Multi-cat household – can you cope and are you managing well?

Are you able to look after lots of cats? Do you fail to cope sometimes? Or are you unconcerned? Looking after a group of cats brings extra responsibilities and demands, which may be beyond the capabilities and motivation of their human caretaker.

Multi-cat Households
Multi-cat Households. Are you coping?
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

Perhaps some cat lovers either drift into looking after lots of cats or they do so by choice but end up struggling or worse. They may have been unaware of the heightened potential of cats becoming sick through transmitted contagious diseases.


Articles on multi-cat households on PoC.


I remember an article I wrote years ago about the herpes virus which stated that the virus is an ever-present threat in multi-cat environments. And a lady who bought Persians from a breeder discovered that the herpes virus, being highly contagious, is a constant problem for breeders. There is a major potential risk in breeding and boarding catteries.

I am referring to herpes virus because it is contagious. There are many other contagious diseases. Then there are parasites. These transmit from one cat to another via, in the case of the tapeworm, the common cat flea.

However, if the group of cats is stable, meaning no newcomers and there is sufficient room for the group, the risk is relatively low or lowered. Screening of newcomers, immunisations, quarantining and isolation of new arrivals are probably essential in minimising the risk of contagious diseases. Clearly a multi-cat caretaker needs to know quite a bit about feline diseases in order to take correct and balanced decisions. And they need to know how to treat ill cats, to a certain extent, in order to save on outgoings but this requires real skill and supervision from a vet as and when, I’d have thought.

Dee, a valued contributor to PoC looks after many cats and it was her idea that I wrote on this subject.

“I think that it might be helpful to people experiencing or thinking about caring for multiple cats, whether domesticated or feral, to be aware of some of the huge stressors that come with the territory…..In one of my feral colonies, two cats appeared to have URI’s. That means that ALL had to be trapped, taken in, and treated. Let’s not forget all mites, ear and scabies, as well as ringworm.”

What Dee is saying needs to be stated. People who love cats may sometimes lose sight of the practicalities and burdens.

The biggest problem is contagious diseases. The other major problem is cats getting along in groups. There is no guarantee that they will. Stresses can build up in subservient cats. Stress suppresses the immune system. This makes the potential for catching a contagious disease a greater problem.

There can be some quite subtle intimidation going on which may not be picked up by the caretaker. Psychological fights can occur over the use of litter trays and food bowls. Each cat should have their own but is this always practical? It is harder to keep litter trays clean but a cat should not have to defecate in a tray which contains the excreta of another cat as it may be stressful. Certainly there should be food bowls for each cat. Unrelated cats sharing a bowl will time share the bowl.

Feral cat groups are not like household groups. Feral cat colonies evolve and grow organically; the cats are often related which leads to a more settled hierarchy or mutual arrangement whereas new adult, unrelated cats are often introduced into the multi-cat home resulting in threats to territory etc..

Inappropriate behavior such as urine marking by a cat in a multi-cat environment may be due to social interaction stresses which are more likely to occur in group of cats which is unstable.

However, neutering (altering – fixing) calms the cat and makes him more accepting of others in multi-cat environments. The caretaker has to think about how to introduce a new arrival into the group.

Is the human caretaker considering vertical spaces and hiding places, both of which are very useful when cats live in groups? They allow cats to de-stress if there is antagonism between some cats.

There is just a lot more to think about when managing a group of cats. Contagious diseases have to be prevented because once they have taken hold you can get chaos. There have been several instances of cat shelters being shut down temporarily to eradicate a disease, one of which is extremely contagious: ringworm. The cat owner can help spread this one and perpetuate it within the home. This is another example of the things that need to be considered.

Cat lovers should think hard before branching out to looking after several cats and more.

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7 thoughts on “Multi-cat household – can you cope and are you managing well?”

  1. I have 3 cats which is manageable. I did have 4 cats with Mr Jinks who I was fostering long term because of a broken limb. That tipped the scales and upset the balance not at first but later it did when Jinks was feeling better. I feel that there is a balance in every cat household whether we see it or not.

