How Many Cats/animals Do You Believe Is Too Much For Someone To Handle?

[1 bruce 1]

Just depends on what you have time for, can afford and can keep properly cared for. I've got two older pit bull mixes, two wild kitties, four troublemaking ferrets, nine snakes and a saltwater fish tank at the moment. Which is down for me, I've had up to 5 fish tanks, 7 ferrets and four dogs at a time, plus an iguana for fourteen years, various rodents (pets and feeders). All raw fed, litter boxes cleaned 2-3x per day, walks, medicine, etc. My furry animal vet is 2.5 hours away and the reptile one 1.5 hours. My yearly spring checkup alone runs over 1k, the ferrets have a free roam bedroom, the reptiles have a heated/humidified professional setup. It's not what people expect when they hear my crew and then see my place. I'm careful on my numbers and responsible about adding and saying no but it is a ton of work obviously. My pets are a hobby. I won't add another dog until one or both pass, open on another cat, would like to say no to anymore ferrets in need, snakes are set and I'd like to get out of the fish tank hobby altogether, it's been 15 ish years and I've just lost interest.

I keep hearing the same thing..."no more pets 'til the numbers are down."
Since the child in me refuses to believe they will ever die (and the adult with some sense in me is constantly kicked in the shins by this child screaming "SHUT UP"), I look but don't touch.
I'm always dying for a kitten. Compared to something like a horse, or something like a dog, they seem so easy. But I'm warned by a certain wife that we don't NEED anymore and I know she's right, but every time I see a kitten with a little photoshopped "adopt me" thing over them, I lose myself a little, but we know we have few cats that are old, grouchy, set in their ways and don't want a bunch of unknown kids blasting in the doors and messing stuff up (wonder where they get that from ). So the only option we have now is making sure we donate to local places that do TNR's and house the homeless and just hope for the best.
They like money, but most of them have a huge wish list that goes beyond food and litter that most caring folks don't even think of. Towels, paper towels, cleaning things, light bulbs, cat carriers, bowls, laundry detergents, dish detergents, brushes, combs, gift cards to big box stores that sell things cheaply (to fill in the gaps.)
If you can't foster, can't adopt, live vicariously.

 

[amethyst]

I keep hearing the same thing..."no more pets 'til the numbers are down."
Since the child in me refuses to believe they will ever die (and the adult with some sense in me is constantly kicked in the shins by this child screaming "SHUT UP"), I look but don't touch.
I'm always dying for a kitten. Compared to something like a horse, or something like a dog, they seem so easy. But I'm warned by a certain wife that we don't NEED anymore and I know she's right, but every time I see a kitten with a little photoshopped "adopt me" thing over them, I lose myself a little, but we know we have few cats that are old, grouchy, set in their ways and don't want a bunch of unknown kids blasting in the doors and messing stuff up (wonder where they get that from ). So the only option we have now is making sure we donate to local places that do TNR's and house the homeless and just hope for the best.
They like money, but most of them have a huge wish list that goes beyond food and litter that most caring folks don't even think of. Towels, paper towels, cleaning things, light bulbs, cat carriers, bowls, laundry detergents, dish detergents, brushes, combs, gift cards to big box stores that sell things cheaply (to fill in the gaps.)
If you can't foster, can't adopt, live vicariously.

Oh am the same way, I say "I plan to not get more", but it's really more "we'll see what happens". It's my husband that is my voice of reason though, I always fall for the kittens at the pet store (from a local shelter) and at adoption events, and he is always saying "no..." and giving me a number we need to get down to first. We do donate to the rescues too though. I think my biggest problem is the last couple cats we took in were young, but not really kittens anymore, so it's been over 10 years since I had an actual little kitten. I guess in reality I don't want another cat, I want a kitten, lol, but I'm also not going to turn away an animal dumped on the property.

 

[goingpostal]

I say no more ferrets every time I take in another group lmao. The problem is multiple rescues, vets and lots of people know I have ferrets so I get contacted a lot about ones in need and occasionally I say yes. But they are a lot of work and expense with health issues galore. I've never actually had a kitten or puppy around and think it would be nice someday to get a itty bitty baby and raise one myself.

 

[kittypa]

I don’t have any problem passing on the adopt me kitties, tempting as they are, because at least they’re normally in good hands until they find their home. What happens to me is along they come, kittens or adults, they’re on their own, they’re on the street, these are the ones I can’t say no to. This is why I took an interest in my neighborhood. I don’t want more to come along.

