One cat/multi cat households

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

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This is interesting. When we adopted Lou Lou from Battersea there was not a murmur of concern that she was coming into a territory already ruled over by a much older female. Lou Lou and Edgar are very happy with other cats and treat each other with great respect and affection whilst also having their own private spaces. But as much as I'd like to do so for me, I wouldn't risk bringing a 4th cat into their territory now. Pepsi who was an only cat and much older than the others has done incredibly well accepting them into her space and she makes sure that she is respected by humans and felines as top cat. If all rescues only rehomed cats to be single occupants then the rescue position would presumably be even worse than it was.

I'd be very interested to hear what people think about this article.

[Crewella]

I think it's a good article, as they do point out that each cat is an individual with its own personality at the beginning, so they're not stating that all cats living together are stressed. Many people don't realise what a potentially stressful situation they might be bringing a new cat into, and it certainly is a factor that should be taken into consideration, so it needs saying.

When my original cat family came to the end of their lives and I started to adopt, I did look for older cats that were used to living in a multi-cat household in the hope that they would be more likely to fit in, and I think that did help. Looking round at my motley crew of 5 last night, all asleep in the living room with us, they seemed pretty content.

[meriad]

A quite interesting article I think and actually fairly spot on in quite a few places

I first had Molly and Chloe, a pair of very bonded sisters. When Chloe died I was convinced that Molly was lonely and got Abbie and Jamie to keep her company. Now with hindsight I know that Molly actually was very happy on her own, but thankfully she was fine with the new arrivals.

I quite liked this bit:

How do I know if my cats like each other?
Cats that are close, or bonded, will display positive behaviour such as grooming each other, sleeping very close to/touching each other, rubbing against each other, and playing together. These behaviours demonstrate that the cats have accepted each other as part of the same social group. If these behaviours are not present, then it’s quite likely that the cats are only tolerating each other’s company, which can be effectively maintained in many cases providing each cats has sufficient resources to meet its individual needs.

Of all my cats I do very firmly believe that Abbie, Jamie and Monty would be very happy and OK as single cats or maybe with just one other cat. They're OK as they are, but that's because they can come and go 24/7 as they please.

Ava, Harry and Henry on the other hand are definitely company oriented and would not be happy on their own all day. They'd be fine if they had either a human or another cat, but they couldn't be on their own

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

It's lovely to see them when they are all asleep in the same room, isn't it! I feel all warm and happy inside when I see that.

When we adopted Lou and Edgar we were assured they were good with other cats and that definitely proved to be the case. However, I don't think they would be desperately unhappy without another cat around. Lou is very human orientated and loves her cuddles - all day if she could get away with it - so given that we have to go out to work, it's a good option for her to have cat companions. Pepsi would be perfectly happy on her own and was an only cat for many years, although she had been bonded with another female, a kind of surrogate mother, when she was younger.

[booktigger]

I think it is a valid point - while it would be nice if people had multiple cats because there are so many needing homes, the cats welfare has to come first, and if someone rings me with a cat over the age of 7 who has always been an only cat, I will ask them to really think about it, as I don't want to home a cat for it to come back a few months later as there is no chance of them getting on, and there are some that I won't home with another cat because of their reaction just hearing my cats (I had one that threw herself against the door just hearing mine walk on the landing!) Cats that have outdoor access will talk with their feet if they aren't happy, and that's not a nice position for the owner. Not sure I agree that indoor only cats should be single cats though, as they do need more stimulation.

I've actually kept Buster as an only cat for the sake of the other cat, as he is very dominant, and likes to pounce on other cats (preferably when they are coming out of the litter tray - he used to sit on the covered litter tray to get them as soon as they had done!), even though it is tempting to get a second.

[meriad]

he used to sit on the covered litter tray to get them as soon as they had done!

I really shouldn't, but that did make me

[Crewella]

If I assess my gang in that way, I think Minnie would probably be fine as an only cat but doesn't mind company, Grumpy Nellie and Merrick would probably have preferred to be only cats, but have always lived with other cats (and each other) so cope with it fine as long as nobody hassles them, and they do comfort one another in times of trouble and sleep together if away from home (but only then), Daz adores cat company and would hate being on his own, and Basil was an only cat for 9 years and struggled when he came as a foster cat and first met the gang (I nearly got the rescue to rehome him on a few occasions as I was worried), but as it turns out, now he's used to it he does enjoy cat company and spends quite a lot of time near or playing with Daz.

[Crewella]

he used to sit on the covered litter tray to get them as soon as they had done!

I really shouldn't, but that did make me

Made me laugh too!

[bobbys girl]

I think it is an interesting article and makes some good points. I had to laugh about the separate feeding stations and litter trays. Team that with the personal 'hidey-holes' and you would have to treble the size of our house to pass muster on the re-homing front! :lol

Willow, our first cat, was picked up off the road as a tiny kitten. Two years later Purdy was thrown out of a car outside a friends house. He had 2 cat-hating dogs, so he asked if we could take her. The 2 of them have a good tolerance, if not friendship.

Gracie was a similar story to Purdy and although it is a very small house, we do have a large garden and are on a quiet road. We thought 'why not'?

Tom found his own way here, when his family acquired not one but two terriers! Just over a year ago Dave picked Bobby out of a gutter.

Tom and Bob are firm friends and always greet each other with face rubbing. Bobby sometimes overdoes it and Tom looks like this

The only problem we have is Gracie. If she was a human child she would be a 'Pincher'. She can't help herself, hissing at Tom and whacking the other girls. But she HATES it when they respond like for like. Bobby winds her up by chasing her. But there is no malice in him.

When mum and I returned from our weekly shop yesterday, all 5 came running to see what we had for them. I was ferrying shopping to the house when I heard a real ding-dong battle going on outside. Tom had snapped and attacked Gracie. I had to put my foot between them to prise them apart. Grace ran inside and I followed to see if she was OK - dignity dented but otherwise fine. I went out to see Tom sitting on the drive, tail curled around his big, Charlie Chaplin feet, Clumps of fur sticking out of the top of his head and side and a look on his face that said 'What?'

If we had to be assessed to re-home a kitty I'm sure we would fail. But there are 5 kitties who, although they don't always see eye to eye, are very much a family. How many families don't quarrel from time to time?

They do show signs of togetherness - I'll hunt for the evidence.

[bobbys girl]

I knew I could find some evidence. The first is a bit grainy, but it shows Bob and his adoptive mum Lily. They were so close - we still miss her. The second is of 'the 3 witches' (only joking) Willow, Purdy and Gracie. On a winter's night I have to fight for a space in my own bed!

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Bob and Lil

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[greenkitty]

It is an interesting article, I was naive and new to cat ownership when I got my guys and in hindsight would have done things differently. Noodley would have been happy as an only cat and Tig should have been an only cat because of his relentless pursuit of the others but I'm not sure you would always know in advance. Noodle apparently lived with other cats in her foster home and got on ok with them but we went through hell and high water to get her integrated with Pip.

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Here's two of mine united in their best 'What's going on?' look!

I agree with Bobby's Girl in her observation. Our three are a funny little crew but individually they were all hard to home - a 16 year old B&W girl, an ex feral boy who had been in foster for three years, and a middle aged shy tabby girl who Battersea were so desperate to find a home they offered to waive the adoption fee (which we obviously paid). Although our old girl still has her moments with the others when they get too familiar with her, I'll never regret putting this little family together, despite, like greenkitty, enduring a rocky start for the two girls, and knowing that we give them a wonderful life with every need met and all the love in the world.