Updated: August 11, 2022 by Kristen Chapple
You have to admit that cats have a magical effect on us. Their very presence makes everything in life so much better. They have a soothing effect on our souls. But we all know that too much of anything is not good. So how many cats is too many?
While most cat owners have only one or two cats, we’ve also seen households with a lot more than that. And everybody seemed alright with the numbers. So let’s find out more about this matter before you get yourself more cats than you can manage.
The Social Side of Cats
There is a general accepted belief that cats are self suficient and don’t need any company – especially human company – and are regarded as just some selfish little animals who only come to us to beg for food and affection when they need it.
Yes, unlike dogs who’re made to hunt and live in packs, nature made cats lone hunters. But that’s not always the case. Studies have shown that there are cases where cats can form small societies and dwell happy together.
So sometimes, some cats – especially domestic ones – need buddies as well. Even more if you’re away from home for a long time. Cats can get very emotionally attached to other cats – yes, us included, since they see us as just some bigger fellow cats – and can even mourn the loss of their loved ones.
There are a lot of cases where cats feel sad when the owner leaves them home alone, so it might be a good idea to have more than one cat, but that also depends on the personality of each cat in particular.
How Many Cats Is Too Many?
So how many cats is too many? In some cases, the number is two. But that usually happens with cats that dislike and fear most other cats.
If you’re lucky enough to only get happy and friendly cats, that number may become greater than two. With a ton more luck, it can even become something like 10. But you’d have to be super lucky or really know what you’re doing, since there will be a lot of territorial issues there.
In general, the problem reduces to the space you have in your house. More than one bedroom usually means more than one cat. There is an unwritten rule that says one cat per bedroom. If you happen to live in a house with more than one story, well, lucky you, that might mean more than two or three cats.
But think about the fact that as the number increases over 2 or 3, there will be more chances of troubles, including territory marking, which at some point will mean a lot of urinating. Everywhere.
Also, the resources you’ll need to keep more than two or three cats in your household will increase as well.
