19 cats. Anyone else got this many?

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I'm just seeing if anyone else has a large number of pet cats? We have 19, plus 3 dogs, a bearded dragon, about 50 hens, a couple of peacocks and some ducks. I thought a tips and idea sharing for multi pet households thread might be nice!

My tips - all hardwood floors. Robot hoovers and mops on each floor of the house to keep the house clean easily.

Buy flushable cat litter, it's a godsend!

I love it! Look at all those ears to rub. I get annoyed if I don’t have car ears to rub of an evening. This pic is my oldest boy. Wins the award for cat most like a hot water bottle.

OP good on ya! You enjoy every moment of your life with animals. I'm very envious not of all the hard work involved, of you. It must be so entertaining living with your menagerie

thecatneuterer I had no idea you've given a home to so many of the rescues you help. They all look so healthy and content. Your house looks lovely too.

The most I've had at one time is 3. All of my cats have been rescues, mainly from the streets and they bring so much comfort in to my life. I only have 2 now and I can't get them to like each other, so, sadly, I have to keep them separate.

Five of ours are tripod cats following accidents. Four arrived immediately post op from the shelter. One is losing her leg today, after falling out of bed a couple of nights ago. We're very sad about it, it was such a stupid little accident with catastrophic damage to her leg.

We've asked a carpenter to build several little staircases to go by the beds and sofas for the less agile cats.

We have geriatrics cats. One is about 22 now and doing well. Weve got a deaf Cat, and we've got a whole menagerie of other types of pet. Everyone lives harmoniously together for the most part.

And a litter i fostered last summer

My workplace (kennels & cattery) has about 10 ‘resident’ cats (unable to be rehired for various reasons) and 9 dogs. They are very much pets though, and as you say, work it out amongst themselves as to their territory and favourite places to hang out. The setup sounds very similar to yours in terms of the house and land. If it wasn’t a rescue - people would judge I think, although it works out perfectly fine and has given these animals their last chance saloon at a happy life. Only difference being you are personally doing the ‘animal work’ whereas there we all tend to pitch in with looking after the resident animals. I think you’re fab!

I recently bought this birthday card from the PDSA shop. I think it's appropriate for all of us, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, if it's your birthday today

I don't believe that cats are naturally solitary animals TBH.

I have tonnes and tonnes of experience with cats and I just don't believe this to be true.

Left to their own devices cats will form large colonies of feral cats - they don't live alone.

In my house I have three cats that adore each other...they curl up to sleep together, groom each other, etc. They are not related.

Does anyone else with a lot of cat experience think that 'cats are solitary animals' is not really the case?

Don't get me wrong...some cats don't like other cats, and some cats don't get on due to personality clashes. But I think 'cats are solitary by nature' doesn't ring true IMO.

creaturefeatures I think everyone with a lot of experience with cats would agree with you. And many of us have said so upthread.

wanttobeme and here's a cake to go with the card

@thecatneuterer That teaches me for posting before reading the whole thread

The most I've had at once is 10, but I was fostering a Mum and litter of kittens so not quite the same as a permanent household.

I've stuck at 4 of my own now...3 love each other. 1 is a very highly strung diva who refuses to believe that any other cats should exist apart from her.

I have 4 and 19 would be a dream but we cant fit any more! One of my DDS adores them and calls herself little cat lady and she wants a cattery when she's older

I have six cats and three large dogs, the cats are far easier than thedogs to look after! I've also had additional cats that have been rehomed through a sanctuary as financially I'd struggle with more.

Up until a few years ago I also had a horse and chickens, and although I miss having themI don't miss the workload!

I agree that most cats are happier in groups, something that the behaviourist Jackson Galaxy also says. My latest feral in the pic was desperately lonely outside and bonded with one of my other cats straight away once we got him in, he calls for them when they go out and loves nothing more than giving them all a wash and a cuddle!

I find having a good routine is key, I personally like professional classic litter after trying loads. Microchip feeders are also a godsend when one has to have a special diet. A good vacuum cleaner is worth its weight in gold!

Those with a single cat need one of these ;)

That's lovely OP, I have 6 rescues and I wouldn't be without them, ones blind with 3 legs and ones a hemaphrodite

thecatneuterer that's brilliant. Especially love the cat under the mat! Did you make it?

Sounds great to me!

I have just 3 at the moment but would love to have more (my old girl is not a very cat-friendly cat but tolerates the young pair with enough space for all in the house). I also foster litters of kittens and their mums in a spare room so sometimes have up to 8-9 or so in the house. When I move to a bigger house I plan to have two foster rooms set up, and more resident cats too.

Of course there are many irresponsible multicat households too - mainly those who haven't neutered their cats and accidentally end up with more and more cats without the ability to care for them. That's probably where the negative stereotypes come from.

Responsible, rescue-minded people like the OP and thecatneuterer are no doubt great cat owners with healthy, happy cats! I think anyone who has the resources to provide to multiple cats and is willing to adopt those hard-to-home cats should do it.

There's a great Facebook page called Life With Complicated Cats you might like to look up, OP! I love following them - they have lots of hard-to-home cats, some living separately from the others if they don't get along, but all much loved and well looked after.

19!!

We have two, and are often tempted to adopt a third, but would hate to upset the harmony that exists between our big boy and his (unrelated) sister. They're such lovely companions, and the little girl keeps her big bro safe from all intruder cats, who she chases off like a warrior princess.

How do you mass cat slaves eat a meal unmolested?
I've just got the two and have just sat down with a lunch and I'm defending the plate with little success

As i posted I lost a potato wedge to the kitten

I love that pic of a few on a lap

“just a small selection”

Jealous!

Our youngest ones go in cat boxes or a cafe when we’re eating, since one ran off with a jacket potato . The older ones don’t bother

Cage not cafe they’d much prefer a cafe

want2beme God no - I didn't make it. I'm barely capable of making toast!

@Costa when we had lots of indoors cats, the adults were fine about dinnertime but 5 of the kittens would go potty so we used to shut them in the hallway. It took a while. If my husband was by himself he just couldn't round them all up and found it easier to shut himself in the hallway and eat his dinner here 😂

I agree about the children. The dc love the cats, and feel all honoured if they sleep on their beds. They honestly make a house feel like a home, it sounds corny but I feel complete.