# Cat dynamics



## ihatework (23 November 2017)

Bit of a random question but with the unexpected loss of my Terrier recently, Im going to take the oppertunity to get some cats back into the household, before thinking about the next dog.

As fate would have it an old friend has a litter of Burmese ready to go in January, Ive always said Id have one of hers when the time is right, and so have reserved a female kitten.

I always think cats are better in pairs so the question is, do I get a second kitten at the same time? If so - would a littermate be preferable (although that is ££££), or is it better to just get a moggy/rescue kitten.

Or would it be better to get a sociable adolescent rescue in now and then introduce the kitten?

I dont really mind either way, but Im not a cat expert by any means.


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## Meowy Catkin (23 November 2017)

The easiest would be two kittens who are littermates and already get along well. A well socialised moggy kitten would also be fine. 

We used to have three cats, a Burmese, a Mau and a Moggy. The Burmese needed the most company out of the three, it was really noticeable as he would be quite unhappy (and moan about it loudly) if he was alone.


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## Shady (23 November 2017)

Ohhhh go for 2 Burmese , i always get 2 from the same litter if i can, they adjust so quickly to their new home and Burmese are so lovely, often 2 will pair up naturally  in a litter and a good breeder will advise and give discount if you go for 2 at the same time, probably be very happy about it too. Very envious as i would love another myself. Pics will be needed!!!!!!!! x


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## ILuvCowparsely (23 November 2017)

ihatework said:



			Bit of a random question but with the unexpected loss of my Terrier recently, Im going to take the oppertunity to get some cats back into the household, before thinking about the next dog.

As fate would have it an old friend has a litter of Burmese ready to go in January, Ive always said Id have one of hers when the time is right, and so have reserved a female kitten.

I always think cats are better in pairs so the question is, do I get a second kitten at the same time? If so - would a littermate be preferable (although that is ££££), or is it better to just get a moggy/rescue kitten.

Or would it be better to get a sociable adolescent rescue in now and then introduce the kitten?

I dont really mind either way, but Im not a cat expert by any means.
		
Click to expand...

I would get two now

 play together 
entertainment
reduction often at vets and boarding. 

def 2







~


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## Umbongo (23 November 2017)

I would always get 2 kittens together. Most rescues like to home in pairs too. Also because 1 kitten can be a bit of a handful but they can play with each other and tire each other out!

Saying that, I don't think you ever really know how 2 cats together will respond to each other. But there is plenty you can do in the house to help them ie: feliway, own litter tray/bowls/beds etc. Lots of places to hide and jump up high ie: shelves, cat tree etc.

I have a brother and sister from the same litter. They loved each other when they were kittens, when they were about 1 year old they started to hate each other and would regularly fight, one would bully the other. They are 16/17 now and only just about settling down again...but do have the odd swipe at each other now and again!


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## Sussexbythesea (23 November 2017)

Ive got two boys I got from different litters on the same day. They definitely comforted each other as kittens. They rub along quite well now but are not best buddies. 

Had two females before from the same litter and as they got older they were not keen on each other really. 

I would be wary of a boy and girl together as boys ime can bully the girls or be over boisterous and dominant.


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## Sussexbythesea (23 November 2017)

Gratuitous kitten / cat pics

Chilli and Pepper

As babies






A few months old






About 18 months old


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## Shady (23 November 2017)

Sussexbythesea said:



			I&#8217;ve got two boys I got from different litters on the same day. They definitely comforted each other as kittens. They rub along quite well now but are not best buddies. 

Had two females before from the same litter and as they got older they were not keen on each other really. 

I would be wary of a boy and girl together as boys ime can bully the girls or be over boisterous and dominant.
		
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Interesting that you would not recommend a boy and girl together, iv'e never found this a problem , boys are always easier and mostly it's having too many girls in a house that causes a problem, my best matches have been boy/girl and boy/boy, always from the same litter if possible. The only time i bought 2 female kittens they were as yours were and grew apart very quickly.  Iv'e also noticed many times over the years that cats that are spayed/ neutered on the same day can fall out, especially females. It's like they blame each other for the experience! I never do mine on the same day now and would advise anybody who does to not put them in the same box coming home. Cats are strange things and of course it's different for everybody and i'm sure the  breed plays a big part in it 

PS... LOVE your cats and their names are fab. x


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## ihatework (24 November 2017)

What lovely cats! So definitely 2 kittens together then! Will have a think about littermates or a rescue kitty


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## honetpot (24 November 2017)

I always like to get pairs, they are company for each other when kittens but often end up being very different temperaments.
 We have five, two are litter mates and now have very little to do with each other, but they are twelve. The closest pair are a boy moggy, the other half of the pair got killed by a car, and a part Siamese girl,  who is the runt of a litter and they will often cuddle up together on the sofa, there is about two years age difference between them.
  The girls always end up being the boss and cause any friction.


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## MotherOfChickens (24 November 2017)

I always have two boys-not litter mates, they've always integrated fine and the current pair are best buddies-one is a year old, the other is 2 years old. The 2 yo was introduced to my last cat as a kitten, that cat being 5yo rescue at the time-they were best buddies too. A friend has recently tried to introduce a male kitten to an older female cat and despite best efforts, its a disaster. all of mine are standard moggies-from farm cat stock.


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## Embo (24 November 2017)

Ooohh Sussexbythesea, your two are just gorgeous! Love them!

I've got 2, litter-mates, a boy and a girl. They are rescue, we adopted them at around 2 years old. The boy is outgoing and dominant. The girl is very shy with strangers but confident enough with just me & OH. 

The boy bullies the girl, sometimes quite badly. She gets chased, grabbed, bitten etc... He also deliberately goes over and upsets her so he can sit where she was sitting etc. We will sometimes have to shut the boy out of the room so that we can play with the girl. If the girl is playing with a toy, often the boy will start chasing her so she doesn't get to have any fun.

