Puuuuuurs or Claws At Dawn - Introducing a Second Cat Into Your home

 Written: October 2010 for Your Cat Magazine (UK)

Meow meow meow, I'm awoken early in the morning by the noise which has recently become a regular occurrence. After a busy night of chasing shadows, moths, or whatever else happens to be lurking of a night, my cat comes bounding up the stairs swings open my bedroom door and then "meow meow meow" But this isn't Sox the cat who I have had for five years, no, this is my new cat vixen. A new addition to our family. I've had Sox my first cat for five years now and always thought the idea of introducing a second cat into the household would cause nothing but trouble and mischief. You often hear people say "if you want two cats then get two littermates as kittens" or "ooh no you can't introduce another cat now, not after she's so settled" and like many people for years I agreed with them but then I was left with no choice. I didn't decide to get another cat. Another cat decided she'd just move in. 

Vixan as we've come to call her had been hanging around in our garden for almost a year, she was always too nervous to venture inside and the slightest noise would send her hurrying off through the fence again. Until earlier this year she plucked up the courage to venture in, initially only as far as the kitchen where we'd feed her a small bowl of cat biscuits then she'd be off again. Then a few weeks later she wandered into the living room and in no time she was staying overnight. 
 My cat Sox who we've had for five years has always been very spoilt since she arrived, which strangely enough was a similar story, she appeared in the garden one morning and just never left. So by the time vixen started to venture more into the house I was becoming increasingly nervous that they wouldn't get on. Sox has always been very territorial and Vixan being so timid I thought it was going to be World War 3 of the paw kind. 
 

At first Sox was slightly unhappy with the new arrangement, she used to sit up furiously when Vixan would walk into the room and Sox only had to make a slight noise and Vixan would be off on her toes. It was a bit of a cat chase for a few days with Sox assuming that Vixan was invading her territory and would chase her off but it soon settled down. One night about a week later I was in the kitchen with Vixan when Sox came out, made a cute welcoming "chirrup" noise, walked over to Vixan and they sniffed each other. I was nervous that they'd have a full blown fight right there on the floor but they didn't. Since then they've pretty much got on rather well all things considered. Vixan has been a very nervous cat, after gaining the courage to venture inside the house it took weeks for us to get her settled without her whizzing off at every slight noise or movement. I think Sox has helped her a lot as Sox used to also be very timid and I think once she got used to the idea that Vixan was staying she helped her. 

It's not been all so easy though, after a few weeks we noticed Vixan seemed to have some digestive issues and have since had to put her on a completely different diet to what Sox is on. So at dinnertime it really can be like feeding time at the zoo. Trying to feed two cats, different foods at the same time is a challenge in itself and that's without both of them stretching up to the worktop and making so much noise anyone truly would think they were starving. Then placing their bowls in separate rooms so that they don't disturb each other whilst eating. That was another trick I learnt along the way. 

Vixan must have been living outside for quite some time so anytime she could get food she had to get through it quickly before any other cat did. So I noticed that she'd scoff down her own dinner then try her hardest to get at Sox's which unfortunately is something she still does if given the chance. The best tip: Keep both cats in separate rooms until they finish eating. Which can be tricky as Sox is the type of cat that will eat a little then come back to it later, whilst vixen is the opposite and will happily scoff it down within seconds. So the best plan that seems to work for me is to feed them both at the same time Vixan eats in the kitchen whilst Sox east in the living room, then once Sox has had her little bit and Vixan is finished I let Vixan back into the living room and just cover Sox's dinner until she's next ready to eat it. otherwise what's happened before is vixen will come back in and get straight into Sox's bowl and eat her dinner too which obviously isn't good. 

Another minor issue has been playtime. Sox likes to play with interactive toys which we can both play while vixen prefers to play by herself now. Although at first Vixan would just sit and look on intrigued when it was playtime and I'd have to encourage her to join in. Sox was always friendly and would allow Vixan to join in, then once she did Vixan wouldn't let Sox join in. People have often said things to me like "cats are worse then toddlers" and "two cats are much more work" and I can honestly now say I 100% agree with them. As the months have gone on Vixan has engaged much more in playtime, now she has her own collection of catnip filled toys and she quite happily bats those around the floor, as well as anything else which happens to be around that she takes upon herself to steal and use as a toy such as; straws, receipts and recently my pink gloves. 
    Just over a month ago I bought a cat tower as i thought with two cats it would be a good investment. I chose one which has 4 scratching posts (even though I already have one scratching post) and it has two platforms so they can both enjoy it. It's been a brilliant buy as both cats spend hours on it, and it is really funny when there both on there playing with the toys and chasing each other.  I placed it infront of the window and more often then not one of them is sitting on the top platform gazing out of the window. 

It's been three months since Vixan moved in and although it has been a challenge, especially when i get woken by the cats chorus at the break of dawn and generally coping with two cats instead of just one, it's been well worth it. I did worry a lot at the beginning as the last thing I wanted to do was upset Sox who has been really settled but she's now really happy with her new friend. They don't share the same bed or sit together like litter mates do but they both get on and both seem really happy and settled. I'm certain Sox is pleased to have some company now. So nowadays when people  say "you can't introduce a second cat now" I feel happy to say "of course you can but it does depend on the personalities of the cats" Some people may not be as lucky as I have been with introducing a second cat, but when I watch them both happily playing together there's not one doubt in my mind that I made the right decision to encourage Vixan into the house.