Hmm... I'm going to buck the trend and say either 1 or 2 is fine. Though I agree that 2 is not much more work...

We adopted a "bonded pair" of littermates as kittens and while they played together for the first 6 mos they now can barely stand each other--like they have whole different zones of the house. (They're 13 now ) When I was a kid, my family adopted a brother-sister pair and there was so much heavy fighting we gave one to a neighbor. So I am a little skeptical of the "cats want cat companionship" canard. A cat will want some attention from *you* but I think it's a crapshoot in terms of other cats and very personality-dependent.

I think it also depends on their personality. We've been fostering kittens the last year and we've had some that are fine by themselves, but I'm fostering a brother-sister pair right now that are really bonded. They always sleep together and play together. They are pretty playful too - I'm glad they are playing with each other and not chasing my shoelaces all the time!

I think it depends a little on how much you will be away (post COVID). I took in one and he was clearly lonely given my long work days. So I adopted another and learned it's very hard to introduce two adult cats. Then I adopted a kitten which went really smoothly and sufficiently changed the dynamics between the two adult cats as well that three was infinitely better than two although a lot to handle. My first died a few years ago and two seems like the ideal number. They keep each other company when I'm gone and actually the younger grooms the middle (now oldest) cat on a daily basis. If I had to do it over I would have just adopted a kitten as a second cat...

I think one is ok if you are around enough otherwise I would adopt two at the same time - ideally bonded. If you don't get two at the same time - but adopt one later it is definitely easier to integrate a kitten than another adult cat.

Anonymous wrote:I love cats, haven't had one for many years, and feel like the home would be fuller and happier filled with kitties.

Is it better to get 2 kittens?

Or 1 cat now, and perhaps one cat later? Or is that often a nightmare?

Or just 1 cat, and that's it?

Are 2 cats essentially the same amount of work? Or easier, because they keep each other company?

Team 2 cats, here. Watching my cats romp and play and snuggle . . . warms my heart. And I don't feel as bad leaving for a night or two (with people coming to feed them) b/c they have each other.

Kittens are wonderful but you can often find two bonded pairs needing homes. I see them all the time on the shelter and rescue websites. They are hard to place, too, so please consider that.

You can absolutely do one now/one later. And most of the time the introductions are fine, but it often takes awhile. Wouldn't it be easier, esp if you haven't had cats for awhile, to get two that are already acquainted with one another???