I need info: my kid wants a cat . . .

Factual Questions
21

Get an alley cat or rescue a pound inmate, shooting for 6 months ideal age.

If you live in a rural or semi-rural setting and happen to have picked a male, let your cat roam. He will never spray indoors (they do it to mark territory and will mark exterior items as territorial markers instead). But if the place is thickly populated with cats, you’ll get cat fights and vet bills. And, of course, if you live in the vicinity of a busy street or a fast highway, figure in the likelihood of a shortened life due to roadkill risk.

If you picked a female, seek out and find a vet who will do the more expensive and unusual feline tubal ligation operation without scooping her hormonally active parts. Let her roam; she won’t get into fights very often, will claim a comparably smaller territory as her own, and will be a fine-mannered kitty when not in heat. Whereas if you scoop her innards you are…oh, I dunno, let’s say 38% likely to end up with a neurotic cat who yowls and bites and hides from people and gets very very fat. Actually, if you are truly rural (like North Dakota or something) and have a male cat, think of having him done as a vasectomy, he’ll be better company too; but he’ll try to carve out a much wider territory and will fight with other male cats if there are a lot of them around, and the vet bills can add up. (Still, I did it in Long Island and would do it again).

Don’t declaw your cats. It’s like poking their eyes out or something, declawed cats are pathetic to watch.

22

I’ve had many kitties over the years, all mutts from shelters, mostly altered males. Every single one has been wonderful, each in his own way. And yes, a few with problems, but that’s what makes them unique.

I think it’s a mistake to have only one cat, especially if it’s an always-indoor animal, and especially if left alone during the day. People think cats are “independent,” but nothing can be further from the truth. They need companionship, and they need to give and receive lots of affection, and without it they can be as lonely as the rest of us.

Also, watch to see how your kid plays with the cat. Kids do things to animals like pulling their tails or hitting them or hugging them too tight. And the cat can’t tell you that he’s got a broken tail or dislocated ribs.

23

< sigh > I just lost a cat to bone cancer so keep in mind that animals are not a lifetime thing…

Anyhow, both my cats are basic tabbies…er both of them are and were.

If they are indoor kitties I don’t see any reason to get annual shots. I have a 13 year old female that has not had a shot since she was fixed at age six. She seems healthy and happy as she always has been except for the fact that my male cat is no longer here with us so she is a little blue.

Anyhow, cats can be very wild (depending on the cat) when you first get them as kittens. Anything that is claw worthy is game in your house. Curtains can become an acrobatic nightmare and couches a good alternative to a tree.

That said, if you train a cat right they will leave your furniture alone and I believe strongly that declawing is a very inhumane act. It is no more than amounting to removing their little claws to the first knuckle of a human hand, so I have heard. I was not brought up in a household that believes in declawing so for me I wont do it, ever. My cat is more important than my furniture which is why I have futons instead of real couches. Oh and scratching posts do work well as well as aluminum foil tacked to strategic areas of your couch.

To avoid behavior problems, trust me this happens in male and female alike, have your cat spade or neutured at 6 months or so. If you move a lot spraying may still be a problem as it was with my male cat but he got over that once I got a dog, oddly enough.

Anyhow, despite some of the issues that come up with owning any animal they are a great source of joy and love. I can’t imagine my life without my animals and would have more if I could.

24

There is a lot of excellent advice here, and I’ll add my voice to those who have said that “mutt” cats are a pretty safe bet. I’ve always owned that kind and our current two were born in the barn of a friend’s farm–they couldn’t get a much more common beginning than that.

On the subject of declawing, I have to say that I disagree with it. I’ve never owned a declawed cat, and the furniture has never suffered–when they’re young, train them with an attractive alternative to furniture. We’ve had great luck with scratching posts that we can rub raw catnip in. Compared to that, the sofa is pretty bland and unexciting.

A vet once told me that the declawing procedure involves amputating the cat’s finger at the first joint–the same as if your finger was removed at the joint just aft of your fingernail. They remove the part of the finger that grows the claw, in other words, since they cannot remove the claw permanently any more than you can have your fingernails removed permanently, except by amputation. I’ve never been able to confirm this in anything I’ve read–anybody know if it’s true?

