How to Choose a Cat for a Multipet Household
Choose a breed that is not shy or skittish., Pick a breed that typically gets along with other cats., Pick a breed that is known to get along with dogs., Decide between a kitten and an older cat.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a breed that is not shy or skittish.
There are some cat breeds that are known to be anti-social and resistant to interacting with other animals.
If you bring one of these breeds into a home that already has pets, there are bound to be conflicts.Some breeds that are known to be shy include the Persian, Russian blue, and Himalayan.This is especially important to consider when bringing a cat into a home that has dogs.
A shy or skittish cat could be traumatized by having to interact with dogs on a regular basis, even if the dog is not aggressive or mean towards it. -
Step 2: Pick a breed that typically gets along with other cats.
There are some cat breeds that are social, have an even temperament, and tend to get along with other pets.
Picking one of these breeds doesn't guarantee that your new cat will get along with cats you already have, but it increases that chances that they will.
Some friendly breeds include:
Maine coon Manx Ocicat Persian Ragdoll , If you have a dog in your house, you should consider picking a breed of cat that is known to get along well with dogs.
Picking this breed does not guarantee that your cat and dog will get along, but it does increase the chances that this will occur.
Some cat breeds that are known to get along with dogs include:
Oriental Burmese Siamese American ragdoll American or British shorthair Norwegian forest cat Maine coon , There are pros and cons for both getting a kitten and getting an older cat.
In order to pick between the two, you should be aware of the pros and cons and make the choice of which age is best for you and your existing pets.A kitten will require more work on your part to take care of and raise.
You will need to litter box train it and teach it the rules of the house.
However, your existing pets may be more likely to accept, and even embrace, a kitten instead of an adult cat.
An adult cat will take less work to care for, as it is likely already litter trained and independent.
However, it is less likely that the cat will be easily accepted into the fold by your other pets. -
Step 3: Pick a breed that is known to get along with dogs.
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Step 4: Decide between a kitten and an older cat.
Detailed Guide
There are some cat breeds that are known to be anti-social and resistant to interacting with other animals.
If you bring one of these breeds into a home that already has pets, there are bound to be conflicts.Some breeds that are known to be shy include the Persian, Russian blue, and Himalayan.This is especially important to consider when bringing a cat into a home that has dogs.
A shy or skittish cat could be traumatized by having to interact with dogs on a regular basis, even if the dog is not aggressive or mean towards it.
There are some cat breeds that are social, have an even temperament, and tend to get along with other pets.
Picking one of these breeds doesn't guarantee that your new cat will get along with cats you already have, but it increases that chances that they will.
Some friendly breeds include:
Maine coon Manx Ocicat Persian Ragdoll , If you have a dog in your house, you should consider picking a breed of cat that is known to get along well with dogs.
Picking this breed does not guarantee that your cat and dog will get along, but it does increase the chances that this will occur.
Some cat breeds that are known to get along with dogs include:
Oriental Burmese Siamese American ragdoll American or British shorthair Norwegian forest cat Maine coon , There are pros and cons for both getting a kitten and getting an older cat.
In order to pick between the two, you should be aware of the pros and cons and make the choice of which age is best for you and your existing pets.A kitten will require more work on your part to take care of and raise.
You will need to litter box train it and teach it the rules of the house.
However, your existing pets may be more likely to accept, and even embrace, a kitten instead of an adult cat.
An adult cat will take less work to care for, as it is likely already litter trained and independent.
However, it is less likely that the cat will be easily accepted into the fold by your other pets.
About the Author
Hannah Lee
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow pet care tutorials.
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