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/Should I have multiple cats?
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Well it depends on a lot of things. I think the biggest thing to consider is what your living arrangements are. If you are a renter, the more cats you have, the harder it will be to find a place to live. If you own your own place then no problems.
I am guessing you have 2 cats now. One more cat is 50 percent more. More food to buy, more litter to buy, more hair to clean up, Wahing the bedding, washing the curtains. Cleaning the nose prints off the windows. 50 percent more Of being walked in while you sleep. 50 percent more of cats trying to be in your lap. Can you handle all that?
To be honest it is best to have no cats. And as I sat here thinking about you adding 50 percent more, i was coming up with a math problem….
If you had 2 cats by what percent more work will adding 4 more be.? (The answer is 200). But then..
If 6 cats equals one dog, and if you start with 2 cats and add 4 cats and one dog, what is that percent increase of work? …. Whstever the case may be, just know that is my situation and no wonder I am broke and always cleaning…
I think it is better to have two cats. If you have 3 cats there will always be the possibility of one being left out. If you have two cats, they will either get along great or not so great but at least they will be in the family together. I think it’s worth mentioning however that cats multiply, even when everybody is fixed. I can barely remember a time when I only had two cats. I currently have five, the most I’ve had at one time, not counting newborn kittens, is six.
I have four, but if you only want two or three, I’d say three, so you are not leaving one alone when the other has vet’s visits and they can choose who to hang out with.
It depends on several factors. But usually, if you treat all the cats with equal attention so no jealousy abounds, I'd say 3 is better. The main reason I chose 3 is because I've noticed if 1st kitty wants to play with 2nd, but 2nd kitty doesn’t, then it will play with the 3rd one, so that the 2nd playmate won't be bothered to death, lol. But please keep in mind if you get 3 furbabies, they will cost more to keep them each healthy and happy, and will demand more attention from you. So, please choose wisely! :-)
When I had only one cat decades ago, I had to play hide and seek with her. It was obvious that she needed company. She stopped “teasing” me when she got a playmate a year later.
Now I have three young cats. They love to lick each other, to wrestle and chase each other. They seem to be happy with the situation.
So if you have a possibility, let your cat have a companion like her/himself.
A third… hmm… Just couldn’t help myself having “a bonus one”, and I’m totally happy with that.
As long as you can afford to care for them and have time to give them attention ( veterinarian care is the biggest) you can have as many cats as you want.
I have multiple cats, I enjoy having them but the more you have the more likely it is that sickness will spread. Another problem you could encounter is the different personalities cats have, they don’t always like each other. My large B & W cat victimizes my small black cat who then does the same to my little calico cat who passes it on to my feral cat. The black cat attacks my wild cat and he takes it out on the B & W cat and so it goes on. And then there is the naughtiness, my cats can be naughty. Then the business of sulking, my Devon sulks if he thinks he’s not getting the attention he deserves. So it can be challenging but if you love cats and have patience it can be rewarding.
A good question - If you are sure you have enough space, enough knowledge, and enough time and money to keep them healthy, and with regular veterinary care (including veterinary insurance(teeth cleaning, emergency veterinary insurance, and good quality canned food so they don’t become sick from kidney problems). Make time to interact with them with wand toys /laser dot; tall cat trees/cat towers. This is a lot of work for one person, keeping claws trimmed, coats brushed or combed, litter boxes scooped at least twice daily and and washed out every two weeks.
If you enjoy this and love cats enough to do this, yes, do it. Be aware of the commitment you are making for the next however many years necessary - cats can live well into their late teens indoors and should net be outdoors except in a contained catio. They are territorial as well. How much do you know about the amount of space they need, and hierarchy among them? It’s important to respect their hierarchy if you’re to keep peace among them.