Kittens come in pairs now?

[Antigen]

Apparently, kittens are such fragile and needy creatures that they must, at all costs, be adopted in pairs.

I've been looking to adopt, but most of the shelters I've communicated with, and most of the people placing ads in the paper, are insistent on my taking two kittens. Or none at all. This surprises me. Isn't the point to adopt them so they have homes? I had a cat back home in Montreal. He was the only cat in the home, and he was a happy and well-adjusted beastie. We were gone all day, to work and school, but he either found ways to amuse himself or slept all day. It's what cats do.

Is this a new thing? A gimmick by the adoption places to try and unload more kittens on people and empty the shelters faster? Or was I a horrible, cruel person to leave my kitten all alone at home while he was growing up? I'm fairly sure he was eating, sleeping, and licking his butt, but maybe he was staring out the window and crying desperately all day.

If I have to, I'll just get my boyfriend to say he's the one adopting the kitten, into his already-two-cat home. I feel bad lying to them, but really, I just want one cat!

[Eva Luna]

I had the same problem the last time I wanted to adopt a cat from a shelter (13 years ago now). They were insistent that kittens need attention 24/7, so the only way they would make an exception to the 2-Kitten Rule was if I was going to be home all day to play with it. Ummmm, no, I have to work to feed the kitten, not to mention myself.

I ended up at a pet shop, as much as I hated the idea. You could try the city pound, though - they tend to be much less strict.

ETA: P.S. My kitten grew up into a large, healthy, extremely affectionate, reasonably well-adjusted cat.

[Agonist]

Or you could lie to them. When I adopted my dog, the animal shelter insisted I must have an eight-foot fence or they would not allow me to adopt her. I gave the right answer, they gave me the dog. (It's been six years and my dog has never once tried to jump the four-foot fence.)

In your case, just tell them you work from home.

[cerberus]

The idea is that the cats might play well together, so that they're not alone. I generally get mine mine in pairs, and they do generally do better when they've got convenient targets available 24/7.

[Mirror Image egamI rorriM]

Or you could get two kittens who grow up to hate each other.

[Antigen]

The problem is, I can't get two kittens. I have to add $25 to my rent each month for "pet rent", and that's per pet. Also, I may end up moving back home at some point, if things don't work out here, or moving in with my boyfriend, if things do work out, and I don't want to have two cats to worry about. One, I can handle.

I'll probably end up going to the county's Animal Control to see if I can find a kitten there. I would have preferred to adopt a kitten from foster care, or a smaller shelter, so I can get one who's grown up with people around. I'm a little worried about getting a cat that's been neglected or abused, and I feel (possibly wrongly) that a cat from the pound will be less friendly and affectionate.

Anyone in the Baltimore/DC area have a kitten to spare?

[Morgyn]

Originally Posted by Antigen

Anyone in the Baltimore/DC area have a kitten to spare?

Does it have to be a kitten? A lot of the cat rescue organizations have adult to mature cats, and they'll often specify if the cat needs to be an "only" cat (something that might not be determinable when still a kitten).

In any case, try Petfinder, as they'll be most likely to have links to local organizations who could help you. They have lots of kittens as well as adult cats.

[Antigen]

I'd prefer a kitten. I'm homesick and lonely and spend my evenings at home, and I want a playful ball of fur to make me smile a little. I know it's probably silly, and I suppose I might take home an adult cat from the shelter if one steals my heart, but my preference right now is for a kitten.

[Dangerosa]

I just got done dealing with rescue agencies for a dog. I did end up with a rescue dog, but my first two contacts convinced me that these people were not interested in finding homes for dogs, they were interested in judging you. There was the fence thing. There was the home all day thing. There was the "we have children" thing. And when I admitted (bad me) that I would return a dog that showed agression around my children, that was the kiss of death. All the reasons I couldn't adopt a dog, while simultanously telling me via their website how horrible pet store puppies and puppy mills were and how I shouldn't think about adopting from a cruel kill shelter or adopt a purebred from a breeder when there were all these needy dogs - that needed homes, that had been in foster care for weeks and were oh-so-loveable and ready for a forever home. I adopted a child and I was less judged during the process than I was trying to adopt a DOG.

