2013/14 How many cats do you have and how many is your limit

just 1. i wanted 2 but now i'm starting to think 1 is all I need. She has the perfect behavior, never scratched up anything, and I'm worried another cat will corrupt her. Also considering the finances (heck pets are expensive) and the fact I will be traveling and most likely moving into an apartment in the near future, I will be able to get away with 1 cat as opposed to 2 or more.

I have 3 cats. One is 15 1/2 and 2 are 3 year old litter mates.

Two cats is my limit. My RB kitty Chynna was my only kitty for 6 years. When I went to 12 hour work shifts, I wanted a companion kitty for her so that she wasn't left alone for such a long time.  So I brought Abby to live with us; she was 4 months old at the time.  She tried so hard to be friends with Chynna, but Chynna wouldn't have it.  Chynna was very jealous of Abby, and down right mean at times. She stalked Abby to the point where Abby was terrified of her; it was more than just a subordinate thing.

3 1/2 years ago at 18 1/2 years,  Chynna went to the RB, leaving Abby as an only kitty. She really came out of her shell and enjoyed being the only kitty.   Seven months later I felt a yearning to bring home another kitty.  Abby had tried so hard to be friends with Chynna, that I thought she would love to have a companion kitty to snuggle and play with.  One day when I took her to the vet for a surgery procedure to have a cyst removed from the top of her head/neck, I asked about kitties for adoption. I expected them to say they didn't have any because they usually have a picture on the counter. But the girl said they had a Momma cat and 2 kittens and asked if I wanted to see one. I immediately said "NO!" and that my taxi was arriving soon.

Well, she brought out the girl kitten. A small grey tabby that was cute as a button, but wanted no part of cuddling; she was constantly in motion.  I just didn't have the heart to send her back to her cage without knowing that she had a home to go to. So I told the girl I would adopt her....and her brother, site unseen; because I couldn't in good consciousness separate them. Besides certain things in life need to come in pairs, and one of those is kittens.

So the next week after their spay/neuter,  I picked up Spencer and Katie and brought them home.

Turns out Abby really loved being an only kitty!  She tolerates the twins. She isn't mean like Chynna was to her, but she really doesn't want to have much to do with either of them and will usually get up and leave if one of them comes into the area and disturbs her.  However, on 2 occasions I've caught her and Katie snuggled up in the cat bed together, and she will sometimes let Spencer lay down beside her when we are in bed or on the couch. So know she doesn't totally dislike them,  lol

While 3 cats is too much for me right now because of my physical health, I don't regret getting the twins. I love them, plus I know when Abby leaves us I will have 2 cats that get along and I won't have to try and find a companion kitty for an older cat that is used to being alone with me.

I have three of my own and am taking care of my Mom in laws cat while they move/set up new house. She's an escape artist so she's more secure at my house than at hers with doors opening and shutting constantly. But my limit is three. The fourth is too much.

Oh I like this thread!

My realistic and ideal limit is two. One, I have severe allergies, asthma, and eczema. Due to health reasons two is really all I can handle, even with medication. Secondly, I live in NYC now - it's hard enough to apartment hunt, but when you also got pets... it cranks up the difficulty a whole another notch (IMO). I also think two is a good number. Even though Lox and Bagel are not the very best of friends, I know that even when I am feeling really sick and can not attend to them as much - they keep each other company. Lastly, I know vet bills can add up. I'm pretty sure I spent over 1k already bringing home Bagel this summer. I like that I know I can take care of the two if they have emergency issues. My life hasn't been great recently (another story) but I at least know that I can take good care of my two - and that brings me joy and helps me stay optimistic.

I only have Bella & Thunder. and if I could have 1 more I would which would be my limit. (3)

I have two, when my limit was one! But having a playmate solved the play aggression issues of my (enormous Ragdoll) kitten. But two kittens grow into two cats... and that is my limit in my small condo.

Having them has elicited an emotional empathy for all cats - so if my resources were better (larger home, better health, more money)... I think I would go up to 4. Ah, but that's a what if. Makes walking by the cat adoption cages in the pet chain store very painful (all of our local stores use Rescue kitties, none of this for profit animal mill stuff).

All of this being said, I agonized over getting a second kitten for awhile because of all the unknowns... so far, BEST DECISION EVER. They compliment each other perfectly... between the two of them (different personalities), I have one perfect cat (what one doesn't do, the other one does).

So now two is my limit, and I have two.

One, and that's my limit inside. Mogli doesn't get along with other cats, and I'm allergic to them. That said, we share a cat (former stray) with a neighbor, though Miezi has more or less stopped coming here since Mogli moved in. She used to spend her days hanging around here and nights inside at the neighbor's. She's a senior now and spends most of her time indoors.

I have seven; four is my limit.        What I mean is, I had three, wanted one more, but ended up taking our friend's four when she passed away.  It's working out but really it's more cats than I ever intended to have at once.

Three for me, which is what I have. I won't say that I won't take another cat in (else I'll have 10 more), but 3 is my ideal limit. Two can play and the third can rest if they want.

