need help from cat people

[caitycaity]

dh and i have been thinking of getting a cat for several months now. dh has never had a pet, but i had a dog when i was in middle school/high school. until i went to college i was his primary caretaker (walked him, cleaned up after him when he had accidents, fed him, took him to the vet once i could drive, etc.). that was more than 10 years ago, though. i have never owned a cat.

what do i really need to know when trying to make the decision whether to adopt a cat? having responsibility for a living thing is kinda making me nervous, but i would really like to get a pet and i don't think a dog is right for us right now (for a bunch of reasons).

 

[tiggersmom2]

I live and breathe cats, my hubby.....does not..... First thing first....have a nice large area for the litter box ( I prefer the electric box) and then think long and hard about what kind of cat you want. Yes, they all are different but boys are MUCH more affectionate than girls. The girls tend to be aloof and want petting when THEY want petting. My male cats are just big love buckets..lol.

I find cats to be the easiest pets in the world....they integrat into your world without you really knowing it. I have persians, so I must groom them everyday but most cats are just: feed, change litter box, and love on me.

 

[freckles and boo]

I live and breathe cats, my hubby.....does not..... First thing first....have a nice large area for the litter box ( I prefer the electric box) and then think long and hard about what kind of cat you want. Yes, they all are different but boys are MUCH more affectionate than girls. The girls tend to be aloof and want petting when THEY want petting. My male cats are just big love buckets..lol.

I find cats to be the easiest pets in the world....they integrat into your world without you really knowing it. I have persians, so I must groom them everyday but most cats are just: feed, change litter box, and love on me.

If you don't have a lot of time, consider getting two kitties about the same age. I have to disagree about the male/female thing. I think it simply depends upon the temperament of the individual cat. My most affectionate kitty bar none was female. She would start purring if you just looked at her.

 

[Saphire]

One big issue is travel. When you travel, you will need to have someone available to take care of your cat. Do you have someone who could do that? Do you mind having them come into your home?
Another issue is when they are kittens, of course they are cute, but they can be very naughty. Make sure you are willing to take the good with the bad. When Charlie was a kitten, he knocked oner every glass he came across, and vases with flowers as well, so no flowers for awhile. He swiped my diamond wedding band into the garbage disposal without my knowledge, and that was the end of my ring. Anyway, you get the idea, you have to be ready for the antics of kittens.
One thing I think is important is to adopt a cat that has been with its mother for a decent amount of time, at least 6 weeks. My own opinion is that they are better natured and more well adjusted. Good Luck!

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

Just a word of caution (I agree with tiggersmom's post by the way ) Do not get a kitten unless you are prepared to spend TIME with a kitten. They need to be socialized and taught things just like a puppy would be. They're not AS comprehensive, but they tend to get into everything, bite your toes, and right now our near 6 month old kitten is testing her limits... what she can get away with. They truly ARE like children So if you're gone a lot, or most, of the time... start with a cat that's over a year old, preferably 2

 

[tiggersmom2]

If you don't have a lot of time, consider getting two kitties about the same age. I have to disagree about the male/female thing. I think it simply depends upon the temperament of the individual cat. My most affectionate kitty bar none was female. She would start purring if you just looked at her.

I am sure you are right...I am just going off of my 15 years of owning persians. They are definitely a breed all to them selves and the females are usually.....evil ....maybe that is why I like them...

I also ALWAYS take my kitties travelling unless it is to a hotel or motel (sometimes, I sneak them in there....god, I am bad....).

 

[It's A Happy Day]

We have a male cat - got him when he was about 3-4 months old (not sure as he was found at a construction site as a kitten). We have had him fixed/neutered - I can never remember which gender has what - and all his regular shots including feline leukemia shots. Personally I like getting them when they are little- kitten age - way too cute and they develop an attachment to you, not that an older one can't but sometimes the older pets are set in there ways and might not warm up to you. There really isn't alot to know with cats. They are pretty self sufficient. You need to put out food & water but unlike dogs they will not scarf down everything you set out. If it will be an indoor cat, make sure like someone else said you have ample room for the cat box - think bottom area of a closet size - and I highly recommend a hooded box as it cuts down on the litter getting everywhere! To start out you will need litter box, litter, food dish, food - recommend crunchy formulas as they help "clean" the animals teeth but it is okay to give some canned/wet foods as well (we give this as a treat or every couple weeks) and then the other stuff comes as you want - toys, scratching posts, etc. I would recommend getting some type of scratching mat/post/item so that the cat would have an acceptable place to do this other than the legs of your furniture. Yearly vet bill isn't too bad for a healthy animal, I think ours was around $75 this past year for his shots and checkup and when we had him fixed it was around $200.