[Omega Glory]

Originally Posted by Dangerosa

I just got done dealing with rescue agencies for a dog. I did end up with a rescue dog, but my first two contacts convinced me that these people were not interested in finding homes for dogs

This is exactly what I thought about the shelter that wanted me to agree to a certain number of unannounced home visits so they could check on the welfare of the dog. Um, no. ISTM that a pet would be better off in a good permanent home, than living in a shelter, or temp family, on the off chance that someone who can provide a fantastic home will show up.

That's the kind of thing that drives people to pet stores.

[ExTank]

Originally Posted by Mirror Image egamI rorriM

Or you could get two kittens who grow up to hate each other.

Bingo! While each case is certainly unique, my Mom did the two kitten thing in '88. One was a happy, affectionate, playful goofball who liked everyone; the other a sulky asshole, who hated everyone except my Mom. And that hate included his brother.

After the happy one ("Fritz") died early from that feline leukemia thing, my Mom gave up the asshole ("Sandy") to my sister, who's the Dr. Doolittle of our family; she really missed her calling by not becoming a vet or animal trainer, as she was the only one that ever got the asshole cat to behave somewhat civilized towards other animals and people.

Of course, asshole had to learn to get along in a house with two other cats, a dog, a rat, and a hedgehog.

[Lynn Bodoni]

Originally Posted by cerberus

The idea is that the cats might play well together, so that they're not alone. I generally get mine mine in pairs, and they do generally do better when they've got convenient targets available 24/7.

The best toy for a kitten is another kitten. In all my years of cat keeping, cats DO seem to do a lot better in pairs. Even a cat who has adjusted to being an only cat (when one of a pair dies, for instance) will perk up and be much happier when another cat comes into the household.

I second the notion of checking around for an adult cat. I adore kittens, but my current cat is one I adopted as a young adult, only a year old. She still had quite a bit of kitten playfulness, and she's the most loving cat ever. An adult cat has the advantage of usually having a bit more sense than a kitten, and probably being less destructive. Adult cats can be very playful, just not as manic as kittens. My cat does share the household with a couple of other cats, and she enjoys their company.

[Nunavut Boy]

Nunavut Girl and I adopted a kitten last summer who, after the first 4 months, turned out to be an asshole. Also, because I was at home for two months with a broken foot (don't ask) while he was a kitten, he only likes me. As he was growing up, he would do crazy shit like hide under the couch and swipe at people's feet, swipe at people who picked him up, bite you when you're sleeping, etc, etc. Later, when Nunavut Girl realized this cat would never like her, she wanted another kitten who would. We got another kitten (this time, a girl) who has a much better temperament. The other cat is also much better behaved now; I think he was bored before. He no longer swipes at anyone and doesn't mind when people pick him up and squish him. They chase each other around all night and then sleep all over each other, like 5 times a day. Getting another cat has made the jerk cat much more tolerable to everyone (except me, he always liked me).

[Scoundrel Swanswater]

I really think that a kitten should not be alone all day.
So yes, I agree with the shelter.
An adult cat can do fine by itself, but a growing kitten needs to have company.

Scoundrel (A dog person)

[Eureka]

Someone I know has one cat. She used to have two, littermates, adopted as kittens, neutered as kittens. And then one day, when the cats were about two years old, the boy cat got "March Madness" or "Spring Fever" and decided he needed to mate with the girl cat. She lived on top of the kitchen cabinets for a few weeks, and then recieved a new home with someone's mom.

In general, I think there are advantages to having two kittens at once, but I'm not sure that the advantages outway the disadvantages.

[Only Mostly Dead]

Originally Posted by Antigen

I'll probably end up going to the county's Animal Control to see if I can find a kitten there. I would have preferred to adopt a kitten from foster care, or a smaller shelter, so I can get one who's grown up with people around. I'm a little worried about getting a cat that's been neglected or abused, and I feel (possibly wrongly) that a cat from the pound will be less friendly and affectionate.

