Question about when you take in 2 kittens at once

[Kelly G]

Ten days ago, we brought home our two new British Short air kittens (17 weeks old, full siblings).
It's been great for them to have each other through the difficult transition of a new place and a 700 mile car trip. The are fast friends and do most everything together.

They are friendly, well-adjusted kittens who really like my hubby & I.....but they LOVE each other!

My question is this: should we seperate them for a couple hours each day for some alone time, followed by the playful/affectionate presence of my husband or me? Then after "people" time, we put them right back together.

The thought being - let them crave company - and when they are looking for company - the company they grt will be "their people."

It also seems difficult to teach them to respond to their names when they are always together.

What are your thoughts? What have you done when you've gotten two at once?

...and because this thread is useless without pictured -

Cooper

Penny

Together -

 

[Kaitie09]

I raised 6 at once and they all seemed to figure out their names. We never separated them and while they did crave each others attention, they still come when called and jump right up onto your lap to be cuddled.

 

[that_crazy_lady]

1st HOW CUTE!!!

2nd It's really up to you.
Our mama cat has had 2 little of 2. We have all of them, but are going to get the girls fixed. With cats I teach them their names buy saying it when I'm petting them, or when I know they know I'm talking to them. It can take a while. And they will bond with you on their own time. With the more shy ones I like to pick them up when they are sleepy, or are asleep and set them in my lap. With kittens it's best to let them burn each other out, then love on them. After a time they tend to get bored with each other and choose a person they want to hang out with anyways.

From the first little there is Donny, and Tigger. Tigger was weak and the mom kept bringing him to us befor his eyes opened. So he was bottle fed part of the time {goat milk is the best!} So at first he was a very clingy needy little kitten. Then about the time they hit the same age as your babys, they only wanted to climb up legs or be fed. Now Tiger would rather sit & watch us, while Donny is a big time lover.
The other littler is young yet, the female will go from lap to lap while playing but tends only to sleep on my dad or brothers. While the male tends to only come to me to sleep. Whats funny is the male is yellow, and the female is gray, like yours

My grandmother also had two kittens that she bottle fed, the female was more quite and the male is still needy and damanding....he is 6-7 now, saddly she lost his sister to cancer a few years ago. But they liked having a person all to them selves, that could have been from all the one on one feedings

Kittens remind me of toddlers, they change so much from one day to the next.

 

[ChickenFanaticAB]

I've never found that cats raised together crave each others company more than humans once they are older (unlike dogs). We raised 2 kittens together, and while they spent all their time together sleeping and playing as kittens, we still gave them individual attention (though never separated them) and they still loved to get petted and cuddled by us. Now that they are grown, they don't even get along very well, don't spend much time together at all, and would much rather be guarding one of their people's laps from the other than cuddling together. Other cats that have been raised together seem to be the same. Most continue to enjoy each others company (unlike mine) but still are independent and seek out human interaction.

Also - both of ours know their names very well, no issues with confusion there at all. I'm a big proponent of raising multiple cats at once as long as you have the means!

ETA: THEY ARE ADORABLE! How are your other cats doing with them?

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

I read on another thread that you are going to show your female, so definately yes I would start spending some alone time with them. She'll need to have some training and socialization in order to perform well for the judges and also be used to being bathed, brushed, ect. It would be nice for both of them to get that training and in the process build a strong bond individually. Of course, this is coming from the mind of a dog trainer (but I have dabbled in cat training too).

 

[Kelly G]

Thanks, guys! This is exactly what I needed!

We will wait it out.

I love this site!