this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2025
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I have a nearly 4 year old neutered female cat. I have been thinking about adopting another cat, but I fear they won't get along. Current cat is not really social, rarely likes being touched, instead requires attention: playtime, being near (but far enough), etc.

What are your experiences with second cats? Are there age / gender combinations which are the safest?

Edit: thanks for all the replies! Forgot to mention that she is an indoor cat.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Are they siblings? I've had cats my entire life and it seems that they only ever get along well if they've grown up with each other. Adding a new cat hasn't typically worked out great.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 12 hours ago

Opposite experience for me, we went from 1 to 3 cats by adding the new cat every 6ish years.

Didn't really do anything special, just brought the new cat home and that's it. Maybe has to do with all of them being from the same breed (Oriental shorthair) and the specifics of the breed itself

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

My tortie forcibly made my void her friend. It's the only cat he allows to sleep with him out of the 3 others. Not because he wants it, but because she doesn't understand that no means no.

She would go and try to get in his catbed, he would bite her. She would get out only to try another angle, get bitten, try again, until he just gave up and let her in.

Now he doesn't fight back for his personal space anymore.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Not siblings, but they are related through the same breeder. Casper is 4 years old, Mocha is only 9 months. I've had Cornish Rex since about 2001, with new additions as previous ones passed away. We never really had any problems after the first 2-3 week introduction period.