I’ve had much more cats undergo my home at one time than I ever anticipated to.
I’ve gone by the overwhelming majority of the years I’ve spent with cats having only one, then at some factors, I’ve had 5 that I’ve been taking good care of without delay, plus an extra two underneath my roof in my basement, as a result of my brother moved in with us for numerous months and had two cats of his personal.
In order that’s rather a lot underneath one roof at one time limit. And no, it was not enjoyable.
Particularly since not all these cats obtained alongside. And whereas no less than one or two of the 5 underneath my care weren’t meant to dwell with me ceaselessly, within the meantime, I needed to play musical chairs with the cats relying on the time of day, as regards to who obtained let loose at what time and when.
It was not simple or enjoyable, however we obtained thorough it, and now I’ve 3 cats (all of the boys) and my brother has 3 cats (all the women).
He took two of the 5 that have been with me, however sadly, one in all his died abruptly from a congenital coronary heart defect that he was born with, however there was no treatment for.
I had 4 cats for nearly a 12 months, and I assumed I used to be going to have 4 ceaselessly, however the kitten underneath my care by no means warmed as much as me.
She preferred all three of my cats, and was comparatively bonded to at least one or two of them (truthfully, they preferred her higher than she preferred them).
However she actually wasn’t a fan of me in any respect, and I may inform that when my brother and his husband came visiting to our home, she would mild up and was so blissful and would attempt to cuddle with them and play with them.
So off to their home she went once I lastly gave up on making an attempt to get her to love me, and she or he grew way more cuddly and actually bonded to them, excess of I’d ever seen her.
I may absorb yet one more. However once I had 4, I couldn’t actually attend to any of their wants the way in which I needed to. I couldn’t cuddle them sufficient, play with them sufficient, and I wasn’t proud of the way in which I used to be micromanaging.
I like to provide my three boys some water blended with kibble twice a day, as an example. I’ve an automated feeder, the PetSafe Wholesome Pet Merely Feeder, go off at different occasions into the Catit Senses Meals Maze to maintain them busy and house out feedings. You possibly can see my evaluation of the feeder and my full arrange right here.
Catit Design Senses Meals Maze – Amazon / Chewy
With 4 cats, this feels method an excessive amount of to do every day. I did do it once I had 4, however with the identical three I do that with now.
As a result of the final one was a kitten who didn’t eat with the opposite boys, I used to be all the time on prime of her making an attempt to get her to eat all through a day so she would absorb sufficient energy.
That was additionally exhausting, having to divide and conquer as a result of extra cats means extra probabilities of having one which your system doesn’t work for.
I solely have a lot lap house, and there are occasions all through practically each single day every time the temperature drops the place all three of my cats need to be in my lap without delay.
Fortunately I’ve simply sufficient room. And sure, they’re all Velcro kitties, every in their very own method. However lap cat positively describes all of them.
Has there being three cats made them any much less snuggly? Completely not!
And if I obtained one other cat I don’t assume they’d be any much less snuggly both. However a fourth would imply I wouldn’t have time to provide each cat the type of consideration they’re after.
With three? I really feel like I can simply handle. Not overdo it, not underdo it, simply sufficient.
Similar with retaining on prime of the chores across the cats.
Aside from grooming, which I want I had extra time for, however I’ve two lengthy hairs and shave them myself, so it’s a little bit of a handful.
They used to hate being shaved, however I’ve discovered find out how to make shaving much less traumatic for cats that hate it, so even that is getting far simpler to do over time.
Although I completely want I used my Furminator on my shorthair (Avery) extra! That may assist rather a lot with hairballs that appear to provide him a cough once in a while. Finest brush I’ve discovered up to now to get the shed out with out touching the hair that’s nonetheless in tact.
Vet visits don’t really feel tremendous arduous to should do both, although I’ve had a number of good luck on that entrance and since they’re indoor-only cats, I haven’t wanted to take them usually in any respect.
After I had two for a really lengthy time period, that additionally felt close to good. Nearer to good than 4. So I might say that for me, two or three are in all probability the proper quantity.
However I like three as a really perfect variety of cats, and all the time have, as a result of I’ve all the time felt like if one handed, I’d nonetheless have two who get alongside to maintain one another firm, and luxury me, then I may steadily introduce a 3rd if/when prepared. Being left with one simply doesn’t really feel the identical.
One looks like too few nowadays anyway, particularly after seeing how Avery as a single cat for therefore lengthy didn’t even just like the second cat and was tremendous wired about him for ages, and nonetheless all that point, he appeared extra content material and much much less bored.
Now the three cats get alongside so stupendously, you’d by no means have identified Avery had preliminary nervousness.
I imply it. He’s actually good with them now. Positively appears to love Athos higher although he got here lengthy after Bjorn, however cats completely can like one another even once they didn’t initially, and this transformation Avery’s had is proof.
They are going to even snuggle up with one another with out me current. With out me having positioned them subsequent to one another, and at occasions when I’m not even within the room. It’s so candy.
They even play collectively, which is one thing I by no means thought I might say about Avery, since he’s such a lazy cat and I may hardly get him to play with something even after making an attempt virtually the whole lot.
However with the opposite cats, he performs with them just about every day, and if they begin him off he’ll usually proceed to play on his personal for a while as effectively.
It’s simply been superb for him having them as companions, truthfully.
It took time. I’m not going to fake it was simple for him after so a few years of being an solely cat to make that adjustment, however by this course of that I outlined, and with some effort and a number of persistence, he did get to the purpose far previous what I remotely close to anticipated his relationship to ever get to with them.
I wouldn’t need any cat that I’ve sooner or later to be with no buddy, even for a brief time period. And cats don’t dwell ceaselessly. So I believe three.
In order that two can maintain one another firm when one inevitably passes and crushes me to the purpose the place I closely depend on the cuddles of the remaining two to consolation me.
After which I can convey a 3rd into the fold when I’m prepared.
Is it much more work? Probably not. Not in the event that they get alongside. And I now firmly imagine that I’m able to getting cats to dwell collectively simply positive, even when they’re not the most effective buddies. Although clearly, once they do turn into finest buddies, and even simply fairly good buddies, it’s fairly magical.
Your Ideas on Having Three Cats?
What do you consider particularly having three cats in your house? Do you assume it’s too many? Simply the best quantity? Too few?
What do you assume is your preferrred variety of cats in a single home at one time? Do you have got different numbers you assume should not so unhealthy? What number of cats do you have got now?
Would love to listen to your ideas and when you have any tales for me I’d love to listen to them! Simply depart a remark down under.