Coincidentally, I was looking last night at the Anne Arundel County SPCA's website, and noticed the same thing. For cats under a year old, the vast majority are paired, some with "I would like to go home with my sister/friend cat also on the page," and some "I must go home with this other cat." That comment started disappearing as the cats got to be one and two years old, but I too would like a kitten and really don't have the space for more than one (small townhouse where, it so happens, I do often work from home).

[Swallowed My Cellphone]

My old cat was adopted alone as a kitten. He was a happy, very social, and playful cat. Since he was raised with humans only, he had no interest in other animals, he loved, loved, LOVED humans and my friends loved him because he would hug you.

He had lots of toys to keep him busy dring the day, and certainly didn't seem to suffer at all from growing up and "only child".

Ther personality differences between Lenny and Squiggy are the same. Lenny, was brought into my home as an only kitten. He loves, loves, LOVES humans, and generally behaves like a dog. He fetches a ball, learned stupid tricks like "beg" and "speak" and is generally a laugh-riot who loves to perform for visitors (he will spontaneously start doing his stupid tricks when guests are over).

Squiggy was a feral cat, rasied in the company of his siblings. He is your typical, aloof cat. He's very sweet and likes to be a lap cat, but he considers himself a "cat", and you are the "human". The social order of cats is what he knows and understands. You are not his family. Other cats = family or foe, humans = friend and food source.

BUT Squiggy is half of Lenny's age. Once I got Squiggy, Lenny's had quite a life change. He
is generally a lot more active and you'd swear he was a much younger animal than he is. It's like Squiggy keeps him young because he has to keep up.

[Kalhoun]

Kitties can be fine alone, but my experience is that they really do like to have a buddy.

Signed,

Kalhoun (5 kitties and loving every second of it)

[SnakesCatLady]

IMO, a lot depends on how much time the kitten/cat will be spending alone. If you are at work all day and go out at night, the kitten will be lonely. Lonely kitten can equal destructive kitten.

Have you checked around with local veterinarians? A lot of them will have kittens for adoption. If you can get a bottle-raised kitten go for it! They are weird - my vet says it's because they don't know they are cats - but wonderfully sweet and very imprinted on humans.

Also check the local newpaper - it's going into "kitten season" and the idiots who haven't spayed their females will be looking to give away kittens. If you get a newpaper kitten take him/her to the vet immediately - they will have worms and may have other illnesses. Owners who don't spay aren't usually worried about pre-natal care for the queen.

SCL - who has 4 bottle raised cats in her herd of 9 cats.

[norinew]

Originally Posted by Antigen

Anyone in the Baltimore/DC area have a kitten to spare?

I'm not exactly in the Baltimore/DC area, but if you're interested in making a little road trip to western Maryland, I have a friend who's looking to get rid of some kittens. She found them, and didn't have the heart to just leave them outside to fend for themselves, so she took them home. But she has no interest in keeping them! (I'd take one of them myself if I could be sure of getting one I'm not allergic to).

[taxi78cab]

Cats don't always do better in pairs. I adopted Lily by herself but then adopted Teddy 6 days later. She immediately hated that she wasn't an only cat. She adapted ok but was happier and more outgoing after Teddy died. When my husband moved in with his cat, Lily again was unhappy and became withdrawn and aloof. When she (husband's cat) died, Lily again came out of her shell and has become a very well adjusted, happy, affectionate cat. We've decided against getting another cat - as much as we love cats - until Lily's gone because she's just so much better when she's the sole focus of our attention. (She doesn't seem to mind Thor, the hamster, though.)

So while in general I agree that cats do well in pairs so they have a playmate when you're not home to play with them, it isn't always true and some cats just like being the center of their human companion's attention.

[Zsofia]

Originally Posted by Omega Glory

This is exactly what I thought about the shelter that wanted me to agree to a certain number of unannounced home visits so they could check on the welfare of the dog. Um, no. ISTM that a pet would be better off in a good permanent home, than living in a shelter, or temp family, on the off chance that someone who can provide a fantastic home will show up.

That's the kind of thing that drives people to pet stores.

