How many cats is too many ?

[Buttons232]

There hasn’t been a time in my life when I’ve been without a cat. I grew up on a farm and spent my childhood taming wild kittens. At the moment I have three, a surprisingly spritely, 13 year old male and two year old brothers. They all get on. They’re insured, well cared for and well looked after. I had no desire for anymore. I’ve always felt that three is the tipping point between acceptable pet ownership and crazy cat lady!

Then a week ago I found a filthy, starving, abandoned and dying kitten! I didn’t expect him to make it through the night but I’ve bottle fed him back to life. He is now in the process of being weened and doing really well. I suspect he’s about 5 weeks old. Trouble is I am now a mother figure to him, he follows me, cries for me and climbs up me to sleep in my hair!

I wouldn’t have chosen this many but I’m not sure I can give him up now. Should I keep him ? Is 4 too many ?

It really depends on their personalities. For me 4 was too many. We rehomed one and are much happier with 3 cats now.

I also have four and find people raise an eyebrow. I think 5+ puts you firmly in Cat Lady territory.

The questions for me are:

1. Do you care what other people think? (Hopefully no)
2. Can you afford four? I pay something like £70 a month in insurance (with multi-cat discount) but that doesn't cover everything, e.g. dental surgery, and each policy has an excess. You could quite easily end up spending four figures a year plus insurance costs. And then there are flea and worming meds if they go outside.
3. Do all the cats tolerate other cats? Each new addition upsets the social balance and can be extremely stressful. Some cats just shrug and carry on, others really suffer.

If you can afford to look after them (vet, jabs, food, spay/neuter etc), they have enough space, don't smell and you can give sufficient cuddles, that's the right number. When it tips, that's when you need to think again.

I volunteer at a well known cat charity. I think four is the limit from the charity’s point of view, five is classed as a multi cat household and we wouldn’t let you adopt another.

that said, there’s reasons for it. Limited space for cats to get away from each other, cost of food, veterinary care etc.

if you can afford this, then keep him but please be aware, a starving stray may be FIV in which case you would have to rehome to an only cat home as an indoor cat.

In your kitten’s case it’s unlikely, and thank god you found him. Mum probably lost him.

keep him x

As long as they all get along and you can afford them, I'm also in the n+1 camp.

We have two from the same litter. I had hoped to have all four but my husband placed a limit of two. And despite that, we are still together.

1 - but I don't like cats

The cat relocation system has chosen you!

I have twelve, to be honest you don't really notice them. I wouldn't have chosen this many, but starving ferals turned up, which I neutered and tamed and because they are sensitive devils that form a close bond, I feel rehoming would be incredibly stressful for them.

They all get on well and four of them are indoor/outdoor cats. A lot of them are elderly now, so I think numbers will be reducing.
I think you'd regret rehoming the kitten.
I have savings rather than insurance for vet bills.

Oh! Oh! My heart just skipped a beat 😻
The most utterly adorable kitten pic in the history of the world. Ever!
You lucky, lucky thing you! 💝🐾

He’s lovely. Definitely keep him, you’re his mum now! I think 4 is a nice even number.

Edited to add, I’m jealous of people who find kittens. How does everyone else find stray kittens, do you all leave out tins of tuna in your gardens or what?!😆

Keep himmmm!!! 🐈‍⬛

I think it depends on the person and house. 2 for me. If you have a nice big house and someone else to help fill it with them. X

Ha ha. My daughters dream.

I mean two cats is too many if they don't get on. It depends on your financial stability and how readily your current cats will adapt to having another smaller cat join the household. Some cats are more accepting of this than others. Plus do you have room for them all to have individual feeding bowls and litter trays etc as some don't like to share these things.

well of course you are going to keep him!

I have 4. I used to think 2 was ideal. I didn't intend on the 4th. He just showed up and refused to leave. It's an honour to be chosen so you have to keep the kitten.
Although I reckon if they could speak, 3 of my cats would tell me that one cat (them) is sufficient. The fourth lords it over the others so she couldn't care less.

