Maximum recommended number of cats in a flat?

Hi - I'm looking for a bit of advice on what the maximum number of cats I should have is. I live with my wife in a two bedroom, modern apartment on the 1st floor of a building. We have had one cat for a few years who is deaf so she has to be an indoor cat. Last week we went to a local shelter and adopted a blind cat. However, the shelter had another blind cat that we really loved straight away, but we opted for the one we adopted because she was particularly stressed at the shelter and had been there for a long time.

So anyway, my question is - does anyone have an opinion on whether a 2-bed apartment is an okay size if we were to adopt the third cat? I don't want to overstress any of them by forcing them to live in too small a space (although the cubicles they have at the shelter are tiny!). I spoke to a woman at the shelter and she seemed to think the rule of thumb is you can get one cat per room you have (so we have 3 if you count the living-room/kitchen). It just seems to us that as we already have a blind cat now, it makes sense to take the other one as they have similar issues/problems. I've asked friends but got all kinds of different replies about how many cats is okay (one friend has 4 in a one-bed room flat which seems a bit extreme to us!).

Any opinions greatly appreciated!

As long as you can keep the apartment clean and not get carried away and adopt so many cats that you can't keep up after them. I would recommend at least 2 litter boxes for 3 cats too... at the minimum.

You should also check with your landlord and make sure they don't care if you have 3 cats.

There are members here with many more cats per square foot than you're talking about. LDG for instance has 8 cats in an RV. Its all dependent on what you can personally handle.

First of all, welcome to TCS!

I think it would be wonderful of you to adopt the other blind kitty, especially as you will already have to manage your home FOR a blind kitty!

Frankthetank (might not have all the caps right) has a blind kitty (I know there are others on there but she pops to mind), you may want to contact her (private message or starting a new thread) about tips for managing that. We have a one-eyed deaf cat that doesn't have clear vision out of her other eye, but she zings and pings around here like a nut, so I don't think their "handicaps" necessarily slow them down much (if at all).

But for us, the key is vertical space and quality time. Cats don't need "territory" so much as they need stimulation.

With the confines of the RV, we are VERY thankful that the 8 kitties are successfully using 3 litter boxes. We've figured out where two more could go if they really needed it, but we work from home and I'm able to scoop numerous times a day (though they don't complain on days when we're out at meetings and I can only scoop in the morning and at night). But the rule of thumb is that you should have one more litter box than you have cats, and when we lived in a house, we had six cats and 8 litter boxes.

I would read up on cat introductions, though if the recently adopted blind kitty hasn't had time to make any of your home his/her territory, it may be best to adopt sooner rather than later.

I will say our females are pretty hissy about new introductions (though funny enough our little deaf girl never has issues with new intros), and one of them takes six months to stop being really upset. Others have issues making introductions with their deaf cats, because they don't react normally to cat language -though some are more jumpy about things happening they can't hear (like a cat aproaching). I don't know about your kitty, but ours loves to be up high, especially in corners of the room - I think she likes this because she can see all the comings and goings. So if you don't already have cat trees or shelves up for her, that's something that may help.

First let me say a big thank you for adopting cats with challenges.

Off of the top of my head I would say yes, as long as you have the financial means to care for 3 cats.....
go for it.

Please share photo and stories of these kitties with us.

Thanks for the great responses - they have been really reassuring. 8 cats in an RV is pretty amazing! Any other tips on getting them all to rub along okay would be great.

We own our flat (on a mortgage) so don't have a problem with a landlord (although there is a management company - they are happy for us to keep cats so long as they don't cause a nuisance to other residents).

We don't really have much vertical space at the moment so I will definitely invest in a cat tree or two if you think that would help. Our deaf cat (Margaret) hasn't taken to the new blind cat (Beatrix) yet - she tries to avoid her and hisses when she sees her, but the fact that she hasn't attacked her or do more than moan is good I think, and Beatrix doesn't seem to care. I guess Margaret is just sulking a bit but we're trying to make sure she still gets lots of attention and has to stay in the same room as Beatrix for at least an hour or two a day. Hopefully this sulking is just normal and she'll get used it within a few months. I have wondered whether Margaret being deaf has maybe hindered the introduction because she can't hear the noises Beatrix makes at her.

Beatrix is so much more relaxed since leaving the shelter (dogs were constantly barking there), but despite her being good with her litter tray there and me using the same kind of litter here, she has been ignoring her litter tray up until today... She was a stray who was found trapped in a small space and had rubbed her back legs raw. She still has large scabs on them that she licks and then start bleeding so I am taking her to the vets tomorrow (the shelter said this has been going on for 6 months so I think they need looking at and maybe bandaging or an e-collar putting on so she can't keep licking at them). Although she is blind I'm amazed at how well she gets around - it's like she has a sixth sense as to where things are and she almost never bumps into things.

