A Second Cat – Is It a Good Idea or Not?

Are you thinking about getting a second cat? There are many Benefits to having two cats, but only if both cats are a good match for each other and there is enough space. Here are some tips on how to successfully foster a harmonious coexistence between two cats.

Why get a second cat?

In the wild, cats hunt for approx,seven hours a day, repeatedly pouncing on their prey. Cats are specialists in short, intense activities. They have a great need for physical activity and interactive games. Feeding your cat, providing toys, and cleaning their litter box daily is not enough to satisfy their needs.

The question of a second cat therefore arises particularly for indoor cats. You see them spending many hours alone and wonder if they might be a little bored. If you are rarely at home, it is indeed better to have two cats than one.
A major Benefit of having two cats in the household is that they mutually provide more exercise, social interactions, and other forms of mental stimulation. Cats living with other cats have more opportunities to express their typical feline behavior through social contact and shared play. This makes them more balanced and less likely to exhibit undesirable behaviors. 
When you adopt a kitten, it will have a great need for companionship and attention in the first years of its life. If you take in a second kitten at the same time, whether from the same litter or a different family, it will immediately have company and feel secure. It is also very likely that the two kittens will get along well, play with each other for hours, and groom each other. But be careful: even as a pair, they still need your presence, care, and attention.

If you have an outdoor cat, it is more complicated to take in a second cat. The first cat, which has a large and varied living environment, will probably not get bored. It has its territory, its family, its food bowl, and is happy as it is. Normally, this cat does not get bored and comes home when it longs for company. Theoretically, this cat therefore does not need a second cat, especially if it is territorial and quarrels with neighboring cats. Nevertheless, there are also cats here that enjoy the company of a second cat and accept it in their territory. This should be large enough so that it can also avoid the new cat if its presence bothers it. For outdoor cat owners, too, it can be reassuring to have two cats. Because then you know that the cats are never alone, even on vacation or during other absences.

In any case, one should be aware that keeping multiple cats does not always have positive effects, and that the arrival of a new four-legged friend can lead to chronic stress if the two cats do not get along. Indeed, many cats are solitary and territorial animals. Adult cats that have been used to living alone for years should therefore preferably remain solitary – unless there is enough space for the cats to avoid each other in such a way that they can, in principle, continue to live as solitary cats. It is also important to know that it can take a very, very long time for cats to learn to accept and like each other.Dogs usually decide within a few hours or days whether they want to be friends or not. Cats, on the other hand, can take up to a year to stop fighting and start getting along.

How to introduce a second cat at home?

Many cats are solitary and very territorial animals that like their usual routine. They often need weeks or months to adapt to changes in their environment and living circumstances. The first impression is therefore crucial when they meet other pets. Cats that are introduced too quickly and fight may never learn to live together peacefully. It is all the more important to choose the second cat carefully and introduce it gently to the first cat.

When choosing the second cat, you should definitely consider the differences in the cats' activity levels and sociability. They differ considerably individually, mainly due to age differences, living habits, and experiences of living with other cats. Kittens, adolescent cats, and young adults can often be easily brought together because they can satisfy their need for play with chase and fight games. It is also possible to socialize a very young kitten with an adult female cat, hoping that she will gladly take on the "mother role." An older, socially experienced cat can sometimes also tolerate the "boisterous" or inappropriate behavior of a young cat with limited social skills and thus "teach" her more socially acceptable behavior.

A suitable environment with sufficient space is an absolute must for a multi-cat household. Cats living in groups are less likely to show aggressive or anxious behavior if each cat has enough space. To make optimal use of the space, you should therefore set up many resting places on windowsills, shelves, or cabinet tops and, if possible, place cat trees in different rooms. Access to an outdoor enclosure or the outdoors also naturally significantly increases the living space.
Indoor cats feel most comfortable when they have several places to rest and hide, so they can retreat and decide for themselves how often they interact with other household members.

