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 ?

To answer your question 4.

When I was a teenager we had 5!
As a kid I’d always wanted a pet and was always told no. My mum was seriously ill for a lot of my childhood and then my dad was a single dad so as an adult I now understand why.
My dad married my stepmum when I was 12 and stepbrother and stepsister had a cat each, Mittens and Pepper. Therefore I upped my campaign and they got me a kitten, Tigger, for Christmas. Then they must have felt guilty as they had 4 kids and 3 had a cat and 1 didn’t. My brother didn’t give a sh*t, but Garfield was duly adopted and was officially my brother’s cat so that made 4.

The smell of 4 cats being fed every day must have wafted around the neighbourhood and “Humphrey” appeared and decided to join our family. No matter how much we tried to discourage him and find his owners he kept stealing our cat’s food until we gave in, so that made 5! 😂 Fortunately only for a few months as we then tracked down Victor’s (Humphrey suited him better!) real owners living 3 roads away.

No choice now I'm afraid.. you're his mummy now

Aww, you must keep him!

I have five cats currently, three are foster kittens. It’s quite chaotic but then I remind myself that one of my fellow fosterers currently has 23 kittens in her house. There are 84 rescue kittens spread across all the fosterers, plus adults cats. So my number is low by comparison - like crazy cat lady, level 1.

Awww, what a cutie, you’re definitely his mummy now.

I suspect my DD2 (11) would love it if we found a lost kitten that needed adopting. She’s been on at me about getting a kitten, but I've been saying no as we already have 3. I don't think I could say no in your circumstances. 🤣

I have 3 adult cats, all aged 7.

I have 1 cat and that's enough, but I know plenty of folk with 2 or 3. Thing is there's no way this kitty can go now. So just accept you have 4 and you've helped save his wee life

7 but it's been as much as 10 plus 5 fosters.

I dont understand the question 😂

I have two at the moment. Number 9 and number 10. The others have died of old age, most of them lived to 18 to 20.

I'm about to take on my DS's two cats for 6 months while they move, rent for a bit then buy a house. They aren't allowed cats at the rental.

I've had to have the stairs plasterboarded off and a door put on dividing upstairs and downstairs as each pair has to be kept separate. I cant wait for the boys to come and live with me.

The cat distribution system works by supplying people who don't realise they need additional cats with spare, lost and abandoned cats.

The cat distribution system has decided you don't have enough cats and has supplied you with another.

You cannot refuse cats supplied by the cat distribution system.

Was going to say 4, like you OP, 3 is pushing it but OK, 4 tips you over into cat lady land. But, if you can afford it and the cats are happy and healthy, maybe there's nothing wrong with that!

I have two. But in your situation I'd keep baby kitty. I'd justify it on the basis that one of your cats is an old (ish) one and you didn't ask for it to happen, it's just fate 🐱