I have decided to acquire a maine coon kitten and now the question is whether to get one or two? Please read on before you answer.

I live in a very very small apartment and have room for only ONE LITTERBOX and MAYBE two sets of food/water bowls. I would definitely want to have more than one, but don't know if I have the space. If they are littermates, are there problems with them sharing this stuff?

In addition, I work around 10-12 hours a day and am worried that he/she will be lonely.

-- Anonymous, December 28, 2000

Answers

I have 3 cats and share the litter box. I have brought one of the rubbermaid large cantainers and works very well. My cats also share the food dish. I guess I'm lucky that they all get along and share. By have 2 cats they will keep each other company. I will never own one cat any more. You can make sure that the dishes are bigger so they can eat out of them together. I have brought a dog dish for their dry food, since the cat dishes are too small.

-- Anonymous, December 29, 2000

I recently adopted a 14 week old female MC kitten. I had a 14 wk old male buff tabby *both neutered* and I was afraid he was getting a bit lonely while I was away at work (8 hr day). I do not regret introducing the second kitten! They enjoy my company when I am home and they have so much fun together that I don't have the guilts when leaving the house. ;-) I set food down in seperate bowls but that's more for me than for them because they eat from each others bowls. I bought a large water bowl for them to share and they share the LitterMaid litter box w/out a problem. If you can swing the vet bills for two cats, then by all means go for two!

-- Anonymous, December 29, 2000

get two. Space may be an issue, but the animals will be so much happier with company. I've never had a problem integrating cats with each other (sometimes it takes time, and if you get mopre than two they play favorites), but two is ideal. You'll want to change the litterbox frequently, but you should be doing that anyway for the health of the cat . . . "LitterPearls" do work.

Good luck!

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001