How many cats is too many?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

SailorSam wrote: »

One cat, is one to many.

I feel like that every time one of the ratbags does something stupid. Which is 96% of the time.

The 4% of cute purring ball of fluff gets away with the other 96%. That and I'm a mug.

jamesmoneysaving500

i have 4 cats at home but i'd personally say it doesn't matter how many cats you have as they're generally in the background, as long as you have the space and can afford a lot of cat food each week have as many as you want!

HB58

I think it is such an individual thing. It depends on you, your household, the existing cats among other things.

We got Alfie, an entire male, when he was just under 1 year old and had been living with his sister. At that stage we had been cat free for about 9 months. He was neutered, vaccinated and microchipped within days of coming to us. He was young and full of beans and I felt he missed having another cat to play with as I couldn't fulfill the task to his specifications. So I started working on hubby with the idea of getting another young cat.

Then my SIL and her hubby decided to go and live on a boat and we ended up with their cat. An female of aprox 10 years who is very happy being an only cat and really doesn't want a cat friend. Which is a shame cos Alfie would really like to be friends.

After nearly 3 years they can be in the same room, even on the same king-size bed, but we do get furrycuffs at some stage most days. Alf isn't all that bright and thinks that, if jumping on her from the height of one stair doesn't get her to play, perhaps trying from 2 might do the trick! He doesn't recognise the subtle signs of her being grumpy (which I think is unusual in a cat who was brought up with others), doesn't want to take 'no' for an answer.

I still think that getting a young cat would be good for Alfie and give Cleo some peace but hubby is adamant that 2 is enough.

Don't forget, one litter tray per cat plus an extra and provide raised areas if you can. I would love to 'catify' the pace and provide raised walkways, sleeping areas etc around the walls. I bet you know what is stopping me!

System

not a cat person myself and not knocking people who are but a question.....

Those of you with multiple cats do they not wreck your house?

A woman i know had several bengals. Yes she was definitely a cat person but her husband was always having to decorate and they ruined the sofas on a regular basis too by scratching heck out of them. They came and went in the house as they pleased, were well fed and looked after and had several scratching posts scattered round the house but the damage was awful.

KxMx

I have one cat and find the cleaning more than enough, don't know how people with multiple pets cope.

SensibleSarah

Judi wrote: »

not a cat person myself and not knocking people who are but a question.....

Those of you with multiple cats do they not wreck your house?

A woman i know had several bengals. Yes she was definitely a cat person but her husband was always having to decorate and they ruined the sofas on a regular basis too by scratching heck out of them. They came and went in the house as they pleased, were well fed and looked after and had several scratching posts scattered round the house but the damage was awful.

I have 4 and no, not all. Mine are not bengals though - just ordinary rescue moggies that I've had from kittens. They might have the occasional scratch at a sofa, but not enough to cause any visible damage (I purposely got plush sofas so it's more difficult to see this kind of damage - but honestly the sofas don't look any different from when I bought them 6 years ago) and they usually use their scratch posts or the fence in the garden.

Sometimes bored cats will be destructive, but I have found that leaving a few toys around is enough to keep mine occupied on the odd occasion when they aren't sleeping, eating or play fighting with each other.

The cleaning is more of an issue. As well as the cats I have a dog, which although short-haired is a fair size and moults like crazy all year round, so all combined it's a bit of a pain. Hoovering regularly keeps it manageable, but I am planning on getting rid of carpets and going for a hard floor in virtually every room instead when I eventually get around to decorating, which will make it easier to keep clean.

GwylimT

Judi wrote: »

not a cat person myself and not knocking people who are but a question.....

Those of you with multiple cats do they not wreck your house?

A woman i know had several bengals. Yes she was definitely a cat person but her husband was always having to decorate and they ruined the sofas on a regular basis too by scratching heck out of them. They came and went in the house as they pleased, were well fed and looked after and had several scratching posts scattered round the house but the damage was awful.

Lots of scent marking like that is a sign of stress and insecurity. The strongest scent is incharge, thats why cats in multiple households are more likely to claw as they're fighting to be dominant as cats don't like sharing resources:

Tiglath

We have 9 cats, and 6 of them are over 12 now; the oldest is 16. Some of the younger ones pick on number 9 who still isn't accepted 3 years after his introduction, but it's nothing major; he only comes in for meals and occasionally sleeps on DH's desk. They all have access to the outside to our large garden and the marshes, and we have 2 litter trays for emergencies. They sleep wherever they like, but not usually in with us at night. I won't deny it's hard work and expensive (insurance alone is £215/month), so once the current population dies of old age, we won't go above 2 in future (famous last words). Cats are the reason we don't have nice things - they've trashed a new sofa in 18 months, and it's never nice to tread on a puke in the dark with bare feet. But we love them dearly

ERICS_MUM

Could you afford vets bills for them all - routine jabs, worming and flea stuff plus, fingers crossed it never arises, medical bills for illness or injuries?

I had 2 cats for a couple of years until one died and I have just had the one ever since. Personally I wouldn't have more than 2 because I like affectionate cats who sit on my lap, like playing etc and I couldn't do that with a house full of moggies !