Our Family Expanded

My blog was correct last time, but now we have two new cat friends.  A mother daughter duo.  Sophie is three and Charlotte is one.  They are both rescue kitties who needed a loving home.  I realize that we are crazy for taking on more pets but sometimes it's just so hard to say no.  On our latest visit to the pet store Saturday we saw that one of the other girls was still there.  Adoption fees have jumped in the past week but most of the cat spots were empty.  It breaks my heart to see cats that need a good home, somewhere safe, somewhere they can play, their forever home.

Bringing the new girls into the house has been interesting.  When they aren't hiding under the stairs they are under our bed.  Charlotte and Duncan (our german sheppard cross) do really well together.  When we arrived home Duncan shoved his head right into the crate to see what we had.  Then looked at us with a confused look.  Momma cat has been keeping her baby in line.  The new girls have been roaming around the house a bit more and we do get the odd hiss at the older cats but they seem to be adjusting well.  Sabrina (the original cat and pet) seemed excited that she has a bigger food dish - but she expects it full all the time.  Even with five cats this bowl only needs to be half full.  She expects it completely full at all times.

We only have two litter boxes in the house.  General guideline is to have one per cat plus one.  When I figure out where another one can go we will consider buying more.  However, 6 litter boxes around the house?  I don't have a overly large house and that would be one in half the rooms - if the cats can't walk more that 20 feet to do their business then we have a problem.  Right now there is one upstairs and one downstairs.  Both out of the way of people and easy enough access for our cat friends.  I have been looking at the self cleaning ones though - maybe i'll compare if it's cheaper to buy a self cleaning one of put the cats in care while away.  I don't want to have to make anyone clean litter after all these poopers.

My heart is in the right place but realistically more cats would be too much.  I just hate to see any cat without a home and stuck in the shelter cages/lockups.  It breaks my heart to see them there.  All my cats and the dog are rescue animals.