Anyway, back to my original question - I work from home much of the time and between us we can afford to keep three, but we'd have to draw the line there. Would you recommend getting the third cat sooner rather than later? I wasn't sure whether I should give Beatrix some time to settle in and for Margaret to get used to her before introducing another.

I have a litter tray/box for each cat, but the space they take up is a consideration. I'm starting to use good quality clumping litter though that supposedly masks the smells, so hopefully 3 would be the maximum I'd need.

I'm not sure how to insert photos unfortunately.

How many cats you can have depends on if you can afford to take care of them properly. How many you can give time and attention to. How much money you have to spend on food, and vet bills.

It sounds like you live in Europe, and I don't know if Dr. Elsley's "Cat Attract" litter or additive is available there - you might want to find out. It REALLY seems to help cats re-adjust to using the litter box.

Also, for cleaning up where she's gone outside of the box, it is REALLY important to use an ENZYME cleaner. I don't know what's available there (if I'm right about your location), but especially with blind and deaf cats, whose sense of smell is probably heightened, it is the only thing that will clean up the smell of the urea in their urine. That smell continues to encourage them to not use the box. In fact, it's a good idea to blot up some of her pee with a paper towel and put that in the litter box, then clean up the pee. It helps re-define where pee smell belongs.

Some cats are just finnicky about the type of litter (we have to use an unscented litter), so hopefully if she's consistently using the box again, you've hit on something OK. Some are also pretty finnicky about clean boxes, so you have to scoop a lot. And some won't pee and poop in the same box, which is why it's important to provide enough boxes.

Also, if you're not already familiar, peeing outside of the litter box is often a medical problem. In fact, about 85% of the time it's a medical problem, so it's a good thing she's off to the vet. Please mention she wasn't using the box. They may be able to express some pee out of her bladder for a urinalysis, which is always a good idea. I know she's happy to be out of the shelter, but any move for a cat is stressful, and they often "express" stress in their bladders. I don't know why, but it's quite common.

I'll post some links on making introductions. It's really best to keep any new kitty separated for at least a few days, and let them get used to each other's scent (and associate it with good things) first. Positive reinforcement with introductions is a must, and focusing on the resident kitty's happiness first and getting extra love, attention, treats and/or play is important.

Glad to hear Beatrix is so good at ... well .... being blind! I'm so very sorry to hear about the backs of her legs though. I hope she won't need the cone, but something certainly needs to be done, poor baby.

I think it's great that Margaret is reacting with just hisses (and moans). We've always had trouble with our female-female introductions. Thank goodness the last two rescues were males.

Well deduced - yes, I am live in the UK. Thanks for the advice - that's all really great info. I will speak with the vet tomorrow about the potential urinary issue and look into ordering some of the cat attract litter and some enzyme spray. The other cat we want to adopt apparently has litter box problems too - the shelter think it is just down to stress, but I'm not so convinced. I think they are maybe a bit naive there, or thrifty because they really should have got Beatrix's backlegs sorted out given she was there for 6 months.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice - it has been incredibly helpful, I really appreciate it!

I'd have to agree with you - this shelter sounds stretched (at best). To let something like her legs go untreated that long is just... sad (and not right!).

Peeing problems are weird. Sometimes in the right environment they can be managed - other times it can be SO frustrating and take a lot of work. It takes special people to take on a kitty with peeing problems. I'm so glad they didn't put him/her down, but until he/she is in a home, it's hard to tell. A shelter environment is so stressful to begin with, and if it's a behavioral problem, it could have been the home they were in. Cats with a peeing problem in one home sometimes magically don't have them in others. If you do decide to adopt this kitty in need, I'd confine him/her to your bathroom (if it's large enough) for at least a week. Bathrooms are great for litter box retraining, especially if you pick up the throw rugs and leave just the tile. Even better if yours is large enough to fit two litter boxes in there (if you need to give two a try, I'd start with one). The only issue I potentially see with that is that the blind kitty learns the litter box is in a specific place... and then has to re-learn where they are. I'm not too sure how that would work. Again - contacting frankthetank may help with that. I'm also sure there's a yahoo group for blind kitties, so you might want to look into that.

Just FYI, an enzyme cleaner often comes in a spray bottle, but it generally requires rather liberal use. The entire affected area MUST be soaked - left to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then blotted up and left to air dry. Cat pee wicks, so the enzyme cleaner only works if it gets to the same places the pee did - which, if on carpeting, usually gets through the pad and down to the floor boards, so you've got to soak the area with the enzyme cleaner to get there too. We always put a bit of aluminum foil over the area while it air dries - this reminds us not to step there, and also helped prevent the same spot from being used again.

