# Okay to add 3rd cat to 600 sq. feet apartment?



## Trevor (Jan 11, 2005)

I live in a rather small 600sq. foot one bedroom apartment, I have one male and one female cat living with me right now, and I'm really itching to take in another stray. (my ultimate plan is to take in 2 more for a total of four cats, 2 male, 2 female) My question is, do you guys think my space is too small for three cats to be happy and not "get on each others nerves"?


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## catnip (Aug 19, 2003)

I've had as many as 4 in an apt. that size and I'd say it gets a little cramped, even for 3. It really depends on the cat but my babies need their space, and Ohhh there were litter box issues. My oldest used the whole apt. as a litter box. I now live in a 1500sq foot house with 3 babies and everyone is MUCH happier. MUCH MUCH happier. They seldom scrap and fight anymore. They have 2 rooms in the basement for their boxes and free range of everything but the upstair bedroom and they really take advantage of it. 

But hey, If its what you really want, I say go for it. :thumb


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

I'd agree with catnip. It's really a bit small for more than 2. Cats are territorial and too many in a small space can lead to problems. Also it's actually not healthy for them to be cramped up together and no matter how much you love them, they may even get on your nerves! Ha! Just love the one's you have. Good luck.


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## Petrafan4life79 (Sep 24, 2004)

Oh goodness. The apt. we have is 960 sq. ft., a 2 bed/2bath. We aren't allowed to have more than 2 in the apt. It's been that way for every apt. I've lived in. I'm already up to my eyeballs in cat hair with just 2 cats anyway. It doesn't matter how often we brush them or how often we vacuum, there's still hair. 

The litter pan can be a problem as well. They say to have one more litter pan than you do cats. I do not have room for 3 litter pans, but my 2 do just fine with the one pan they have.

I think at times our cats would like a bit more room to run, too, but they seem to do fine with what we have. 

Ultimately it comes down to is there room, do you have room for another litter pan, will you be able to keep up with all the hair and vacuuming and dusting, not to mention you'll really be on your toes making sure they stay out of trouble. I can't keep up with the two I have sometimes. It seems everytime I turn around they're into something else. Oh, boy!

:lol:


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## icklemiss21 (Aug 29, 2004)

We moved into a 960 sq ft 2 bedroom apt while we saved some money to buy a house and evn though they have their own room with their beds and litter and toys etc - it still seems very crampt with 4 cats!

I wasn't around really when he first got Bumper, so not sure how much extra work he was - but when we got Scully the house immediately seemed much more crampt (could have something to do with him being the size of 2 or 3 cats at the time).

If you are planning on moving somewhere bigger later, I would probably wait until then to get another


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## Laurie_R (Jun 7, 2005)

I think it really depends on your cats, and not on the size of your apartment. Some cats wouldn't be happy with others around even if they lived in a mansion with their own butlers and separate entrances for all. :lol: 

My own experience: I have four cats in about 900 sq ft, and they get along very well. Connor occasionally has issues with Boots getting into his personal space, so they sometimes get into little paw-batting spats, but it's nothing major, and we don't have any litter pan issues, fights, or anything like that. They have their own bedroom in which they are locked when we are away, and it has a nice window so they can dream about stalking birds.

However, Connor lived with several other cats in a small-ish apartment for the first six months of his life, and he's very social, and loves the company of other cats. The Sharks have been together their whole lives and would hate hate hate to be without other cats. Their attitude is not really typical of a lot of other cats I've met. My sister's cat stayed here for almost a year and she was NOT social and did NOT like the company and her issues with other animals created so many problems in the relationships between all my other pets.

You need to ask yourself if your cats will thrive with lots of company, if they'll just tolerate the other cats, or if they'll outright hate having to live so close to other cats in a small space. If you don't think that your current cats will absolutely thrive with extra company in your current apartment, it's probably best to wait until you move somewhere with more space. If they are super-social and love company, go for it.


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## icklemiss21 (Aug 29, 2004)

The other thing to think about is having a separate introduction room where you can keep the new cat/kitten during the introduction process which is sometimes hard in such a small apartment. 
Mine get on OK in our apartment, and it actually forced them into getting along better (we were still having some intro problems with Scully when we moved).


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

I don't think it's so much square footage or cleanliness. I think it's whether there's some place for each cat to call it's own little space. I've noticed when my cats want to be alone, they have the opportunity to go into a room and be by themselves. I think if you have places for each cat to go to chill out, then you're OK.


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## lilysong (Apr 4, 2005)

The fact that you're asking makes me think that you're really doubting it, but are looking for 'permission'. I'm afraid you're going to have to figure this one out for yourself. 

In my opinion, it sounds awfully small for that many cats. I have a HOUSE and it seems that the three girls are always in each others' way, not to mention under our feet and into things. But your situation may be different.

Lisa


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## roseeden (May 18, 2005)

I believe that the 600 sq feet apartment would become a 1200 sq feet apartment to your cats as soon as you add in some vertical space (furnitures, cat furnitures, kitty-stairways, and kitty-walks) for them to play on.

I have five indoor cats in a 600 sq feet apartment and my cats are never bored. My cats are all littermates, though (two from one litter and three from another litter) so they had always loved each other.

If you do get a third cat you should start allowing the cats on the furniture, otherwise the cats would feel really deprived of space.


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## SammyO (Nov 27, 2004)

From my situation and experience I wouldn't advise it. I brought 3 cats home, each about a month apart but they were all adult cats. They have a hard time co-existing together, I have to set up beds and whatever else they seem to like to let them get away from each other and I live in a 2 bedroom townhouse with 3 floors. They can't even pass by on the stairs without having a spat. It's all a gamble on what type of cats you bring home and if they are willing to be social or territorial. My situation is a bit stressful for all but once I took the responsibility of giving my 3 a home, I would never consider giving them up as they all took awhile adjusting and are happy with us just not with each other.

If your two get along and you really want a third cat I would suggest a kitten or a well socialized adult cat. I would have a couple cat tree towers to keep them occupied and give them an outlet to get away from the other. I only have one and it really causes issues when they all want to use it! :?


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## Trevor (Jan 11, 2005)

I think I'm leaning towards NOT getting a 3rd cat and just keeping the 2 that I have. There are always strays that I see out in the parking lot at night looking for food, I really feel like I would love to take one in though. I think I will just start trapping them and taking them straight to the humane society and hope that they get adopted before they get put down. I have the money and desire to care for a 3rd but I don't want the two I already have to feel cramped, and I love my small apartment for now.


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## roseeden (May 18, 2005)

I don't like the idea of adding a FERAL cat into the apartment. If you want a multi-cat household it is much better if the 3rd cat is a kitten or a well-socialized adult cat. Otherwise, having three cats would be great.

I would not even risk it with a feral kitten....once they turn 8 weeks old it is kind of difficult to get them socialized and there is always the issue of disease.

I DO feed all the feral cats in my neighborhood, though :lol:


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## fbodgrl (May 10, 2004)

I think it depends. I had 3 cats in approx 700 sq ft 2 bedroom flat. It may have been smaller. My three seemed to do fine. They are all pretty independent of each other. They have an age difference between all of them. Zoee and Lamar are 5 years apart. Zack is 3 years younger than Lamar. So they weren't in close quarters snuggling. They seemed to find areas of their own, until bed time, then they all slept with me.


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