25

My experience with cats (I have a 9-year old mix breed)…
Annual vet bills - $0 (I suppose I should take the cat to the vet one of these days.)
Spaying/neutering - one time bill ($150?). Seems cruel, but it will make life much easier for you (especially if it will be an indoor-only cat…there’s nothing subtle about a female cat in heat).
Declawing - I did not have this done. BTW, this can only be done when the cat is young. Many people consider this cruel.
Annual medicine bills - $0
Spraying - only male cats do this
Scratching - expect it…rugs, furniture. I’m constantly battling this. I try to encourage scratching certain things (scratching posts, a certain invulnerable rug, etc.) and discourage scratching everything else. I think the cat understands but scratches the wrong stuff anyway to get attention or show me it pissed off.
Cats can be trained, but not easily. They are not pack animals, like dogs, that respond to group efforts/commands.
Hair - yes, you’ll find it everywhere. Get a short-haired cat if its a problem. If not, just keep brushing your cat to collect the loose hairs before they shed.
Hairballs - rarely
Gender - personally, I’d recommend a female cat because they tend to be ok keeping to a small area. Male cats like to roam.
Cats need less attention than dogs (I’ve had dogs too), but they still need loving attention from their favorite human(s) (cats do seem to imprint on certain people more than others).
Good luck!

26

Let me tell you of my adventures in cat ownership.

I tried to find a healthy kitten, and no such luck. Apparently if you desire a kitten you need to find one in the right season.

The Humane Society was a bunch of cruel jerks. They would just direct people to the basement to look at cats. When I finally picked a nice healthy young cat, they tell me that one was already spoken for. No signs or special cages to distinguish what cats were already spoken for. Its downright evil to play with people’s heartstrings like that.

The Pet Refuge was no help with kittens. Most of what they had were full-grown cats, some with medical problems (i.e. overweight and needed special food).

I even went to pet stores and no luck there either. They told me that I needed to shop in the right season to get a kitten.

Through a friend of a friend, I got a young female cat for free. She was a companion for an old man that passed away. It cost about $160 to have her fixed, vaccinated, and declawed (the landlord requires it, along with a $200 non-refundable pet deposit). So basically she is a $350 “free” cat.

Being a DSH (Domestic Short Hair), she is easy to take care of. She eats plain ‘ol Cat Chow, but occasionally I give her a treat of a little tuna. She grooms herself well.

She is an independent kitty, and only likes to be petted occasionally. If you pet her too long, she nips at you. Experts have told me that “PMS kitties” are rather common among females.

One habit I can’t seem to break her of is defecating in the corners of the living room. In fact today I noticed she was in the corner and she looked me right in the eye while she was doing it. I use all the right sprays and cleaners, but she keeps going back to the same corners. One of the corners is near a door so I can’t block it with anything.

In summary, a cat is expensive and a pain. They are independent creatures that are not of this earth. Still my cat makes for pleasant company and a good laugh every now and then. So she does do wonders for lowering my stress (most of the time).

27

If you like to wear black, don’t get a white cat. If you like to wear white, don’t get a black cat. I have two himalayans and one burmese and I pretty much have to stay naked all the time.

=^…^=
…" "…

28

RainbowDragon said:

Though thisis mostly true, if you are persistent, you can usually find cats even when they aren’t “in season.” Not all cats are born in the spring. Our cat was born in October, so we got her sometimes in November.

That said, you did the right thing by taking in a cat whose owner had passed away. There are too many unwanted animals out there already. Good job on making that number one less. :slight_smile:

29

The best way to pick out a cat, I’ve found, is not to go after a particular breed, but to go down to the SPCA and find one you fall in love with. It is unlikely to take more than one trip. They’ll usually let you interact with the cats outside the cage, and get one who has the sort of personality you enjoy. When we met our cat at the shelter
as a kitten she liked a lot of attention and was playful and aggressive, not afraid to use tooth and claw, and not much of a cuddler. Her personality has not noticably altered–she’d be a rotten cat for your family, but the sun rises and sets in her litter box as far as my husband and I are concerned. : )

I’ve ended up on the no-declaw side of the debate since the vet we chose told us flat out that if we wanted her declawed we’d have to go to another veteranarian. We clip her claws weekly, just taking the ends off so they aren’t sharp. This hasn’t saved our couch, but it does mean she can “sharpen” her claws on bare wood without scratching it up, and she can play rough with us without hurting us. If you have really nice furniture that you’re very attatched to and you’re not willing to go to extensive lengths to protect it and/or be very firm about training, well . . . if it’s a choice between declawing or just not getting a cat, consider declawing, I suppose. As far as training goes, I’ve found it’s easy to train a cat TO do something. It’s almost impossible to train a cat NOT to do something. And it definitely helps to start with a kitten. Grown cats are the stubbornest creatures on Earth.