Exactly - when I was looking for a kitten and it wasn't really kitten season, the local no-kill people had a little guy I liked - and I said, "Can I take this one?" and they said "Sure, we can schedule a home visit...." and I said, "Uh, I'll think about it." Nosy bastards - don't they want people to adopt? I ended up getting one later at the city shelter, no problems.

[Bridget Burke]

Originally Posted by Antigen

I'd prefer a kitten. I'm homesick and lonely and spend my evenings at home, and I want a playful ball of fur to make me smile a little. I know it's probably silly, and I suppose I might take home an adult cat from the shelter if one steals my heart, but my preference right now is for a kitten.

The kitten will be homesick & lonely all day, while you're at work. Might you manage to go out in the evening? Might you even dare take a trip lasting a couple of days? What will the kitten do?

Two kittens will be able to amuse each other. And you. Especially if adopted together, they will remain lifelong companions. Which mostly means sleeping in a pile. But they will still occasionally indulge in "kittenish" behavior.

[Scoundrel Swanswater]

Originally Posted by taxi78cab

Cats don't always do better in pairs. I adopted Lily by herself but then adopted Teddy 6 days later. She immediately hated that she wasn't an only cat. She adapted ok but was happier and more outgoing after Teddy died. When my husband moved in with his cat, Lily again was unhappy and became withdrawn and aloof. When she (husband's cat) died, Lily again came out of her shell and has become a very well adjusted, happy, affectionate cat. We've decided against getting another cat - as much as we love cats - until Lily's gone because she's just so much better when she's the sole focus of our attention. (She doesn't seem to mind Thor, the hamster, though.)

So while in general I agree that cats do well in pairs so they have a playmate when you're not home to play with them, it isn't always true and some cats just like being the center of their human companion's attention.

Were these kittens from the same litter?
I think that makes a big difference.
The last 2 kittens I had were from the same litter and were nigh inseperable.
One kitten is a lot of fun, but two kittens is a complete laugh-riot.

[BiblioCat]

Originally Posted by Antigen

Anyone in the Baltimore/DC area have a kitten to spare?

Hmm. I'll need to keep you in mind. I have two cats, and it would kill me to give one up, but I'm moving to an apartment sometime this summer, and I might (might!) have to give up one of the cats. I'd feel much better giving him to someone I sort of know. He's about 5 years old, but still very kittenish and playful. He'd be fine alone during the day, but would be a good companion for you when you're home.

[Menocchio]

I realize that shelters don't want their adoptees to be abused or end up back in the shelter, but don't they realize that people drown unwanted cats?

Go out to the country. Farm people have a more realistic idea of the status of animals, and are more likely to give away animals to anyone who isn't Bill Frist.

[RickJay]

My first visit to the Toronto Humane Society was also my last. Adopting an animal from them would have taken more time, and been substantially more difficult and personally intrusive, than buying a house. The place was filled to the rafters with dogs and they seemed to have deliberately created the system that would result in the fewest possible adoptions.

I got the very distinct sense that the people who organize the THS were not as interested in helping animals in any objectively measureably way as they were in being self-righteous, egotistical blowhards.

Originally Posted by Bridget Burke

The kitten will be homesick & lonely all day, while you're at work. Might you manage to go out in the evening? Might you even dare take a trip lasting a couple of days? What will the kitten do?

The kitten will do what all cats do when they're alone; sleep, lick her or his genitals, and patrol their territory. Cats generally don't get lonely, especially if they're used to it. They're CATS, for Christ's sake. They're solitary and territorial by nature. Cats are just fine and dandy by themselves.

[Morgyn]

Originally Posted by Antigen

I'd prefer a kitten. I'm homesick and lonely and spend my evenings at home, and I want a playful ball of fur to make me smile a little.

Yeah, there's something about kittens, isn't there? The fur that looks like they've just been tumble-dried with no static sheet, and the pointy tails and huge ears . . .

At any rate, I'm not actively trying to talk you into an adult versus a kitten; I only made the suggestion because, as I said, lots of cat rescue sites will specify if the cat has to be an "only cat" (which means you aren't pressured to adopt 2), but that's usually (YMMV) something that's not really noticeable until the kitten hits maturity.