 

[poohandwendy]

I live and breathe cats, my hubby.....does not..... First thing first....have a nice large area for the litter box ( I prefer the electric box) and then think long and hard about what kind of cat you want. Yes, they all are different but boys are MUCH more affectionate than girls. The girls tend to be aloof and want petting when THEY want petting. My male cats are just big love buckets..lol.

I find cats to be the easiest pets in the world....they integrat into your world without you really knowing it. I have persians, so I must groom them everyday but most cats are just: feed, change litter box, and love on me.

I agree about the male/female thing.

We have 4 females and 3 males and the boys are more affectionate when I want them to be. The females are affectionate, for the most part, when they want to be. It's all good either way, just differences I have noticed (I know there are exceptions)

As far as taking on a cat for the first time. Not really difficult animals. As a matter of fact, other than leopard geckos, they are the easiest animals I have ever had. (which is partly why I have 7, LOL)

Seriously, they are generally clean and amuse themselves. They sleep ALOT.

(if they are not declawed) Must, must, must have a scratching area...preferably a few. They WILL sharpen their claws on something if you don't provide a sharpener for them. We have a few carpeted scratching posts and a round toy thing with a scratch area that they love.

I have found that my cats like to sleep IN things, whether that be a basket or a cat bed or even in a corner, they tend to sleep with something touching them from the sides....unless I am in bed, then they want to be near me. I had a large bowl on my dining room table, they loved sleeping in it. Cats are weird.

Must have access to fresh water and if you don't want them drinking out of the toilet, learn to keep it closed.

If there is any activity that you do not want to be a habit (like sleeping in your bed), curb it from the very beginning. They are creatures of habit and will expect more of the same if you allow it.

This will probably never be an issue, but keep an eye on your cats eating habits. If they refuse food for more than 24 hours, they need seen by a vet asap. No joke, you cannot take a wait and see approach on this. As far as that goes, it is always better to err on the side of caution and take them in if they are not acting themselves. The vast majority of illnesses can be treated if caught early enough, so keep that in mind. When they don't act like their normal selves...something is up. (not trying to be scary, most cats are not sick very often anyways many go through their entire life without any illnesses, just adding some stuff from my experience)

Do not use any Hartz products. Seriously.

I love cats and could talk about them for hours. Let me know if there is anything you have a specific question about.

Good luck and I fully expect pictures when you get your cat!

 

[poohandwendy]

On the kitten front...(I have some experience here, LOL)

Yes, kittens are naughty...really, they are BAD!!!! But, it is short term. If you do get a kitten or young cat, confine them to one room when you are gone. (like work)

You also need to 'kitten proof' as they do not understand danger. Always, always, always make sure there are no dangling strings (like cords from blinds), they really can easily strangle themselves with them. That goes for all cats, really.

I had 8 kittens for 4 months and 4 stayed after that...they can be a challenge...but not all that bad.

I would suggest taking 2 kittens if you go that route, but I know many people can't do more than one cat. I just think siblings do really well together, especially if they will be alone during the day alot. But trust me...2 cats are not much different than one (as far as care).

 

[Pixie Tales]

Just remember to try and spend some Time with the Cat first.. Cat hair is very different then Dog hair..

Growing up, we found out the Hard way that my brother was highly alleric to cats but we had a dog and a rabbit and he was fine..

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Do not use any Hartz products. Seriously.

DEFINITELY LISTEN TO THIS ONE!!! Cats have been known to have a serious, life threatening side effect to some of their products and they are still on the shelf in stores From experience... I thought I had killed our poor cat by putting the flea drops on his neck!!! It wasn't until I googled the product looking for symptoms in the middle of my cats attack that I found out about their products. With items such as flea products, meds, do not buy them from a pet store, get them directly from the vet or at least get their recommendations!!! It might cost a little more but you will know they are getting a reputable item.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Do not use any Hartz products. Seriously.

I don't know how I forgot to mention that.....it is heartbreaking just to remember it. OP - I used Hartz on my precious persian babies and was blessed to have two come out unscathed. However, my aloof - much love, EVIL female died because of it.

Don't use Hartz.....

 

[catsrule]

Simba is my first cat ever. He will be 10 years old soon. I agree with the others, he is soooo affectionate. Cali is more aloof. The bottom of one of our kitchen cabinets has no wood left on it from scratching. Beware if you have expensive wood.

