I'm looking for some advice on adopting one or more cats or kittens.
I live in a 35 square metre flat without a garden. After doing a lot of research, many people seem to agree that as long as you look after your pet well and meet their needs, there's no problem with a cat living in a flat.
However, some people think it's better to adopt two cats so they can grow up together, and I think that's a better idea too because if I have to be out for the day, they'll have each other for company. They can play together, and if I ever have to move house, they’ll probably feel more secure and less stressed being a pair. My worry is that 35 square metres might be too small for two cats, and that they won't have enough of 'their own territory'.
What do you think? Is it big enough for two cats? Or is it better to just adopt one?
If I can adopt two, I was thinking of getting two from the same litter so they already know each other. Is that a good idea? If so, would you recommend two males, two females, or one of each?
Thanks a lot for your help and any advice.
Holly
Translated from French
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At the end of the day, it’s up to her and she’s the one who decides. Personally, I think it’s fine as long as she’s looking after them properly, but she is planning to get a bigger flat later on, especially since she’s got teenage daughters. She really loves her pets, anyway. She’s had some history with the girls’ dad, which is why she’s ended up in this situation, but I’m not going to go into the details as it’s her business and she doesn't want to talk about it.
You can definitely get two cats, they’ll be absolutely fine, there’s no problem at all. A friend of my mum’s has a flat about that size and she has four of them, plus she’s also got a dog and a rabbit!
Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice on adopting one or more cats or kittens. I live in a 35-square-metre flat with no garden. I’ve done quite a bit of research and a lot of people agree that if you look after your pet properly and meet all their needs, there’s no reason why a cat can’t live happily in a flat.
However, some people think it’s better to adopt two cats so they can grow up together. I also like that idea because if I have to be out for the day, they’ll have each other’s company and can play together. Plus, if I ever have to move house, they’d probably feel more settled and less stressed having each other. My main worry is that 35 square metres might be a bit too small for two cats, and they might not feel like they have enough of their own territory.
What do you think? Is it big enough for two? Would it be better to just adopt one? And if I can get two, I was thinking of getting two from the same litter so they already know each other—is that a good idea? If so, would you recommend two males, two females, or one of each? Thanks so much for your help and advice. Holly
One cat would be a good start! Then perhaps over time, you could look into getting a second... You have to put the cat's needs first!
⭐ Mind you, make sure you get them neutered very early on if you don't want to end up with 10 cats in a tiny flat! ⭐
Especially since inbreeding can be really dangerous for the little ones, and it might come as a shock because there’s a massive risk of the kittens having deformities...
And don't go thinking your cats will respect our human taboos about brothers and sisters; they couldn't care less!
So even though I'm against making neutering compulsory (I'm more for encouraging people to use their common sense), in your situation, it's absolutely essential if they're opposite sexes!
I always say two cats are better than one, but most single cats manage perfectly fine. Since your flat is on the smaller side, and knowing that cats actually take up quite a bit of space, maybe you should start with just one?
It’s mainly for your sake if it’s your first cat, because cats really change your habits—usually for the better, but I’m thinking of someone else on the forum, it can be quite a lot to deal with, especially in a limited space. So, I reckon you should test the waters by getting one cat first...
Then again, if the kittens are from the same litter, it’s better for them to stay together!
And as for their sex, I’m not sure, because despite the stats mentioned by @bluecat, sometimes brothers and sisters just can’t stand each other... I think that just like us, sometimes we just don’t get on with our own kind... it’s simply a matter of chemistry... not genetics.
No, having a single cat isn't off the cards at all, as long as you give them plenty of attention and spend lots of time playing with them. Many cats are actually better off being the only cat in the house.
It’s really easy to spot which kittens in a litter get on well together. You just need to watch them while they're playing. The 'best mates' will team up against another during their 'play-fights', they’ll always sleep snuggled up together and won't show any aggression when eating from the same bowl at the same time.
Hi, I’ve got a spare bit of space next to a window for the cat tree and there are plenty of different levels with my furniture, so no problems there.
Given that kittens are already socialising with each other in the same litter, I’d imagine it’s easier to identify the ones that don’t get on, but you can never be 100% sure.
Do you think keeping a single cat (in a flat) is a bad idea? I’m just worried they’ll be unhappy.
