Cool for a second cat?

We have a two-year-old female tortoiseshell cat and we thought it would be nice for her to have a companion, especially as she is left on her own for a few hours during the day. We are thinking of getting her a companion in the new year, and not sure of how best to go about this to avoid conflict. Any advice would be appreciated.

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In the long-term, companionship could hopefully be beneficial for both cats. Introducing a new cat to a resident cat can be very challenging, however, and the process is best done gradually as problems will arise if introductions are rushed.

It's also a good idea to wait until the new year, when all the festive excitement will have died down.