How Many Cats Is Too Many?

For cat people, it’s tempting to think that the more cats you have, the better. But in order for each and every one of your furry friends to stay happy and healthy in your home, you will need to make sure that you are also meeting their needs.

​This will mean only having as many pets as you can reasonably care for, to avoid the risk of pets becoming neglected.

So you will of course be wondering, how many cats is too many? Does the amount of cats you have in your home really matter all that much?

Today, we’re going to cover everything that you need to know about how many cats are too many, and how many cats are the ideal amount to have in a single household.

​As long as you only have as many cats as you can reasonably manage, and you are giving them the best care possible, then you will know you’re doing the best thing for them.

Let’s take a look at how many cats is too many!

​How Many Cats Is It Okay To Have?

Even though it might be tempting to have as many cats as you can fit into a single home, this isn’t all that practical.

​It may surprise you to learn that cats don’t actually do that well in multiple cat households. Cats thrive better when they are the only cat in the house, or there are only a small number of them.

Anything more than one or 2 cats per household, and you will likely have to put up with them fighting one another. You will also struggle to give them the affection and care that they need to thrive properly.

The general rule of thumb is that you should never have more cats in a household than you have hands. So if you live on your own, you should never have more than 2 cats. If you live with a partner, you shouldn’t have more than 4 cats.

So even though you may be tempted to get a third or fifth cat, you should refrain from doing so. You will only be causing your cats to be upset in the long run, and it will affect their quality of life.

​Is Having 3 Cats Too Much?

If you are a single person living alone, then 3 cats will be too much. It will be tricky to give each and every cat in your home the attention and care that they need.

There is also more likelihood that your cats will start to fight one another, which can cause wellbeing issues for both you and your cats.

If you live with a partner, 3 cats should be a suitable amount. Bear in mind that the cats still might not get on as well as if there were 2 cats, however, it will be better as your partner can share in giving your furry friends affection.

Concerned about introducing another cat into your household? Then you should consult with your vet to see what they would suggest.

​They will be able to best advise you on whether this additional cat will benefit your home and other pets, or if they will cause more issues than it’s worth.

​How Many Cats Can You Have Before It’s Considered Hoarding?

It is best to avoid hoarding pets, as they will suffer from the lack of care. It will be virtually impossible to care for each and every cat in your home if you have more than you can reasonably cope with.

​For a single person, this will mean having no more than 2 cats. For a couple, it will mean having no more than 4 cats.

In general, anything more than 5 cats will be considered excessive. Cats are one of the most commonly hoarded animals, and the absolute maximum number of pets that any one person can own on a property is 15. Anything more than this and it is considered to be hoarding.

To keep your pets happy, you should stick with an absolute maximum of 2 cats per person. Anything more than this and your pets will suffer.

​How Much Space Should You Have Per Cat?

You will need to ensure that you have the right amount of space per cat so that they have room to roam, and won’t get on each other’s nerves.

​The general rule of thumb is that you will need around 18 square feet of space per cat. So if you do have your heart set on owning more than 1 cat, you will need to ensure that you have enough space to accommodate all of them.

Cats need a vast amount of space to roam around and stay happy. If you don’t have enough space for all of the cats in your home, they will be more likely to fight with one another.

​In Summary

So there you have it! You now know that cats don’t cope well with multi cat households, and you should avoid getting too many of them.

Your cats will need to have attention and affection from you, as well as food, water, and space to run around.

So the general rule of thumb is that you should never opt for more cats than you have hands. For a person living alone, this means you shouldn’t get more than 2 cats.

As an absolute maximum, you should never have more than 5 cats in a household. Anything more than this would be considered excessive, and could border on hoarding. Cats don’t like being crammed in a small space together, so this is more likely to result in fighting. 

You will need to ensure that you have enough space to provide your cats with plenty of room to roam. Anything less than 18 square feet per cat will be too small for your pets, and will likely result in them fighting one another.

​Make sure that you only opt for as many cats as you can reasonably care for to ensure that they are able to stay happy and healthy.