For some humans. One pet is too many.
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How many cats is "too many"?
- Thread starter Cataria
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Rescue is a kind thing, but if cats get sick and you cannot afford treatment, maybe you have too many, every adopted animal is a lifetime investment in sickness and health
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I 110% agree with that.
The number of cats waiting for a home far exceeds the perfect available homes. If a cat gets to live in a home, cared for and loved with even basic vet care that might mean euthanasia if they required extensive medical treatment that's still better than many of the alternatives.
I agree. If we limited cats to only homes where there is $10k or $12k sitting in a savings account to cover unexpected vet expenses there would be a lot more cats dead in the street.
I didn't seek out any cats at all but here I have two. Their alternative if they didn't live with me was most likely not life with a person that was richer, but most likely life on the streets or a painful death.
If they got sick, we would do our best but we simply don't have 10k to spend on vet bills.
Our cats actually go to the vet more than we personally go to the doctor. We are some of the millions of the people that have fallen through the cracks of the current healthcare system.
I do know that we can't afford any more cats, though, that's why I'm not adopting any more and am fostering instead.
We can absorb a fair amount. There simply won't be vacations this year. However 2 is sort of our limit. I'm pretty sure they eat better than us. Our own medial insurance had increased horribly and now seems to cover nothing. We told the clinic to do what they needed during our free yearly wellness exam because we can't afford to out of pocket doctor visits anymore.
Yes, our cats eat really well too. One reason why I'm so picky about their nutrition is that I know poor nutrition can cause expensive veterinary complications. So basically, I can't afford to feed the cheap food.
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I agree with this. And also, no matter how many cats become your "limit", it is important to also take good care of yourself. If your ability to be a happy, healthy, mostly unstressed human becomes compromised in taking care of (too many) cats/pets, you know you've maxed out your limit.
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Hello! I can share that I took excellent care of 30 cats, got them all spayed and neutered, fed them very well (including raw meat) and had sufficient time to play with them and give them lots of love. The budget was tight, but we did it. The only difference is that I worked from home, so that made it a lot easier. I'm like you with seeing homeless cats, and at the time, there was only the kill shelter, so of course, I gave them a home. One of the big helps for me was a local vet who does low cost spay and neuter. And, one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't have more time to play with them, but they did all sleep with me so cuddles were abundant. Having said that about longing for more play time, do any of us ever get enough time with our beloved cats? I think not. The key is to be fully present with the time you have.
Those were the best years of my life, and most of these precious angels lived well into their late teens. They enjoyed a fully enclosed kitty yard in the mountains, hunted and had a great life. They were indoor cats with the option for enclosed outdoors - 7000 square feet of outdoors. Now I only have 5 cats, and being older now (62), I look back and don't know how I did it, except that I had a solid routine that I could have done in my sleep. As they aged and had special needs, I somehow kept up with it all. (Two were feral and still slept on my bed!) It's a must-learn to give sub-q fluids as needed for aging cats or even for an off-feed day that resolves itself. I learned a great deal about the limitations of allopathic vets and did a lot of my own healing; e.g., herbal, etc. I will say I have a wee bit of caregiver burnout, but if you have it in you, I say go for it! And God bless you for loving them as you do. I'm big on spay and neuter for all the sweet homeless ones we'll never know but would have loved just as much. <3
Those were the best years of my life, and most of these precious angels lived well into their late teens. They enjoyed a fully enclosed kitty yard in the mountains, hunted and had a great life. They were indoor cats with the option for enclosed outdoors - 7000 square feet of outdoors. Now I only have 5 cats, and being older now (62), I look back and don't know how I did it, except that I had a solid routine that I could have done in my sleep. As they aged and had special needs, I somehow kept up with it all. (Two were feral and still slept on my bed!) It's a must-learn to give sub-q fluids as needed for aging cats or even for an off-feed day that resolves itself. I learned a great deal about the limitations of allopathic vets and did a lot of my own healing; e.g., herbal, etc. I will say I have a wee bit of caregiver burnout, but if you have it in you, I say go for it! And God bless you for loving them as you do. I'm big on spay and neuter for all the sweet homeless ones we'll never know but would have loved just as much. <3
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I sure agree with that!!! Good food saves a ton in vet bills and gives good quality of life.
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Yes, that's true too. I did have some stress twice with bringing in two toms - a year to integrate. And agreed on taking care of self - I'm paying for that now. But I wouldn't change a thing!
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I have a PS to this question. I learned the hard way to test every new cat for leukemia (and now the feline aids test, whatever that's called). It's not that you turn them away if they're positive, but you can set up a separate place for them. Sadly, the couple that were positive passed early in their lives (assisted), and it wasn't an issue after that. In other words, no cats tested positive except for a few at the beginning. I simply test now so I know, as that's a very upsetting thing to discover, wondering if the others got infected or already had it. I lost 3 to feline leukemia.
