I’ve had more cats in my house than expected. For most years, I had just one cat. But at times, I had five cats to take care of, along with two more in the basement as my brother moved in with his two cats. Go Pet Club Faux Fur Cat Tree – Amazon / Chewy. That’s a lot of cats under one roof. It wasn’t fun, especially since not all cats got along. I had to manage cat outings depending on the time of day.
It was difficult. Now I have three cats (all boys) and my brother has three cats (all girls). Trixie Pet Products Minou Cuddly Cave – Amazon / Chewy. My brother took two of the five cats with me. Sadly, one of his died from a congenital heart defect. I had four cats for almost a year. The kitten didn’t warm up to me. She liked my other cats but not me. When my brother and his husband came over, she was happy. So, she went to their house. I could take in one more cat. But with four, I couldn’t attend to their needs well. I like to give my three boys water mixed with kibble twice a day using an automatic feeder, PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feeder, and they also use the Catit Senses Food Maze. PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Cat & Dog Feeder – Amazon / Chewy. Catit Design Senses Food Maze – Amazon / Chewy. With four cats, it was too much. The last one was a kitten who didn’t eat with the others, so I had to constantly monitor her eating. It was exhausting. I only have so much lap space, and when it’s cold, all three of my cats want to be in my lap.Luckily, I have just enough room. They are all Velcro kitties in their own way. Lap cat definitely describes them all. Having three cats hasn’t made them any less snuggly. And I don’t think a fourth cat would make them less snuggly either, but it would mean less time to give each cat attention. With three, I feel I can manage. Same with chores around the cats, except grooming. I wish I had more time for grooming as I have two long hairs and shave them myself. It’s a bit of a handful. They used to hate being shaved, but I’ve learned to make it less stressful. I also wish I used my Furminator on my shorthair more. It would help with hairballs. Furminator Long Hair for Cats Undercoat Deshedding Tool – Amazon / eBay.
Vet visits aren’t arduous either as my cats are indoor-only. When I had two cats for a long time, it felt near perfect. Closer to perfect than four. I’d say two or three are the perfect number for me. I like three as an ideal number of cats. If one passed, I’d still have two who get along to keep each other company and comfort me. Then I could introduce a third when ready. One cat feels too few. Amazon Basics Large Cat Activity Tree – Amazon / eBay. Avery as a single cat for a long time didn’t like the second cat and was stressed. Now the three cats get along stupendously. Avery seems to like Athos better even though he came after Bjorn. Cats can like each other even if not initially. They snuggle and play together without me present. It’s been good for Avery to have companions.It took time. After so many years of being an only cat, it wasn’t easy for him to make the adjustment. But through the outlined process, with effort and patience, he reached a point far beyond my expectations for his relationship with others. I wouldn’t want any future cat to be without a buddy, even for a short time. Cats don’t live forever. So I think three is a good number. That way, two can keep each other company when one inevitably passes, and I can rely on the cuddles of the remaining two for comfort. Then I can bring a third cat in when I’m ready. Is it a lot more work? Not really, if they get along. I now firmly believe I can get cats to live together just fine, even if they’re not best friends. When they do become best friends or just good friends, it’s magical.
Amazon Basics Medium Soft-Sided Mesh Pet Travel Carrier – Amazon / eBay What do you think about specifically having three cats in your home? Do you think it’s too many? Just the right number? Too few? What’s your ideal number of cats in one house at one time? Do you have other numbers you think are not so bad? How many cats do you have now? Would love to hear your thoughts and if you have any stories, leave a comment down below.
