Have you ever visited a litter of kittens in order to adopt one, and then, without an apparent explanation, your heart has told you to take two? Two kittens or one? What should you decide?
Well, no-one could blame you for it – we all have been there. The great news is that it’s a good idea! If you think you are truly ready for a cat in your life, don’t suppress your feelings – get two kittens!
There are many benefits in getting two kittens from the same litter:
- Related cats get along together better. Did you know that wild cat colonies usually consist of related cats? If the cat community is not influenced by humans, new members are added only through birth, and newcomers from the outside world are rarely welcomed. There is no guarantee, of course, that your cats will be friendly with each other just because they are related, but it can offer a huge head start in their relationship.
- Cats who know each other from childhood get along better. Linked with the previous point, cats who are introduced to each other at an early age tend to get along better. It’s also true that adult cats accept new kittens more readily than other adult cats. Even if you get two kittens from separate places, they will be what kittens are: two furballs of joy! If both kittens are born together, they will never consider each other a threat as they will see each other’s presence as natural and safe.
- Getting two kittens will eliminate worries about introductions later. If you have even the tiniest idea that, at some point or another, you might want a second pet in your life, getting two siblings right now can save you a lot of gray hair! Introducing two cats to each other does not always go as smoothly as you may hope. Despite cats being social animals, they are territorial as well. Of course, you can influence things, but why create the hassle when you can choose to get two kittens instead of one? This also applies when you adopt two adult cats from the same home: they already know each other and are able to get along, so you will not need to re-introduce them to one another. Besides, if you have visited them before taking them on board, you will already know how they interact with each other. And you must visit kittens at home before adopting.
- Getting two kittens will reduce their re-homing stress. Have you ever heard the advice about taking a blanket from the previous home along with the kitten in order to reduce stress? Forget the blanket; take his litter-mate instead, which will be far, FAR more powerful in helping with settling in. Think about it: if you were in a threatening situation – say, you had to enter an abandoned house at night – what would make you feel safer: a friend or a blanket?
So, still wondering if you should get two kittens or one?
Even if they are not from the same litter, the benefits of having two pets are high. Having at least two cats in your home will make them more playful, communicative and less bored throughout the day. They will still require quality time playing with you, being petted or just enjoying sitting in your lap, but its unquestionable that they will also benefit from each other’s company.