Is there a cat formula for multiple cats?

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A reader asks:

I’ve always heard “Never have more cats than you have bedrooms,” although I have one bedroom and two happy cats. A friend with 6 cats says that the absolute minimum space required is 100 square feet per cat. This would mean I have enough space for three. What do you think of these contradicting formulas?

These formulas are simple, and easily remembered. But they are not factoring in the different cat types, with their different energy requirements and social skills. The equations also change with the quality of our policing and the support systems in place for each cat.

The rules are different for each multi-cat household because they are all made of different cats.

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As we see here, this chart assumes 3 cats of each type, with average compatibility for their type.

We see that Alphas need the most, due to their lively nature, but Gammas actually need the next most, due to their lack of gregariousness.

Three Betas take up the least space, because they are not as rowdy as the Alphas, or as solitary as the Gammas.

By type, Gammas need the least physical space, and Alphas the most. But we also have to know how these cats get along with others, which changes the equation. By type, Betas get along with everyone, while Gammas are the least likely to play well with others.

The number you get from the end of the graph line, marked Needed, represents the space number for these cats, in this space.

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How these individuals get along matters, too. Here, we see a best case, a medium case, and a worst case scenario, using only three cats.

The best case is three Betas getting along. The worst case is three Gammas who don’t get along too well.

Even a mix of Gammas and Alphas, always a bit tricky, can be handled in less space if they get along well.

Whatever space number you get is for comparison only. Because spaces vary, too.

A big loft apartment will use its space differently from a little house with lots of little rooms, even though the square footage might be equal. The loft will have longer sightlines and more perception of shared territory, while in the little house, each cat can stake out a room more easily, and will perceive the place as having far more territory potential.

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Here we see the dramatic difference cat compatibility makes. In “Cat Town,” we have 9 cats, different types, who get along.

In “Truce,” we have 6 cats, who get along less well; yet they don’t take up that much more space than the 9 cats.

And in “Nightmare,” we have only 2 cats, but they hate each other.

See how the numbers can change with proper policing? If we can get our cats to get along better, that will change the whole equation. Provided those cats have enough room in the first place.

In our small, 1.5 bedroom apartment, we had a dramatic difference between adding only one cat to the existing two-cat base, twice. Here’s how it charted:

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In Scene 1, we had Puffy and Mr. Bond, who disliked each other, but would band together in emergencies.

In Scene 2, we got Ordell, a rowdy Alpha who was puzzled by Puffy, who then hid. He was also too high-energy for our small apartment. He was happier in the new home I found for him, so we went back to the original two cats.

In Scene 3, we got RJ, who actually improved Puffy’s social skills, while getting along wonderfully with Mr. Bond. When you look at the chart, this scenario wound up with three cats taking up less “cat space” than we did with only two cats.

This seems impossible, but as I always say:

Cats do not obey the laws of physics.

Try it for yourself!

Try the online Cat Space Calculator.

Follow the instructions in the calculator.

Only enter data into the colored boxes!

Adding one cat of a particular type and social ability might nudge that number up only a fraction; or almost double it.

That’s the power of cat interaction.

So there is a formula for multiple cats, but it’s not simple. But you can get a better idea how a new cat will fit with the present cats, in the present space, by using the Cat Space Calculator (coming soon for you to use!)

Only you can determine how much room you have left. And which cats will fill it the best.

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There’s more about multiple cats in The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See more posts on the MULTIPLE CAT ADVANTAGE.