Despite this, the girl is very clingy to the boy! Won't be separated from him, even when playing and we've shut the boy out she will start pining at the door! We've caught them curled up together a couple of times, but this is rare. It's a saving grace that my OH belongs to the girl and I belong to the boy, so at least where cuddles are concerned, they both get their fair share...

My point is, litter mates don't always get along... so try and get a pair that spend a lot of time together as kittens, then at least you have a better chance they will get along as adults. 

Good luck and PICS when you have your new bundles of joy


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## sasha1414 (24 November 2017)

I currently have 6 cats including 2 pairs of siblings. One pair are both females and naturally paired up in the litter prior to us choosing them. They are virtually inseparable and regularly groom each other and sleep curled up together. One pair is a male and female who get on very well and certainly helped each other settle in as new kittens in a busy household with dogs etc but now aren't overly bonded. They are often near each other but rarely sleep together or groom each other - though they both clean the dogs! In the past I have also had another male and female sibling pair and I have never had any issues with fighting or bullying. I would definitely go for two but I would choose two that naturally bond in the litter. I hope that helps.


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## claret09 (24 November 2017)

just adopted two two year old cats. they are brother and sister. they are wonderful and have really brighten my life. definitely have two they keep each other company


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## MagicMelon (27 November 2017)

Id try to get in pairs if possible of about the same age. We got our two bengals about 6 months apart (one was a kitten, the other 6 months) and the older one did like to play rather rough with her to begin with. I think its just easier if they're the same age roughly especially early on. I dont think it matters if you mix pedigree and not since all cats are so different. If I were you, Id ask your local CPL branches if they have any of a similar age needing homes.


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## Nici (10 December 2017)

Sussexbythesea said:



			Gratuitous kitten / cat pics

Chilli and Pepper

As babies






A few months old






About 18 months old 





Click to expand...

AAW, how sweet!


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## ihatework (7 February 2018)

Remember this post?!

Well as an update I decided funds didn&#8217;t stretch as far as 2 posh cats so opted for the posh & moggy option.

Just before Christmas a litter of moggies locally were advertised and so off I went to pick up an 8 week old (dubious) boy cat - now called Ron Weasley or &#8216;won won&#8217; appears to have stuck 

Dear little won won is full of life, he has been expending most of it either climbing up my legs, jumping on my head from high up places or pulling down the curtains.

So I was very much looking forwards to the arrival of posh kitty - lilac Burmese &#8216;Ophir&#8217;

She arrived 10 days ago and the idyllic scenes of kittens playing didn&#8217;t quite happen immediately. Won won was delighted to welcome Ophir into his home and couldn&#8217;t understand why his &#8216;ADHD-devil-kitten-on-speed&#8217; playing tactics were not appreciated!!

I on the other hand have had to micro manage kitten war very closely, keeping them separate unless I&#8217;m there to supervise etc.

I have to say in the last couple of days things are starting to settle down. Ophir is getting the hang of rough play and is asserting herself when she has had enough.

Last night and today we have had bed sharing and washing episodes so it&#8217;s looking positive for future harmony in IHW household.

A little vid

https://youtu.be/kUHAOV0IoLw

Oh and Ophir is a darling, and a proper &#8216;under the duvet with her human&#8217; kind of gal


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## claret09 (7 February 2018)

I adopted two rescue cats at the beginning of November they are brother and sister. I am so, so glad that I had both of them. I have had a very difficult eighteen months or so with my dad dying and they have brought me so much joy. I love coming home and being met by them. having two means that they are happy being left during the day. they sleep on my bed at night. definitely have two they are great


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## Peregrine Falcon (8 February 2018)

That is a definite "aw" video.  More please!!!! 

claret09, pics needed!


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## ILuvCowparsely (8 February 2018)

ihatework said:



			Remember this post?!

Well as an update I decided funds didnt stretch as far as 2 posh cats so opted for the posh & moggy option.

Just before Christmas a litter of moggies locally were advertised and so off I went to pick up an 8 week old (dubious) boy cat - now called Ron Weasley or won won appears to have stuck 

Dear little won won is full of life, he has been expending most of it either climbing up my legs, jumping on my head from high up places or pulling down the curtains.

So I was very much looking forwards to the arrival of posh kitty - lilac Burmese Ophir

She arrived 10 days ago and the idyllic scenes of kittens playing didnt quite happen immediately. Won won was delighted to welcome Ophir into his home and couldnt understand why his ADHD-devil-kitten-on-speed playing tactics were not appreciated!!

I on the other hand have had to micro manage kitten war very closely, keeping them separate unless Im there to supervise etc.

I have to say in the last couple of days things are starting to settle down. Ophir is getting the hang of rough play and is asserting herself when she has had enough.

Last night and today we have had bed sharing and washing episodes so its looking positive for future harmony in IHW household.

A little vid

https://youtu.be/kUHAOV0IoLw

Oh and Ophir is a darling, and a proper under the duvet with her human kind of gal
		
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aw  gorgeous thank you for sharing - so cute  I am broody for more but hubby stands in the way look forward to more pictures in due course

 Sussex what  lovely kittens you have too   just want to hug them all


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## BeckyFlowers (8 February 2018)

That video made me say "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"


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## WandaMare (8 February 2018)

They are adorable and look very happy


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## cally6008 (11 February 2018)

I'm sure you will be aware of this already but please be thinking of getting both kittens neutered in the next few months. Quite a few vets will do them from 4 months old now.


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## silv (13 February 2018)

What a lovely thread and video, what little darlings they are, I am sure they are also huge time wasters.


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## HashRouge (14 February 2018)

They are SO cute!!! God I want cats again, house without cats just doesn't feel like home!


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