How many is too many?

I have seven cats right now and have one coming before the end of the month. I have a couple of kittens also coming in the new year. i figure when all is said and done I will have 12. Two are rescues (I believe since I breed if there are any persians who need a home I should make sure they have a home.)But how many cats do you all have out there? And how do you manage int he higher numbers? I am building a enclosed porch which is very large attached to my house. How do you all keep your cats happy?
Denise :tounge2:

I have two.

I read that having lots of cats in one household can lead to stress in some of the more timid ones, unless they have their own escape space.

How do you cope with 12! I have a hard enough time with two trying to sit on my lap and sleep on the bed.

Well to start with there are 6 people in my family. And there are lots of places to have kitties hide. Under beds in closets I find cats in the most strange places. I have cats who want to sleep with me and cats who sleep with my children. each person has their favorites and all the cats get lots of attention. Even my two year old has seemed to adopt my male he loves her even when she wants to sleep on him like a pillow. He seems to love her attention. I also stay at home and have time to bathe and groom cats all of the time. I plan to take two of the cats to the las vegas show in Jan. I do have cats who seem to be a little more aggresive but I have never seen one cat hurt another or stress one out. They all play together and none seem to win more then another. But a day may come when a show act will need to retire to a pet home. But I cant imagine giving up any of my cats. Are there any breeders out there with more then 12?
Denise

I have 14 right now. Last year I had 23. It gets crazy sometimes but it works out. I try to find homes for the ferals I rescue, but sometimes that is not possible (as I work with older cats) so they just stay here with us as barn cats and shop cats.

That is great! That must be so rewarding.
Denise

But a few weeks ago we had 3 adult cats + 5 kittens. We found the kittens after a tornado ripped through our neighborhood a few months ago. My sister and I nursed them and gave them a home until we could find them new owners. The last two kittens left with their new owners this morning My female cat was really attached to them.....She thought they were her babies. This morning she was crying looking for them. So now I'm back to just my 3 cats. I guess the toughest thing is having to keep the litterbox clean. ... oh and their water bowls clean and full. (the female likes to dump toys into the water)

LOL, I have one cat that likes to drop food into the water bowl and ruin it for the rest of them. I clean it all day long.
Denise

With cats, living in large societys can cause stress, this is very true. You have to be careful how you manage it, and be able to split them up in groups if you have to.

The most cats I have ever had at one time was 7. I currently own 3, which will be with me until whenever they pass away. I'm out of fostering for now, just don't have the funds.

Too many, is when you don't have enough money, enough time for them ALL, when 1 or more of them starts developing emotional problems. When you house starts to become distroyed and you can no longer keep up with the cleaning. lol.

I know a lady who has cats that pee in her stove and she insists that she is not an animal horder. *sigh*.

Ya I have 7 and at this point I have decided to not get anymore for awhile. I have one more that I would like for a breeder however my friend has room in her cattery so I think I will keep her there. I have to learn i cant have every cute face I see. I just love them so much but I am sure that is ho wevery horder starts.
Denise

ewww... That's bad.

cee: Yeah that's exactly the problem, which is why sometimes I feel for those animal collectors and horders, cause most of them HONESTLY think... in their heads, that they are helping these cats (dispite their living situation.)

I forgot, what's the difference. Is the animal horder, a person who just has too many animals, but DOES adopt them out.
And an animal collector has too many animals and "says" they try to adopt them out but it never really happens.

Is that right?

I have 9 cats in a 2200 square foot house, and they all get along for the most part. (Yes, I realize that I'm very lucky to have such a big house.) My survival secret? Three LitterMaids!! We also have a cat room, which has lots of cat beds, as well as shelves on the wall for them to sleep on-my hubby built those. There are plenty more beds and blankets scattered throughout the house

I think it helps that 5 of the 9 are a mom-cat (spayed after she came to live with us!!) and her four "kittens" (they're almost 3 years old now). They all get along very well, and are known collectively as "the orange cats," for the obvious reason. What's really weird about the situation is that my black male, Boo, who was here before the orange cats, has a very weird paternal-type relationship with the "kittens."

