How many cats is too many cats?

[Fridaynightfuntime]

We currently have two ... much adored and worshipped by all of the family. We’re completely obsessed with them.

They’re about 18ish months old now.

I keep thinking we have room for one more. I just love them and love how happy they are lazing around our house and when I see kittens for sale I think we could give another one that life and we know it’s one kitten that’s ‘safe’ if you know what I mean rather than going somewhere it’ll end up rehomed in a few years.

Would we be mad?

Lucy

We have 3. The oldest is 5 and then we have 2 kittens ( not related)

My friend has 4, she got two then a year later 2 more. They all get on pretty well together

I'd never have a single kitten again though, much better in pairs

I've had 4 before but it gets incredibly pricy when they get old. Thousands. I was lucky that they all got on but some don't and then you have a spraying problem. My max in the future would be one or a bonded pair.

I have 2 - they are both lovely, but the original boy cat has never liked the girl kitten we got when he was about 5.

I stand corrected. Spartacus is of course quite right - 4 and a half cats is the absolute maximum .

If there's room on the floor to walk between them then there aren't enough cats .

Seriously, two is enough for us.

We had two but sadly lost our boy cat last year. Girl cat has been noticeably happier and more relaxed since he died so it would be unfair to bring another cat in now.

I have to say one cat is much easier to manage in terms of mess (cat fur/muddy foot prints/cat poo in the garden) as well!!

We had 2 for years, brothers, they did not, still do not, like each other. You would think from looking at them that a single cat is a better proposition than multiple cats. Then we adopted a stray kitten, against my better judgement but I could not resist him. He has completely and utterly changed the dynamics. He is a very friendly cat - friendly towards other cats, i mean, he is actually quite wary of many humans - and the 2 crotchety old brothers, whilst still not liking each other, are both friendly and happy with the newcomer. The crotchetiest, who seemed to be on a downward slope of misery and ill health, has had a completely new lease of life. I would never have believed it possible. My only concern now is that the youngest will soon be left behind when the 2 old boys die, but I expect he will welcome a new addition when the time comes.

So, in short, a 3rd might be a good thing.

It depends completely on the cats. We have two. One of them thinks that’s too many.

We've got 4.

We rescued a boy and a girl (brother and sister) about 10 years ago. They loved each other as kittens but now despise each other. Mainly the girl hates her brother (and glares at me daily as to why she wasn't part of a 1 cat family!) so stays out the way. She's not a cuddly cat anyway, as long as she's got a bed, blanket and food she's happy. But I think the boy cat has gotten bored over the years. I finally persuaded my DH that we needed another kitten for company for the boy cat, but then decided because of the age difference we should get 2 kittens. So we recently got 2 sisters 12 weeks old who are adorable and play so nicely and are so well behaved. The boy cat plays with them when he wants (or mainly just eats their food) and just leaves them be the other times. And the older girl just carries on being unsociable! So 4 has worked for us so far although the cost of course is a lot more

I think if you have the space, the money and the time and the right sort of cats, there isn't really a limit. I have a permanent 21 at the moment and it's fine. But I only keep/take on those cats that positively like other cats. They all sleep together in big huddles, seek each other out, have special friendships/relationships, groom each other etc etc.

Any time a new one joins the group they barely notice. A quick sniff and that's all the introduction that's needed.

My mad cat lady friend has I think 17 plus some temporary fosters. She used to have nearly 30 but sadly has lost a lot of the older cats. All loved, cared for properly and cherished. They seem to separate into different groups inhabiting different spaces and it all works.
I have 1 cat. I'd love 2 but my cat is definitely a single cat. She hates all other cats and would not cope with it at all.

Two is my maximum. Though we currently only have one, who's come out of his shell so much in the last two years since we lost our old cat that I think in future I'll stick to just one. Current cat likes the dogs better than he liked old cat.

I had three at one point, my two kittens hated each other once they were 18 months old. I introduced a stray when they were about two and they only tolerated each other, for the next 15 years.

Now I only have one and I think I am happy with that.

If you love cats do not buy a kitten.

You are just money to the breeder, therefore they will breed more.

Rescue one please.

At the moment you have a potential vacancy in case a stray comes along, or you hear of a cat that needs a home because someone is ill.
I would leave things like that.

Yes to rescuing. If you feed the people selling on local internet sites they will keep breeding.

Look at my new rescue kitten - hasn’t been home a week yet 💕 but he was at home from the minute he arrived.

One. I hate cats

We had two (females kittens from the same litter) got a 3rd when they were probably about 5yrs or so, the new arrival did change the dynamic, the two sisters weren’t impressed with the new lively male kitten, but our dog loved him and took to him immediately. Cats just don’t get on sometimes, if you have two that are contented I would leave it be. But good luck with whatever you decide. I love cats.

You can add a third but it needs to be a young kitten of about 4 months and it needs to be a boy to have best chance if working well in your current set up. Also do it soon as younger cats tend to be more adaptable in my experience.

We had 2 who tolerated each other, litter mates, when one died the other one really flourished . We hadn’t realised how much he’d been bullied.

Those of you with multiple cats, what is your potty situation?

OMG. I didn't read the OP properly. Of course the OP would be unreasonable to buy a kitten for the reason mentioned above. No one who cares at all about cat welfare should ever buy cats or kittens privately. But rescues also have kittens if it's definitely kittens and not adults you want (although kitten season is thankfully tailing off now so it might be necessary to wait until March anyhow), or just adopt a lovely adult that has been shown to like other cats (if you get a kitten you just don't know).

I have a lovely girl cat and her brother and best friend died when they were two. She mourned him dreadfully and moped about for a long time afterwards. I got her a boy kitten for company after a few months and after a bit of hissing at first they are now really good friends. I did buy a Burmese Kitten because I wanted a friendly breed that would get on with everyone and it's worked really well. I would recommend a Burmese they are the loveliest cats imaginable. Just to add that I have also adopted and fostered rescue cats in my time as well.

If you don't need to use litter trays, then at least one cat per household lap is required up to as many as you want friend has 8 & I'm jealous. Though I think with litter trays to contend with, 2 is enough, which is why we stick at 2