Did you regret getting a third cat?

Question

I am thinking of getting another kitten/cat but I have some concerns. I have two wonderful kittens right now that are the best of friends (one maine coon and another part himalayan), they are both males and are the greatest.

I have always dreamed of owning a ragdoll so I am thinking about getting one.

I just wonder if 3 cats is too much? Especially my 2 right now get along so well I am worried to bring another cat in and change that?

If I have two males...should I get another male or can I go for a female this time?

What have your experiences been having 3 cats. Too much litter changes? Too much fur? Or you have simply been happy with your choice?

How many cats do you have?

Thanks so much.

Answer 1

I had two cats and they loved each-other so much,they would sleep together and play together and just have fun together.But...when I got a third cat,my first cat hated her and still does.My other cat loves and adores her. But now its my second cat and my third cat that do all the things that my first cat and my second cat loved to do.I think my third cat and my first cat are jealous of each other beacuse my second cat loves them both.My second cat and my first cat don't do anything together anymore,it's sad.(my third cat is a siamese)(first cat is a tabby cat)(and second cat is sort of a calico)

Answer 2

The third one was okay,but the fourth & fifth were a little too much. They pick on the other three and are generally "monsters"  

Answer 3

I had two cats that I was very happy with when a stray kitten showed up.  I kept her and it took a couple of weeks but the cats all get alone.  One of my females started acting maternal toward her and still is very close to her.  The only problem I had was two mature cats with a crazy kitten and she would drive them crazy at times.  I ended up getting another crazy kitten for her to play with and all is well.  I don't regret having the four cats I have, and they are each wonderful.  

Answer 4

Well, I am past that number already.  So as far as extra work, there really is not a lot of extra work.  You would want at least three litter boxes, and preferably separated from each other, although two could be side by side.

I start with the assumption your males are neutered, and any cat you bring in with either be fixed, or will be fixed at the appropriate age.

No question that you will change the dynamic, as a new set of four paws will bring about territorial issues.  Normally, time heals those problems, and you give all of them extra love in the meanwhile.

Your Maine **** will be a large cat, but when it comes to which cat becomes the alpha cat in a household, size does not always rule.  The key to a calm cat household is a pecking order that does not undergo a lot of changes.

If you have one cat tree, you probably want a second one.

Closeness in age may be a bigger key than the s*x of the newcomer, although I only have females, so I cannot comment on males.

Answer 5

I have 4 cats. The oldest is 13, then 12 and my boys are 7. It was difficult introducing the boys, because my 12 year old is the "queen" of the house and she was peeved at us. Any time you introduce a new kitten it takes a while for the others to warm up to it. Since the 2 you have are kittens, the transition should be easier. Just make sure you have the finances to take care of 3 cats. We have 3 litter boxes and they have to be cleaned every other day and yes there is a lot of fur, because the boys are Maine Coon's. I enjoy all my cats and wouldn't give up any of them.

Answer 6

I have 3 girls. The oldest (Olivia) is now acting up (peeing on rug) since our new additions 4 mos. ago. Olivia just started to pee on rug & daddys shoes to tell the new girl "these belong to me". Every cat is different, so no telling if all will be peaceful or not. From my experience, its best to have all of one s*x.

Answer 7

The choice of owning multiple cats depends on the amount of room you have, if you can afford vet care for all of them, food costs, and if you are willing to do more litter box cleaning, grooming, and have enough time to spend with each cat. Ragdolls being longer haired cats, there will definitely be more grooming time needed. I didn't regret my 3rd cat or my 8th. Expect some degree of fighting over dominance and territory at first. After that is established, you shouldn't have problems.

Answer 8

Well... I've had several experiences with this.  When I lived out in the country and the cats mostly lived outside, there were no real problems.  

However, several years ago I moved in with my mom, bringing my young kitty into the home of two big grumpy adult males.  They went through an initial hostile stage, but everyone seemed to adjust quickly, and soon they were all taking cat-naps together.  About 6 months later, Beau, one of the male cats started hissing and growling at the girl, and before long they had to be fed in separate rooms because he wouldn't let her near the food.  As time passed, he became increasingly hostile toward everyone, starting with my kitten, then the other male, then me and my mom.  During all this, we even took him to the vet to make sure he wasn't sick or in pain or something, but he was perfectly healthy (although a bit fat).  His behavior got worse and worse over the next year.  It got to a point where he spent almost all his time hiding, and anytime he walked past me, my mom or the other cats, he would hiss and growl (even though he was sweet and affectionate with anyone else), so ultimately, we had to give him to the humane society to find a home with no other pets.

The litter changes really depend on the individual cats.  Bigger cats go through way more litter.  An 8 lb cat makes half the waste of a 16 lb cat.  So if your cats are bigger kitties, three might be pushing it a bit in terms of litter scooping, especially for one person.

Fur, again depends on cats, but the way I see it, heck, if you have two cats, there's already cat fur everywhere.  Maybe adding a third cat will motivate you to vacuum more often.  Or buy stock in those sticky-roller things.  But point being, in the grand scheme of things, three cats or one cat, you're gonna have cat hair everywhere.

So basically, my biggest concern is with the personalities of the cats.  Most cats seem to adjust reasonably well to sharing a space with a new cat, but...  it still breaks my heart that my handsome Beau kitty went crazy, and I am now a bit more cautious about bringing in new cats.

Answer 9

3 cats? Well have 5!!!  I can't believe it but they were all rescue cats and were all at one point about to die.  I nursed them all to health with intentions of finding them another home, but got to attached.  My first 2 cats I had by themselves for 3 years.  I found my 3rd cat with a broken back and left him in a room closed up for a month until he healed.  There was a vent at the bottom of the door so the other 2 got to know him before I released him. They get along great and the first two still share a good relationship.  I just rescued 2 kittens and the other 3 are fine with them. I also introduced them slowely. So I think that is key so they know that the new cat isn't there to take over. I have 3 litter boxes and change them once a week and scoop them every other day.  It's really not bad especially if your already into a regular litter routine.  Anyways, Ragdolls are normally not very social and will probably not even bother the other two cats. It will most likely find it's own space somewhere in the house and just chill out there most of the time anyways.

Answer 10

I have four, and I wouldn't give up any of them.  I admit two would be a lot easier to take care of and cheaper, but I adore every one of my kitties.  Of the four, only one was "planned" and all were rescues.