Should I get another cat?

Mrs_Z

All I would say that if you do decide to get another cat, go for a kitten rather than an adult cat.  We got our 2nd cat when the first was around 1,5 years - thinking that she must have felt a bit lonely being at home when we were at work etc.  She also used to sit together with a neighbours cat on their shed roof and it looked so lovely, the pair of them; one white and the other black.  
So we went on and got a rescue cat.  In hindsight it was a mistake.  We did not know back then how to introduce them to each other properly, we just came back with the new cat (similar age) and let her out from the basket and left them to it.  Well, they never got on.  The new cat used to bully our first one - obviously sensing that the boss's place was there for the taking.  In time they learnt to tolerate each other but mainly they divided the house into upstairs/downstairs territories.  You could get them both on the same sofa at times, but on the opposite ends.  The saddest thing for me was that our first cat, being on the receiving end of the bullying behaviour then went on to bully the neighbours cat and they ceased sitting together on the shed roof as she just chased off the neighbours cat.  
It does sound like yours is rather content with his girlfriends next door.  However, I have friends who have very successfully introduced new cats (kittens) to existing ones so it can be done.

Kim_kim

kimwp said:

Getting another cat won't stop him bringing in prey, and it might upset him - visiting other cats is very different to having an uninvited (by him) cat in his territory. You'd be risking upsetting the dynamic you have with him and it is unlikely to solve the issue. 

I wouldn’t want that.  I’d only buy another if it benefited him.  I should have bought his brother when I bought him! 

Bluebell1000

We had 2 cats, and got a kitten just over a week ago. Our 5 year old cat took about 3 days to start playing with the kitten, and now they are friends, rubbing round each other. They are indoor cats so no hunting (but mainly as we live on a busy road). This is what we hoped would happen. Our 5 year old cat had been pestering our old girl of about 16 trying to play and she just wasn't interested. This has made her life more relaxed too! We have a Feliway diffuser running, don't know if it has helped.
It's also helped that we chose a maine coon kitten, very laid back, confident (and cuddly) so he was not at all worried by the occasional hiss from Socks when they were getting to know each other.
I think we have been lucky; there is no guarantee that adding another cat will go well. I hope it's useful to share a positive experience, but cats are individuals and not necessarily predictable with what they will do!

theoretica

Kim_kim said:

If they ever invent a cat flap that stops a cat bringing in prey (dead & alive - but especially alive), I’ll pay hundreds for it! 

I read an article about a computer scientist who did just that with a camera on the cat flap which when it was triggered took an image and tried to use AI to work out if their cat was bringing something or not.  But a one off, I think, and trained with pictures of their specific cat.

Here you are:

https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2019/6/30/19102430/amazon-engineer-ai-powered-catflap-prey-ben-hamm

avawat20

I would keep them indoor, especially Burmese as they are obviously a pedigree so more likely to be stolen. It then stops your problem and protects the animals he's hunting.

Kim_kim

avawat20 said:

I would keep them indoor, especially Burmese as they are obviously a pedigree so more likely to be stolen. It then stops your problem and protects the animals he's hunting.

He’d climb the walls if I tried to keep him inside! 

I live in a small village, I’m not really worried about him being stolen.  

Mnoee

Kim_kim said:

avawat20 said:

I would keep them indoor, especially Burmese as they are obviously a pedigree so more likely to be stolen. It then stops your problem and protects the animals he's hunting.

He’d climb the walls if I tried to keep him inside! 

I live in a small village, I’m not really worried about him being stolen.  

It's very difficult making an outside cat an indoor cat - I saw my parents really struggle with bengals in a large flat after moving from a house and garden. Thankfully after a year they moved back to a place they could go out. 

I have indoor cats who have a climbing wall I built - so they do literally climb the walls! They were from a rescue and needed an indoor home, so I've put a lot of effort into making most of downstairs a cat paradise. It's certainly possible to have happy indoor cats, but I think you need to do it from the start and really put effort into making your home entertaining for them. 

Kim_kim

Mnoee said:

Kim_kim said:

avawat20 said:

I would keep them indoor, especially Burmese as they are obviously a pedigree so more likely to be stolen. It then stops your problem and protects the animals he's hunting.

He’d climb the walls if I tried to keep him inside! 

I live in a small village, I’m not really worried about him being stolen.  

It's very difficult making an outside cat an indoor cat - I saw my parents really struggle with bengals in a large flat after moving from a house and garden. Thankfully after a year they moved back to a place they could go out. 

I have indoor cats who have a climbing wall I built - so they do literally climb the walls! They were from a rescue and needed an indoor home, so I've put a lot of effort into making most of downstairs a cat paradise. It's certainly possible to have happy indoor cats, but I think you need to do it from the start and really put effort into making your home entertaining for them. 

I wouldn’t be able to answer the door!
Everytime someone comes to the door he has to run out & greet them. 

seven-day-weekend

My son had two cats, sisters, from the same litter, as kittens.  They never did more than tolerate each other.  One died at nineteen years old and they were never 'pals'.  The other is still going strong at 22 1/2.

Both of them were good hunters in their youth and didn't stop until they got too old.  You can never tell.  Having two cats might mean double the prey.

Kim_kim

Well I got another cat.  A girl, 9 months old.  He’s definitely spending less time outside.  She’s not allowed out yet.  

He does play a bit rough with her & I do have to stop him at times, but she is very submissive to him.  He’s way bigger than her, she’s just a big kitten.