We have 2, and that for us is a really good number.  They keep each other company, we can manage them both emotionally and financially.  In all honesty, I would like a third, I know we could deal with one more.  I've never had a kitten and that really is something I'd like to experience, however, we have a rather small home and finding 1 more place to put an additional litter box would be a challenge, without making a huge compromise for the humans.  And not so sure how our older one would deal with that; it was a big change for him adding Cocoa, although thankfully he acclimated.  Let alone a kitten would probably be way more than we want to deal with - and Casper LOL.  Adding another one would fnancially hit us hard if anything happened to them all at once or even close together.  

So, two it is.  Unless something changes or we feel completely compelled to add a third for some unknown and unforeseen major circumstance.

I had 2 in the past and that would be my limit in terms of space, and also finances then.  Much as I loved having 2 they struggled to live together in later years and I decided to get 1 after they moved on.  It was hard and if there had been 2 when I went to meet Mouse I swear I'd not have resisted.  Mouse seems happy on his own and I can't see him ever tollerating another cat in his space.  I'm glad I resisted temptation to get 2 as my finances have changed and I honestly don't think I could manage if I had more and that would break my heart.  I see many people on this site struggle as they try to keep things going and give everything for their furfamilies and I feel so sad: like so many here having a furfamily is everything to me.

I have only one kitty and that's all I can afford.  I would love to have another but just cannot justify it with my finances.

Long story short, we have 8 inside cats, they're all feral rescues. Well, Ming Loy was rescued by a garbageman: she and her sister had been (literally) thrown away, probably because they had cerebellar hypoplasia.

Initially, because we had a good income, the cat limit was based on how many we could handle in an emergency: how many crates would comfortably fit in the car. Now we have a van, but our income isn't what it was.

We rescued and TNR'd, and we kept health compromised cats that to be adopted out would just be handing someone a bill and a major commitment.

We lived in an RV when we started rescuing. We made a lot of adjustments so there was a lot of vertical space. The cats do just fine in small space. We did move into a house for four years, and it was fun having stairs and more space for them to play with wand toys. But those that first lived here were ALL so much happier when we moved back into the RV, we now regret ever having moved out. We thought the (at the time) five cats would appreciate the space. They were all so cuddly here. In the house they spread out, and stopped being cuddly with each other, even after moving back into the RV.

We added Ming Loy while living in the house. We'd been banned from fostering by the vet because of the health of one of our kitties. We've added two since moving back into the RV, because they were ferals that weren't adoptable, but couldn't be left outside.

As to the expense.... we do what we need to do. Thankfully, because of our long history rescuing, our vet is totally willing to work with us.


ETA: without looking it up, I'm not sure how many cats we've TNR'd in the RV park since moving back in and being stationary here since 2008. There are currently 11 active in the colony. There have been no kittens born to any of these cats since 2010, but people dump cats and kittens here. We adopt them out, there are usually three to five or so a year. But I do think of the colony cats as "our" cats. We do our best to get them medical care as and if needed, and if we were to move, most of them would be moving with us.

I have 3, but financially, I would be more comfortable with 2.

I had Boo first, and intended to get him a buddy after I moved into my new place in 2010. I had picked out Sebastian at the shelter. Caesar came from the same previous household as Sebastian and they were dropped off at the shelter together, but were in separate cages. I hadn't made up my mind, so I left to think about it. When I went back to the shelter, they had moved Caesar into a double cage with Sebastian. Caesar had stopped eating and they thought it would help if he was with his "brother." It was obvious he was sick. He was extremely thin and had a poor coat.

How could I not have left with the both of them?! I wanted to give Caesar a chance, because they surely would have put him down. We had a very rough few months, but he pulled through. 

7 in our house, 3 are mine and 4 are my parents. I had just Moki when we moved here but couldn't turn away Ghost and Hina which were strays and are both amazing. My parents have Mama which is Moki's mom, Lilly, Sadie and Rin which was mine but I didn't want to take her away from her sister Sadie when we move so she gets to stay here.

My limit is 3 lol. . .

We have seven indoor cats. I think I'd feel more comfortable financially with 4 at this point. We go through a ton of food and litter every week, not to mention the vet bills. I love them all, but realistically 7 is too many for our small house.

I have one kitty and that's currently my limit. For the loft I rent, I have to pay $100 deposit and $30/month pet rent *per pet*. So, yea... just him for now. If the next place I live has just a deposit and no pet rent, I'll probably adopt another kitten or a cat around Oliver's age.

I have 2.

We have 3. 2 was really my limit until Tippytoes showed up at our door and adopted us! Best thing that could have happened. I love all my kitties (past and present) -- and my Rainbow kitty- BJ was my very special little guy --- but Tippytoes is rapidly matching that special connection. She is the sweetest, most loving little creature in the world.

I have two but have always opined 3 would be perfect.  Especially a boy as I have a pair of sisters.

Well since having to deal with warring sisters and separating them in my small one bedroom apartment the last 24 hours (and having to sleep in the hallway as a compromise to keeping them both happy while separated),  I will say emphatically, two is my limit!  And I have to admit I now understand why some only want one.

As I grow older and finances tighten, I can see myself with one cat once the current residents move on.  I never thought I would be a one kitty home, but I can see the positives.