Life with 19 Cats and Counting!

(Listen to my radio show of the same name here!)

by Cat Behaviorist Rita Reimers, Multi-Cat Behavior Expert

My multi-cat household… Yes, that is my king sized bed, purchased it when we moved into the new house in 2018. The intent was for there to be more room on bed for both me AND the cats, but as you can see, my kitty gang had other plans!

I wouldn’t trade living with my 19 rescue cats, my very large multi cat household, for anything in this world, even if often there is no room on my bed for me! *Update – as of 2026, only 15 remain. 4 of my kitties were seniors who went over the rainbow bridge.

Living with a large multi-cat household has taught me firsthand how cats communicate, form social bonds, navigate territory, and react to stress, change, introductions, and routine disruptions.

Are My Cats Spoiled? Of Course!

My cats are spoiled, there no doubt about that. I spoil them because, much like human children, they cannot fend for themselves. They need a dedicated human caretaker to make sure they have what they need to survive and to thrive. Every single day.

Aside from the obvious, proper food and clean water, cats need lots of love, playtime, and snuggles from their human parents, each and every day. Tricky to do in a multi-cat household, but just like their K9 counterparts, cats need affection and attention to feel truly secure in their homes; they are not the self-sufficient creatures much of society holds them out to be.

From choosing the foods they eat to the toys they play with, taking care of cats is a serious responsibility. In my clubhouse, my goal is to help you understand how cats live, their behaviors and the instincts that drive those behaviors, and how you can create the best life possible for both you and your cats.

Is a Multi-Cat Household for You?

I tell me clients all the time, “don’t try this at home!” But seriously, it does take alot of time, effort, and expense to make sure my cats have everything they need. That includes getting enough love, attention, and playtime with me.

Whether you have one cat or many, having cats in your home will fill your life with unconditional love an laughter, even if you do have to occasionally sleep on the sofa!

If you have, or are thinking about creating, a multi-cat household, read my article, Surviving and Thriving in a Multi-Cat Household