Should I Get Two Cats?

When you consider getting a cat it is worth asking the question, should I just get one cat or should I get two? Of course the answer won’t be the same for everyone and getting two cats instead of one can be more of a handful. In this section we will go through the positives and negatives of getting two cats.

If you have already decided that you are going to get two cats then check out our section on choosing a second cat for advice on how to pick two cats that will get along.

Two cute cats enjoying each others company

The Benefits Of Having Two Cats

The major benefit to getting two cats is that they will keep each other company whilst you are away. If you are away at work for large portions of the day then your cat won’t be getting much mental stimulation. Two cats can interact with each other which will help prevent boredom or depression. This is especially true when getting a kitten because they crave attention and need to play or exercise regularly in order to develop strong muscles.

Two domestic cats cuddling up to eachother on the windowsill

Getting kittens from the same litter of cats is always the best choice. This is because they will know each other already and there shouldn’t be any problems keeping them in close proximity. If you are introducing two cats or kittens that have not met before there will usually be some level of aloofness or even aggression but this will usually subside fairly quickly.

Getting two cats does not take up double your time. This is fairly self explanatory: Once you get into a routine of feeding, letting out and cleaning out etc. the extra cat doesn’t really make a difference if you are doing the job anyway.

Two young kittens playing together outside on the grass

If you are going to adopt a cat from a rescue shelter then there is an obvious positive to getting two. Rescuing two cats from a shelter means there will be double the amount of space freed up at the shelter for more cats to be rescued. Whilst this may not be a direct benefit to you it is nice to think you could be saving more lives than just the two you adopted.

Negatives Of Getting Two Cats

The amount of time needed to care for more than one cat doesn’t necessarily double but a lot of other things do. Two or more cats will eat more food, need more vet visits and will cost more to insure. This means that keeping more than one cat can quickly become expensive.

Two cats spending time together on the Freestyle Floor to Ceiling Cat Tree

How Many Cats Is Too Many?

You may think that owning more than 1 or 2 cats is too many, but a woman in California owns over 700 cats. You shouldn’t get caught up asking yourself whether 3 cats is better than 2, just make sure that you look after your pets well and spend time with them to keep them stimulated. One thing to remember if you are thinking about getting more than one cat is that they need to get along. No cat is going to live a happy life if it fights with another cat every minute of the day.

Three cats sitting up high on a garden wall

Care For Your Pet Cats

In the UK there is no set limit on how many cats you can have. However this doesn't mean that you should fill your house with dozens of cats and expect everything to be okay.

Two cats playing on the bed

The more cats you have, the more likely you are to receive complaints from neighbours who deem them a nuisance on their property and this is where things get tricky, especially if you live in an apartment or flat. Council members may be called in to survey the scale of the problem and can even issue Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) in relation to your cats.

A ginger cat playing under the bed sheets

Furthermore, cats are territorial animals and it may cause them significant stress and anxiety to be housed closely together. You have a legal obligation as a cat owner not to harm or allow your cat to be harmed either mentally or physically. Prolonged stress and anxiety comes under this so think carefully whether you have the time, space and right environment for any extra cats.