Forgot to mention, something else to consider if you can afford it is a product called Feliway. It has other retail names, but if you search for Feliway, you'll turn up something. You want the one for cats (obviously) not dogs, but basically this is a synthetic pheremone that mimics the "friendly" markers in cats' cheeks. Cats have lots of scent glands - in their paws, in their bum, via their pee and poop, and in their cheeks. Paws, pee and poop are "territory" markers, and cheeks are... "this is home" kind of thing. Feliway is available as a spray or a plug-in. If you're able to get it, just make sure you don't plug it in or spray it near any litter boxes. But not only does it help calm stressed cats, it was designed to help inappropriate elimination. The "scent" of Feliway (it doesn't really have a scent to humans) is "wrong" for peeing...

Here is a link where you can read up on it. http://www.catfaeries.com/about_feliway.html

All good advice here. Thank you so much, so much, so much for adopting cats with disabilities!

I'll be interested to hear who else in the British royal family you are going to name the third cat after. I had friends with 3 Siamese back in the 1980's. They were "Charles," "Diana," and "Sarah."

I grew up in two bedroom flats. I've always thought 3 cats worked well in that space. And two people and three cats sounds just about right, if you have the time to give them the attention they need and deserve, and the financial resources.

I have 4 litter pans for 5 cats and it works just fine at my house. It depends on the cats.

Please post pictures, and stick around! Welcome to tcs.

Robin

I have found that it depends more on the personalities of the cats themselves than the actual space. Yvaine for example...my little tiny Persian is a timid, shy thing who has a high tolerance of other cats and so long as she has a place to hide, she's happy. I could have ten of her in a studio apartment and all ten of her wouldn't be stressed by the crowding.

Merlot on the other hand...our two-bedroom house can BARELY contain him. He's big and loud and obscenely active. He has some serious social skills so the other cats need lots of space to avoid the heck out of that mackerel-tabby wrecking ball. He's young and getting monstrously huge (almost eleven months and thirteen pounds...and still not totally filled out yet! Estimates are between 15 to 18 for his adult size.) and likes to run around a lot. Because of him, we are feeling a bit crowded with four cats (three of mine, one of my roommate's) in our house.

My little Ember takes the least space of all...she's been in "quarantine" in my room for months and now that we're ready to let her have the run of the house...she couldn't care less. She is perfectly content and happy to spend all of her time in a room that is 12' x 16'. It must seem like a huge upgrade from the 4' x 5' kennel she was sharing with three other cats at the shelter! Ironically she tolerates all but Merlot into "her" territory, and only resents him because as a socially inept, gargantuan infant, he tends to act out of line and irritates her.

Ergo, I'd say watch your cats, learn their personalities, and learn their limits.

Originally Posted by Pcornall

I'm not sure how to insert photos unfortunately.

Click to expand...

I have sent a private message to you about how most of us post photos on TCS.

We have a delightful sub-forum were our members usually post their photos.
Other members would love to see your kitties pictures too.
Fur Pictures and Videos

Have you checked our Behavior forum for tips about introducing new cats into your furfamily.
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22301
Because your kittys have special needs you might want to start your own thread there with unique questions you might have.

I look forward to seeing your cats.

Thanks for the further replies. I bought a feliway thing a couple of weeks ago so have had that plugged in (hopefully it's having some effect!). Been to the vet this morning and he gave Beatrix a shot for her wound that is anti-inflammitory and antibiotic so it should bother her less. Need to go back next week for another. He was concerned that she had lost a lot of weight in the shelter so may need a blood test to make sure there isn't some underlying condition.

Not sure if the next name with be royal inspired - it is only accidental that the current to are royal names! 'William the Conqueror' would be a good name for a male cat though......

Totally agree about the personalities point - it never fails to surprise me just how different cats can be and balancing out these personalities must be quite a feat at times. Merlot sounds amazing....!

Thanks a lot for the info on posting photos. Hopefully this will work - this is Margaret:



This is Beatrix:

Awwwwww they are adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our little Flowerbelle (our deaf one-eyed kitty) is all white with the same eye color as your Margaret.

Thanks for sharing your royal kitties photos....
Margaret and Beatrix could not be cuter.

I think there is a strong possibility that a William the Conqueror is in your fur family's future.

I am sending along healing vibes to Beatrix for a quick and easy healing.
It might not be a bad idea to get blood work done to rule out a problem.
Beatrix