Adopt Your Kittens in Pairs!

While it might seem a bit crazy to adopt two energetic kittens at the same time, it’s actually better for the whole family!

Adopting kittens in pairs is ideal for socialization purposes.

A lot of times when you have shy kittens, if they are paired with a more confident kitten, they learn social behaviors from observing the other cat interacting with people. That being said, kittens can do just as well if going to a home with an already established resident adult cat (provided that adult cat is interested in interacting with an energetic youngster).

If your adult cat is not interested in a kitten friend, bringing home two kittens can help your resident cat. The two kittens will be focused on playing with each other, letting your older cat relax. They’ll thank you!

If you adopt one kitten, what happens when you leave them alone? They find ways to entertain themselves. A cute and playful kitten quickly becomes a mischief maker, climbing curtains, knocking things over, and getting into spaces they shouldn’t. Having a playmate keeps them entertained and enriched, which helps protect your house!

When a kitten has a buddy at home, they can feel more confident. They have a friend to relax with, to explore with, and to play with. They also learn skills with one another, such as litter box behaviors and grooming. You could say adopting kittens in pairs benefits them by making them more socially rounded.

If you are bringing kittens into a home with other animals, here are some tips to help introduce them to the family!

While it is tempting to introduce your new cat to your existing animals right away, we caution you to wait. Remember, your new cat had a pretty exhausting day and needs some time to settle in. Also, your existing cat (s) and/or dog(s) might not be very excited about the newest addition to the family!

It is helpful to give your new cat up to two weeks in his or her room without meeting the other cats or dogs in your home. This will give your cat time to adapt to the new environment and give your pets a chance to get used to their new friend. Everyone will be able to safely sniff each other under the door.

When your new cat is ready to explore your entire house, put all of your other pets in one room. Allow him or her to explore without having to worry about the other pets and while he or she is exploring, allow your other pets to explore the new cat’s room, while your new cat isn’t present.

When you are ready to do the introductions, make sure you do them in a place where your cats and the new cat can safely retreat if they feel like it. Some hissing, growling, and swatting is to be expected. Treats as a reward for good behavior are always a great idea! After the introduction, give them some time away from each other and then try again. If you are introducing your dog to your new cat, having your dog on leash during the introduction will help give you more control over the introduction.

Doing introductions too soon and too quickly can be very stressful for all animals involved and it can cause both animals to have a bad reaction to each other. By taking your time and introducing your animals slowly, you will hopefully have one big happy family.