Is it ill-advised to have more than one animal in a studio apartment?

June 1, 2013 10:42 PM

Is it ill-advised to have more than one animal in a studio apartment?

I have had my small dog (Mingo, a chihuahua-something mix) for about six years, during which time we have lived in either a one- or two- bedroom apartment (typically, at least 700 square feet).

Two weeks ago, I moved from the East Bay to San Francisco. Much better commute (10-minute walk instead of 45-minute BART ride) but the trade-off was downsizing to a 450-square-foot studio.

For a while now, I've been thinking about getting another small dog or a cat. However, now that I've moved, I feel like that is not doable in a smallish studio apartment.

Thoughts? Especially from those who have (or have had / have tried to have) more than one pet in a studio apartment?

posted by mingodingo to Pets & Animals (17 answers total)

One thing that occurs to me as someone who has one (large-ish) dog in a studio apartment is whether you'd need a separate kennel for a second dog, and whether that would mean sacrificing space that could be better used.

Ditto for a litterbox, etc. for a cat. Where is the stuff an animal needs going to physically go in your space?
posted by Sara C. at 10:54 PM on June 1, 2013 [3 favorites]

Agree with what Sara C. said. It's not really about the dog (assuming you're getting another small dog, and they're having an adoption special on Chihauhas at the SFSPCA right now), but all the crap that comes with them. Another kennel. You'll need duplicates of whatever you have for your own dog, and you'll be buying bigger packages of treats, food, etc. Also if the dogs like to play together they might start knocking things over in a small space.
posted by radioamy at 11:06 PM on June 1, 2013

How easy is it to divide your space if you ever need to separate the animals?I've had to pets in a studio before but it was a largish one that had a decent sized closet and bathroom where 1 cat could be kept. We needed it when there was cat surgery and illness when they had to be fed seperately.
posted by oneear at 11:08 PM on June 1, 2013

I've got friends who lived in a studio apartment for two years with two cats, and their cats were total assholes. Peed/pooped outside their litter boxes, scratched up the furniture, fought each other, scratched humans...

They moved to a two-bedroom apartment a few months back and the cats are like different animals. Well, like normal cats, at least.

I think animals like their space just like we do.

I wouldn't do it.
posted by lollusc at 12:11 AM on June 2, 2013 [5 favorites]

I lived for a year in a studio apartment with two cats. It was do-able, but that's because they didn't need kennels, had small food dishes and shared a water dish, and even shared a litter box (I was grateful for that). If they needed more gear or refused to share it would have been a total pain.
posted by christinetheslp at 4:41 AM on June 2, 2013

I had a decent sized studio apartment with two cats...had a separate bathroom/closet as well, but they did fine overall. They're also the same age and brothers, so they played together and kept each other occupied - which is why I have 2 in the first place.

Dogs might be different. I don't know if I would plan to get another pet while living in a studio, but I wouldn't tell someone not to move into a studio if they had 2 pets. If that makes sense.
posted by fromageball at 5:48 AM on June 2, 2013

I have two cats in a studio. I'll never do it again.
posted by jgirl at 6:00 AM on June 2, 2013

It depends on the size and age of the animals in question, as well as the size and nature of the studio in question.

But, I would not do it, especially with a small dog or cat. Pet hamster? Sure.
posted by dfriedman at 6:50 AM on June 2, 2013

I've had a small dog and a cat in quite small apartments and never had any problem. They play together and keep each other company. When my est friend and I lived together we had two small dogs and a cat, we just kenneled the two dogs together but they absolutely loved each other and it was never a problem.
posted by magnetsphere at 8:01 AM on June 2, 2013

I have known people who have kept two cats, or one small dog and one cat, in a studio or small one-bedroom. The key is vertical space. You need at least one kitty condo or climbing tree, two if there is room, and ideally one should be by a window. Adding vertical space increases the available territory and allows the cats to be out of one another's hair (or the cat to get away from the dog - this is also important; the cat will need at least one dogproof place to get away from the dog if he needs to - a high cat tree or a condo with a cat-sized opening). Cats are natural climbers, and I have found that vertical space is absolutely essential to having happy kitties no matter where I live.

If you are going to get a cat, you also want to be sure that the dog can't get to the litterbox and snack on cat turds (many dogs think that cat turds are yummy!). And you will want to dog-proof the cat's food so the dog won't eat it all.

Can you provide all this for a cat - a kitty condo or climbing tree, a litterbox and food/water that the dog won't get to? If so, then get an easy-going adult cat who is familiar with dogs - a good shelter or rescue will know the cat's temperament and dog-friendliness and be able to guide you.

Unfortunately, I can't help you with the "two dogs" idea because I don't know anyone who has kept two dogs in a small apartment - every small-space dweller I've known has either had cats only or one dog + one cat.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 8:53 AM on June 2, 2013 [1 favorite]

I've had two small dogs in a studio and it was totally fine, but I'm not the type to have a whole lot of crap around so there was adequate floor space for them to play, and they got most of their exercise from long walks anyway. You can buy nice wicker crates that double as end tables so that they're not hogging up too much room. Pick up their food bowls when they're done eating so all you have on the floor is one water bowl, and use small human bowls for the food so you can pop them right in the dishwasher. Watch out for sharp corners on furniture. And that's it. They sleep on the bed or sofa so no need for separate dog beds. Small dogs don't eat that much anyway so food storage isn't an issue.