Good luck with the search. And do check out the Petfinder site--they will undoubtedly have kittens.

(Edited to close the quote)

[Anne Neville]

Originally Posted by Antigen

I'd prefer a kitten. I'm homesick and lonely and spend my evenings at home, and I want a playful ball of fur to make me smile a little. I know it's probably silly, and I suppose I might take home an adult cat from the shelter if one steals my heart, but my preference right now is for a kitten.

Our three-year-old cats are still very playful. Not all adult cats are like that, but there are some that are.

I would have preferred to adopt a kitten from foster care, or a smaller shelter, so I can get one who's grown up with people around. I'm a little worried about getting a cat that's been neglected or abused, and I feel (possibly wrongly) that a cat from the pound will be less friendly and affectionate.

Ours are pound cats by way of a local no-kill shelter (this shelter rescues cats and dogs that are on their last day at a kill shelter). If Luna were any more friendly and affectionate (except to the vet, of course), it would be a little scary. She gets between me and Mr Neville in the bed almost every night and purrs. She follows the woman who cleans our apartment around while she's cleaning (except when she's running the vacuum). Usually, wherever I am in our apartment, she's not far away. If you, someone she's never seen before, came to our apartment, within 15 minutes at the absolute maximum she'd be coming up to you to be petted and begging you for cat treats (though she might hiss at you initially, if you smelled like other cats). Again, not all pound cats are like that, but pound cats that are very friendly and affectionate do exist.

We do have two cats, and I recommend it if you can do it. It's not much more work than one cat, it's fun to watch them play-fight and chase each other, and it's so cute when they curl up together and groom each other.

[Ceejaytee]

I just had the opposite happen--I adopted 2 kittens even though I was told they could be adopted separately. Our 10-year old cat is lonely, since our 21-year old cat doesn't play with him anymore (she sleeps; she's 21--what else is she going to do?). We wanted a new friend for Jack, but there were these 2 little girls (about 8 months old) that had been rescued from a shelter together and fostered together. The foster parent said we could take just one, but they were clearly close, so we took both. That was 10 days ago. They play like mad together and they're getting used to Jack, who's trying to get used to them.

I'm glad we took home both. If I were adopting and I wasn't going to be home during the day, I would get 2 cats. My 21-year old was depressed as a younger cat when she was alone (she's outlived 2 companions) and didn't cheer up until we brought Jack home. Now Jack's feeling better with the kittens around. A companion is nice, I think.

[Dangerosa]

Originally Posted by Omega Glory

That's the kind of thing that drives people to pet stores.

Precisely. They are encouraging the very behavior that they are trying to stop - puppy farms and pet stores. People WILL get dogs if they want them (and kittens, even one at a time). All they are doing is making sure they can't place as many animals.

I've had our dog a week and a half already, and it was a week after this agency pissed me off that I got him - and the dog I was interested in is still up on their website and they are still pleading for a family for him.

(The rescue agency we adopted him from was at a Petco - we stopped in to see the dogs, talked to his foster mom, gave them cash and had a dog home two hours later.)

[stargazer]

When we adopted our 2 kittens, the shelter told us the reason they only adopt in pairs is because they have found that when they adopt kittens out singly, they end up getting more complaints about the cat's behavior, and frequently end up having the cat returned to them. Since they started adopting kittens in pairs, they've had significantly fewer "returns."

Now, the shelter where we got our furry monsters seemed a reasonable place -- no home visits, etc., but a fairly in-depth application -- and they really seemed to be in it for the welfare of the cats. But this, to them, means the welfare of each individual cat, so if they can make better adoptions but have to do fewer of them, that was preferable. And I can see where they're coming from -- it makes sense to do what you can to ensure that Fluffy's first adoption is her only one, so that the cat is happy, the owners are happy, and there is less work for the shelter.

