Beth's talk about another dog has got me thinking about another cat. Also, Jan started a thread on Pamie's forum about getting a cat, and now, dammit, I want another one. I have reasons:

I have a five year old female cat who pitches a fit every morning when I leave the house. She runs around in circles and meows, escapes into the hallway and makes me feel really guilty about leaving her alone for 8-10 hours a day. She doesn't play very much, and she's a little clingier than she used to be. I'm worried, because I think my cat is sad.

When we lived in Winnipeg, we shared a house with two more people and another cat. Monster came into our home as a kitten, and immediatley dominated the scene. He and Butterscotch (my cat) got along OK, but they were constantly at each other, and Scotch found hiding places that Monster couldn't get into (Especially since he grew to be bigger than her). But she was never bored or lonely.

Now there are a few reasons why I haven't got a new cat at this point: My apartment is small. I mean tiny. It's a very small 3 1/2 (one bedroom). Also, having a cat isn't expensive, but getting one is, especially if I have to get it fixed. Add to the mix that Edmonton just brough in a new cat bylaw, which means that I have to get Kitty licensed, as well as fixed, tattooed, microchipped and vaccinated. And I don't know how Scotch will react to another cat in her life. It took her a while to get used to Monster, but she eventually got over it. And Monster was an exuberant little kitten. But still, I'm a little aprehensive.

Oh, the agony! Can someone tell me their stories about introducing a new cat into their lives? I need to know what I should do. I just want to be a good cat owner and keep my kitty happy. And if I don't get another cat, how do I perk Butterscotch up? It's not fun having a sad kitty.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Answers

Do you know anyone else with a cat, who wouldn't mind having yours over for cat-sitting/play dates or similar?

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

That's an idea. I'll talk to my friend Desi. Her cat, Felix, is still kitteny, and the two of them might have fun. I also have been taking Scotch outside with me, on a leash. She chews grass, chases bugs, and tries to climb trees. I should do that more often.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Having a sad kitty is enough to break your heart. A year and a half ago, my husband and I adopted a cat from the pound. We were worried that she would get lonely when we went to work, so 4 weeks later we went back to the pound and adopted a feline sibling for her. We also live in a very small space - 630 sq. ft (including a small deck and storage area), and were worried that there wasn't enough space for 2 adults and 2 cats. Also, since it is supposed to be best to have them in separate rooms for the first few days so they can smell each other - this complicated things too, since we have a bedroom, a bathroom, and a big kitchen/living room area. It was hard to keep the second cat securely in another room with the door closed, because every now and again, one must use the bedroom or bathroom, right? After two days we gae up on that idea, and just let them both have the run of the place. There was a week or so of hissing and stalking, then it disappeared. Now they get along fine.

If you do decide to go ahead and get another cat, what will be nice for them is not necessarily lots of floor space, but lots of vertical space - shelving, window sills, countertops, sofatops, tall kitty condo scratching posts, etc. so they can each get up high and stare down at you or at each other.

Good luck!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

The first cat was a birthday present for my wife. Pandora was a charmer from the start and headed right for the litter box when first brought home. We introduced her to the dog by means of stuffing both of their faces with their favorite snacks while on the bed together (neutral human territory accessible only by invitation); they established a non-aggression pact and she settled in quite nicely as The House Cat in Residence.

We were travelling a lot on business back then, and while the dog managed ok for up to a long weekend, the cat yowled her head off for leaving her alone when we got back. She's a social little booger when not snoozing, y'see.

A year or so later, the second cat, Perseus, wandered into our store as a stray kitten and refused to leave. We weren't really planning on a second cat, but the issue of Pandora's loneliness settled the matter. We thought that a cat as friendly as Perseus (one of those cats who upon meeting you for the first time, buzzes and head bumps as if you've been pals for centuries) shouldn't have a problem. He was also smaller than Pandora and, of course, a boy, so he had the older woman/younger man thing going for him, too. ;)

They adjusted pretty well together within a couple of weeks, despite an initial amount of hissing and sulking on her part. They play nice now, tolerate the dog, and we can leave for a couple of days with no ill effect ("Oh? You were gone?"). We tried to show an equal amount of affection to both at the same time, in each other's presence, no favoring the cute kitty over the original. The major adjustments on our part were a second cat carrier and an extra litter box with add-on pee shields because he is a pointer, not a setter. Oh, and trying not to mind the 4AM Cat Olympics. That will subside in a couple of years and indolence will reign.

Both of them are indoor cats (no kitty road pizza, nope!) in a small house of around 1100 square feet, but I think they could do just as well in a smaller spot. They like different foods; he's a Science Diet guy whereas she ignores that in favor of Friskies. However, they both like the dog's dry food and the dog is happy to snack on their dry stuff as well. This is probably the pet equivalent of going out for Indian food once in a while, a nice exotic break from the regular diet.

Offhand, I can't think of any major problems with two cats. Go for it!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

OK, I'm onvinced. I just have to save up the dough for all the initial stuff. My ex-boyfriend's brother's girlfriend (see the connection) might have to give away her cat, Spot, so I think I'll look into that.

Thanks, guys!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Re: what Amy said- check thecatshouse.com. They've built their whole house around the cats- tons of places for them.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

I'm in Canada, though, so American sites might not apply. I'll check it out, though.

Thanks for all the help!

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000