How to change show post per page in category-ID.php

I use this code:

<?php
				// set the "paged" parameter (use 'page' if the query is on a static front page)
				$paged = ( get_query_var( 'paged' ) ) ? get_query_var( 'paged' ) : 1;

				// the query
				$the_query = new WP_Query( 'cat=2&showposts=4&paged=' . $paged );
				?>

				<?php if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : ?>

				<?php
				// the loop
				while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post();
				?>

blablabla
				<?php endwhile; ?>

				<?php

					//wp_query is the gloabal var. If you put this in function remember to globalize var using: global $wp_query
					$total_pages = $the_query->max_num_pages;
					if ($total_pages > 1) {
						$current_page = get_query_var('paged') ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
						echo paginate_links(array(
							'base'         => add_query_arg('paged','%#%'),	//base url
							'format'       => '',							//replaces the %_% above
							'total'        => $total_pages,					//total num pages
							'current'      => $current_page,				//current page
							'show_all'     => False,						//show all the pages available
							'end_size'     => 1,							//how many pages at the ends
							'mid_size'     => 2,							//how many pages around the current page
							'prev_next'    => true,						//show prev and next buttons
							'type'         => 'list',						//plain, array, list
							'prev_text'    => __('? Back'),
    							'next_text'    => __('Next ?'),
						));
					}

				?>

				<?php
				// clean up after our query
				wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
				<?php else:  ?>
				<p><?php _e( 'Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.' ); ?></p>
				<?php endif; ?>

It works great if I have more then 4 posts. If I have two, for example, I see – Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.

How can I change this?

Thanks