Pros & Cons of Having 3 or More Cats: Our In-Depth Review

Cats are interesting animals to live with. They can bond with their human companions and become incredibly loyal, they are usually snuggly and loving with their family members, and they can be quite comical! But felines can also be stubborn, independent, and even mischievous.

One cat requires a great deal of responsibility, but it’s a whole different story when it comes to living with three or more cats. There are many cons involved, but there are also many pros that can outweigh the disadvantages for some people.

As the owner of four cats, I’m someone who enjoys the positives over the negatives. Even so, I do sometimes feel like giving up! But a good night’s sleep and a new day usually wash away the bad feelings and restore all the good emotions about my kitties.

So, what are the pros and cons of having three or more cats? Read on for a review of the subject!

Pros of Having 3 or More Cats in Your Household

1. Snuggling Sessions Are Always Available

With three or more cats in your household, there should never be a shortage of available snuggling sessions. Since cats can be independent and standoffish, you may not get to snuggle every day after work with just one cat in the house. However, when multiple cats are hanging around, chances are that at least one of them will want to get on your lap or lie next to you and help keep you warm.

cat sleeping on owners lap — Image Credit: Karpova, Shutterstock

2. You Get More Use Out of Bedding and Toys

One cat can only utilize bedding, toys, and scratching posts so much. Chances are that these things will get thrown away before they even get thoroughly broken in. With three or more cats in the house, you can be sure that every piece of bedding, every toy, and all the cat furniture in your house is thoroughly used and enjoyed before it must be replaced.

3. There Are Many Opportunities to Laugh, Play, and De-stress

Living with three or more cats means maximum opportunity to laugh, play, and get rid of pent-up stress. I constantly find myself chucking at something silly that one of my cats happens to be doing, no matter the time of day. I am regularly offered the opportunity to get in on a game of interactive toy play, and the chance to stroke a cat’s back for stress relief is never out of reach.

gray cat plays with its owner bed — Image By: Vika hova, Shutterstock

4. Leaving Home Is Less Guilt Inducing

When I had just one cat living with me, I would feel guilty leaving her alone while I went to work, let alone any time that I decided to get social and attend a party or dinner date. After more cats became part of my household and I saw how they would keep each other company when I wasn’t paying attention to them, I felt less guilty when I had to leave. When I was home, I noticed that my original gal didn’t show any signs of loneliness like she did back in the day.

Cons of Having 3 or More Cats in Your Household

1. Litter Patrol Is Never Fun

Unfortunately, having three or more cats living in the same home means having to manage a great deal of poop. Multiple litter boxes must be deployed, and those boxes must be cleaned multiple times a day. Once, I let my cats’ litter boxes go for just one day, not touching them at all, and the result was a terrible-smelling house and much more time cleaning up than usual the next day. So, if you want to care for multiple cats, be ready to breathe, taste, smell, and dream about cat litter boxes!

man cleaning cat litter tray — Image By: New Africa, Shutterstock

2. Competition Can Be Commonplace

My cats compete for my attention as soon as I get home from work every day, and it’s obvious that they aren’t doing so because they are lonely and need attention. They are simply doing so to establish and maintain a “pecking order.” The cat that gets the most attention wins the game. This is something that any cat caretaker must take seriously and maintain control of. Otherwise, fights may break out.

3. More Money Must Be Spent

While multiple cats can share toys and bedding, every cat needs and deserves their own personal sleeping space, food and water dishes, and collar. Multiple cats require multiple scratching posts and places to perch and otherwise spend time. Each cat also requires vaccinations and veterinary visits, along with things like flea treatments and grooming services.

man and woman shopping for cat furniture — Image By: BearFotos, Shutterstock

4. The Shedding Can Be Hard to Deal With

Another con to consider before bringing three or more cats into your home is shedding. Every single day of the week, I have to vacuum and dust to keep all the shed hair from building up. If I let more than a day go by without cleaning up the hair, I start sneezing, and I spend even more time cleaning the next day—just like when it comes to cat litter maintenance. I also spend a great deal of time brushing each of my cats throughout the week to minimize shedding. The more cats you have, the longer shedding management takes.

Conclusion

There are multiple pros and cons to living with three or more cats. Whether a multi-cat household is for you depends on your personal preferences, the amount of time that you can commit to caring for your furry companions, and whether the advantages outweigh the drawbacks in your mind overall.

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Featured Image Credit: Chris Boyer, Unsplash