How Many is Too Many?

Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000 sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Hugs,

CatNipped

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume
that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000
sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Hugs,

CatNipped


I figure 24 would be my limit since there's no way I could get more than 2 a
month to the vet for annual check ups . The 18 I have right now are taxing
my schedule and forget about my budget.
As far as the maximum for individual attention, that would be the number
that could comfortably sleep on your bed. I've noticed that is independent
of whether or not I'm on the bed. If I am, one sleeps on my feet, one on my
thighs, one on my side, and one little hussy wants to take her half of the
pillow out of the middle.
ron - I am NOT a hoarder

(I'm a collector)

CatNipped wrote:

Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000 sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Hugs,

CatNipped



This depends on factors which you didn't provide criteria for.

How many people are around to look after these cats?
Do those people need to leave the home for work?
How much time are they willing to devote to looking after them?

It also depends on how many people are living in the household who can
give the cats attention and affection, and on the personality of the
cats. I have two formerly feral cats who are happy to spend their days
outside and nights lounging on the scratching post. They only want 5-10
minutes of a backrub at night, then they get up and leave. On the other
hand, I currently have two foster cats who want to be around me all the
time, and consequently fight with anyone who tries to get close. I feel
that if I exceed 10 adults in my house, all miss out on individual
attention, even if I try to be very consciencious about distributing
time evenly between everyone. When (if...) I stop fostering, I'd like
to return to no more than three cats. OK, maybe five if I still have
the two ferals which don't want my attention anyways!

CatNipped wrote:
How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000 sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Funny, I was just talking about this with some co-workers. Don't flame
me, I'm just reporting the result, which was...

One cat is not enough.
Two cats is perfect.
Three cats is the absolute limit, borderline crazy-cat-person.
Four or more, and you're cracked in the head.

These are not people who've dedicated their lives to cat rescue, or
whatever... just a tiny cross-section of American middle class office
workers.

--
Jennifer

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume
that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000
sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Hugs,

CatNipped



Depends on the cats, how much space is available, financial resources to
properly vet the kitties and how many slaves the cats will have to give them
attention.

We had four. We could afford them and had space for them but two of them
didn't like each other so it was too many. Now we're down to three (not
counting the nine foster kittens). They all get along so for here it's the
perfect number for now.

W

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume
that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000
sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Hugs,

CatNipped

anything more than 3-4 and i'd suggest buying a lot of property away from
roads/etc. and let them live outdoors.

bob

CatNipped wrote:
Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000 sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Hugs,

CatNipped

This is just my opinion, of course.
I have five. To me, that's near the limit that an individual is able to
give them individual attention. I don't work; and I'm nearly always
home. I seem to *always* have a cat wanting attention.
I've read about people who have 25 cats and *claim* they give them
plenty of attention and hold down a regular job too. I just have a hard
time believing that. I would imagine that some of the cats just learn
to live with minimal individual attention from the owner.
My house isn't as big as the one you've described, but since we've had
Bosley (cat #5), it seems like everywhere you look, there is a cat.
Bikkie's latest trick is to start following me around meowing about 2
p.m. She wants to be scooped up and carried into the living room, and
both of us plop down on the couch and watch TV. She's turned this into
quite a routine.

Sherry

On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 12:22:20 -0500, "CatNipped"
wrote:

Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000 sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?


I think it depends on the actual cats in questions. And the actual
arrangements.

Many years ago, we had 6 cats and 3 dogs with no problems. The cats
were evenly divided - 3 people had 2 cats each, so they all had
territory that was limited to 2 cats.

Later, we added one cat, and everything went to hell. The problem was
the new cat. He was very neurotic, much worse than a typical dominant
cat. He would actually attack any cat, dog, or turtle that approached
his human. He loved people, but he hated other animals. He also
continued to spray after being neutered. We tried valium, female
hormones, and something else. But his behavior persisted.

We also tried to find him a new home, but nobody wants a cat that has
to be an only cat. He was the only cat we let out, simply because he
would spray outside and not attack the others as much. He was taken by
the neigbors and returned when they realized why we let him outside
(the spraying). We even saw him attack raccoons. We're not sure, but
we think he chased them too far. He was really messed up in the head.


All of the cats changed after his arrival. No more catpiles. We have
old photos with 4-5 cats in a pile together, but now we can't even get
two to cuddle together.

Duffy was spraying everywhere. My sister's cat, Tiger, responded my
spraying my furniture. So, my cat, Maynard responded by pooping under
my sister's bed. Things just got bad. Nobody was happy.

Things were much better after Duffy was gone, but we have never had
the catpiles again. Even those who previously did so. We currently
have 4 cats and 2 dogs in the house. I think it would be okay if my
mom wanted to get a second cat or dog as she only has one of each. BUt
I wouldn't get any more of my own until I have a larger place or I
lose one of my older ones. I currently have 2 cats and a dog. I have
had up to 3 cats at a time more than once, but my nephew also has a
cat who spends a lot of time in my room, so I don't want to have more
than 3 cats sharing the same territory.

I think a lot of depends on the actual cats in question. I would not
want to put two dominant cats together as they tend to fight more.

When I got Jay Jay, I knew that would take me up to 3 cats again, but
I also knew that he was a really mild cat and would actually help the
situation by playing with Chase, getting him to not chase Kira so
much. And it worked perfectly. Adding Jay Jay actually reduced the
stress level, and made everybody happy.

If I had not thought he would fit in well, I would not have adopted
him. I wasn't looking to get a cat at the time, and had no reason to
increase the numbers. I just saw him, and he told me he was exactly
what I needed. And I must say, he was right.


--
Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 15:49:14 -0400, "Ron Herfurth"
wrote:


"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Spurred by the recent thread regarding cat hoarding...

How many cats do you think are too many to keep? I know some of this is
determined by space and funds for food, vetting, etc. But let's assume
that
you have unlimited funds and a large home (say 4 bedrooms, around 3,000
sq.
ft.). How many are too many for individual attention, love, skritches,
etc.?

Hugs,

CatNipped


I figure 24 would be my limit since there's no way I could get more than 2 a
month to the vet for annual check ups . The 18 I have right now are taxing
my schedule and forget about my budget.
As far as the maximum for individual attention, that would be the number
that could comfortably sleep on your bed. I've noticed that is independent
of whether or not I'm on the bed. If I am, one sleeps on my feet, one on my
thighs, one on my side, and one little hussy wants to take her half of the
pillow out of the middle.
ron - I am NOT a hoarder

(I'm a collector)


How many litterboxes? That is some scooping job.