I'd have more cats if I could afford it. A one cat household currently. 4 sounds perfect. Now you need to name her! She looks like a Flossie 😉

My friend has just gone from 6 to 7 and yes there are a lot of cats but it all seems manageable. She has a big newish build house.

Re the FIV, the thinking on this is changing due to further research, although your kitten is unlikely to have the virus.

"Can FIV-positives and FIV-negatives live together?Research carried out at Glasgow University's Companion Animal Diagnostics indicates that the chances of FIV being passed from one cat to another in the same household is approx 1-2%. This means that if you have 100 cats (!) in a house with 1 FIV positive cat, only 1 or 2 could be expected to become infected. Even when FIV was passed on, as in the Glasgow survey, none of the cats actually died of it. In another survey a few years ago FIV was not passed from cat to cat in the same household at all.
The Celia Hammond Animal Trust have been conducting a long-term study at their sanctuary since the late 1990's, where FIV-positive and FIV-negative cats live happily together, grooming each other and sharing food bowls and litter trays. Regular blood tests for the virus are carried out, and to date no cases of transmission have yet been found. Cats are far more at risk of being bitten by an unknown feral or stray FIV positive cat than by a friendly, neutered, FIV positive cat living as part of the family.
With the aim of keeping all cats healthy and to minimise all risks, one important consideration is that the FIV positive cat, having a suppressed immune system, may be at greater risk from catching an illness from the other cats in the household. Therefore, it is crucial to keep all cats' vaccinations up to date.
Given what is now known, there seems no reason not to have FIV positive and negative cats in the same household, provided all cats are neutered, up to date with their vaccinations, and that they are not fighters. If two cats in one household fight, they should be kept apart, given behavioural therapy or one re-homed, regardless of their FIV status.
Some rescue organisations prefer to place FIV+ cats into homes as the only cat. One benefit of this, is that it avoids the potential of raised stress levels which can occur when introducing a new cat to another. However, if both cats are reasonably sociable, this may not be a concern. Indeed, the cat may be far happier coming into in a loving home with another friendly cat, than staying in a rescue environment.
In conclusion, this is a decision to be taken on a case by case basis, depending on the natures of the cats involved.Cats are far more at risk of being bitten by an unknown feral or stray FIV positive cat than by a friendly, neutered, FIV positive cat living as part of a household"

Keep him!
I agree with self imposed 3+ cats could be "cat lady" territory but embrace it!
Events have overtaken you!

Sure someone has already said this, but in my view there’s no such thing as too many cats (provided you are able to cover costs of neutering and healthcare).
I have three. I would LOVE more, but I’m not sure my three would tolerate another and I have to get them in pairs - 5 would be too expensive right now.

Thanks for that Stickytreacle. I was going to reply but last time some posters were very hostile about the idea of FIV+ cats not having to be quarantined for life. It's infuriating that the best known rescues in the UK are still giving poor advice but I'm hopeful it will change - US rescues are well ahead of us there.

For monogamous households or widows the answer is 49. Just one more and the system is broken.

For polygamous households it is 343.

While many folk think this can only apply to the counties of Cornwall and Cambridgeshire, in fact there is no indication at all of a geographical limit to these numbers.

Yep, I enlarged the kitten pic and got my face close to the screen. Lovely little hairy ball of fluff. Thank you for this thread OP, it's a bit of a joy.
We had 2 brothers and the one who's not with us anymore looked just like that. He was the cuddliest, most relaxed cat I've ever had. Still have his brother who gets loads of attention but it's never enough - if you dare to stop stroking him he pats your face relentlessly, sometimes with the odd claw!
Hmm, am now wishing a small troop of stray kittens would find me...

Not a cat person personally but you need to keep this little one. He's already made himself at home. Doubt 4 is too many. They largely look after themselves don't they? ( speaking as someone who has never owned one)