'Single Kitten Syndrome': Shelter Staff Explains Why It's Beneficial to Have Your Kitten Grow Up With a Sibling

Becoming a cat parent comes with a lot of responsibility. Sure, cats are known as the most self-dependent pets, but they still require a lot of parenting—especially if you get kittens. Just like raising a child, the way you raise your kitten affects how they'll act when they're older. Except with cats, you don't really have an easy route of communication. So how do you communicate with your kitten?

This kitten rescue staff member says it's through behavior. However, she advises that the easiest way to raise a cat, is to get another cat. She says having an aggressive cat is another situation entirely, but if your cat is open to having a friend, you should definitely do it. Or if the kitten you're adopting has a sibling, you should absolutely get both. Why? Because they can communicate with each other better and thus learn off of each other's behaviors. 

She says cats who have issues with biting, scratching, using the liter box, sleeping, etc. are experiencing symptoms of what she calls "single kitten syndrome." This is because they didn't have a cat example of how to behavior from another feline friend as they were developing from kittenhood to adult cathood.