I've been a longtime cat owner and one thing I've learned is that if there's the option to adopt more than one cat at a time, you should jump at it. The concept sounds like it will be more complicated, but will it really? How hard is it to take care of more than one cat at a time? Here are a few reasons why two cats are best.
When it comes to cats, they're naturally hardwired to be territorial and very defensive about their personal space. However, not all cats are like that. I've cared for many cats that have no aggressive tendencies and get along with any other cat that may cross into their space. Then again, my current cat wants nothing to do with any creature besides herself and me. It all comes down to the cat's personality, and when cared for from kittenhood, it can be very simple to raise them in such a way that lets them get along with all other cats.
The trick is to adopt them young and adopt more than one at a time. Siblings work best for this as shelters routinely have pairs or full litters come in that slowly get taken to separate homes. If, however, you decide to adopt two or three at a time, the cats will grow up in a home where another cat isn't a strange thing and by the time they've hit adulthood, the chance of adding another cat to the mix being a problem is reduced by quite a lot.
If you're trying to decide based on what's right for the cats, consider that shelters everywhere are packed to capacity with cats that can't find homes. By adopting more than one cat at a time, you're helping to relieve the shelter even more.
Consider also that cats left alone can get rather lonely when you're not there, even if they seem standoffish any other day. By giving them a friend to play with, you not only provide them with companionship when you're out of the house, you also give them a great means of exercise, which can help them stay healthier and skinnier.
The only real downside comes down to the nature of doubling everything. Your food will run out twice as fast. The litterbox will need to be cleaned twice as often. There will be twice as much cat hair all over the house. Still, that's a small negative to an overall positive experience.
Nothing can quite beat the feeling of having a cat snuggled on your lap, unless you are fortunate to experience two snuggling up at once. Go make the right choice and adopt two cats today. You'll be doing the world twice as much good when you do!
