As I mentioned last time, Happy Cat Month is divided into weeks this year. This week, it is all about having a multi-cat household! The Catalyst Council thinks that most cats would be happier having a roommate to hang out with.
Of course, there are right and wrong ways to introduce a new cat into your home. It needs to be done gradually, with lots of scent swapping, feeding meals on either side of a closed door, quick, supervised introductions and lots of treats. Sadly, this still does not guarantee that one cat won’t photo bomb another.
Plus, you need to make sure your home can comfortably fit more than one cat. Adding vertical space with cat trees and platforms is good. Also making sure there are quiet hiding spots in case one cat is having a bad day and the other wants to avoid her. So can I get permission to leave now?
I am not so sure I should be talking about multi-cat households.
2022 Somali Cat Calendar Starring Summer Samba
See all of Summer’s merch at her her Zazzle Designercat Shop
More kitties is a happier home!
Two is much more snuggly than one. Maybe you should try cuddling up to your roomy more ~RascalandRocco
Allie: *raises paw* I’m all for a little LESS muti in our multi-cat household.
Sometimes we like it, sometimes not so much… Meowmy has had a max of three kiities at once…she herself thinks two works out the best for her! Of course having a dog guy changes the balance. He can be like a dozen kiities considering how he behaves sometimes…OMC! Did we say that, MOL!
I think you are just the right spokeskitty to talk about multi-cat households
Multi-cat households do pose issues, even if kitties have been living together for years. One of my senior cats has the whole upstairs to himself, and he gets to sleep with his human every night
Looks like you only have one house-mate. Where’s Boodie?
I guess she thought Binga was doing a good enough job of photo bombing me and didn’t need her help.
We’ve all been rescues that were rescued from just outside in our own yard (Yeah, there are signs directing cats to my house, I am told. I am told? What am I saying? I followed those signs myself!) so we all got to know one another become coming to live inside. We had the introductions and stuff. We just did them on OUR terms.
Purrs,
Seville
mol! we love your expressions, Summer. Binga must try your kitty patience 😉 sometimes we each wish we were only kitties but at least we have the space to get away from each other. Pip proly wishes Minnie and Hollie would disappear 😀
pip, smidgen, minnie, hollie
HAH! I’m a single cat in a single cat household and Pop photobombs me. And I bet you don’t have to worry about your human talking all through your video. Great advice though but I’m glad TW didn’t know about those things when she tried twice to get me a roommate.
Summer, you are too funny! Of course, we know ALL ABOUT photobombers here, too!
Summer…your comments and those photobombs KILL my mommy! Well, me too!
Oh Summer, I bet you would miss it if Binga wasn’t there to photobomb you. 🙂 Having a multi cat household is a great thing. I’m glad that I have Cinco and Manna together.
Good advice, Summer !
I can tell you that I´m glad for my cattree that goes all the way to the cealing when that drooling woofing comes running like an elephant hord 😀
XOXO
MOL Summer!! You are coping very well. You look very poised while being photobombed by Binga!!
Toby here, for LadyBird (she is convalescing) – I have always been in a multi-cat household. I went from my mom plus 4 brothers and sisters to a house with 6 cats – I made 7! Then later when mom moved out of her mom’s house there were 4 cats and we’ve been four until just recently with Piper leaving us. Mom’s philosophy is let a new cat into the household and let everybody duke it out. She makes sure no one gets hurt or beat up by anybody else and while she wouldn’t recommend this method to anyone else, its always worked for her!! Also. we love Binga’s photo bombs!!
Having gone from a multi-cat household to one, very spoiled kitty in the recent week, I can tell you, Summer….please give Binga a break. Go give her a squeeze or a head bump or whatever you kitties do to be friends. It is definitely not as much fun with only one kitty. 🙁
Good advice Summer. We know a couple of kittehz here at our house that wish it was an only-cat household. MOL!
Summer you are so wise beyond your years. You can talk about everything.
Our human was so green and novice when she got us; didn’t know about not putting us together immediately. Well, all’s well that ends well in our case. But she knew better now. Nope, we don’t give permission to bring home another cat.
Good advice, Summer. Lexy and I live together but we’re not best friends. We don’t fight, but there is no cuddling.
My first multi cat household were two cats adopted at the same time in 1996. Butterball and Apu were inseparable. Then I moved to a house where there were A LOT of poor stray cats in the neighborhood and I eventually ended up with 12! Yes 12 cats! I’m a very firm believer of having a positive attitude and talking to the resident cats about bringing in another cat that needs a home (just like they did at one time). I tell the resident cats that this is just how it will be from now on and with the exception of Apu (who was a little hissy with every cat but Butterball), it all worked out and everyone got along very well. If you’re nervous in your introductions, the cats will pick up on that. If you’re confident and believe it will all work out, the cats will also pick up on that and oblige (at least all my cats did)!!
I was at 12 cats for only two years when the eldest cats starting getting sick and passed on. That was in 2008 and with having to put down my sweet Chunky Lisa who developed oral cancer this past April, I am now down to “only” four cats and the house seems pretty empty sometimes.
The publicist never followed those rules for adding a new cat to the household. She just tosses the new one in and lets them sort it out. She’s never had a problem. She’s only ever had one cat once and that didn’t last very long…..
We agree that multi-cat households are wonderful! And unfortunately you’re right… proper introductions does not always guarantee peaceful coexistence.
We’ve always had multi-cats and never had a problem adding a new one. We always tried that separate room at the beginning thing but it never lasted more than minutes. Resident cats wanted in (hey, there was food,water and a litter box in that room!), new cat was happy to not be in a cage – win-win, everyone is happy – throw open the doors and let the fun begin.
Summer, you are so outgoing that you would not like to be an only cat.
Great advice, sweet Summer. And hey, we resemble that kind (multi-cat) of household! 🙂
Summer you do look like you are done with that photo shoot…and there was the photo bomb expert Ms Binga
I am so glad I’m an only cat, Summer!
Purrs xx
Athena
We sure know all about that multi-cat thing pretty Summer!
I’ve never had a multi-cat household, but I hope that changes one day! Mudpie, not so much 🙁
We love multi-cat households! In fact, we are one too!
I think Diego-san is on the same page with you. he’s all for a multi-cat household but he wants the final decision on who those cats are.
oh come on Summer….you would be bored in a house by yourself 🙂
MOL. We know exactly what you mean. Thank goodness we live in a two-story house. Our mom has made sure that we all have numerous beds, scratching trees and nice hiding places. It’s very important for each cat to have their own space. Of course photo-bombing is permitted. What can you do? Love the pics! Purrrs
We both get on well as we were adopted at the same time – there is of course the odd “off” day but mostly we get along together.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
It is hard to have bunches of kitties. But they do all eventually learn to get along and those that don’t do have space to stay to themselves. Usually they learn which ones to stay away from and which ones can be trusted.
Having a multi-cat home has its advantages and disadavantages. One disadvantage around here is you always hafta watch your food bowl so some cat (Wally!) doesn’t try to steal your foods. ~Ernie
Leia is very happy to be a multi cat resident. I though…. I was an only child when she came along. Mom insisted I need a companion. Some days I still have my doubts about that ! But mostly we get along fine. When I’m not being a total brat. – Toby
Good advice, Summer. But you’re right …. it doesn’t always work.
Julie is the newest member of our multi cat household.
While she has integrated well, she would prefer to be the only cat sometimes.
The good thing is there is no fighting and hardly any hissing 🙂
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure and JJ