Why two kittens are better than one!

Kitten season is in full swing, many people are thinking about adopting a kitten OR maybe two? Some adoption counselors recommend two kittens are better than one: and for very good reasons!

Many shelters and rescues will no longer adopt out a single kitten unless there’s already a young cat at home.

This socialization period for kittens (two to seven weeks) is much shorter compared to puppies and is usually over by the time kittens go to their new homes. That is why it is so important for those raising kittens to focus on socialization before their kittens leave their mom and their litter. 

Once the kitten comes into your home it will experience a lot of change from one day to the next.

From my experience, adopting two at the same time makes a huge difference in their level of happiness.

And here is why:

1.     Kittens need to play – and play is best with a friend!

Everyone knows kittens need to play. Yet there seems to be a misunderstanding how much and how long this period will last. They will chase, pounce, chase, paw, and chase again. Their own tails and those of other animals.

The kitten’s coordination will improve, and they will start grooming and scratching. Play helps with brain development and is pure joy.

Object play will increase, and yet, social play with conspecifics is different. No toy will give the satisfaction of mutual chasing and back and forth.

2.     Bite inhibition and reduced play aggression.

Two kittens will play with each other a lot. Kittens learn boundaries from social play with conspecifics. Playing with people’s hands, feet, hair, and clothing, or anything else that moves or otherwise captures their attention will not teach them bite inhibition.

I rarely see cases of play aggression cases in households with two cats that get along great. Single cats and kittens stalk and nip their owner more often if they don’t get enough directed playtime. Adopting two kittens means you still should play with them, you will simply have to play a lot less to get their energy out.

3.     Reduced loneliness.

Cats are social animals, and they enjoy the company of their own species. Kittens that are adopted together as siblings already have an established relationship. And this relationship continues when they grow up. Bonded cats are wonderful to watch. Allogrooming, sleeping together or engaging in play fight are cute activities to watch.
Indoor cats can become lonely and bored, especially when their owner is at work for 8 hours or more.  

4.     No introduction.

If you adopt two kittens together, they will not need an introduction. Almost half of my cases are introduction cases. A second cat was adopted later, and now we must go through the slow introduction process. And this process is not always a guarantee they will like each other. If you find two cuddling cats cute your best bet is to adopt siblings.

5.     Same age.

If you already have an adult cat at home adopting two kittens is in my experience the better way. They will leave the resident cat alone and entertain each other.

Many senior cats are very good with young kittens, they just don’t want to play as much and as energetic as in their young age.

My cat Lilly is very good with my foster kittens. But she is also clear about her bounderies!

And let’s be honest – two kittens are just two times the cuteness and fun!

Watching two kittens play is double the fun. Watching them grow up together and develop different personalities is heartwarming.