Adopting siblings a bad idea?

**carole** · 03-17-2009, 08:48 PM

I think it just depends on their purssonalitys really, i have rescued a mother and daughter, and sadly the mother is always fighting with her sweet daughter, she will go and attack her while sleeping just for the heck of it, it is as if she wants her to leave,it is not constant, but annoying at times, i often have to rescue poor Nikki, mother has bitten her on the nose before and bottom, she does fight back, and is a bigger cat than her mother, but she just seems to let mother be the boss.

However my uncle has two siblings a girl and a boy cat and they are the best of mates, so it just depends on the individual kitty i guess.

**Freedom** · 03-17-2009, 09:21 PM

Thanks for the reality check, everyone. I thought I was losing my mind, I had never heard of this either.

I can't imagine why they do this, and as I say, they are one of the larger cat rescues in this area. Hmmm. I may pursue this with them, after I have a "fight" with my brother, and break up Tommy and Tuppence's snug fest.

**kitten645** · 03-17-2009, 10:43 PM

Calvin & Hobbes are brofurs. I think it's like any siblings. Sometimes they get along and snuggle. Sometimes they just want their personal space. I think putting up silly barriers like this wouldn't encourage multiple adoptions and hurt the kitties trying to find furever homes. I would think it would be harder for two cats that are "strangers" to learn to get along.
Claudia

**Catlady711** · 03-17-2009, 11:05 PM

I haven't read all the replies, but I've never heard of someone not adopting out sibs before.

I have Pooky & Bear (brothers I got at 4 weeks old) and they sometimes get on each other's nerves but I wouldn't say they fight. Bear is a cuddler and will snuggle up with Pooky and nap.

I have the 3 sibs (Sassy, Sabrina, Josh) 2 females, 1 male. They do sometimes actually fight. Mostly when someone goes to the vet and smells different. The fighting is usually instigated by Sabrina (named at 2 weeks old after a witch mind you since she's a torti) and Josh (who is just a bully when he's upset). None of the 3 of them ever truly cuddle, but will sometimes wash each other, or lay next to each other without incident. They do play together but sometimes it gets too rough and I have to break it up.

I think it's more of a personality thing myself.

**Medusa** · 03-18-2009, 07:15 AM

My first "official" rescues were Peeka and Boo, sister and brother. They were like one cat, inseparable. Peeka went to the Bridge at age 14 w/acute renal failure and Boo (now 18) was so protective and comforting to her that it made me cry. I said to him once "Go comfort your sister; she needs some cuddling" and he immediately went to her, laid down next to her, put his arm around her and from that point didn't leave her side. When I took her in to make her trip to the Bridge, Boo was simply lost and he looked for her for days and would sit in the middle of the room and just stare. If I was still actively involved in rescue/adoption, I'd take in siblings in a heartbeat. You give and receive twice as much happiness that way.

**CultureJunky** · 03-20-2009, 12:46 PM

I've never heard of that before either, seems an odd thing to say. Often rescues try to encourage you to take more than one so they have eachother for company. Jack and Sunny were related and loved eachother to bits. I'd always take two from the same litter, they may develop different personalities but I've never heard of litter mates not liking eachother and fighting to the point where it's stressful and causes problems.

**phesina** · 03-20-2009, 02:58 PM

I've never heard of that either, Sandie. Which rescue was it? I wonder if that was just an idea the person you spoke with had or if it is an actual policy of the rescue (and if it is, WHY?).