One Ragdoll Cat or Two?

Whether you have one resident Ragdoll cat or are trying to decide to get one or two kittens, for example, hopefully the imformation provided in this post will help you make a decision that’s right for your home, lifestyle and financial situation.

While the final decision is entirely up to you, we hope we can provide you with a plan for your decision-making process. A second cat is certainly double the fun, double the cuddles, and double the love, but it is also double the care and double the cost. You have to put these two things in balance before you bring the second cat into your home.

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Why Are You Getting a Second Cat?

In most cases, people want to get a second cat as a companion for their first cat. Ragdolls are very sociable cats, which can make this a very good idea. If you spend a lot of time at work every day and your Raggie is home alone, having a feline companion can make a difference. However, keep in mind that they are also very independent animals. While this is something that they might appreciate, it is not something they need.

If you are getting a second cat to replace a companion that your cat has had, then you should know that this is a very delicate situation. Cats suffer when family members leave the household or when their animal companions (be them cats or dogs) move away or die. The most natural solution is getting them a new companion, right?

But you have to make sure you give them a grieving period before so that they can compartmentalize the emotions that come with the process. Bringing in a second cat too soon after the first one has lost its companion has higher chances of leading to a full-on rejection, so often times, waiting a few months before you make this step is a wise choice.

Ragdoll cats get extremely attached to their masters and to the humans they interact with. When one of the kids leaves for college or moves away, for example, Ragdolls will be more affected by this event than other cats would.

Take a look at what some of our Floppycats subscribers have said on this matter (click on the image below to be taken to Facebook to read the comments there).

Are you getting two cats or a second cat?

Getting two cats or getting a second cat are two very different things. If you get two Ragdoll kittens together, then you will get your first cat-owner experience doubled.

On the other hand, getting a second cat means changing the patterns and habits you have with your Raggie for good. Here is a short outline of each of the situations that should help you see the distinctions:

Getting Two Ragdoll Cats

If you want to buy two Ragdoll cats from the very start, then you are in for quite the investment. Ragdolls may not be the most expensive cats out there, but buying one is certainly an expense you are going to feel. As you can imagine, buying two of them will require a bit of financial planning. You can talk to the breeder and ask for a discount since you are buying two.

If you want to get a male and a female Ragdoll to breed them, then you have to specify that to the breeder because the cats can’t be brother and sister (yes, people have asked me if they can breed their brother and sister cats).

If you don’t want kittens from your Ragdoll cats, on the other hand, then you can get a brother and sister, two brothers, or two sisters. The advantage of that would be that the cats would be of the same age. This means that you can correlate the vaccinations and medical check-ups further on.  But they might also pass at similar times – so something to keep in mind there.

Take a look at what some of the Floppycats readers had to say about getting one Ragdoll vs. getting two of them together.

Additional Investments

If you’re buying two Ragdoll cats at once, then your initial investment does not stop at buying the cats only. There are many other things that you will have to pay for right from the very start. Here are the main expenses you should expect to make:

2x Veterinary Bills

After getting your Ragdoll kittens, you’ll want to take them to the vet for their initial check-up. While most Raggies come with a check-up and even some of the vaccines made by the breeder, it is best to take them to the vet that is going to oversee them in the long run, right from the very start. 

2x Litter Boxes and Kitty Litter

The general rule on cat litter boxes is one litter box per cat plus one.  So, ideally, for two cats, you want to have 4 litter boxes – but it also depends if you have a 1600 sq ft home vs. a 6700 sq ft home – the larger the home, the more you space you have, the more room you need.

Of course, with more boxes and more peeing and pooping (1 cat’s waste vs. 2 cats’ waste), you will also need more litter.

2x Cat Food

Whatever you end up feeding your cat – you’ll have two times the cost of that with 2 cats, whereas only 1x the cost with a single cat.  Of course, depending on your budget, you might have quite the difference in expense or not.

2x Cat Accessories

While there are some accessories for your Ragdoll cats that you can use for both of them, such as the tools you will need for grooming – brushes, combs, and clippers, there are a lot of others you might need to buy two of – like beds, scratchers and toys. 

Cat toys and cat scratchers might be able to be shared – at least for most of the time. Each cat will most likely find a favorite toy, but you can certainly have a lot of common toys for them to play with. However, the wear and tear will be double, so you will have to buy more toys over the years.

Grab your copy of A Ragdoll Kitten Care Guide

The Advantages of Getting Two Ragdolls at Once

When you get both of your cats at once, provided that they come from the same breeder, they are most likely already familiar with each other. This will spare you the process of introducing the cats, which is always a struggle.

If the Raggies you are getting are siblings, then they will be able to live together, which is a fantastic thing. Even getting two cats from the same breeder that are not siblings, but that have socialized and built a bond with each other, is amazing because it will make the transition process much easier for them. They will always have each other and it will be much easier for them to adapt emotionally.

Another advantage of getting both your cats at once is that you can have the main veterinary visits for both of them. That still means double the cost, but you can take them both in at the same time, which will spare you the extra trip.  

[However, this might not necessarily work out in the long run – my two cats, Charlie and Trigg, do worse at the vet when I bring them together – and are calmer and more polite when I bring them separately – so I still do one vet trip per cat in the same week]

If your two cats are the same age, they are going to be with you and with each other for a long time and for approximately the same number of years. Excluding unexpected medical issues, this has a high chance of sparing your cats from the trauma of losing each other for a very long time.

The Disadvantages of Getting Two Ragdolls

Aside from the financial investments described above, there are some other things you should be aware of. When you get two Ragdolls kittens at once, you are in for a lot of work. Taking care of one Ragdoll cat is a lot to get used to for a first-time owner, but taking care of two can be a lot even for experienced owners.

