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I've always wondered how you get the urine, and the odor, out of the litter box if you use non-clumping litter.
With clumping litter it's easy because as long as you get all the clumps, there is no urine left to smell.
Of course the same goes with poop clumps.
After all the waste is scooped out of the litter box, I can get right up close to the litter, even an inch or two away, and there is no discernible odor.
We use non-scented litter as the scented ones are obnoxious to me and I think they tend to hold the cat smell and add their own fragrance to cover it..
I know that synthetic systems like the pearls work differently and I hear they are also pretty efficient at eliminating odors.
You should be able to afford food, litter, and $1,000 worth of vet bills a year for each cat.
And avoid spacing them closer than 2 years apart - otherwise those vet costs will grow quickly as they age. Don't forget about petsitter expenses. Believe me, sometimes you need time away from the 4-legged children too!
I don't know where you live, but here in Florida, people have to think about evacuation for pets during a hurricane, special arrangements have to be made for pets because a lot of shelters won't accept pets. Something to think about, you never know when you might need to move the pets, how would you do it, can you do it?
It is important to have an emergency plan for the pets.
In this household, personally speaking, I think one is enough. We've got three and I don't think my blood pressure has been any higher. Between having to have a senior female cat not only age gracefully (which she isn't) but also learn how to deal with two very curious, very energetic young male cats...constant attacks from the senior cat onto the younger ones....constantly cleaning up cat hair off the couch, furniture, and blinds...cats knocking over the (poorly installed) blinds...cats bending the blinds...keeping cats from jumping on furniture (one of them ruined a beautiful dining room table I bought a few years ago) and the chopping block in the kitchen and the kitchen counters--and a hot stove once...protecting my retainer for the sake of my life and hundreds of dollars (one of them grabbed it and apparently had a ball with it, and I take blame for it, but I had JUST gotten my braces taken off and had a blonde moment)...jumping in windows and knocking stuff down (or knocking the cable cord out of the VCR a few times)...a bipolar cat who is happy one minute then growling the next...cats who like to play fight by the bedroom door at 2-3 in the morning, often slamming the bedroom door open....and a significant other who doesn't believe in using S-S-S-Cat, water bottles, or anything that'll keep the cats from doing all these things and therefore enables this activity...yeah, one is enough for me. Preferably senior-aged.
Maybe its selfish, but I have found that one Siamese bonds pretty intensely with the humans. I had two cats once and they were best friends of each other, but now on my third Siamese mostly the only cat in the house, for 30 years, I can gell you that they get very intuned to the humans. Tons of affection and interest in what we are doing. Always willing to play, but not needy or demanding. Jack sleeps through the night and if he gets up because I am up, he goes right back to sleep on the bed when I do. He wakes me up in the morning but is usually sound asleep when I leave for work but waiting to play when I come home for lunch. What a great cat. My best friend (spouse excepted of course).
We live in the city of Lakewood, California which is one of the very few cities in California which only allows TWO cats per household. I had two cats but ending up feeding two cats outside which were abondoned by homeowners who lost their home. I am under attack by some neighbors because they say they are a nuisance which is a lie because both cats are neutered and do not spray ( I know this because I let them in my home twice a day to use the litter box). I have a very clean home and it does not smell. I change the litter box twice a day and live in a house which we own. It all started when the lady next door planted flowers in her front yard and started telling neighbors cats were "pooping" in their yard. There are other neighbor cats who roamed the neighborhood but because they know I am feeding the two abondoned cats they are attacking me and my cats. I have listened to her dogs bark for years even after I brought my son home from the hospital who had an aneuerysm and needed his rest. These are "sick" people. One neighbor trapped one of my cats and brought it to my door. Please advise
I havent read all of the posts so sorry if im repeating anything!
But I think as many as you can handle is enough. My grandma however had like 16 at a time and they kept reproducing with eachother and I guess all that inbreeding started to effect the health and the last litter died after about 2 hrs and the one before that couldnt walk so my mom stepped in and (I know it sounds mean but) secretly took all but 2 male cats and let them out 10 miles away. The house stunk and she only had one litter box!
So it depends on the situation but it sounds like you would be fine adding a few!
We live in the city of Lakewood, California which is one of the very few cities in California which only allows TWO cats per household.
I have listened to her dogs bark for years even after I brought my son home from the hospital who had an aneuerysm and needed his rest. These are "sick" people. One neighbor trapped one of my cats and brought it to my door. Please advise
Snip.
I would never live where an HOA can dictate how many pets I can have - or anything else. Most will also tell you how to keep your lawn, not allow wash lines or only allow certain colors on homes and other "snob" rules. There's nothing you can do but move away from such a dreadful situation, taking the cats with you.
You could have tape recorded the barking dog and took the neighbor to court on a nuisance charge. Or complained to your HOA.
This is regular neighborhood with no HOA. Just "hateful" neighbors. There are 3 neighboors who "stick" together and one is my next door neighboor with the two dogs who yep and bark alot. It is an older neihborhood. The man who brought the cat to my door in a trap yelled at me and was very close to me as he yelled. I told him he was "sick". My husband just told him it was "wierd to trap and cat and why couldn't they just chase it away". The lady neighboor next door has complained for years about many things. She even complained when I fed bird in my backyard tree. I feel I am being harassed and at the same time have to take care of a disabled son (son has brain damage from aneurysm). Should I call about her dogs? I have never called the pound on a dog or cat. I have always been the one in the neighborhood to help animals. I have saved many dogs and cats in my lifetime and this just is not fair.
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There's nothing you can do but move away from such a dreadful situation, taking the cats with you. 
Don't live in an HOA
Should I call about her dogs? I have never called the pound on a dog or cat. I have always been the one in the neighborhood to help animals. I have saved many dogs and cats in my lifetime and this just is not fair.
