Thread: To Get Ripley a little friend?

Absolutely agree ... we have 5 MCs now and one gorgeous elderly (17.5 years old) tabby 'moggy'. I know that he missed his mate of many years when our beautiful Ben (RIP) went to Rainbow Bridge coming up to 3 years ago now. It took Tigs a couple of weeks to really settle with the first influx of kittens (three of them!) but he was brilliant with them and is often a doting 'grandad' now. I'm sure that Ripley would love the company ... and Musicalife's suggestion about a rescue MC (or perhaps an ex breeding queen?) is great :-)
Please let us know how you get on?

We just got a friend for our little boy, a two year old MC as well. If you get one that's not breeding anymore, they usually go for half price or less. It's only been a few days since we've gotten our new little girl so I'm drawing from very little experience, but I'd say finding one that has a similar temperament has been very beneficial. Oliver had befriended a neighborhood cat who just wanted the company, and would get annoyed at Ollie's frequent attempts to play, so we thought we should find a better match. Last night we went to bed without sectioning anyone off, and Oliver was thrilled that there was someone there who was up for playing at five in the morning. They were running around like little furry crazies.

The breeder, as well as all of the articles I read by animal organizations said to introduce them gradually for the best results. Keep the newbie in their own room equipped with food, water, and litter at the beginning. Swap their scents by rubbing each of their faces with a towel so their personal scent gets mingled with the other's, creating a "family" scent before they actually meet. Some articles said to give the process a week; that seemed extreme, especially since our two had been very friendly to other cats in the past. We introduced ours after a day and then gradually increased their time together. When they were separated, we made sure to give both as much cuddles and fuss as we could to lessen any potential resentment. After some initial hissing and growling, they're getting along fine now. Hope it lasts!

Best of luck finding a partner for your baby! There are lots of cats looking for homes.