Before You adopt a cat
We are social animals, so it seems natural to us that our cats would enjoy socialization, too. With few exceptions, though, wild and domestic cats lead mostly solitary lives. They can get along in groups, but they don’t look for buddies. Before you decide to add a second cat to your family, ask yourself if your cat really needs a friend — and if you are prepared to meet the needs of a multi-cat household.
There are two important things to consider before adopting a second cat: your current...MORE cat's age and his personality. An older cat’s worst nightmare, for example, is probably a younger wee ball of energy as a companion.
A young or middle-aged cat may be more receptive to the presence of a kitten or even another adult cat — but it’s important to consider your original cat’s personality when choosing a new cat of any age. A shy cat could be overwhelmed by a bossy cat, while a bossy cat may be likely to bully a shy cat.
None of those facts mean you can’t ever have more than one cat. In fact, sometimes adding a cat to the family is inevitable. If you’re getting married, for example, and you and your spouse-to-be both have cats, a merger is a must. But if you’re adopting your first cat - and you think you’d like a pair - the best thing to do is to acquire two kittens from the same litter or adopt an already bonded pair.
