one or two ragdolls for first time pet owner?

Yes, getting two will reduce the amount of destruction, especially during their first few years. They will still be destructive, but not as much as they use that energy to bounce off and fight each other instead of your sofa, legs or valuables on tables and shelves.

10 hrs away is not that much time, but if they are still kittens, I would recommend taking a few weeks off work to get the cats (I assume kittens in your case) used to their surroundings and for you to keep an eye on it.


You can get one and another later but they may not like each other or just ignore each other. If you get two from the same litter and are bonded, they will spend a lot of time with each other and play with each other. It also complicates things if they are to be seperated and may have severe anxiety.


If you're a first time pet owner, and a first time kitten owner, I would really recommend adopting an adult cat if you want a chill pet. Kitten(s) can be a handful and very destructive, regardless of breed.

those are some adorable photos, ty for sharing them!

A part of me wants to say start with 1, as someone who's never had a pet before, you never know what a life changer it might be. But I also get the getting a pair logic too now that I am a cat owner.

I grew up with dogs, but had never owned a cat until 3 years ago. I rescued one thinking cats = way less work than dogs, so I should be good right? I ended up with a cat that acts more like a dog. Always wants to be near me and doesn't know how to play on her own so will bring toys over to me to get me to play with them. It's both a blessing and a curse as I love how much I can interact with her and she's not the "aloof" only loves me for food, that people associate with cats. The only reason I got a cat was that 5 years ago my company got rid of our Toronto office and I started working from home everyday, so I didn't feel bad having to leave a cat alone for 10+ hours each day. If my place was bigger, I'd totally get another to be her play buddy, but my small condo can't support another cat.

So long story short, if you are in it for the long haul, thick or thin, never gonna give them up...never gonna let them down...never gonna run around and desert them. Go for 2 and enjoy the life of being a pet owner. It's magical!

the main reason i am debating whether to get two or not is because since I never owned any pet before, I dont know if the kitten would be fine if i was away 10 hours a day. My plan is to take a week off after i get it so hopefully the kitten can adjust with that time... But the reason I am leaning toward one is because since I never owned any pet before, getting two to start might be a bit too much for me, financially and mentally/physically, dont you guys think?

also part of me is holding out hope (since i dont have the kitten now) that it would be able to adjust okay being the only cat in the house...

kjc123 wrote: ↑But the reason I am leaning toward one is because since I never owned any pet before, getting two to start might be a bit too much for me, financially and mentally/physically, dont you guys think?

also part of me is holding out hope (since i dont have the kitten now) that it would be able to adjust okay being the only cat in the house...

The cat will be fine as a single cat. Cats are pretty self sufficient, you will mainly need to change/scoop litter and feed them daily, they can seek you out for needed attention. Some are more clingly than others.

The reason for getting two is twofold, owning two is similar in daily duties time-wise to owning one but they will depend on you less for social interaction, and they will be a delight to see horsing around together.

You may not get another cat down the road to bond with an already established single cat; they are territorial by nature. Often if you want cats sleeping currled up together, grooming one another, even simply playing together, they will do this if they are adopted as kittens together. All bets are off after that; some cats will never get along.

If the reason is financial as you did list... Well, I might suggest holding off at this juncture (a lot of uncertainty financially at the the moment in the world). Or not paying for a purebred and getting a shelter cat instead which is in need of a home. In fact, if you're worried about time constraints if at all possible do not get a longhaired cat, they often require daily brushing to prevent matting.