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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

It would be silly to have 4 cats isn't it ?

51 replies

Catfriend1978 · 29/11/2017 15:51

We already have 2 - one boy (5) and one girl (7), a friend of mine wants to give me her 2 kittens...I said yes to one but not 2..because 4 cats in a 3 bedroom houses with a garden in London would be mad isn't it ?

OP posts:
IHaveBrilloHair · 29/11/2017 15:52

I have four in a three bed flat

MsHarveySpecter · 29/11/2017 15:52

TBH once you've got 2 I'm not sure another 1 or 2 make much difference!

MsHarveySpecter · 29/11/2017 15:53

Assuming you can afford food and vet bills or insurance

MikeUniformMike · 29/11/2017 15:53

Take neither. It would be unfair on your cats.

Wolfiefan · 29/11/2017 15:53

You can't take just one! Shock
We had four at one point when I was a kid. As long as they are all amenable and you can afford them I can't see an issue. Have you space for litter trays and places they could all sleep?

Emillee · 29/11/2017 15:53

I had 6 in a 4 bed once....

BirdieBeeBella · 29/11/2017 15:57

I have 4 in a 2 bed. I went from 1 to 3 and now 4, no difference between 1 to 4 tbh. We also have a dog.

Fauxtatoes · 29/11/2017 15:58

I've got 4 in a 3 bed apartment. Do it!!

Tedster77 · 29/11/2017 15:58

I have 4. They are no more work than 1. The only ‘stress’ is one is pain in the arse for peeing on clothes, towels etc!

Homesunderthehammer27 · 29/11/2017 16:01

I'd always take 2 kittens as they will entertain one another when they are small and hopefully bond as they get older, but as an owner of 4 cats, I'd say it comes with challenges around behaviour and 2 cats is plenty.

EachandEveryone · 29/11/2017 16:01

If they are allowed out then I don’t see that there would be much difference. Insurance will be a lot though and a cattery if you use one.

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/11/2017 16:13

We had four.

Catfriend1978 · 29/11/2017 16:36

They would be all insured but what worries me is that I read about multi-cats house being more prone to disease like Fip for example.

OP posts:
crazycatgal · 29/11/2017 17:02

I've had 4 cats for 6 years now and none of them have ever been ill.

Lunde · 29/11/2017 17:04

We said no more when we had 4 cats .... but.... then we spotted an extremely malnourished, abandoned young cat trying to eat bird food and eat snow - investigations found that she was living under an old barn - so now we have 5! All are insured and vaccinated annually - they don't seem to be especially prone to illnesses.

Catfriend1978 · 29/11/2017 17:06

Crazycat - do you manage to give the same level of attention to all of them ? I'm working from home so it's an advantage, I can top up bowls, letting cats in and out, cuddles etc..

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 29/11/2017 17:07

Vaccinated and neutered. Can't see it being a major risk. The problem would be when people have loads of unneutered pets out at all hours. Not vaccinated etc. I'm guessing!
I wouldn't take one. Both or neither.

crazycatgal · 29/11/2017 17:28

@Catfriend1978 Yes they all seem to get a lot of attention and nobody seems left out. For example - one cat doesn't really come for cuddles on the sofa but she sleeps right next to me and she wants cuddles morning and night and one loves sitting on my lap on the sofa but loves to sleep alone at night. Sometimes I wake up from a nap with all 4 lay on me 😂

Catfriend1978 · 29/11/2017 17:51

I love cats so much - you have me almost convinced :)

OP posts:
Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 29/11/2017 18:06

Four cats have worked well for us in the past. We are down to two now but will be getting a couple of kittens in the near future to bring numbers back up again. Battersea do require at least one bedroom per cat - looking at the picture I'm not sure why. Grin

thecatneuterer · 29/11/2017 18:25

Four cats is nothing in a house like that. My house is similar and I have 22 or so. And that doesn't really seem like that many. And they are all fine and happy.

It's rubbish that it would't be fair to your existing cats. I'm sure they would all learn to coexist happily.

You definitely can't just take one though. You can't split the kittens up.

Tinselistacky · 29/11/2017 18:27

The new cat won't love you if you don't take it's friend op!!
Once had 6 in an average house with a dog!!

Effendi · 29/11/2017 18:29

Pah! 4?
I have 14!

thecatneuterer · 29/11/2017 18:30

Just a quarter or so of the cats in my house - and they all get along fine.

It would be silly to have 4 cats isn't it ?
EachandEveryone · 29/11/2017 20:02

Omg!!! They are divine. Do they use those pods?