Should You Get Two Kittens Instead of One?

“Get two, they keep each other company” is common advice — and often good advice. But it is not universally true, and it is worth understanding both sides before doubling your commitment.

The case for two

• Company. A lone kitten left alone all day can become bored and anxious. A companion solves that.
• Better social skills. Kittens who grow up together learn bite inhibition and cat body language from each other, and are often better adjusted.
• Less attention-demanding. Two kittens entertain each other, which means less 5am attention-seeking.
• They settle faster. A familiar companion makes a new home far less frightening.
• Exercise. They naturally keep each other active, which helps prevent obesity.

The case against

• Double the cost. Two kittens means double food, litter, vet visits, parasite prevention and insurance.
• Two of everything. Two litter trays minimum — ideally three — plus separate feeding stations.
• Two personalities to manage. If one is confident and one is timid, the timid one needs separate support.
• Bonded pairs can be harder to rehome if circumstances change.
• Some kittens genuinely prefer to be the only cat. It does happen.

When two is clearly the better choice

If you work full-time outside the home, two kittens is usually kinder than one. If you already have a young, friendly cat at home, a second kitten often integrates well — see our guide to introducing pets for the slow-introduction method, which works for cat-to-cat introductions too.

Practical notes

Provide one litter tray per cat plus one spare, and feed them separately so you can monitor how much each eats. Give each their own bed and somewhere to retreat. Our supplies checklist will help you size everything up.

Talk to us

We are happy to discuss whether a pair suits your household — and if it does, whether two from our current available kittens would be a good match. Just get in touch.