What is your perfect number of cats? As a child growing up, I never had less than two, but sometimes we had up to four (a real clowder—that is your new word for the day 😉 ). Of course, my parents realized early on that having three daughters meant three was the absolute minimum. That way, we each had one to call our own: Cassy (mine); Cassy’s daughter, Pinky (born in our garage in the days before we knew about spay/neuter and kept by my sister Charlotte); and Tux, a cute stray we rescued from being tormented by neighborhood boys whom Maureen persuaded my parents to keep. These special kitties all lived until our college days.
Today I don’t have a cat (we have allergies in the family), but both of my sisters have one. And they sometimes think about adopting another one, but it can be hard to know the right time, don’t you think? Life feels perfect as is, but sometimes it can feel as if something is “missing.”
It’s a big decision a lot of us think about—especially when we encounter a really cute one as a stray, at a local shelter or while “just browsing” Petfinder.com (everyone does this, right?).
But when is a good time to introduce a brand-new feline into your household? Here are some signs you’re finally ready to bring another cat into the fold …