Me and the missus are thinking of adopting another little fuzzball kitten.
If you may remember, we adopted Luna (thread here)a while ago, and she’s pretty big now. Pic!
We’ve moved, though, and our new place is a little on the… small… side. Specifically, it’s 430 sq ft. Tiiiny.
Luna looks a little bored since we moved away from my parents, though, and we’re wondering if she’d be happer with a playmate. After all, if we can save another kitten, why not, right?
I’m thinking we should have plenty of space for 2 cats, but I was wondering if any of you have tried having 2 cats in a small apartment before.
I have four cats in 500 sq feet. I don’t have a lot of clutter, and I keep my place immaculate. we are all happy with no problems. They cavort together in the back on nice weather days.
My apartment is about that size, and until we put one of cats to sleep this month (at 17), we had three. Cats sleep about 18 hours a day and adult cats don’t run around that much. I don’t think it’s a problem, but you might consider adopting an adult cat, rather than a kitten.
About 500 square feet (maybe a little less) and 4 cats that don’t even like each other. We’re fine. The crazy 2-year-old runs around like a madcat for about 2 hours at a time each day, much to the dismay of the other three (who are about 7, 11, and 13). But they all get over it once he’s tired and sleeping again.
We have two cats (and 7 dogs :eek:!) in a 800 or so sq. ft house- the cats “own” half the house, which is separated by a baby gate. They seem pretty happy- when the dogs are put up or outside, they can roam back and forth and our windows have excellent bird watching prospects. They are both youngsters- 2 years and 4 years, and get along well most of the time.
From my experience, I think two cats do quite well in smaller places provided they have compatible personalities. Almost every behavior problem I’ve seen from a multiple cat house comes when a third or more cat is added.
I think it’s cruel to have only one cat, anywhere.
I used to have two cats in a small NYC studio apartment. It was a 5th-floor walk-up in a mid-19th-century building. The floor slanted toward the door, so whenever I entered I had to deal with all the cats’ toys that had rolled there.
That’s what the cats wanted you to think. Secretly they were trying to killl you so they could sell your kidney’s on the black market and then your aparment so they could afford a nice country cottage next to the mouse farm.
Seriously though I have two cats an older and a younger one in a single bedroom apartment and for the most part they get along just fine. Sometimes the young one gets all energetic and wants to play with the older cat who does not want to play so I have to entertain the little guy for awhile until he wants to go back to sleep.
Not the space, but the smell would be the issue for me! Anyone with indoor animals, make sure you have an honest friend that will tell you if there’s a smell; and BELIEVE them! I’ve only been to a couple of homes where there were indoor dogs or cats and not been able to tell by the smell. Even if you’re used to it, why can’t you tell the difference from outside fresh air and the pet smell inside! Not dissing you pet owners, this is just what I’ve experienced.
I have three cats in…well, I don’t know how much space…two bedrooms, a half-bath and a small living area that’s really just a wide hallway. They don’t adore each other, but they tolerate each other and they get plenty of exercise running up and down the steps and they have a route set up through the one bedroom and around the living area. One litter box for all three, and they are perfectly happy with that.
I think it’s cruel to have only one cat, anywhere.
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Cruel? Cats are solitary creatures by nature. It’s not exactly torture for them to be left alone even if they might prefer companionship–which is by no means a certainty.
I’ve had mixed results with multiple cats. I thought my first cat would be happier with a buddy, but he had been alone for years and apparently liked it that way – they never got along. Then I got married which added another cat and a person to the house (and then we all moved), and my first cat developed diabetes which the vet thought was probably related to stress. When I got the diabetes under control, the cat started acting out, e.g., leaving a big steaming pile under the dining room table in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner. He was the first of the three to die. The other two cats got along famously–grooming, cuddling, but no play-fighting since one of them was old and frail. When the old cat died, the younger one seemed saddened by the loss.
After all three cats were gone we decided to get two at the same time. We brought a kitten and a one-year-old cat into the house at the same moment. They almost never interacted–no play-fighting, no grooming, no huddling, rarely even in the same room together. The kitten was very loving to us and the one-year-old hid under the bed a lot. After several months the kitten developed FIPS and died, and the other cat, rather than being upset, immediately became the most affectionate cat I’ve ever had. He apparently had felt upstaged by the kitten (despite our efforts to woo him) and has seemed happier being the one and only ever since. I would gladly get a second cat if I thought it would make my guy happier, but I really, really don’t think it would.
I’ve know people to have two cats in a space even smaller than that - try a 200 sq foot studio apartment.
The cats will need sufficient toys for amusement. Keep up with the litter box. And I know one person who trained her cats to walk on a leash for more exercise, but that works best if you train them from kittenhood.
