Is Two Better Than One? Adopting Two Cats

Can you imagine Romeo without Juliet? Bert without Ernie? Barbie without Ken? Neither can we!

Why not think about creating your very own memorable duo? 

When you adopt two cats, you soon find that you can’t imagine life without them. There are many benefits to having double the cat companionship:

• Having a constant playmate to chase and wrestle with helps keep cats lively, well-exercised and healthy.
• Often, destructive behavior in pets can be traced to boredom. The stimulation of a companion can help ward off inappropriate feline behaviors and scratching.
• Two cats will keep you laughing with their antics.
• Many cats are social creatures, and will happily groom one another and sleep cuddled together. People who work long hours, travel overnight or spend frequent evenings away from home will find a warm greeting upon returning, but without the guilt of leaving a beloved pet all alone.
• Two cats will bring their humans double the love. They will offer an endless supply of purrs and head butts. The only thing more heartwarming than the love of a pet is the love of two.

Adopting two cats actually saves four lives - the two you're adopting, and the two that will take their places, given a priceless second chance thanks to your adoption. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that between 6 million and 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year, about half of which are euthanized. Think of how much easier the work of shelters across the country would be if more families were willing to welcome not one, but two cats into their hearts and homes.


Having two cats doesn't require much additional effort. An extra food and water dish and litter box is worth the joy your instant family will bring. And, being rather compact creatures, cats don't take up much space. As long as your home can provide a bit of separation from time to time, there's no worry about needing a larger home with room to roam.



Not all cats will be instant buddies. If you are interested in adopting two cats (or two dogs), it may be a good idea to adopt two animals that are already buddies, like kittens from the same litter or cats that came to HSEC from the same home. On Friday, we'll meet the HSEC's resident best friends, Mavis and Maude. If you are introducing a new kitty to one that you already own, make sure to introduce your new pet properly to help ensure a good relationship between old and new.

So, it’s the perfect time to bring home two homeless cats! How can you resist? We recommend making the trip to the Humane Society at double speed, two-stepping all the way. After all, two cats certainly are twice as nice!