I'm not saying this excuses the places that want to do multiple unscheduled home visits and that sort of thing -- there is a limit! But cats, generally, are not as solitary as we think they are (there will always be exceptions), and if the humans are gone all day, they (kittens especially) are more likely to get bored and then get into trouble.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by RickJay

<snip>Cats generally don't get lonely, especially if they're used to it. They're CATS, for Christ's sake. They're solitary and territorial by nature. Cats are just fine and dandy by themselves.

This used to be the thinking, but I don't think this is entirely accurate. If my cats were solitary and didn't care about other beings, they wouldn't follow me around the house and sleep wherever I am, or always sleep within 10 feet of each other (even though they have an armed truce between them), or run to greet us when we come home, or (in my husband's cat's case) cry when her human leaves. I think cats are a lot more sociable than we have traditionally given them credit for being.

The "territorial" I won't argue with.

Have you thought about an adolescent cat, Antigen? I got Feather when she was about six months - old enough to be out of the cute ball of fuzz (and into everything) stage, but still quite young enough to be very playful and fun.

[Walkabout]

There always seem to be "Free to a good home" adds in our newspaper for kittens, have you tried the classifieds? Maybe there aren't so many kittens around a city, so maybe you could check the classifieds for more rural areas near you. There are definitely kittens to be had in West Virginia.

[Antigen]

Originally Posted by Morgyn

lots of cat rescue sites will specify if the cat has to be an "only cat"

And the problem there is that "only cat" usually means "will try to murder any other cat who comes near", and I'd like him to get reasonably friendly with my boyfriend's cats so I can bring him there on weekends sometimes.

Yes, I'd like two cats. Cats are fun and I'd love a half dozen of them - but with an extra $25 tacked onto my monthly rent for each one, I can't afford it. And if I move out of here, either back home or to my boyfriend's, I'd have two cats to worry about. No, I'm only getting one, and I don't feel that bad about having him home during the daytime. There will be toys, and comfy places to sleep, and windowsills to sit on for bird-watching. I'm home pretty much every evening, and on weekends I'm either here or at my boyfriend's (where I'd probably bring the kitty anyway).

I'm not opposed to getting an adolescent or adult cat. I guess we'll see. My main worry is (again) that an adult cat in a shelter will have gone through some tough times and might have attitude problems. I need a friendly purring loving beast. I'm waiting to hear back from a coworker about whether a friend of hers has kittens to give away, and if she doesn't get back to me, I'm off to the shelter on Saturday to see who I fall in love with and who they let me bring home alone.

[Punoqllads]

Originally Posted by RickJay

The kitten will do what all cats do when they're alone; sleep, lick her or his genitals, and patrol their territory. Cats generally don't get lonely, especially if they're used to it. They're CATS, for Christ's sake. They're solitary and territorial by nature. Cats are just fine and dandy by themselves.

Cats are solitary by nature, but not kittens. In nature they grow up with siblings to play with and a mother to teach them. It seems reasonable to presume that the lack of a stimulating environment when young could lead to less-than-adequate mental health when older. Of course, every cat is different.

I see on preview that you're open to taking in an older cat. Perhaps the shelter employees could point you to cats that would be more suitable to your situation.

[Quiddity Glomfuster]

Originally Posted by Only Mostly Dead

That comment started disappearing as the cats got to be one and two years old, but I too would like a kitten and really don't have the space for more than one (small townhouse where, it so happens, I do often work from home).

They really don't take up much space at all and there are few things funnier than two kittens playing.

[Zsofia]

Originally Posted by Antigen

And the problem there is that "only cat" usually means "will try to murder any other cat who comes near", and I'd like him to get reasonably friendly with my boyfriend's cats so I can bring him there on weekends sometimes.
\

Okay, one thing I learned about cats when I got Dewey is that you shouldn't expect to just be able to take them on playdates. When carefully introduced to a kitten, Dewey learned to accept it. When Walt, my boyfriend's roomate's cat, had the same thing, he accepted it too. However, we were dumb and thought, soon after we got Dewey, hey, maybe he and Walt would like to play together! I mean, hell, just two weeks before Dewey was living with like a hundred cats at the shelter!

Bad idea.

Walt's owner almost needed stitches.

You have never heard such a noise come from animals. I am so not kidding here.

