Getting a second cat to keep first cat entertained?

[Anonymous]

Two years ago we adopted a cat who is now around 4. He’s very friendly and playful but also play-bites me for attention quite frequently to the point that I realized I’m starting to dread coming home. I’ve tried pushing him gently away and ignoring him when he bites, but that didn’t work. I’ve also tried spraying w water then eventually resorting to shaking a noisy coin can which works but is not a permanent solution. I also try playing w him before he bites to wear him out.

I’m thinking about fostering a cat to see how it affects his behavior, and if it helps, eventually adopting a second if we foster one that gels w the first. Is this a crazy idea?

We won’t re-home our cat. He’s a sweet, affectionate member of the family. But the biting for attention is really wearing on me.

[Anonymous]

We did that and sadly, it didn’t work. The biter injured the other cat. We rehomed the biter.

[Anonymous]

Not a crazy idea at all but it may take a good amount of time for the cats to gel with one another, and may not at all. Someone told us you need to do this within the first 2 years of a cats life, otherwise they are not likely to bond. So we did and the cats are bonded and we definitely saw a reduction in the biting/aggressiveness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two years ago we adopted a cat who is now around 4. He’s very friendly and playful but also play-bites me for attention quite frequently to the point that I realized I’m starting to dread coming home. I’ve tried pushing him gently away and ignoring him when he bites, but that didn’t work. I’ve also tried spraying w water then eventually resorting to shaking a noisy coin can which works but is not a permanent solution. I also try playing w him before he bites to wear him out.

I’m thinking about fostering a cat to see how it affects his behavior, and if it helps, eventually adopting a second if we foster one that gels w the first. Is this a crazy idea?

We won’t re-home our cat. He’s a sweet, affectionate member of the family. But the biting for attention is really wearing on me.

Sometimes the rowdier cats do better with a 20-30lb dog than another cat. A 2nd cat may be intimidated or annoyed by rough play, but a dog with the right personality will love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two years ago we adopted a cat who is now around 4. He’s very friendly and playful but also play-bites me for attention quite frequently to the point that I realized I’m starting to dread coming home. I’ve tried pushing him gently away and ignoring him when he bites, but that didn’t work. I’ve also tried spraying w water then eventually resorting to shaking a noisy coin can which works but is not a permanent solution. I also try playing w him before he bites to wear him out.

I’m thinking about fostering a cat to see how it affects his behavior, and if it helps, eventually adopting a second if we foster one that gels w the first. Is this a crazy idea?

We won’t re-home our cat. He’s a sweet, affectionate member of the family. But the biting for attention is really wearing on me.

Sometimes the rowdier cats do better with a 20-30lb dog than another cat. A 2nd cat may be intimidated or annoyed by rough play, but a dog with the right personality will love it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Fostering first is a good idea, because it might take a little time to find a cat that is the right fit for your current cat. Typing this as my 2-year-old and 1-year-old cats are rolling around biting and chasing each other (our older cat wants no part).

[Anonymous]

Cats are territorial. They do not necessarily want friends. Fostering seems like a good idea to try it out.

[Anonymous]

Is it a female cat?

[Anonymous]

I agree about the dog. My cat and dog have a 20min routine each morning and roll around on the ground wrestling. This is usually enough for the cat. However if she wants the dog to play later she pounces in my dogs back and head and generally harasses him until he responds.

It's kind of nuts how my 7lb cat can full blown wrestle my 50lb dog.

[Anonymous]

We got a kitten to keep our 2 year old cat company (or so we said -- we may have just wanted another kitten and needed an excuse). The two cats are not friends, and i doubt they will be, though they are not enemies either. They do "wrestle" from time to time, but mostly stay apart. The new kitten (who is now a year old) bonded instead with our 75 pound American Foxhound...........who had never shown any interest in the original cat.............either way we have 2 really happy cats and a happy dog too.

[Anonymous]

We have three cats and they have a blast wrestling and playing. I used to have just one cat and now I don't think I'd ever go back to a one-cat situation again, seeing how much fun these guys have with each other.

So TL;DR: Yeah, go for it! You have to understand that cats are individuals and may not engage with each other exactly how you want or expect. But worst case scenario, nothing changes except you have two cats - and that's a pretty good scenario.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have three cats and they have a blast wrestling and playing. I used to have just one cat and now I don't think I'd ever go back to a one-cat situation again, seeing how much fun these guys have with each other.

So TL;DR: Yeah, go for it! You have to understand that cats are individuals and may not engage with each other exactly how you want or expect. But worst case scenario, nothing changes except you have two cats - and that's a pretty good scenario.

^ Me again. Fostering is a good idea. But also don't be impatient. Every time we've brought home a new cat it's taken at least a few weeks for them to establish a good dynamic. There's always hissing and hiding in the beginning. Give them all a chance to get used to each other.

[Anonymous]

I have had cats all my life. I've adopted. I've fostered. i'm fostering now. I've had all sorts of personalities. I've never NOT had it work out.

You have to introduces SLOOOOOOOWLY and supervise when together. At least a month. Give both attention. They may not be BFFs. They will likely tolerate each other. So, if you foster, make sure it's a long foster. Any good rescue will tell you that the risk of failed introductions happen the faster you put them together.

I'm a big fan of the second cat as company. Even if just to have another body for them in the house when left alone.

If your kitty is play biting you, he likely trusts you enough to engage int hat kind of play. It can be annoying, for sure. But it's not necessarily territoriality.

There are lots of toys at the stores that will keep kitty engaged for a bit by himself - battery operated feather toys, or toys that push little plastic parts out of holes at random interviews, or that rotate laser beams. Our cats love them and we rotate them in and out so they don't get bored.

[Anonymous]

No, it never works out.

[redvelvet]

I want to get a second cat, so my first cat would not be so bored. It makes me sad that he is alone when no one is home. Two cats can cheer each other up.