 

[themarquis]

If you've never had a kitty and are more used to dogs, you might want to "practice" on a friend's cat first! See if you can go over to someone's house and spend the day with their cats, or better yet, catsit for them. I say this because sometimes "dog people" are a bit shocked by cats once they become cat owners -- they are so very different from dogs!

GF is a "dog person" and had the fortune (or maybe misfortune) of us moving in together with my 2-year old "big guy". She now loves him to tears (and we adopted a kitten together later on!) but I think for a while she was a little weirded out about him -- not because she didn't love him right away but because cats are just plain ... weird! She'd want to pet him and talk to him and rub his belly and play with him ... and the thing about cats is that although some of them are just love bugs (like our kitten, who is now almost a "big guy" himself) many cats want attention and playtime on their own terms. The big guy likes his own space and doesn't like getting a ton of love all at once, but he is also really a sweetheart who loves to come up to you and cuddle. She had to learn that you have to let the cat decide what he wants, not the other way around!

That being said, I'm a big cat lover, so in my biased opinion I'm glad to hear you want to get a kitty. They are really easy to care for, give tons of affection, are fun to play with, don't need to be taken out on walks and stuff, and are fine in small apartments. They are definitely much more low-maintenence than dogs, but the rewards of ownership are as great as with dogs.

A couple of ideas for you -- first, I agree with the poster who suggests getting two kitties. That might sound like a lot to handle, but it is so much more fun and the kitties are so much happier when they have "company". Our boys love each other, play together all night long,and even lay around bathing one another! (it's a little obscene at times how in love they are!). I raised the "big guy" by himself, and in retrospect, that was a lot of work, since I was his sole source of entertainment. He was bored and lonely a lot and would cry to wake me up at night, etc, to be played with. Now that we have two, he is happy all the time and always has a playmate. Also, we don't find that the feeding/litter box cleaning/etc are any more work with two cats than with one!

Second -- you MIGHT want to get a kitten, but babies can be a lot of work, especially for new cat owners. however, it is nice to get a young cat so that they can really bond well with you and are less at risk of behavioral problems (i.e., shelter cats who are older sometimes can *sometimes* have "issues" like shyness, anxiety, etc. because they've had traumatic lives -- these problems are surmountable, but might be a bit tough for a first time owner). You might want to think about getting an 8 month -1 year old kitty (that is really a great window of time b/c they are playful like kittens but much less work) or better yet two. The slightly older kitties can for a long time at the shelter so you'd be doing a great deed. Also, many times at shelters they have siblings or a pair of kitties raised together. They are hard to adopt out, so many times the shelter will give a discount. That is always great because then you know they get along and really enjoy each other's company.

Also, I agree w/ other posters that boy kitties are often much sweeter/more friendly. I don't know why, but that has been the case with all my boys.

A few other random things once you get your kitties -- remember that it can take a while for kitties to settle in to a new space. Cats can be more sensitive to environmental changes and fearful than dogs are -- just give the kitty some time and space to get adjusted (sometimes it is best to keep them in one room for a few days). Basics you will need are food, feeding dishes, a few toys (my boys like the dangly toys, the "cat dancer" and fur-covered mice best), a litter box, litter, a litter scoop, and a cardboard "scratcher" (inexpensive scratching post like things that lie flat on the floor). The scratcher is necesary b/c kitties need to keep their claws in good condition or they can become painful and overgrown. Also, then they will not scratch furniture. Make sure you set their food/water well away from their litter box (like a person, they don't appreciate the smell of poo over breakfast ) and change the litter box often. Scooping litter is great because their pee forms little "balls" you can scoop out. If you don't clean the litter pretty often, some kitties will have "accidents", so keep it clean!

Also, don't declaw! It is an unnecessary and painful operation and the vast majority of kitties who are provided with a scratching post or cardboard scratcher will never scratch furniture. (my boys dig their claws in from time to time, but nothing major -- some people use a water bottle to squirt them when they do it to train them not to).

 

[poohandwendy]

I don't know how I forgot to mention that.....it is heartbreaking just to remember it. OP - I used Hartz on my precious persian babies and was blessed to have two come out unscathed. However, my aloof - much love, EVIL female died because of it.

Don't use Hartz.....

Hey, you are the reason I mentioned it. I really had no idea until you dealt with it. I tell everyone I know now. I not only won't use any of their flea meds, I also will not buy any of their products because they KNOW about this problem and still haven't done anything to help pet owners or change their products.

