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Welcome Crazy Cat People
So you are either thinking of getting your first cat or you have a cat already and are wondering ”Is it cruel to have just one cat?”. You are not the only person to ask this question it is a very common one. In this blog post, I answer your question to help you decide if you need a companion for your Kitty Cat.
As a general rule, it is not cruel to have one cat if you have enough time to spend with your cat each day to make sure their needs are met and to prevent loneliness. If you are out most of the day and work long hours it may be a good idea however to get two cats so they have a companion.
I did a poll recently on Facebook to find out what other crazy cat people like you and me thought and asked them for their opinions.
The results from my poll are below and we examine ways in which you can keep your cat entertained while you are out if you do choose to just have one pet.
Is it okay to just have one cat – an in-depth look
So there are many things we need to take into consideration when deciding if we should have just one cat or if we should have two or more cats.
Some people say cats are solitary creatures and don’t get lonely and are happy on their own but I don’t agree with that at all.
Cats are very sociable animals and you can see this when you see two kittens playing together, they will often chase each other around as they dart backwards and forwards around the room. They will play fight for hours on end and when it’s time to sleep cats often snuggle up next to each other.
When deciding if you should get two cats you need to ask yourself some questions
Do you work long hours and are out of the house for extended long periods?
If you are not going to be at home often and your cat is going to be alone all day long every day then you may wish to get a companion for your cat or get two kittens. How would you feel being alone all day with no social contact and nobody to play with?
Can you afford two cats?
Cats can be expensive at times, as well as the obvious food and cat litter there is also vet bills to think about, pet insurance, toys, and flea and worm treatments. With two cats it will be double the money. So make sure you are financially okay to look after two or more cats before giving them a home.
When you take on board a cat you want this to be their forever home and I am sure you want to spoil them as much as all crazy cat people do.
I wrote a full article that goes into detail about the start-up costs and annual/monthly costs of owning a cat, it is worth a read.
Do you have the time and energy to keep an energetic kitten happy?
Kittens are cute little things, the look on their little faces is enough to make anybody’s heart melt but they are also very active especially at night and they like to play, fight and chew and they can be hard work.
The first 2-9 weeks of a kitten’s life is when they are going through the critical phase of social development where they will play fight with other kittens and learn a lot about the world around them.
The kitten may decide to claw your ankles, feet and scratch your hands if they don’t have another playmate with whom they can engage in this instinctive behaviour.
There is a great Youtube video by Jackson Galaxy Called Single Kitten Syndrome, it’s very entertaining to watch too.
Give it a little watch below.
So as you can see there is a lot to consider when deciding how many cats you want to take on, so think carefully before you decide. It’s much easier to get two kittens than to introduce an adult cat into the already established territory of another cat but if you do just have one cat please make sure you have time to spend with them.
My Poll results – Is it better to have one cat or two?
So I am a member of various cat groups on Facebook and I decided to do some of my original research and ask the members their opinions.
So I made a post and asked them ” Would you say in your opinion that it’s cruel to have one cat if you have an indoor cat? Or is it better to have two cats”
The results were very balanced.
36% of people said they would have at least 2 indoor cats.
31% of people said it’s not cruel to have one cat and prefer just 1 cat.
33% of people said it depends.
So there we go! Out of the 64 people who responded 36% would have more than one cat.
Mainly their reasons were due to work commitments and two cats being able to keep each other company when they are not around.
Surprisingly though some people said that their cats preferred to be on their own and that their cat was ”King of the house” and wouldn’t get along with another cat being around. I will admit if a cat has been used to being on its own it may not welcome easily another companion.
Equally, 33% said that it does depend on several factors.
We looked at those factors earlier in this blog post to help you decide whether one cat was right for you or not.
How to keep your indoor cat entertained while you’re away
- Make sure they have a scratching post
- Hide treats around the home
- Leave a cardboard box open
- Rotate their toys regularly
- Sprinkle catnip on the toys
- Get a fish tank or take a look at this cool artificial tank that will keep your cats mesmerised for hours! – (Passive stimulation is important for cats, they can hunt in their minds)
- Scrunched up paper and paper bags
- Use treat puzzles – This one is really cool and will keep your cat entertained all day, while making them work for their food.
- Buy some cat furniture
- Fit extra shelves for cats to jump up on
Extra shelves are something I recommend for your cats, they encourage the cats to jump up and exercise and this set on Amazon is perfect! They are wall-mounted and you can also paint them once they are installed, check them out.
You may also wish to check out my post ”13 ways to keep your cat entertained and happy’‘ for some super cool tricks.
Conclusion – Is it cruel to have one cat?
So I think we agree that generally, it is not cruel to have one cat, we know there are many factors to consider and if you do have one cat then there are many toys out there to keep kitty entertained while you are at work earning money to buy them more cat toys.
The joys of being a parent hey!
Whatever you decide I am sure you will make the right decision for you.
All I can say is that it is so nice to see two cats grow up together, to watch them play with each other, and to watch them snuggle up on the bed too.
Their playtime can make for some lovely photos and videos!
As always take care of yourself and your little fur babies
Mark (The Crazy Cat Man)