Unless I intended two cats to actually live together, I don't think I'd introduce them ever again.

[Anne Neville]

Originally Posted by Antigen

I'm not opposed to getting an adolescent or adult cat. I guess we'll see. My main worry is (again) that an adult cat in a shelter will have gone through some tough times and might have attitude problems. I need a friendly purring loving beast. I'm waiting to hear back from a coworker about whether a friend of hers has kittens to give away, and if she doesn't get back to me, I'm off to the shelter on Saturday to see who I fall in love with and who they let me bring home alone.

You can generally tell, when meeting a cat, whether it's going to be a friendly purring loving beast or not. In fact, it's easier to tell with an adult cat than with a kitten- kittens' personalities aren't quite set yet, but an adult cat that was friendly to you at the shelter and purred when you petted it and picked it up is likely to be a friendly cat.

If your coworker's friend does have kittens to give away, insist on going to see the kittens and picking one out for yourself. Don't let your coworker or her friend pick out a kitten for you. My parents did that (let someone who was giving away kittens pick out one for them), and they ended up with one of the meanest, least friendly cats I have ever seen. Do insist on picking out your own kitten, and don't let them rush you through it or pressure you into taking one if you decide none of those kittens are right for you.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Zsofia

Okay, one thing I learned about cats when I got Dewey is that you shouldn't expect to just be able to take them on playdates. When carefully introduced to a kitten, Dewey learned to accept it. When Walt, my boyfriend's roomate's cat, had the same thing, he accepted it too. However, we were dumb and thought, soon after we got Dewey, hey, maybe he and Walt would like to play together! I mean, hell, just two weeks before Dewey was living with like a hundred cats at the shelter!

Bad idea.

Walt's owner almost needed stitches.

You have never heard such a noise come from animals. I am so not kidding here.

Unless I intended two cats to actually live together, I don't think I'd introduce them ever again.

I second this whole-heartedly. We did something very similar to what you're thinking of doing with our two adult females, Antigen, with the hopes of getting the cats used to each other before we moved in together, and it was just traumatic for both parties. I'd just wait to throw the two cats together until you have to when you and your boyfriend move in together.

[Antigen]

Originally Posted by featherlou

I second this whole-heartedly. We did something very similar to what you're thinking of doing with our two adult females, Antigen, with the hopes of getting the cats used to each other before we moved in together, and it was just traumatic for both parties. I'd just wait to throw the two cats together until you have to when you and your boyfriend move in together.

Advice noted. Thanks. Don't want to cause trouble unnecessarily.

[taxi78cab]

Originally Posted by Scoundrel Swanswater

Were these kittens from the same litter?
I think that makes a big difference.
The last 2 kittens I had were from the same litter and were nigh inseperable.
One kitten is a lot of fun, but two kittens is a complete laugh-riot.

No, none of the cats were from the same litter. They were all (at various times) introduced as adults.

[RickJay]

Originally Posted by Punoqllads

Cats are solitary by nature, but not kittens. In nature they grow up with siblings to play with and a mother to teach them.

You're right in that I didn't clue in to the "kitten" distinction.

[lavenderviolet]

Originally Posted by Anne Neville

it's easier to tell with an adult cat than with a kitten- kittens' personalities aren't quite set yet, but an adult cat that was friendly to you at the shelter and purred when you petted it and picked it up is likely to be a friendly cat.

I agree, I definitely encourage people to consider adopting an adult cat. I did it that way and I'm glad I did. Kittens are definitely cute, but you never can be sure which ones will grow up to be grumpy adults, so I feel it is less of a gamble to focus on looking for a friendly, playful adult if you enjoy kitten-ish behavior. Even though he is now several years old, my cat often still acts like a kitten because it's just part of his personality to be friendly and playful.

I looked at both the kittens and adults when I was at the shelter, but I felt more confident getting an adult cat who had been given a reputation by the shelter workers for "loving everyone". It turned out to be an accurate reputation. He's so ridiculously good-natured and friendly that some of the people I know who dislike cats make an exception for him.