    Mr Jinks was accepted when he was recovering but as soon as he was better he started to get territorial with Alfie regularly chasing him upstairs, I believe he did this inside where normally it would be done outside I think he believed that downstairs was his although he was happy to share it with Ozzie and Honey.

    In terms of litter trays, dishes cleaning up after them etc 1 extra cat made a lot more work which I coped with but I really don’t think you can let anything lapse with regards hygiene I was always very regimented especially with the stress Alfie was feeling which caused him sometimes to urinate upstairs (not in a litter tray :()

    I love my cats and I loved Mr Jinks would loved to have kept him but I had to be sensible as its not just about what you want its whats best for them I didn’t want to struggle financially. I can afford to pay 3 lots of insurance buy litter, food, flea drops etc but 1 extra cat would have been a struggle so now Jinks has gone to a lovely home and has settled well.

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  2. Michael, as you know, I have a multi-cat household — 12 of them — from age 3 to 15. I must have a special way with them. I have no major issues of any kind. Yes, I have the occasional hissy fit among the girls, but I truly think it’s a “girl” thing — MOL!!! My boys all get along well. They are all indoor-only babies, and are all spayed/neutered.

    I’ll be quite honest (and you might think I’m a nut case!), but I treat them just like little people who don’t speak well. I talk to them as such, and correct them as such when they get out of line — mainly with each other. I treat them as my little “kids”. And since they are my family, I don’t place restrictions on them as far as where they are allowed to be. They live here and this is their home too, so they have free reign. They never get on my stove though (their choice — I think they are afraid of the heat). We don’t eat at our table — it is basically a catchall for us, so the kids are allowed on the table. I feed Mittens her “gushy” food on my counter so she is not disturbed by the other “vultures” — I even have to stand guard with her! They get yearly vet visits (one per month unless something comes up — since I have 12).

    All in all, I feel they are very well cared for, and my vet is always complimenting me on how good of shape they are in at their check-ups — so I must be doing something right! I do know that financially and room-wise, I could not handle more than 12 and be able to properly take care of them — so this is my limit. And they spoil me just as much as I spoil them!♥♥♥♥♥

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    • I’d love to visit for a few hours or a day and see how you do it 😉 . You seem totally in control and everything is sorted out. I sense you are organised and switched on. You understand cats. I am impressed. I know I couldn’t do it while running the website. I guessing too that you have a reasonably large home. Space is an important factor.

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      • Michael, I actually live in a small apartment, but there are plenty of climbing spaces for the “kids”, but their favorite place to be is on Mommy’s bed. I have gotten so far behind in getting organised — over the last 10 years between not feeling well from menopause, and having several deaths in my family, I’ve got stuff sitting around in boxes that I just haven’t felt good enough to get through –plus with my crazy work hours, it’s just really tough to get things done. I have been slowly getting things done now with my son Tyler’s help. But, yes, the “kids” are very happy and content! ♥♥♥

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        • Well, having read this comment I am more impressed with your cat caretaking skills. You emanate the right ambience and I think the ‘boss’ (the primary cat caretaker) sets the tone and ambience, which is very important for a calm and reassuring cat environment. Elisa Black-Taylor is like that.

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          • Michael. . . first and foremost, the “kids” are my primary concern. . .everything else can wait and get done at a later time. . . their comfort, health and happiness are my primary concern. . .they come first!! — even before me!! ♥♥♥

            Reply
  3. My suggestion for this article came at a time when I had finished trapping an entire colony to take in to be treated for an UTI that I had suspected with 2 ferals.
    If one or two have, all must be treated.

    I, also, saw a tapeworm in a litter box inside. Again, all 24 cats had to be treated.

    The point that I wanted to make is that there is a huge amount of stress, time, energy, and expense that people should consider before taking on more and more cats.

    Reply

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