I thought I was maxed out at two !

 

[maggie101]

I do not work much so lots of time to spend with my 3 cats. I play with each one separately. That would be hard if I had more. Maggie loves to play and seems depressed if not given enough attention. Right now I am in crutches. Since I can't do much she will hide. Peaches and Coco love to play but don't feel bad if left out. I have thought of fostering a kitten but I think it would be hard on Maggie. She still does not like Coco since I rescued her.

 

[Maria Bayote]

Right now we have 3 dogs and 3 cats (not to mention the cats that I feed outside the house), and two budgies. And we are going to adopt another dog and a cat (the one that our street cat gave birth to a month ago). It is VERY expensive but it is worth it. My dream is to buy a small plot of land where they can roam freely, but for now it remains a dream. There really is no maximum number of animals that one can handle, as long as the person can afford all their maintenance and sustenance and attention.

 

[Tommy End]

That’s actually something I’ve been wanting to do again for a long time. At the age of 18, I adopted a lap and pit bull mix. He was blind which wasn’t discovered until we got him home and he started running into everything and I noticed his eyes looked a little sunny. The vet said there was nothing he could do for his blindness, but we could return the dog to the shelter and get a new one. There’s no way that would’ve ever happened. We him had for four more precious years. But right, the dog has to be cat friendly, not food aggressive, and isn’t a wild child all the time time and has his mellow moments.

 

[kittypa]

Last night I had a dream that we found three more. A mother and two kittens. This has gone too far. Or maybe I shouldn't visit these threads before bed time.

 

[Kieka]

I say no more ferrets every time I take in another group lmao. The problem is multiple rescues, vets and lots of people know I have ferrets so I get contacted a lot about ones in need and occasionally I say yes.

OMG! This! All our rabbits have been rescues and our old vet knew their stories. We'd take them in for vet visits as needed so the vet knew we took good care of them. The sheer number of calls the well meaning vet techs and receptionist sent our way was very annoying. "Someone brought in a lost rabbit, would you like it?" "Someone is getting rid of their rabbit, would you like it?" One receptionist gave out our number to a rabbit rescue as a possible foster. My Mom's rule is the rabbit has to find us on it's own to join the house. We like rabbits but that doesnt mean we want an entire colony.

Anywho, since I am posting about this. My answer from the other thread is pretty much unchanged. The number of animals someone should have should be:

1) The number legally allowed by their city/county/state/region/landlord, AND...
2) The number they can financially support and have time to care for, AND....
3) The number who can coexist in their home relatively peacefully.

Not looking for a calm and perfectly peaceful household all the time, even the best of siblings will fight sometimes. But what the members of the household will tolerate without constant problems.

For our home that is three cats, one rabbit, three parakeets, two guppies and an alage eater.

 

[NY cat man]

Michele and I have 5 born-feral indoor cats, and 2 outdoor ferals that we provide food, water (heated dishes in winter) and shelter for. Our indoor cats get regular vet visits, and we provide multiple litter boxes and food dishes for them. For us 5 is not too many, but 6 or 7 might be.

 

[RajaNMizu]

We've only had the girls for a year. Everyone in the household agrees that we would "like" another BUT...I think we are good where we are. Considering the space we have and the schedules that everyone keeps, we are in a good place. The cats are never alone for more than a few hours at a time AND they get along well. We're happy. We frequently visit and support our local shelter where we adopted our girls.

 

[doomsdave]

I have six cats, and love them all.

Four came from shelters (which I don't go to anymore; there's always another one, so sweet); two came in other ways; one from a friend, another from a Craigslist ad.

Where do I draw the line? Dunno.

But I don't want to end up like the (self-described) "bat-shit crazy cat lady" in Mar Vista, who had 43 cats in her 900 square foot house.

 

[doomsdave]

We've only had the girls for a year. Everyone in the household agrees that we would "like" another BUT...I think we are good where we are. Considering the space we have and the schedules that everyone keeps, we are in a good place. The cats are never alone for more than a few hours at a time AND they get along well. We're happy. We frequently visit and support our local shelter where we adopted our girls.

I'm afraid to do that.

Another and another, and their sister and their brother . . . .

 

[NY cat man]

I'm afraid to do that.

Another and another, and their sister and their brother . . . .

Two words: Self discipline

 

[doomsdave]

Two words: Self discipline

. . . followed by these words: " . . . goes out the window."

 

[basscat]

About a half a bobcat.