How many animals is too many?

[Deleted]

I've 5 dogs and 1 cat. You don't have too many pets if you can take care of them well and give them enough attention that they need. If you can keep them happy and healthy everything is fine. If you can't do that you have too many pets. Or if you or your surroundings are deteriorating because of the amount of pets.

[Mummbles]

When I was young we had at one time 7 dogs, 3 cats, ~10 chickens, a parakeet, and 2 rabbits. I could have done without the chickens, but that was my brother's project (he still made me cut their heads off as he was the overly sensitive type.)

But if you have a lot of dogs, you'll save yourself a whole lot of trouble if you can get them as puppies and train them. We once rescued a neglected Newfoundland and there was no hope of controlling that guy. I mean, when we got him he was malnourished and he still managed to bounce off the walls. He was just nuts!

Too many animals is just dependent on where you live, how many people are living there and your income. Knowing what you're doing is a great idea, too.

[Ryme]

For me, 3 is borderline above that and you're a crazy person.

[Repefe]

2 cats or 2 dogs or 1 cat + 1 dog ... those are reasonable numbers for me when it comes to other ppl having pets. When it comes to me personally, 1 is a stretch.

[Fencers]

Two per household is too much in my view.

[Cephilia]

Depends on the person, their place and condition, how much time they can devote and sacrifices they're ready to make for their pet and why they've taken them. I know a lady with 17 dogs who are in all in great condition and loved and taken care of better than most pets I've seen. She has teenage children, a husband and she works from home; they have a large yard and a van so they can take the dogs to run free in the forest. There are never any fights since the breed is very sociable and basically needs another pet to function according to it's breed oriented instincts. She also runs a small kennel with the dogs, which explains why she has so many (before people start shouting how all dogs should be taken from shelters, we have basically no shelters here since there are no wild dogs. If there were, the winter would kill them).

Then again, there are people I wouldn't trust with a plant, never mind an animal. I myself have two dogs, planning on taking a third one, and a cat. I know having so many pets may be limiting at times, but I wholeheartedly accept that. I do understand that's not for everyone tho.

[Gheld]

I think it should go by weight and not by number of animals.

For example a 50 lb dog poops proportionally more than a 20 lb dog.
Then the type of animal also matters. For example a 10 lb cat is probably capable of causing as much damage as a 35 lb dog.

I think for the average detached single unit dwelling 100 lbs of dogs and/or 30 lbs of cats is a good maximum to abide by.

So a cat to conversion ratio of 33 lbs of dog to every 10 lbs of cats should also be considered. So if you own a 10 lb cat and a 66.66666667lb dog that is enough pets. Any more is too many.

[Deleted]

cats are a serious ecological problem. the less the better. besides that: if the animals suffer due to negligence as the owners can't keep up with all the pets they have, its definitely too much. but even below that people can seem crazy if they're too animal-focused.

[Gheld]

cats are a serious ecological problem. the less the better. besides that: if the animals suffer due to negligence as the owners can't keep up with all the pets they have, its definitely too much. but even below that people can seem crazy if they're too animal-focused.

Not true. A sizeable cat population will keep local rodent populations in check. There is both too little and too many cats as possibilities. You might be like "Well, Gheld, I never seen a mouse in my house and i don't have a cat." Well your neighbor probably has one chuck.

So outdoor cats are bad. Indoor cats are good. But yeah, those fuckers have a pretty gigantic ecological footprint.

[schwank05]

Depends I have pets, and animals that are there for rodent control. I live on a farm, we have 2 dogs and 1 cat that are pets. There are also about 8-12 other cats at any given time in our barn and various out buildings that I feed to keep around so that the mice and rats stay under control.

I don't name these cats and when I want them to thin out I simply stop feeding them and they go to one of the neighboring farms, same thing goes for them and then I get cats again.

[Deleted]

Not true. A sizeable cat population will keep local rodent populations in check. There is both too little and too many cats as possibilities. You might be like "Well, Gheld, I never seen a mouse in my house and i don't have a cat." Well your neighbor probably has one chuck.

So outdoor cats are bad. Indoor cats are good. But yeah, those fuckers have a pretty gigantic ecological footprint.

ok you're right! strictly-indoor cats are probably pretty great! should have thought a lil' bit further and worded accordingly!

[Kerath]

ok you're right! strictly-indoor cats are probably pretty great! should have thought a lil' bit further and worded accordingly!

My cats are indoor only. I tell you what, my house is nice and bug free. The cats love chasing any creepy crawlies around that get in the house. Then eating them. Even our rescue with dodgy back legs (car accident before being rescued) loves tottering around after them.

[Deleted]

My cats are indoor only. I tell you what, my house is nice and bug free. The cats love chasing any creepy crawlies around that get in the house. Then eating them. Even our rescue with dodgy back legs (car accident before being rescued) loves tottering around after them.

that might be pretty good! i only wanted to raise awareness about the damage outdoor cats can and do cause to the ecosystem

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

Animals are a nuisance for a person like me.
I like to keep to a set schedule, so anything life form that lives with me needs to be self sufficient or understand that I work my own schedule.
I would make time for an animal or even child, but the whims of a cat coming up and knocking over my bottle of water is not something I plan for, and thus not something I would tolerate.

[Kerath]

that might be pretty good! i only wanted to raise awareness about the damage outdoor cats can and do cause to the ecosystem

Indeed, outdoor cats have a big impact. That,(and the fact that I want to make sure my animals are safe) is why mine are kept indoors.

[user531345]

I would suggest never getting animals, i learned the hard way they trash your house, and then you cant get rid of them.

[Terahertz]

I have one cat at my mother's house. At one point we had like 14 kittens because 3 of our cats were pregnant. It was seriously insane, but we gave the majority of them away and we kept one. 2 of the other cats that were pregnant were also given away at some points. We then had 2 cats but one of them didn't return home some day so now we have one.

Even that one cat my mom has trouble with. Granted she's already roughly 10~ years old and she spends her days outside the majority of the time, but she's spooked easily.

2 animals max seems the best for me.

[Deleted]

I have to agree with this. Unless you're on a farm and caring for them is a part of your normal routine, more than two pets per person seems excessive.

I know way to many people who buy multiple pets despite them having a full time job and only able to see/take care of them 3-4 hours a day...if you get a pet, make time for them. If you can't, don't get one.

[Gumboy]

Four is to many.