And these were cats that found me - I didn't seek them out either, and I'm so glad they found me. I used to say I rescued homeless cats, but now I say they rescued me. Friends used to say how brave I was to take them in, knowing one day they would pass, but I never thought of that day. I will say they taught me a great deal about letting go in a timely manner, and every one of them had the comfort of home euthanasia when their time came. They taught me so much - a spiritual journey - that I'm writing a book called "Faces of God" with the subtitle, "Animals as God's Emissaries." I was a single mom when they came to my door, and it was easy because they seemed to show up very close together, some litter-mates - no integration problems at all. Also, there's a pretty good chance of territorial spraying with so many cats, so I cleaned a LOT, but only a few did this. Again, I wouldn't change it for the world! It was the most beautiful time of my life! It gave me great joy to see them so happy! Now is good too! :-) And yes to more vet bills with age - 4 I131 hyperthyroid treatments ($$$), diabetes with one - all manageable but not easy either. Beyond words worth it!!! :-)
And these were cats that found me - I didn't seek them out either, and I'm so glad they found me. I used to say I rescued homeless cats, but now I say they rescued me. Friends used to say how brave I was to take them in, knowing one day they would pass, but I never thought of that day. I will say they taught me a great deal about letting go in a timely manner, and every one of them had the comfort of home euthanasia when their time came. They taught me so much - a spiritual journey - that I'm writing a book called "Faces of God" with the subtitle, "Animals as God's Emissaries." I was a single mom when they came to my door, and it was easy because they seemed to show up very close together, some litter-mates - no integration problems at all. Also, there's a pretty good chance of territorial spraying with so many cats, so I cleaned a LOT, but only a few did this. Again, I wouldn't change it for the world! It was the most beautiful time of my life! It gave me great joy to see them so happy! Now is good too! :-) And yes to more vet bills with age - 4 I131 hyperthyroid treatments ($$$), diabetes with one - all manageable but not easy either. Beyond words worth it!!! :-)
All of our medical costs have went up and our new affordable insurance covers very little. We used to pay more for a better policy that is no longer offered. It cost less in the end because so much was covered or had reasonable co pays. Office visits have went from 80 to 120. I'm not going to blush when I tell a doctor to get stuff covered in one visit. Last year we got charged an office visit so they could draw blood. Unlike our neighbor we don't have three children in less than 5 years that the taxpayers are covering for every sniffle. I might add they have two dogs that run loose and scavenge along with other behaviors associated with negligent owners. If a cat goes in their door it comes out a few months later usually into one of my humane traps. We have NO feral baby cats here and its staying that way.
We can accommodate two cats and provide them with all the love and attention and more than adequate care. We never had children. I take our new kittens development as serious as the most devoted mommy.
I am not putting anyone down for keeping as many as possibly human . I started rescuing horses when I got my first real job. Decades later and several hundred thousand dollars out of pocket I'm enjoying a life with two little cats that I can devote myself to. That doesn't include the thousands of dollars in cat food and some spays from my neighbors feral cat breeding program. It's not that I don't care. I'm just not a Mother Theresa.
If I could put up some safe cat shelters and take on a few fixed needed feral cats I would. But without fail I would soon have a yard filled with strays , dump offs and more of the same from the people next door. I have so to say passed the torch.
I have 18 cats. Yes, I know its a lot. Out of the 18 there are 7 strays and ferals I care for. I have no problem with giving my cats attention though, at night all of them sleep on the bed with me and each of them get a cuddle, a brush and some treats. Mine aren't alone during the day though, my grandmother lives with me and she loves speaking to them and watching them play in her garden. For me it was just getting used to all the cats different personalities and adjusting to their personalities, they also cuddle up with the dogs. If you will in fact be able to also handle vet costs, food, and attention then 6 cats aren't too many
In my place I say "sorry " to toys when I step on them
For years having only two cats that dictated they were the only ones, (fed feral cats near by no problem.) With two cats always
had extra food for a third.
Me personally I like to have one spot 'open' then it's comfortable rather than having pets to the Max, whether helping with rescues or not.
It really depends on the stress level if the cats all get along, as to how many you can manage I find. You could have two with slight special need issues and your plate's full.
For years having only two cats that dictated they were the only ones, (fed feral cats near by no problem.) With two cats always
had extra food for a third.
Me personally I like to have one spot 'open' then it's comfortable rather than having pets to the Max, whether helping with rescues or not.
It really depends on the stress level if the cats all get along, as to how many you can manage I find. You could have two with slight special need issues and your plate's full.
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Your kitties are GORGEOUS!!
Thank you. I'm blushing now.
For us, two is our limit (although I admit to sometimes wishing I could stretch that). It's mostly a case of being able to afford care for them especially if they got sick. We just about broke the bank taking care of Cindy and Darcy (and would do it again in a heartbeat), but I don't know what will happen if either of these two guys get sick. Maybe if I could ever get the bills caught up ...
Also, DH thinks it might upset the balance if we brought another cat in, and not be fair to our current cats.
Also, DH thinks it might upset the balance if we brought another cat in, and not be fair to our current cats.
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The largest amount was when my mother was alive as we took in ferals who needed a warm home, I think we had fifteen after the last litter (and they all had to sleep on my bed...), but right now, I have three and am at my new limit. Just don't have the energy anymore to keep track of a billion plus cats (as much as I love them).