I also think that one's "cat-pacity" depends largely on the personalities. Most of my cats are very laid-back and at least tolerate each other; some of them seem to actually enjoy each other's company!

I can't help adopting a good cat! I think that buying some good cats won't be enough! I wish I had 4 or 6 cats. But now only two cats own my heart...

I have 10 cats! I live in a big house and none of my cats are skittish. The only problem is that when one wants attention, they all do! I love all my cats!

You can never have too many cats!

I also have 10 and it all works out just fine. They are all very healthy and happy. They have there little tifs sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I have ONE.... and shes a handfull...

We're thinking of getting her a buddy... but TWO will be the max in my house!

Thats how it starts. LOL
Denise

That's what I thought too, 2 years ago we got Roo, now we're already thinking about a kitty or a puppy. But are more concerned about where we're going to live in the next year. (we just got new landlords and we're all still feeling each other out, so to speak)

Two years ago, we decided to add a "fourth and final" cat to our household. A gorgeous 1 yr old tortoiseshell stole my heart in the SPCA and so Lilith came home with us. Three weeks later, we discovered she was pregnant. (Not by my 3, all of whom were fixed years earlier).

She had a litter of 6 kittens, and we could not find good, responsible homes for any of them. Bringing them to the SPCA was never considered as an option. We kept them all, bringing our grand total to 10 cats! We lucked out that our vet, hearing of our predicament, gave us the "SPCA rate" for spaying/neutering Lil and her brood.

I never planned to have ten cats, and would have laughed if you'd ever suggested I would. But they are so sweet and wonderful, and a source of constant joy to me. I am lucky to have a house large enough for them to have plenty of room to roam, play, run, stalk, etc., and we generally have a peaceable kingdom.

It can be done!

I had 2 cats. Then in June of '02 "Lucky", an 8wk old kitten found it's way to my doorstep and heart. 3 cats! Wow! I never thought we'd have 3! Then a couple of months later, "Mama Cat" had a litter and kept abandoning one of them so I ended up with him and his sister. I had to straw feed both of them. Oreo and Miss Kitty are now 7 months old and still with us. That made 5. My family and friends were shocked that I had so many and frankly, so was I. Then I came home from work one rainy day and there was the most beautiful little calico kitten under hubby's truck. I said NO WAY am I having another cat. Well, "Callie" is still with us 5 months later, making 6 cats. Meanwhile, 2 stray cats started hanging around that I'd never seen before. They were scared, you could tell. I fed them but didn't bring them in. Well, winter set in and it got really cold and I just couldn't leave them outside so off to the vet we go (as with every other one) and now Sophia and Betty Lou have the run of the house...making 8 cats. I have had every one of them tested, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, plus had the Mama Cat of the Oreo and Miss Kitty spayed and shots (she absolutely won't stay inside...she'll let me pet her and feed her but won't come in).
Soooooo, it's a zoo around here most of the time. Luckily I have a spare room just for the cats complete with a floor to ceiling cat tree and toys, litterboxes....then in the living room I have a very nice tall and sturdy cat condo which they love. I built a screened in porch and they love going out there when the weather is nice. I am in the process of kitty proofing the garage so when the weather is not too hot or cold that will be another get away for them.
I separate them at night...one in a large dog crate (he goes in it without being asked)...the other three roam the cat room with the door shut. I put Betty Lou in my bathroom because she can get fiesty. The other 3 have the run of the house at night and behave very well.
I recently switched to Feline Pine which I LOVE and it smells so nice.
The whole experience has been expensive, stressful and hubby and I have had heated arguments over them but I love them all. They are a handful and keep me very busy. If I can find a home for the last 2 strays, fine. But I am picky and that might not happen.
Sorry for such a long post.