Last month, I shared that kitten season is upon us. If you’re considering adding a feline to your family, I urge you to make it two!

If you’ve ever spent time near a firecracker of a kitten who’s deemed your ankles their prey of choice, you might be thinking one is plenty. In reality, two kittens can actually be half the work of one! 

Solo kittens living without the companionship of other cats can develop “single kitten syndrome,” a collection of inappropriate play and biting behaviors that include attacking human hands and feet, destroying property and generally bouncing off the walls. 

Cats are social creatures who thrive in the company of others. Without the outlet of a feline companion, curious kittens find other forms of fun, like climbing your curtains or hunting anything that moves—including you! As natural predators, cats are hardwired to bite and chase. By playing together, kittens keep each other occupied while learning social skills and biting boundaries. 

Last spring, a three-week-old kitten named Bindi was found injured in a field. She recovered in foster care, but after a few weeks, Bindi’s foster mom noticed she was biting fingers and chasing feet. Serendipitously, Roice-Hurst Humane Society welcomed a shy kitten named Besitos, who joined Bindi in foster care. Bindi learned proper play behaviors from Besitos, and Besitos gained confidence from Bindi. Ultimately, the pair went home together as lifelong companions.

If kittens aren’t your thing, consider adopting a bonded pair of adult cats. Bonded pairs are two animals who have lived together for most or all of their lives and now need to find a new home together. Bonded adult cats generally spend much longer in shelters than their single counterparts. 

As if gaining double the love isn’t reason enough to add a pair of kittens to your family this summer, Roice-Hurst Humane Society sweetens the deal by offering an “adopt one, get one half off” for all double kitten adoptions. Are you convinced yet?

Be the difference for a kitten in need

Kitten season happens annually between now and the end of autumn when cats reproduce. This kitten season, I challenge you to be the difference for a kitten in need. Read More » 

Jenna is Roice-Hurst Humane Society's Communications Coordinator. Contact her at [email protected]