I can understand why shelters would want to encourage people to adopt two cats. Two cats really are not that much more work than just one, and I do think that cats who are frequently alone benefit from the mental stimulation of having another animal around (even if they aren't cuddly pals with each other - my two aren't, even though the cat mentioned above would love to cuddle up to the other one if she would allow it).
However, I am surprised that any shelter would *insist* that you have to take two cats. The shelter I went to has a policy of "Two for the Price of One" to kind of encourage it, but they would have allowed me to take just one if I wanted to.

Some of the *rescue agencies* do seem to expect an awful lot of potential adopters (I know of a bird rescue around here that requires anyone who wants to adopt a bird to be a volunteer at the shelter for a while before they can even apply to adopt a bird!). I think it is a bit off-putting. However, I can see how some shelters feel the need to screen people rigorously. I'm sure they have seen a lot of terrible things from irresponsible pet owners and don't want to be party to that sort of mess.

[DeadlyAccurate]

Mine was a no-kill shelter cat of about a year and a half. She was the one cat in the cage who wasn't just sitting around. She was nosing at the bars, very friendly, very curious. I was looking for a more active cat, so the one I already had wouldn't get lazy. Sure enough, she turned out to be the goofiest, most loving, and active cat I've ever seen in my life. Everyone adores her. Now, at around 10 years old, she mostly sleeps, but she was very active for quite a few years.

[Cheez_Whia]

I adopted Kee-Kee from Petsmart two years ago when she was thought to be seven months old. She still loves to play, and I wish we could get her a companion, but hubby has said only one cat in the household .

[Anne Neville]

Originally Posted by lavenderviolet

I agree, I definitely encourage people to consider adopting an adult cat. I did it that way and I'm glad I did. Kittens are definitely cute, but you never can be sure which ones will grow up to be grumpy adults, so I feel it is less of a gamble to focus on looking for a friendly, playful adult if you enjoy kitten-ish behavior.

Mine weren't adults, actually. I went looking for adult cats, but the ones that picked me out were the cat equivalent of teenagers. Cats of that age (5 months - 1 year) are still very playful, but are harder to find someone to adopt them because they're out of that cute fuzzy stage.

And it's possible that your cat will pick you out, just like Luna picked me. When I walked by her enclosure, she meowed at me. I picked her up, and she started licking my face. I knew that was my cat, right there and then.

[Dangerosa]

Originally Posted by lavenderviolet

Some of the *rescue agencies* do seem to expect an awful lot of potential adopters (I know of a bird rescue around here that requires anyone who wants to adopt a bird to be a volunteer at the shelter for a while before they can even apply to adopt a bird!). I think it is a bit off-putting. However, I can see how some shelters feel the need to screen people rigorously. I'm sure they have seen a lot of terrible things from irresponsible pet owners and don't want to be party to that sort of mess.

And if they weren't hypocrits about judging other shelters and pet owners, I wouldn't care. But when you have policies that encourage people to use pet stores or commercial breeders while simultanously bemoaning the existance of said pet stores and commercial breeders, I really can't get past "you guys aren't helping - you think you are helping, but you aren't."

[emmaliminal]

Just in fairness, here, I work with a few people who are dedicated shelter volunteers, and their reticence to place with anything but the most perfect homes comes (for them) from seeing way too often what happens when they don't. They DO want to place critters, but they see every day the consequences of placing critters in non-ideal homes, and it often involves euthanasia.

When our kitty Sebastian was killed at a young age, after having charmed us into adopting him as a stray baby, I decided to adopt a pair. Bridget and Oliver are indeed a pair: now a year and a half old, they egg each other on to new heights of destruction!

Simply and boringly put, you just can't tell with kittens what they'll turn out to be like, or whether they'll like each other. If it matters to you to have a cuddler, by all means quiz the shelter people about their adult cats. They will know.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Cheez_Whia

I adopted Kee-Kee from Petsmart two years ago when she was thought to be seven months old. She still loves to play, and I wish we could get her a companion, but hubby has said only one cat in the household .

Wow, nice foot. Did you just get a pedicure? (Nice kitty, too. )