How many is too many?

Okay... so, when I FINALLY get my own place (or get married and have a place with my husband), I'd love it to be filled with animals. I don't necessarily want to live in the country or on a farm. I'd just like a big house with lots of animals and eventually children.

My friend and sister tease me that I will be a "cat lady" but I see nothing wrong with that. I'd love to have at least three or four cats, and two dogs. Cats are my favorite animals, so I want more of those, and I'd like a big dog and a small dog.

I already have Bella And Daisy, our big dog, will either stay with my parents or go with me.


But what does everyone think? How much is to much?

LOL I have four cats 3 dogs 2 shih-tzus and 1 collie mix a bird and soon a guinea pig..as long as you can take care of them properly then I dont believe you can have too many!! Look at my signature!!

I agree, as long as you can care for them properly, theres never too many!!

LOL normally its not enough!

LOL I hear you. I intend to save as many as I can take care of from a shelter. I'm big on adopting animals and saving their lives, you know? We have three dogs, two cats, 6 snakes, 2 birds, and 2 fish right now... my dad doesn't want us having any more, but we might get a bigger house soon... so I might beg... but I'm trying just to be so grateful for my baby Bella right now.

I have 2 cats. I would love to have more. But even if I had the room for more I don't have the physical or emotional energy for more.

I find it so hard to divide my time between 2 cats demanding play time, brushing and cuddles. I can't imagine having to try and fit that in for yet another kitty.

We've got 6 feral rescues, 4 of them are or were special needs kitties. At this point in our lives, we would never adopt an animal that most people would - which means no more cats, until we can afford the care.

If you can afford their care, their medical needs, emergency vets and have enough for that long-term disease and care that may crop up (and the more animals you have the more likely it is that at least one is going to need a lot of money to take care of) - and have the time to give them the attention and love they need, that's where the limit is.

It has nothing to do with space. We had five cats in an RV that was 8' wide and 37' long for two years. It worked because we gave them the attention and play that they needed (and created a lot of vertical space for them).

But we've stopped at six, because in an emergency, god forbid, that's how many crates and cats we can fit in the car. If we win the lottery or get a larger car , we may take in another kitty in need.

Laurie

We have 4 permanent dogs and 13 permanent cats plus fosters at random times... it's never too many as long as you can care for them all properly!

I'd love to have more, but one thing to consider is if you like to travel or if you ever need someone to "pet sit" - the more animals you have to care for, the less freedom you will have to come and go.

Its not like kids where you can just take them anytime to a restaurant, a person's house to visit or a hotel.

I never really thought about it till DH pointed out that you are restricted in a lot of ways. We have 2 cats and a dog. Cats are usually less problems, but when you add a dog in the mix, you HAVE to have someone to let the dog out for potty.

Just something to keep in mind

Ya'll have made me feel extremely good about this!

Oh, the traveling issue is SUCH a good point. We've had to put the kitties in boarding twice since we've had them, and that sucked. They all hid and didn't eat much - they all lost weight.

Now whenever we go somewhere, we only travel in the RV, and we take them with us.

Laurie

Hmmm, all I know is that three cats isn't too many

We'd have 2 dogs if we lived in our own home.

I always try to leave extra space and money open for that occasion "Oh crap,, look at that cat, he needs help" I always think there has to be room for that one extra that was dropped off at your doorstep, abused and thrown in the cold or just mistreated! I just got my third cat right now, So I still have room for more!

Every person has a different limit - I personally stick to two permanent cats, as I always get one that costs a lot at the vets, and I would hate to take a third and not be able to give one of them the vet care they need. I do foster though, so get my kitty fix that way, and my comfortable limit is 5 (which is how many I have now!!) and I end up with 6 quite a lot of the year, as I find it hard to say no!! It all really depends on how many you can financially care for (and you do have to consider if one of them has an accident/illness), how many you have time for, rather than what people think is too many. You could consider fostering for a rescue, that way you can help a lot more animals.

My daughters friend had 15 cats at one time.
I love animals but 15 cats is way to many

As long as you can care for them all properly, then it's all good - but I think you also have to take into consideration your animal's limits. Sometimes there comes a point where the animals you have draw a line and give you the "enough is enough" sign. You don't want to stress them out with overcrowding now, do you? You'll figure it out though... sooner or later either the shelter will run out of animals or you'll run out of money and/or space!

I would sort of disagree with some and say it isn't all about keeping them healthy. It's stressful for cats to live in too crowded an environment. Everybody needs their space and the more animals you bring in, the more stressful it gets for many cats. Yeah, lots of cats like a companion but often times I think it goes way beyond that.

It's also important to remember that cats like to be with their people. We have 3 cats and a dog in a 2500 square foot house. They spend most of their time around my husband and I. 4 animals is our absolute limit because if we had more, they wouldn't be able to comfortably spend time with us while we work on the computer, cook in the kitchen and relax in the living room. Could we fit more in this house? Yeah of course. Would our current animals be happy if we did? No.

Originally Posted by LDG

If you can afford their care, their medical needs, emergency vets and have enough for that long-term disease and care that may crop up (and the more animals you have the more likely it is that at least one is going to need a lot of money to take care of) - and have the time to give them the attention and love they need, that's where the limit is.

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I agree with Laurie...
think long term (15/20 year increments) when adopting.

You are going to give some needy kitties a wonderful life.

I think it depends on how much money you have to care for them The size of you house or apartment. The amount of attention you can give.
I have always felt like either one or two cats was enough for me.