How many cats is too many cats?

[yiskasha]

I have 3 cats. I adopted them from a rescue centre when they were kittens, all from the same litter. They were brought in with their mum who was lovely also. They're 3 now and get on really well.
I've seen a kitten who has just been brought into a rescue centre near me and for some reason I can't get him out of my mind.
How many cats is too many cats? I could afford another one, but is it fair to my cats to bring another one into their home? I've never had to do an introduction before so I suppose that's what's making me worry most.
I have 2 boys and a girl at the moment.

I think four is a good number - but since you already have 3 cats - you should 2 more so they can stick together. So in your case go for 5. .

I’ve got 15

2 is OK. 3 is pushing it. 4 is the makings of mad cat lady

I have two, siblings, in fact twins (apparently born in same sac why when we adopted them they were to be kept together).

I honestly think they are joined at the hip, they are always tangled together sleeping.

As much as I would love more, I feel like we are so lucky to have two that love eachother so much, a third might imbalance things or maybe won't get along with others.

It does break my heart seeing adverts from the shelters x

Costa do you have a picture with all of them on it?

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats I think you're a bad influence 😂

@Costacoffeeplease wow!!! I struggle with cat fur from my two! I imagine your house is amazing tho, cats everywhere ❤️

Oh I'm definitely crazy cat lady.
I'm about to lose one of them to cancer, and even though I have three others, there'll most definitely be a huge, cat shaped hole in our family.

Unfortunately not as some are outdoor cats and some are indoor, and some are a bit of both. I’m not in the uk and we have tiled floors everywhere so it’s easy to just have a sweep or hoover round every day

Here are a few of them

When I had 3, DH and I agreed 3 was one too many cats. However we could never agree which cat was the one too many.

Sadly we are now down to 2 cats and I think we are both united in knowing which cat is the cat too many - -yes annoying cat, it is you-- I keep pestering DH for a third though and any stray cat arriving will be fair game.

I found 4 in my small apartment quite difficult but 3 is perfect (we rehomed one to a family friend as he was becoming aggressive with our other male). With 3 there’s plenty of time for one on one interaction with each of them and enough space

Years ago we had 3 cats; mum and son, plus an extra female. Son got on with the other 2 but the 2 females hated each other. We got another kitten and the house turned into War. Kitten was gorgeous, really friendly, but extra female started spraying everywhere, there were daily catfights in all different combinations, it just didn't work.

DD went off to university and took new cat with her. Household settled down.

FF many years and female extra is elderly, mum and son gone. Got another mother and son combo. They stayed indoors while oldie went in and out so not too bad.

Mum died. Elderly cat died. Got 2 new kittens. Son took to new kittens, all happy. Both kittens died (leukaemia from their mother ). Got another female. They hate each other . Will groom and chase but never snuggle up, and tend to be in different rooms.

Cats are funny things. As yours get on so well I wouldn't mess that up by getting another one.

I have around 27 permanent residents and currently 14 'extras'. That's too many ...

15 or so would be fine.

And four I wouldn't even notice. Your other cats will soon adapt OP>

We have four, three boys and one girl. The latest boy has really helped them gel together. Previously one boy would bully the other two, girl cat hates him and other boy cat tolerated him.

New boy cat is so laid back he's horizontal! He's respectful of girl cat and plays with the two boy cats. He does lots of play tussling with bully cat which means that bully cat is to tired to hassle the other two.

The three boys and one of girl cat on her own.

I volunteer at a CP centre so in my heart I would take more. However on reality...We have one. He hates other cats so any more would be too many.

Well I started with one, then went for a companion and came away with two (sob story from cat protection). And then my neighbours abandoned their kitten when they moved. Cat protection are full (waiting list) and she has been spayed. She now waits for breakfast, has cuddles and has let me pick her up. I suspect now I have four

I have four now; had five briefly before my eldest died.

They get along great and often choose to spend time together in the same room/sharing a cat tree etc. We have a three bed house and a cat proofed garden, there is plenty of space for them to stay away from each other if they wanted to. There is a lot of "cat stuff" in the house though which is absolutely fine with me but some people may not like in their home so it's worth considering as you need to have enough "resources" for every cat - currently we have 5 litter boxes, 4 cat trees (in different rooms), 3 water bowls + a water fountain, beds, scratching posts, always toys on the floor in every room etc...

I occasionally consider adopting more but will probably wait a couple of years as we are planning to move house long-ish distance. I would probably adopt another sibling pair/bonded pair like mine are (two boy/girl sibling pairs) - that way they have friends of their own age/size to spend time with if the others don't immediately warm up to them. Although cats who are used to living with other cats usually take to newcomers very well; introducing a second cat to a solo cat home is much, much more difficult than introducing the 4th or 8th cat.

Four is too many for me. We had two, ended up taking in an elderly stray, then were offered a kitten. Really feel like we're at our peak with four.

(Although dh nearly upped it to five when we found a stray 6week old kittentwo years ago...)

We have 11!! 6 girls, 5 boys.There is a hierarchy, there is a knack to introducing new cats, neutering is very important. Ours all get on, they have their preferences but in general everyone gets on.

There's a huge difference between tolerating each other (ie not bashing the crap out of each other) and actually being bonded with each other. I see little point in the former.

We knew when we got MentounasCat that he'd be staying an only cat - the rescue warned us that he hated other mogs and that's proved true - he scraps with any new cat on the block until they come to an understanding about territory. He's a total mummy's boy at home and just wouldn't accept sharing attention with another cat.

Sorry to derail thread for a sec but @DickZillaofTheVilla your username is hilarious; reminded me to go see if there are any updates

3 is too many. At 4 you become a Cat Lady. And yes, your house does smell.

I love cats and although I don't have any at the moment, I used to have two (sadly both now no longer with us, and for various reason I can't get another pair for now).

A family member has 5 and I feel it's too many. They don't really get on together (the cats, I mean ); they're very nervy and jumpy and because they're indoor cats, I'm afraid the place does smell. A lot.