However, it’s not too bad for too long.  And it can also be completely joyous – it’s just so subjective with the humans and kittens involved to ever generalize how it will be.

Another potential disadvantage is that the cats are going to form a dynamic duo, which will make them socialize less with you and the rest of the humans in the house. If this isn’t something that bothers you, then two Ragdolls are the right choice for you.

Getting a Second Ragdoll Cat

If you already have a Ragdoll cat, then you know all about the special care it needs and how to do it. This is certainly going to soften the process of getting a second cat. However, you still have some very important milestones to reach. The biggest of these is introducing the second cat to your first and to the household. Make sure to read the Floppycats guide to how to introducing a new cat in your home because you have to be prepared.

What kind of a cat are you getting? Kittens & Adult Cats

Getting a kitten as your second cat and getting an adult cat are two very different things. If this is something that you have not decided on, then here are a few things to consider about each version.

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Getting a New Kitten

If the second cat you are taking home is a kitten, then you should be prepared to go through that first year all over again. Kittens need extra care, extra dedication, and extra love. Make sure you have enough time and energy for all of it before you make the change.

[bctt tweet=”If the second cat you are taking home is a kitten, then you should be prepared to go through that first year all over again.” username=”@floppycats”]

Miss Lilly and Maddison

Advantages

Kittens are certainly much easier to introduce to your cat. Ragdolls are very sociable and protective, so you have a high chance of them hitting it off sooner rather than later. Even the smallest of kittens will not spare you the initial hissing ceremony, but an adult cat will accept a kitten much easier. You may even be lucky enough for your adult cat to mentor the kitten, which should be a delight to see.

A kitten is a bundle of joy, so having one in your home is going to uplift the mood for everybody, including your cat. Moreover, kittens are extremely playful, so they will get your cat to join the fun. This means more exercise, more tone, and a better disposition for them both.

Disadvantages

Caring for a kitten will draw up a lot of your time and a lot of your attention span. Even though you are going to enjoy the process, you have to make sure that you still offer enough attention and love to your first cat. Ragdolls can be pretty independent, but a new cat is something that will definitely disrupt their patterns.

[bctt tweet=”Caring for a kitten will draw up a lot of your time and a lot of your attention span. Even though you are going to enjoy the process, you have to make sure that you still offer enough attention and love to your first cat.” username=”@floppycats”]

It is all too easy for the first cat to end up feeling neglected, which is something you want to avoid because it can be extremely dangerous for it. Emotional traumas can lead to important medical issues such as fur loss, skin rashes, or even digestive issues.

Another potential disadvantage is that you might have to neuter or spay your new cat. Some breeders do that before selling the cat, but it is not always the case, so make sure you ask because it is a big event, both in terms of expenses and your emotional involvement.

Take a look at the comments section of our article on getting one or two Raggie kittens to find out the different experiences that our readers have had with this.

Getting a New Adult Cat

If the second cat you are bringing into your household is an adult, then you should be prepared for a longer acquaintance process between your two kitties. If you are thinking about adopting a second Ragdoll cat, then you should be prepared for everything this entails. Cats that are up for adoption can have minor health issues and/or emotional traumas, which means that they need special care.

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Even if this will greatly reduce your initial investment, it might cost you more in the long run. You should be aware of the full extent of the cat’s needs so that you know you can cover everything. Don’t hesitate to consult your vet about this because he or she can tell you what caring for your adopted cat implies exactly.

Advantages

Adopting an adult cat is giving it a new chance at life, which is an amazing thing to do. Most adopted animals build a special bond with their new masters, so you will have a friend for life in that Raggie.

An advantage of getting an adult cat is that it is already set in its ways and you will spend far less time with its education. Older cats also have less energy, so if your first Ragdoll cat is more sedentary, then the new one might simply join in on the relaxation.

[bctt tweet=”An advantage of getting an adult cat is that it is already set in its ways and you will spend far less time with its education.” username=”@floppycats”]

Disadvantages

The major disadvantage of getting an adult Ragdoll cat as the second cat in your home is the socializing part between the two cats because it can become rather complicated. Both cats are bound to become territorial and there is a very high chance that they will fight.

Follow our guide to the introduction process and make sure you do not let them interact unsupervised before they have accepted one another. You must have a lot of patience with them and be ready to intervene if they start to fight.

Keep in mind that there is a chance that the two cats will not accept each other in the end. Regardless of your best intentions, they could turn out to be incompatible. In this case, you could have to find a new home for your second cat.

Are You Ready for a Second Cat?

Now that you’ve seen the basics of what getting a second cat implies, here are some other aspects that you should consider before making your decision. We’ve built a short questionnaire for you to take before getting your new cat:

1. Do you have time for a second cat?

Think about the time you will invest in caring for your new cat, grooming it, playing with it, but make sure you add it to the time you already spend with your first cat.

2. Do you have the money for a second cat?

A second cat means 2x vet bills, 2x kitty litter, 2x cat food, 2x cat toys and accessories, plus the cost of actually buying the cat. Make sure this is an expense that you can make.

3. Are you ready for the introduction process?

Bringing a second cat into your home is not going to be easy and you will need to put in a lot of patience and dedication in the process. It may take weeks and maybe even months before your cats accept each other.

4. Have you taken into consideration that your cats may not get along?

Even though you have the best possible intentions, your cats can still end up not liking each other. Each cat has its very own personality and the two of them could simply be incompatible. Are you ready to find a new home for one of them should this be the case?

As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider before getting a second cat. I can’t help you with your final decision, but I hope that the info in this article will help you in the process. Good luck!

Want to keep on reading on this subject?

Check out what Floppycats’ readers had to say in the comments of this Facebook Page post and this Facebook group post.