When my partner and I adopted our cat, we immediately fell in love with him, but we were also overwhelmed. After our little guy smashed a glass jar that he got his head stuck in and needed to get stitches, we realized that cat-proofing the apartment was an absolute necessity.
Once you have a pet for a while, though, and you all get used to each other’s routines, it’s easy to start dreaming about getting another. As I’m writing this, our second cat is currently en route to us from another country. There’s something so special about the bond that pet owners form with their animals. And once you know how that feels, it’s perfectly natural to want to share all of that love with as many animals as possible.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, over 42% of the nation’s households own at least one dog, and over 32% of the nation’s households own at least one cat. But the average dog-owning home has 1.6 pets running around, and the average cat-owning house has 1.8 pets.
This isn't surprising, though, when you realize that there are plenty of benefits that can come from having more than one furry friend. First of all, they can keep each other from becoming lonely, Purina notes. Have you ever had a dog or cat that pouts by the door the entire time they’re home alone? It’s absolutely heartbreaking. But when there’s more than one animal around, they can play with each other, cuddle together, and keep one another entertained. And you won’t have to worry about them being devastated all day long!
Another perk that pets can provide one another is plenty of exercise. Most dogs and cats love playing, but their owners aren’t available to throw a ball or swing a stick with feathers on it all day long. If you have two animals, however, they can come up with all sorts of games to play together. Whether they’re dogs, cats, bunnies, or lizards, they might chase each other around and ensure that they’ll be exhausted when bedtime rolls around.
#11 We Recently Adopted A 10 Week Old Kitten, And I Was Worried About How Our Older Cat Would React. Whack-A-Cat Has Become Her New Favorite Game Apparently
Of course, pets aren't the only ones who benefit from having a friend around. As all pet owners know, having an animal in the home can help your stress melt away. At the same time, having pets can reduce or eliminate loneliness. So having more than one can simply amplify these feelings. Just like how a parent’s heart doubles in size when they have another kid, a pet owner’s heart does the same when they adopt another fur baby into their home. And it’s amazing to feel even more love in the household.
Something that no pet owner ever wants to think about is the fact that their precious animal won’t be around forever. It’s devastating any time you lose a pet, as for many people, it’s no different from losing a family member. But having another animal at home might soften the blow a teeny tiny bit.
Coming home to an empty house is so painful when you’re used to being greeted by a cat or dog. So having another one around can prevent owners from being entirely swallowed up by grief and loneliness. Plus, your pet can be of huge comfort during that time, as they are amazing at tuning into our emotions.
#16 They Both Just Wanted To Look Out The Window But Never, Under Any Circumstances, Together
Now, it’s important to consider your pet’s temperament before introducing another animal into your home. If you have a solitary, independent cat, they might not be thrilled about an excited kitten suddenly being in their business all the time. Supertails notes that an animal’s age, their attachment level, how territorial they are, and more can factor into whether or not they’d be a good fit for a new sibling.
#19 These Fellas Look Highly Suspicious, Also The Car May Be Stolen. Not Sure If I Should Report It Or Not