I recommend against expensive catfood. We feed ours Purina Cat Chow, bought in a 50 lb bag, and she’s very healthy with a lovely shiny coat. Unless your cat turns out to have health problems, feed 'em Chow. Bottom line: your cat is not happiest eating what you want to eat–as I’m sure you know if you’ve watched one eat a fly with great gusto. The stuff in the can is perversly made appealing to the human, and the cat will eat it and enjoy it, but this stuff is high in calories, and will lead to tooth problems, especially if you don’t feed the cat dry food as well. Again, feed them a consistent diet starting in kitten-hood.

We just drop $40 a year on vet visits (a little extra for shots), except the time she blew out her knee–the same injury football players get when they’re tackled from the side. We have no idea how she did it. We were in the house when it happened. Anyway, $400 for surgery to fix it. Of course we payed it without thinking twice. So that is something to keep in mind, especially when there’s a kid involved.

Definitely spay/neuter, not just for your own convenience, but because there are already too many unwanted kittens in the world. If this is a serious financial hardship, oftentimes the SPCA can pay part of the cost–or you can look for a cat that’s already been de-gendered. ; )

Sheesh, I meant to just offer a few peices of advice. I guess us cat people are pretty passionate about it. JOIN US! JOIN US!

30

Podkayne writes:

Not perversely at all; the human is buying it, not the cat :slight_smile:

No, I think that the dry food is more calorific (it contains less water).

On a dry weight basis, canned food may be more calorific as it can be higher in fat. It is certainly more palatable to the cat (and more expensive). Unless there are medical reasons for feeding a specific food (and do not assume that, if it’s good for a sick cat, it must also be good for a healthy one), however, feed whatever fits into the budget.

31

I’ve got a 1 year old male tabby that I got from the SPCA. He’s been great. He’s not declawed, and he does NOT scratch the furniture. He scratches his ‘Cat Condo’ and sometimes his scratching post. Basically, we trained him that our furniture is not a scratching post by squirting him with water when he tried it. He hasn’t gone near the couch for scratching in a long time. I think that declawing is pretty cruel…just look for some websites with pictures of it. It’s not a simple procedure…they no-so-surgically remove the entire front joint on each of the cat’s paws. Declawed cats are in pain for up to a month after the surgury, and sometimes will not use the litterbox because it hurts to paw at it. Not only that, but since their primary defense is gone, many declawed cats bite a lot…and hard, with little provocation. Not all, but a lot.

There is an alternative called SoftPaws (www.softpaws.com) that cap the nails so your furniture is safe. I’ve used them, and they’re kind of a pain to put on, but not too bad. I think we’re going to stop using them because our cat just isn’t scratching the furniture any more…so there’s really no need. He scratches his post and cat condo, and that’s it. But, with the SoftPaws, when he does try to scratch anything, it’s like scratching it little vinyl nubs…no damage. :slight_smile:

The only problem we have with our cat is that he likes to have us up at 5:00 AM. Every morning. He’s not too hungry, or in pain, or anything…he’s just wide awake, and he wants us up then…so he’ll bug us until we get up, or put him in his back room.

Jman

32

I have loved cats all my life. I currently have two - a male siamese mix (mutt) and a female calico (mutt-like, not a real calico). Both are fixed and neither is declawed. I used to work at a vet and watched a declawing. If you don’t want to chance the furniture getting torn up, don’t get the cat. You knew you had a couch when you got the cat, don’t punish the cat for doing what comes natural.
Everyone has given excellent advice about scratching, etc… the only thing I have to add is about the litter box.
I have always fed cats whatever seemed ok (cat chow, purina one, the regular stuff). I clean the litter box alot but it still smells like a poop bomb. I switched to Eukanuba recently (about $1 per pound) and it has cut down on the smell tremendously. Any of the Ol’ Roy crap is going to smell bad coming out. While the grocery store brands are fine and healthy for cats, the high prices stuff is going to help with the poop. Also - I shelled out $100.00 for a self-cleaning litter box. When the cat poops, it waits ten minutes and scoops for us. We just have to throw away the container (which has a lid). This is also better since I am preg. and cat feces carries a virus that will cause a miscarriage (toxoplasmosis). It has been worth every penny to me.
If you have any specific questions I may be able to answer you can e-mail me. I am not an expert but I have had about a million cats.
P.S. Desdemona - I am so jealous! I love Maine Coons. I have always wanted one but they are so exp. and I can’t find one at the shelter. Don’t tell my cats I said that, okay? Oh, God, they heard me. Run!

