, other times it's a permanent change. It's a risk you take, which is why we often say make sure the newcomer is something you really want and consider worth dealing with any changes that happen.

You will find that around here we deal with questions quite holistically, meaning that we deal with the whole situation not just the one question that is posed. So if we have information from other posts that have been made (even from years ago) it will factor into our responses. That's as it should be. For example, if someone has been posting for months how they can't afford this or that and then start a thread about getting another cat...we're going to bring up their financial situation. 

I don't remember reading about your OCD issues. I will say that two young cats will make a mess in your house. Kittens have synergy! Not just tossing litter out of the box. They'll get to running around, knock things over, spill things, break things etc. You need to be prepared for things like finding the trash can knocked over and trash strewn through the house. Cabinets opened and contents pulled out and torn into if it's a food item etc. Heck I had that kind of stuff with just Maggie on her own.


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## Emiline (Sep 26, 2014)

We did a pretty good job at cat proofing the house for when Loki arrived 

We have massive bins with lids that are too big for a dog to knock over let alone a cat and same with the drawers, too heavy for him to get into.

One good thing about the OCD is that I keep a pretty orgnised household x.x

So far the only thing that he has gotten into is my dreadlocks! He has a absolute fascination with them and loves to play with them.

I have read a lot of posts about introducing the cat's gradually to each other so I will probably do the same thing that I did with Loki when he first got here which was confine the newcomer to a room for the first few days and introduce parts of the house/cat slowly over time.

I do expect them to throw a couple of hisses at each other at first haha.

Thankfully the newcomer won't be here til 14weeks so they won't be too little. 

The decision to get a second one wasn't made lightly. We had always considered it from the start. Originally we were going to get two at the same time but thought it best to go through the rounds with one first and take it from there to see how we handled it financially and emotionally.

All in all though, Loki has changed and enriched our lives tremendously and we are more than capable of shouldering the financial burden (can't believe the amount of people locally that pay for an expensive breed but then whine about the price of chipping/desexing!).


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