Finally, regarding equipment, it is advisable to have several litter boxes so that the cats always feel safe when doing their business. There should always be one more litter box than there are cats in the household. For example, if you have two cats, you need three litter boxes; if you have three cats, you need four litter boxes, and so on. And of course, you should provide many cat scratchers and toys to keep everyone happy.

Food can usually be placed in a common area, as cats seemingly like to gather to eat. However, if you have a particularly shy cat or notice tension in the feeding area, you must provide an additional feeding spot in a separate room. As for water: to encourage sufficient water consumption, it is recommended to place several bowls and fountains in different places in the house. This applies not only to multi-cat households but also when only a single cat is kept.

Natural pheromones, such as those in Feliway, which emit calming signals, are very helpful when introducing cats. To achieve optimal effect, it is recommended to install a pheromone diffuser in the room where your cat spends most of its time several weeks before the new cat arrives. A few days before the move-in, you can place a second diffuser in the room where the new cat will be housed initially.

Once all this is prepared and the home is set up, it's time to bring the new housemate home.
Here are a few practical tips you should consider for a smooth introduction:

• Set up a separate room for your new cat: when you bring your new cat home, you should house her for a week in a separate room with her own litter box, bed, food, and water.

• Feed both cats on their respective sides of the door: place the food bowls of both cats on either side of the door to this room. The goal is for the cats to associate the pleasant activity of eating with the presence of the other cat. Gradually move the food bowls closer together with each meal. When both are calmly eating next to each other with the door closed, open the door a little, just for a few seconds, so they can see each other while eating.
• Let your new cat explore. Once the new cat seems comfortable in her new environment, eats well, and uses her litter box, confine your cat to another room and let the new cat explore the house. This way, the new cat can come into contact with the other cat's scent without having direct contact with her. Another option is to swap the litter boxes of the two cats for one night. You can repeat this step for several days. Then you can open the door and begin to let the second cat explore the house under supervision, with the first cat also roaming freely. This step initially takes a few minutes, later, if it goes well, a few hours.
• Short first encounters: observe the first meeting of the cats closely and initially limit the time they spend together. You must expect them to show anxious or aggressive behavior (crouching, hissing, ears laid back), but this should not develop into a pattern, as it is difficult to unlearn later. If these behaviors increase, separate the cats again and go back to step number one.
• If they fight, distract them and separate them. If a real fight breaks out, throw a towel over the cats (to distract them) or make a loud noise to separate them. Lure the new cat into her retreat room (do not touch her while she is agitated) and give them a few days to calm down. Under no circumstances should you hold either cat in your arms during the first encounter! If one of them reacts aggressively to the other, you could be scratched or bitten. In addition, the stress of the cat being carried increases because she feels trapped and cannot escape.
• Continue to offer supervised meetings to both cats and pay close attention to signs of tension or aggression. If one of the cats freezes, fixes, or stares at the other, distract them with treats or fun toys. This way, you will teach them that positive experiences are associated with the other cat being nearby.
• Be aware and understand that this is a big change for your existing cat. Therefore, give her the security of her usual routine and give her plenty of attention and cuddles.

This process takes time: Expect two to four weeks if you are bringing a kitten home, and one month (or significantly longer) if it is an adult cat. Your goal in the introduction is to create the ideal conditions for the cats to peacefully share their quarters, knowing that you cannot force them to like each other. Therefore, there is no guarantee of success, and it is always better to accustom the cats to each other with extreme caution.

Although following these tips maximizes your chances of success, you should remember that some cats never learn to live together peacefully. If you have followed the introduction process and cannot see any improvement after a month – especially if one of the cats terrorizes or injures the other – long-term success is probably not realistic. For the safety of all involved, it may therefore be necessary to rehome one of the cats or permanently separate the two.

Remember that "success" does not necessarily mean your cats will become best friends. Some cats can build a close relationship with each other, while others spend the rest of their lives avoiding each other and hissing at one another. Unfortunately, you can never accurately predict which scenario will occur.

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