Five Rules for Happy Multi-cat Households
We are happy to introduce our guest blogger, a cat behaviorist Ren Sumption of The Clowder Room. This was written specifically for Rise Again Animal Rescue. Many thanks for this thought-provoking piece!
Five Rules for Happy Multi-cat Households
Ren Sumption, The Clowder Room
French fries, tattoos, cats: it's hard to stop at just one. If you've just gotten your second (or third, fourth…) cat, managing all their personalities and keeping the peace can feel like, well, herding cats. So, here are the top five best strategies for keeping your home from going catty-wumpus and everyone felin(e) fine (I know, I know, enough with the cat puns).
1. Everyone gets their own (and there's one extra)
This goes for everything: food bowls, litter boxes, beds, toys. Cat social structure is complex, and they just are not wired to be great at sharing. Now, some bonded -- or extremely courteous -- cats share easily with the rest of their fam, but most squabbles are caused by a perceived competition for limited resources.
Notice I said "perceived." This is from cat POV, which, no matter how much we make up their parts in the conversations we have with them, just isn't a human POV. It's about getting each cat to not see the other cats as adversaries for…anything. Only then, when they feel satisfied that there is more than enough of everything they need, will they stop jockeying for status (they are teensy predators, after all) -- high status guarantees access to resources, which ensures survival. Having an abundance of what they need, on a regular basis, goes far to alleviate these very natural anxieties.
Now, I hear a lot that this is too extra, that there just isn't room in for all these litter boxes and whatnot. Here's the truth, though: if your place isn't big enough to give each cat their own (and an extra), then consider that there isn't room for multiple cats and you shouldn't get more. Sounds mean, right? But for real. Cats are at our mercy for safety and comfort. If you can't provide that -- wait until you can.
2. Go vertical
Opening up vertical space in your home with cat trees, installed shelf-like walkways, or by simply clearing off the tops of flat, sturdy furniture (and being OK with the cats being on there) does a lot to increase cat happiness. Cats love a good perch. They love to laze and sleep someplace out of the way. It's fun for them, too, to watch from above (if you were that small, you'd like it, too).
But, most pointedly, when there are multiple cats in a home, having vertical space gives cats escape routes from one another -- should a, say disagreement occur. Even when cats are total besties, they aren't always in the mood for play when their sibs are, and they want to exit the play sitch asap. Cats are not known for their flexible moods; when they are forced to "give in," they don't do it willingly -- or happily. Having vertical spaces they can jump to and be inaccessible to others is important to keep stress levels down: theirs, for sure, which also means, of course, yours.
3. Give them the old one-on-one
I don't know where the idea that cats don't adore their humans started, but it is patently untrue. They may be independent, sure. Moody, surly, even, yes. Hard to read, definitely. But unloving? Unattached to us? That is complete nonsense.
So, be sure and spend good time with each cat individually, whatever that looks like for each one. Play with them, if that's their jam. Let them walk all over your keyboard and sit on your lap during meetings, if that's what they like. But give each of them attention and love.
Cats notice when we don't. They may not say anything, but they know when we haven't been present, and it affects them. Paying more attention to one can cause jealousy, anger, and depression -- none of which cats are particularly adept at handling responsibly. Cats with big feelings do let them out, but again, not in the same way we do. They will seek attention. This can look like redirecting their frustration on the other cats, or going outside their litter box, peeing in your shoes, or a hundred other ways no one involved will enjoy.
Attention doesn't have to be hours, either! Ten dedicated minutes every day for each kitty goes a long way.
4. "You smell vaguely familiar…do I know you?"
Even in a happy multi-cat home, there will be occasional need to, yes, actually, RE-introduce a long-timer back to the rest of the cats. A lot of times, humans never think of this, because who would need to introduce a not-new cat? But, as I said, cat social structure is complex. If one cat has been out of the home for any reason -- usually a vet visit, especially if an overnight stay was required -- they may, temporarily, smell different.
This is a BFD in cat-world.
You'll know if this is required because there are squabbles/fights or a general unease afterward, you may need to take that cat and, quite literally, re-introduce them back into the mix as if they are a newbie.
If you skip this step because of humancentric logic (dude, that's your brother, you KNOW him), things may settle back down naturally. Or they may never be the same. If you want a happy cat house, it's not a great gamble.
Re-introduction is 100% worth the slight inconvenience.
(There are many great articles on introducing cats. Here's a good one from the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [link: https://spca.bc.ca/faqs/how-introduce-new-cat-old-ca])
5. Two scoops, please
I know you know this one. And I know you mean to do this (me too! I am occasionally guilty!), but it doesn't happen, for whatever reason. But you gotta clean litter boxes at least twice a day, if you have more than one cat.
A whole lot of cat dissatisfaction stems from not having a clean, comfortable place to do business. And they will not only broadcast this unhappiness in ways designed to make their human equally unhappy, they may start policing the other cats in the house in nasty ways (such as intimidating the lowest ranking cat away from a certain box), as a means to try and (like I mentioned in #1), secure themselves as clean a box (precious resource) as possible.
I mean, we bring them home and then make them poo in a box, where they have to wade in with their bare feet. Cleaning frequently is just good parenting/friendship/citizenship. Imagine having to go in the grossest gas station/nightclub bathroom you've ever had the misfortune of experiencing, without shoes on.
Always remember, you'll get to know your cats best, and the ways you apply these "rules" will be unique for your household. But keeping in mind the quirks of catdom will always be your best guide.
If you’re interested in deep dives into the wonderful, weird world of all-things-cat, you are invited to subscribe to The Clowder Room, my free, bimonthly newsletter at https://theclowderroom.substack.com.