 

[poohandwendy]

GF is a "dog person" and had the fortune (or maybe misfortune) of us moving in together with my 2-year old "big guy". She now loves him to tears (and we adopted a kitten together later on!) but I think for a while she was a little weirded out about him -- not because she didn't love him right away but because cats are just plain ... weird! She'd want to pet him and talk to him and rub his belly and play with him ... and the thing about cats is that although some of them are just love bugs (like our kitten, who is now almost a "big guy" himself) many cats want attention and playtime on their own terms. The big guy likes his own space and doesn't like getting a ton of love all at once, but he is also really a sweetheart who loves to come up to you and cuddle. She had to learn that you have to let the cat decide what he wants, not the other way around!

You bring up a really good point. I would suggest to anyone getting a cat to let it come to you until it is really trusting of you. It will be a much better relationship if the cat feels totally at ease. They definitely are weird, LOL.

The beauty of cats is their independent nature. They are definitely wonderful companions, but they do not generally need constant attention (although, I do have one male who is pretty needy, LOL- he is my baby). It's nice that cats are that way, because you can enjoy them without being bombarded, like some dogs. Btw, not to take away from dogs, I am a dog lover too.

 

[CheshireVal]

Cats are awesome pets! They are just affectionate enough without being completely smothering like dogs. And a big plus for me is that you can leave them alone 1-2 nights if you have to and really not have to worry about it. (I do get a petsitter if I'm gone longer than that, though).

As far as kittens... the younguns are adorable but really a LOT of trouble. It's kind of like having a baby-- you have to watch them constantly. Older kittens (like 6 months) aren't quite as bad, but they don't fully outgrow the bratty stage until they're 1 or 1 1/2 (and sometimes never! )

I second the idea that it's nice to have two cats, especially if one or both of them is a kitten. That way they have someone else to bother besides you.

 

[chyam]

Cats are awesome pets! They are just affectionate enough without being completely smothering like dogs. And a big plus for me is that you can leave them alone 1-2 nights if you have to and really not have to worry about it. (I do get a petsitter if I'm gone longer than that, though).

As far as kittens... the younguns are adorable but really a LOT of trouble. It's kind of like having a baby-- you have to watch them constantly. Older kittens (like 6 months) aren't quite as bad, but they don't fully outgrow the bratty stage until they're 1 or 1 1/2 (and sometimes never! )

I second the idea that it's nice to have two cats, especially if one or both of them is a kitten. That way they have someone else to bother besides you.

Having 2 kittens does cut down on alot of trouble but not all, but at least this way they have someone else to amuse themselves with, I too have found that males are way more affectionate than females, there are exceptions, but I have 7 here and only 1 female is affectionate out of 4, the males all vie for my lap. Also please consider adopting a kitten or kittens from a shelter. Usually after a couple of days they become accustomed to their new surroundings so don't feel that they don't like you when they first come home, also I have found that you can leave them alone for a couple of days if you have to and not have to worry about a petsitter, I just put out extra bowls of water and food and also add an extra litter box. Cats do much better in their own surroundings then they do boarding them if you have to go on a trip etc. They love windows to look out of and are perfectly happy with a cardboard box ( their toys do not need to be expensive) they love wadded up paper, milk rings, boxes, bags etc. Go ahead take the plunge, but be aware that they can live along time with good care, Several of mine have gone to 21, Binky in my siggy is close to 20 now.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I now have 3 kitties that allow me to live in my apartment as long as I continue to feed them and clean the box! I have 2 girls and a boy. My boy is MUCH more affectionate than the girls, he always wants to be on my lap. The girls are affectionate, but as others have said, it's on their terms. I would advise a dog person to think about male cats because they are more openly affectionate like dogs are. My boy will play fetch too! He brings the stuffed mouse, drops it at my feet, I throw it and he brings it back. Of course, that's when he feels like it.
I also am a big proponent of multiples. Especially if you're a working person and will be away from them for long periods. I started out with a boy and a girl, and lost my girl to some kind of genetic disease. My little guy was LOST without her, so I went back to the shelter and brought the girls home. (they were littermates and had been abandoned together, I didn't have the heart to separate them)
IMHO, no outfit is complete without a liberal sprinkling of cat hair!!

 

[freckles and boo]

IMHO, no outfit is complete without a liberal sprinkling of cat hair!!

And no area rug is complete without a couple indelible hairball stains!