How many cats is too many?

Question

How do you determine how many is TOO many??
My mother in law lives in a mobile home (3 bedroom, 2 bathroom) with her husband, and 2 others. She owns 5 cats, and takes care of at least one neighborhood cat (so technically 6, but one she doesn't own). Her cats are all indoor/outdoor cats, so many of them do not act domesticated, and instead they act like wild animals. She loves her cats though, and takes good care of them. She is unemployed, and spends every penny of her inheritance (a small amount) on spoiling them with canned cat food and milk. The fleas that are taking over her house don't seem to bother her. She always has excuses. I know that she probably has some kind of mental condition, and she seems to think that most people say that 5 cats in a small home is normal. They rip up curtains, carpet, screens...etc. Also, their house often smells like a kennel! I personally think it's disgusting. What is your opinion?

Oh yeah, this is in a park too, so their yard is very small. The people in the park have complained, so now she pays $10 per cat/per month, for the inconvenience.

Answer 1

i don't like cats so 3 will be enough

Answer 2

It wouldn't matter how many cats she had, because they're running wild, ruining her home, annoying the neighbors and bad for her health. Her home shouldn't smell like a kennel, and it wouldn't if she would clean up properly. There will come a time when she'll not have anyone visiting her because they can't stand the smell and there won't be any appropriate furniture to sit on. Fleas can be a health hazard for both her and the cats. Even though she loves her animals, I think she's a few sandwiches short of a picnic if she lets things go like that.

I have 5 cats in my small 3 bedroom home. My furniture looks like new, even though it's pretty old; the carpets are not stained or scratched and the house doesn't smell. It takes a lot of work, though.

(I don't give my cats milk because they're lactose intolerant and it would cause diarrhea -- which causes smells, too)

Answer 3

There is no correct number of pets to have. The limiting factor is the number that can be cared for properly. Having fleas is not adequate care. The odor being strong could indicate inadequate litter box maintenance which is also inadequate for healthy cats. Milk and overfeeding is damaging to health of cats.

The destruction of her property is not anyone's business but her own. Same for the odor if the boxes are kept clean. The behavior of the cats, acting wild, is not really under her control. They may be feral.

Love is not enough. I don't know the situation like you do. If the animals are not properly cared for, I would report the situation to the humane society or whoever is responsible for humane treatment of animals where she lives. I would tell her that she needs to make changes and allow some time before causing pain to a family member.

Maybe you could redirect some of her love to another outlet. Could she volunteer at a shelter? mentor children? make crafts to sell in support of a 'no kill' shelter?

Be patient and gentle with her. I just spent an unreasonable amount I could NEVER afford for a cat that is not technically mine and know it is easy to love too much.

Answer 4

I don't necessarily think it's the number of cats (says the person with 5 in a condo), but rather the quality of life the person and cats are experiencing. I agree with some of the other posters that the fleas, the litter box issue, and destruction of property may indicate too many, or perhaps there are other issues involved. It's also not very neighborly to let the cats become pests for the neighbors. My cats are mostly inside, but can come and go out to the enclosed patio, made secure with cat fencing.

Answer 5

Yep, this is too many. It doesn't sound like the woman has a clue how to care for cats properly - so one cat is too many for her really!

I wouldn't hesitate to get this cats taken away from someone who was treating them like this - family member or no. I'd call the RSPCA or whatever the equivalent is where you live. Do it - the call can be anonymous so she'll never know it was you. By the sounds of it, it could be any number of people who could've blown the whistle! - but someone needs to.

For starters, feeding 'milk' is not spoiling cats, it's giving them the sh1ts - cats aren't supposed to have milk, whatever tradition or the mad lady says. Living in flea infested conditions is unacceptable for animal or human. Take action.

Chalice

Answer 6

I don't think there is a "right" number of cats, it all depends on your circumstances! If you have a large house and have the money to care for and look after loads of cats then that's fine! If you only have a small house, or maybe not so much money, then you should have a small number of cats (or maybe even none at all!)

I live in a mid-sized house, with large front and rear gardens, protected from the road, and have 3 cats. I don't think I would like any more though, 3's the magic number for me.

Answer 7

It sounds like your MIL has too many cats for her situation. She really needs something like Frontline to control the fleas and that would cost quite a bit for 6 cats per month. The cheap stuff you can find on the shelves for flea control is pretty much worthless and can even be dangerous. Can she afford basic vet care like spay/neuter and vaccinations?

If she was vigilant about scooping the litter boxes, she can really keep the smell down and with patience she can train them to only scratch appropriate things like scratch posts.

Answer 8

We have 6 cats at the moment. but our house is quite big and they are mostly outside and sleep in a basket in the lounge.

I think that maybe your mother is lonely as now its just her and her husband. Maybe she is spoiling the cats as all her children her now out of the house and she has nothing to do.

I hope that this is a bit helpful.

Answer 9

Since your mother in law dose not live with you nor is taking money from you it really is none of your business how she lives. Apparently, she loves them. The smell or damage is not bothering her. The expense is not a problem for her.

Even though this is not a way of life for you, you really have no right to be so intrusive or insulting on the way she lives. Her live let her live it. Mind your own home.

Answer 10

Well, it all depends on the living conditions, but she has too many for a mobile home. I would say at the max two. She needs to give some of those cats to the ASPCA so they can get them into a good home!

Answer 11

For a trailer house I would say 3 or 4 cats is enough. I plan on moving into one soon and I will be taking my 4 indoor cats with me.