Stud Cat Buddies – Housing Stud Cats Together

Stud cats are funny creatures. Some grow up and live happily without spraying while others hose down their run as if it is on fire every single day. It is often impossible to guess how your boy will behave until he matures and shows you his personality as an adult.

Most stud boys need to be kept alone where they cannot see or smell other males. Every now and again though there is a little miracle and two entire males will live happily together. It has happened in my own cattery and I consider it magical.

The Story of Rickie and Henry – Our First Stud Buddies

Rickie was two years old and originally lived with a female cat. He hated being alone and would cry while she was away at cat shows or inside the house. Henry was about eight months old. He had been imported from the United Kingdom and had lived in quarantine with the female he travelled over with.

I also had another boy called Jackie who is happy to have other stud boys live in the run next to him. I tried him with Rickie when they were younger but Jackie always showed he was dominant by play mating Rickie. Rickie never objected and there were no fights but it was clear they were not meant to be pals.

When Rickie’s female friend needed to stay with Jackie I worried about leaving Rickie on his own. Stud boys can be noisy and in a suburban backyard that is not always popular with the neighbours. So we decided to try Henry with Rickie.

We started slowly by putting Henry up to the wire of Rickie’s run and watching for a reaction. All seemed good so Damien and I both went inside. He held Rickie while I held Henry and we allowed them to sniff one another while we were close by. The interaction went well so we let them go but we were ready to step in if anything went wrong. It did not.

There was not a single hiss. Henry trotted around checking out his new pen while Rickie followed sniffing and watching. They ate side by side from day one and within two days they were sleeping on the same bed. Henry loves to use Rickie as a pillow. We had our very own stud cat buddies.

As Henry grew older they moved into a larger run with viewing areas and two wooden kennels. At night they would each sleep in a separate kennel but sometimes I noticed them still squeezing into the same one. Neither sprayed in their pen. Rickie has sprayed before when he was inside wearing pants but not while living happily with Henry.

The Benefits of Housing Stud Cats Together

When stud boys can safely share a pen there are some wonderful benefits.

• They have company so they are not lonely
• They share a pen which reduces the time spent cleaning and maintaining multiple stud pens
• They often seem happier and more relaxed

Secrets to Making Stud Cat Buddies Work

There are some very important steps that make it more likely to work.

Choose males with the right temperament. Submissive or calm boys are best. Often they will naturally recognise another boy as the top cat and not fight for dominance.
Introduce them slowly. Allow them to meet side by side through wire first. Watch their reaction carefully before trying to put them together.
Be prepared for change. Hormones, calling queens, and changes in season can all affect behaviour. Always have a backup pen ready so that you can separate them quickly if needed.
Provide enough space. Two boys need more room than one. Provide multiple beds, feed bowls, scratching posts and enrichment items so there is less to compete over.

With careful planning and supervision you might just see a little bit of stud buddy magic too.

Our Experience Over the Years

Over the years Rickie and Henry taught us that some stud cats can be happy sharing. As time passed we made their pen bigger and added a hammock bed. They still loved each other and although they eventually did start to spray it was very limited to a couple of places.

When girls came to visit there were occasional issues when they were reintroduced but as they grew older even this was no longer a problem.

Eventually we found that as they aged they preferred more personal space. We separated them and Henry was desexed and moved into the house where he made friends with our kitten Ralphie. When Ralphie needed to move out into a stud pen Henry went with him and the two boys lived together happily for years. Rickie was also desexed and moved into our new cattery barn where he lived with two older girls. He was not suitable as a house cat as he would spray inside but he was very content in the barn.

The Circle of Companionship

In time we lost our beautiful Rickie to suspected pancreatitis during the covid pandemic lockdown. He spent his last months enjoying life with his lady companions. Later Henry passed away after a long battle with lymphoma. Until his final days Henry and Ralphie remained the closest of friends.

After Henry passed we moved Ralphie’s sons Bobby and Gus into the pen next to him. When it was clear that the boys got along well they were introduced and now live together happily. It has been a full circle of companionship for our boys.

These experiences taught us that with patience it is often possible to give a stud cat a friend. We have seen many successful combinations over the years including brothers, desexed mother and son, desexed father and son, and even grandfather and grandson.

Final Thoughts

Housing stud cats together is not always possible but when it works it is a beautiful thing. It takes planning, observation and a willingness to change arrangements if needed.

Stud cat buddies can live long and happy lives together and it is worth considering if you have boys with the right temperament.

If you are a new breeder and want to learn more about housing, enrichment and daily care for stud cats, come and join my New Cat Breeders Club. It is a safe and friendly place to get support as you learn how to manage your own stud cats.