33

We have several cats, of which one is in the habit of jumping up on our bed in the small hours, and nipping or
nuzzling my beard, or my earlobe, and giving plaintive little grunts like a baby rhino, when something in his little kitty world needs attention: e.g. the bottom of the
food bowl has become visible. He never goes after my wife because she wears earplugs and won’t wake up. So if you get
a cat you will probably want to train it from the very start
to stay out of the bedrooms.

34

Actually Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoon, not a virus. Not all cats carry it. ('Scuse the pedantry, it’s a disease.)

35

cats: get a kitten, 10>12 weeks, no younger. Best source is a freind with kittens, next try “want ads” for free or cheap kittens, next is SPCA/Humane soc. Get a shorthair, a “mutt”. Ferkrisakes don’t get one of the wierd breeds like persians with their pushed-in noses. Have the child help pick out, they “bond” better. Don’t give as Xmas gift on Xmas.
Unless you live in the country, have the cat be 100% (and I mean this- very important) inside cat, unless in a screened patio or an a leash. Indoor cats live MUCH longer, and have lower vet bills.

There are 2 products that will cut way down on hairballs- Nutrimalt (which every cat I have had thinks is Kitty ambrosia, and makes for a heathier coat, thus less shedding- give daily), and Petromalt, which helps the hairballs “pass-thru” (give weekly, after she gets older)- we have 3 cats, and not a hairball for over 3 months. Brushing with a 'slicker brush" helps also.

I recommend a “premium” dry cat food, left out, all they want, and the equivilant of one small 3oz can (for kittens, this would be split) once a day, for “dinnertime”.

Get them neutered as soon as your vet says so. Get the kitten shots from your vet, but there are “low cost” innoculation “clinics”, where you can get the rest of the shots. If males are fixed early, they do not spray.

“Declawing”: with trimming of little claws, and scratching posts- it should not be nessesary. Wait and see. We have never had to do it.

Do not “play rough” with the kitten, (with your hands). But, the more playing, the smarter the kitten.

36

if you have a young child, it’s probably not a good idea to get a cat atleast for a while. cats clean themselves by licking their fur. their soliva dries and turns into flakes that can be rubbed off and float into the air. these dried flakes can be inhaled and cause asthma. i have friends that have asthma due to this reason. i have 2 cats of my own and i haven’t had any respitory problems. as for cost of living. it’s a good idea to neuter or spay your cat. i did mine at the humane society. they do quality work and are VERY affordable. try and get your cat to regularly eat dry food. they prefer star shaped food. wet food usually make my cats stink up the litter box. as for scratching, buy a scratching post. most companys put catnip in the post to promote scatching there.that’s all the advice i have to give. i made a thread about cat’s peeing and what advice to give to keep them from peeing on my couch. check it out.

37

I don’t think the so-called spit flakes can CAUSE asthma. They may trigger an underlying condition–(known as a challenge). The dander from the skin is much more likely to be an allergen than the saliva. Bathing the cat can help with this.

Believe me, if cat saliva caused asthma, drug companies would be supplying everyone in the world with free kitties!

38

Thank you to everyone for the advice!

39

Watch out that any new cat does not have skin fungus. I acquired a beautiful, long-haired kitten at a PetSmart/Humane Society adoption center. She was very lovable and snuggly until she started losing large flakes of her skin with fur attached.

I rushed her to the vet and, several weeks and many, many scratches from giving her pills later, her skin cleared up. However, to this day, she cannot hardly stand to be touched. Her skin is clear and her coat is shiny and healthy looking. She just seems to be very ticklish. So, no more snuggles or stroking that lovely fur.

She had had ringworm. None of the family caught it from her. I had more than one cat at the time and had to dose them all.

I’ve had many, many cats over the years. I currently have five. All were fixed at around 6 months and I have declawed the ones that wouldn’t leave the furniture alone. All are strictly indoor kitties. Had one get out and he was hit by a car before I could find him. I still miss him.
If you ever have to give a pill to a cat, get something called a ‘pill gun’ from your vet. You put the pill in one end, put that end in the cat’s mouth, push the plunger in the other end of the gun and the pill pops out and down their throat. Helps if you grab them by the back of the neck and lift slightly. They sort of “Zen” out and don’t fight. Wish I’d known this when I had to dose Friskey (my daughter named her :o ) for her ringworm!!

MomCat

40

If you get a cat, expecially from the SPCA, especially if you have other pets, I highly recommend that your first stop, before you even take it home, should be the vet. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, and for the love of God do not put it down on the carpet. :wink:

The vet can catch a lot of diseases before you get the kitty home where it can spread it around the house, and it will most likely have fleas, so best to get the flea stuff right off the bat.