Now two cats in a studio, that would be gross, in my opinion. Even if you're Johnny on the spot with the poop scooper, I think litterbox smells would pervade everything you own. And God forbid they should start a litterbox boycott. Ugh.
posted by HotToddy at 9:59 AM on June 2, 2013

I lived with two cats in small studio spaces for years and it was excellent. A friend with two cats moved out of a 1200 square foot house into a 600 square foot loft. Her 2 skittish cats suddenly thrived. Cats seem to do well in small spaces. They're such marvelous yet mysterious creatures.

With cats in a small space, it's allllllllllllllllllllllll about the litter box. Keep it clean and you're golden.
posted by 2oh1 at 10:55 AM on June 2, 2013

I've had two reasonably high energy dogs of about 17lbs each, in a small apartment, not as small as yours though I can't remember the actual size it had a separate bedroom. We lived there almost 18 months with them with no problems what so ever. They were actually good company for each other. We don't crate and the dogs sleep on the furniture or in our bed, so the only things I needed more room for was the dogs lead and it's food bowl. I can't imagine having to fit 2 dog beds and crates into a tiny place. I imagine another Chihuahua would be fine honestly for space, the trick is to keep everyone well walked morning and night (plus potty walks), really a studio apartment is larger than a crate that people leave there dogs in for 8 hours or more at a time without a second thought and the dogs would have each other to play with and for company add to that weekend trips out and 2 walks, plus a couple of potty breaks in a day and I can't see a problem. Just be aware your bed and sofa etc all become fair game as surfaces for wrestling and playing on.

The only down sides I can see is it might feel more crowded if you like your personal space 2 dogs wanting attention could get old fast. Also 2 dogs are more likely to bark, they have backup so it makes them feel tougher, or even just play barking. I'd suggest adopting an older quieter dog that would mostly just sleep all day until you came home. Also there are lots of other animals that are great for small spaces maybe a pocket pet or a parakeet or something. A lot of rescues will let you take a dog or cat "on trial" to make sure he's a fit for your lifestyle and personality etc so maybe you can do a trial run and see how it works out for you.
posted by wwax at 12:03 PM on June 2, 2013

I live in a 600 sqft one-bedroom with a 40lb dog, a cat, and 2 rats. Everyone gets along great and I haven't had any problems. I have a covered litterbox in a closet with the sliding door open just enough to allow the cat passage, but not the dog. Otherwise, she'd treat herself to kitty box crunchies. Rats are in a cage and only roam free in a closed bathroom without the other animals present, but dog and cat are both respectful when I'm handling them.

I think what's much more important than the amount of space you have, are the personalities of the animals involved. For practical purposes, I wouldn't recommend adding a cat when, as others have mentioned, you don't have a way to split them up if absolutely necessary. Also, since you already have a dog you probably already have almost all of the equipment required to bring in a second, similar-sized dog. With a cat, there may be a lot more upfront cost and you may not be able to let your current pet and the new cat meet before finding out if they get along. With dogs, even shelters will generally let you bring your dog in for a compatibility test before you agree to take it home.
posted by rawralphadawg at 1:41 PM on June 2, 2013

Check out Apartment Therapy's various Pet categories. Hey, the newest post is Tips for Living in a Small Space with Peta!

If you get a cat, you'll really want to maximize the vertical space use all you can. Etsy.com sells and Hauspanther.com links to really lovely, compact cat furniture that you can affix to walls to save space and won't look like giant carpeted monsters sucking up all your room.
posted by nicebookrack at 1:48 PM on June 2, 2013 [1 favorite]

I had two kittens/cats in a 350 sq foot RV. And then I added a puppy (Sheltie/American Eskimo cross). A lot of it depends on the animals themselves. My cats were not assholes (any more than normal, anyway) and the puppy was well behaved as well. And as long as you have room for litter boxes/kennels, it can be fine. The first half of this set are photos of my animals inside and outside of the RV I lived in (with my husband).


PS: One of my current kitties is named Mingo!
posted by deborah at 6:36 PM on June 2, 2013

The most crucial elements for successfully keeping multiple pets in small spaces:

1) hardwood floors
2) minimal clutter (minimalist asethetic a plus!)
3) vertical space
4) ruthlessly rigorous cleaning schedule

Rugs are a bitch to clean, and hardwood is so much easier to sweep and mop. Going "Minimalist modern" is a sleek solution for staying hygienic: the less furniture you have to clean, the nicer it looks and the better off you'll be. Vertical space is an awesome way to make sure everyone has a space of his or her own to chill out...one of my cats resides on the space above my kitchen cabinets, and I put bookcases and tables in my closets for extra hidey-holes.

And last but not least: CLEANING, CLEANING, CLEANING. Get in the habit of sweeping, mopping, cleaning the litterbox, de-fuzzing the furniture and setting out fresh food and water every time you leave for work, when you get home, and before you go to bed. Keep throwaway grocery bags handy so you can scoop the poop every time it happens...small bags mean you'll take the damn trash out ASAP.
posted by doreur at 10:25 PM on June 2, 2013