I recall feeling nothing but sheer agitation the first time I dropped Angus off at The Holiday Hotel for Cats in West Los Angeles. The entire white-knuckled drive west, I whispered calming words into my traumatized kitten’s ears. It was his first time away from home and I hadn’t quite figured out that cats bond with their environments. Angus wasn’t howling in pain because I was leaving him with strangers for a week. He was pissed off because I was tearing him away from every nook and cranny he’d made friends with over the prior six months.
The Holiday Hotel for cats is a unique boarding facility that allows cats to roam inside and out. They can stay in their spacious cage (left open during the day), or they have the freedom to lounge outside in the sun. Akin to a kitty commune (minus the cult leader), the cats never fight because no one marks their territory. Margaret, the owner, literally speaks cat. She assured me that my petrified kitten would be just fine. I pried his claws from my sweater and passed him to her. Unwilling to look his betrayer in the eye, Angus curled into a ball and I left, my Catholic guilt fully triggered.
Angus
A week later I returned to find a completely different cat. The morose, antisocial kitten I’d left the week before had blossomed into a well-adjusted cool cat. After a minor hunger strike of two days (Margaret threatened to bottle feed him), he’d come out of his shell. He participated in the many cat-ivities, which included sleeping, playing, chasing and lounging in the sun. He learned how to box with his new best friend, Moon Doggie, a Main Coone thrice his size (Angus has never been very spatially aware, bless his heart). He was happy for the first time because he was around his own kind. This made me realize that he needed a friend at home as well.
Margaret suggested I look online at the local shelters. More specifically, she told me which breeds to look for. ‘You mean any cute lil’ cat won’t do?’ I asked. She said that Angus, a grey tuxedo, would get along well with either a male black cat or a male brown tabby. My curiosity peaked. If specific cat breeds are BFFs, could I essentially lock in Angus’ happiness factor? I was determined to find out. I scoured online shelter sites and finally found him; the most adorable brown tabby with big green eyes. My boyfriend and I hightailed it to the shelter and fell in love with Angus’ soon-to-be younger brother.
Angus + his brother Squeaker
We soon noticed that he was Angus’ opposite: sweet, social and SUPER chill. While scrappy little Angus had howled his way to a rescue, having been abandoned by his (likely) feral mother, Squeaker had been fostered by a caring couple, and socialized with other cats, dogs and house parties. Angus has always been in survival mode, paranoid at the slightest sound. Squeaker is basically the cat form of the Dude. We assumed he would be the serious yin to Angus’ yang. We were partially right.
While the initial meeting was stressful for Angus, they soon bonded and learned to deal with each other’s personality quirks. Angus is extremely territorial, but our little dude, Squeaker, does not abide and will fight back. According to Animal Planet, Persians, Maine coons, ragdolls and Birmans are generally more easygoing and adaptable than other cat breeds, and may accept a new feline friend. Cat Fancy has a handy dandy breed characteristics and personalities page, which might tip you off to the right breed for your household.
Other factors including age, temperament and environment can affect your cat’s reaction to new feline family members. An older cat may not take too kindly to a spritely young kitten that only wants to play. Introducing animals slowly while adhering to your cat’s regular schedule is recommended, as we know they don’t love change. However, much like your own family, you never know what you might end up with, which can be half the fun!
