How Many Cats Is Too Many??

[GrannyBags]

We are about to adopt two more, which will take us back up to four again. I think four is about right - my son would have a houseful! How many do you all have?

I’ve only ever had one or two at a time. Personally that’s enough for me. My mum had 8 once. That’s too many.

We’ve got five. The last four were rescues and it was an emergency each time. The kitten stage is the maddest bit, after that they just spend most of the day sleeping. Or out exploring (pretending to be someone else’s cat/s) during summer.

Is there such a thing as too many?! I suppose it depends on space and the expense they incur.
We have 3 but l am threatening to get another after we move house

N+1?

I only have one actually though I'd quite like 2.

My sister has 5 which is somewhat excessive.

Two’s enough for me, but kittens are so cute I may struggle to resist another!

We have 18 so....

Started out with one at a time when younger. Took on two when I met my wife (they came as a package). Inherited two when we bought our house and old age rapidly brought us back to two.

Survived about three weeks with no cats after those eventually died, before going to the local independent cat rescue and adopting a young mum and her four kittens.

Have lost one of those to traffic but still have four running around the farmyard.

I had 6 once.
Post rspca volunteering!!
2 Black
2 Tabby
1 ginger
I tortie.
Totally acceptable imo!

5, 5 is too many. We should have stopped at 3, but the 2 rescue kittens found under a shed were too hard to resist.

Depends on the type of cats they are and if they'll settle in your home.

I love cats over dogs (I have both) as there is minimal looking after required. I certainly feel a cat helps to make a house a home.

Where I live I'm very lucky the house backs onto paddocks and farmers fields, lots of places for cats to go and explore. They all stay out for 2-3 nights over the summer and every so often in the winter then come home to sleep and get cuddles. They hunt and it's quite often I only have 2-3 in the house at any one time.

If you have the space, they are happy and well cared for, I say go for it.

We have 5 currently but I have to say I wouldn't get any more at the moment. Maybe when we don't have a dog...I don't know. But the cat has to fit the house.

What kind of cat are you after?

I had 3 and that was a perfect number. There was always a cat to lay on a lap, or stroke. Although 3 at 6am when they demanded feeding felt like 300 of the furry buggers!

I have 2 it's not enough my dad had 14 that's too many, so somewhere between 2 and 14.

I have 2 and wouldn't go above that.

I think the answer is how many can you comfortably care for taking into account vet fees etc? It's the thought of massive vet and insurance costs that worries me. My current spend is £128 a month because I have an elderly cat with lymphoma. The costs are £30 vet plan for unlimited visits, £30 for meds, £28 for loads of litter as the steroids make him pee a lot, £20 for a can of applaws every day to keep his calories up and around £20 for regular food. There is absolutely no way I could afford more than that as it is putting me under strain as it is.

Well, you're supposed to have one litter tray per cat plus one, so I think it depends on the number of litter trays you can place without it looking ridiculous.

Ours have a tray ‘each’ but rarely use them as prefer to go outside.

I have 11

I'm with GingerKittyCat and am in a similar situation with mine.
I personally think two is plenty, three is enough. I struggle to cope with cat maintenance as it is (cleaning up mess and hair, vet bills etc).
But I do know someone who had 21 at one point - all informal rescues, and she did have a large home and garden / plot. She loved them all, and took good care of them, but they were everywhere - I don't really see how you can get to know each one as an individual. It would have been an off-putting house situation to all but the most ardent cat lover and probably quite stressful for the cats.

We have five. For me, and for them, it's too many even though we have a large house and big garden. I had two which was perfect, inherited one, which knocked things off. Then the last two decided to move in because I'm a sucker. There are now ongoing spats and dominance issues (there is no clear top cat and the one they are all frightened of has no desire to dominate).

More cats might work together harmoniously but it depends on their personalities.

I always seem to have 3. I get down to 2 when 1 passes away, but another one eventually comes along. All strays. At this stage of my life I'd prefer having just 1, as I'd like to travel more and I'm not good with leaving them. I wish I could find a good person to look after them whilst I go away.

We have 4 cats and are getting on fine, however, a lady down the road from us has about 19 cats. She takes in strays and cats that have been left and neglected.. she's basically a superwoman! I think, if you can afford to have them, and have the room to keep them then who has the right to tell anyone how much they can or cannot have? 😻

I've had anywhere between one and four cats. I therefore think five would be too many. 4 (two pairs) seems to work well.