Well, it’s kind of going to be the first time I have owned a cat. I had cats growing up as a kid but they both died by the time I was 16 and they weren’t my responsibility to take care of anyway. I have owned dogs as an adult (though I don’t have one now), but that is different. I love cats though, and after careful consideration my wife and I have decided that we are going to adopt one…or more likely two.
We found a couple of sisters at the local rescue that are 4 months old and have started the adoption process which will take about 2 weeks.
Now that the process is rolling I am suddenly concerned that I know nothing about taking care of cats. My wife says, “they are cats, don’t worry about it” but that isn’t really who I am. I have spent the last 24 hours researching kitty litters, and litter boxes, and cat foods and scratching posts and generally getting obsessive, so I figured I would turn to the many cat lovers here at the SDMB to help me focus a bit.
What do I need to know, what do I not really need to worry about?
A tall cat tree. Cats like to get vertical. Not strictly necessary depending on the makeup of your home, but if you don’t otherwise have a lot of verticality in your place, they’ll probably appreciate it.
A sturdy, tallish sisal scratching post. They’ll usually prefer this to your furniture. Tall so they can extend their body while scratching, a broad base so it doesn’t tip over. Occasionally some cats prefer horizontal scratching surfaces and such things are also available.
Two litter boxes. Possibly not necessary if you’re getting pair-bonded siblings, but a dominance mismatch can sometimes lead to litter box issues as one dominates its favorite spot. The really hardcore recommend 1 per cat +1, but for two cats I think that is usually going overboard.
A kitty fountain. Less of an issue with female cats, but cats don’t always hydrate properly, especially if you feed them dry food. Moving water tends to stimulate drinking for some reason. Dehydrated cats can develop urinary issues which are best avoided ( though that’s much more common with males ).
Good quality pet food. Wellness, Innova, Natural Balance, etc. - there are a number of “ultra-premium” cat foods out there that are generally considered superior to Meow Mix and their ilk ( and also arguably better than “standard premium” like Eukanuba, Science Diet, Royal Canin or IAMS ). It’s not that the cheaper stuff will ruin them. But the high quality foods are often more calorie dense, are from better protein sources ( less waste meat, which may be a complicating issue in the development of hyperthyroidism in later age ) and have fewer cheap carb fillers. I think the difference in coat quality alone is noticeable. Not necessary, but a good practice.
re: food, the trend these days is towards considering wet food superior. There are a ton of arguments either way, but its part of the hydration argument and wet food also seems easier on the digestive system ( you have to be more cautious about rotating dry foods as the change can cause temporary diarrhea, but can be more cavalier about wet food changes ). Periodically rotating the type of food offered is recommended by some.
Also free-feeding works great with some cats, not so great with others that will balloon to piggish sizes surprisingly quickly. I think scheduled and measured feeding is usually the way to go, just to avoid the overweight issues. But YMMV.
Toys are a must, for your entertainment and theirs. The uber-cheap cat dancer is probably the most cost-effective investment for purchased toys. Laser-pointers are awesome as well, as is Da Bird.
I know a guy in his fifties who’s never owned a cat til now, and sometimes his questions surprise me…like he’s utterly baffled when his cat gets super playful and the ears go back and he starts running around like a maniac and climbing curtains, etc…I thought everybody knew that cats do that, but he didn’t. So I’m telling you now. CATS GO NUTS.
I have always free-fed my cats (and I have had many, growing up and as an adult) but if you are more stable than me, with a more reliable schedule, Tamerlane’s idea about scheduled controlled feeding is good. Most cats won’t get super fat but like most things it’s easier to prevent than to fix.
And if I had anything else to tell a first-time cat owner, it would be that cats do not fit into stereotypes about them. Some are very affectionate and some are not. Some are biters, some are not. Some of them form very strong attachments to just one person; others love everyone equally. My point is that cats, like people, are a total grab-bag of personalities and traits, so do not assume anything. These little kitties will let you know who they are. And things that are weird are normal if a cat does them.
Okay, first off: you don’t own your cat. Cats don’t have owners; they have staff. If you keep that firmly in mind, all will be well.
Keep your cat’s teeth cleaned. Do NOT attempt this yourself. It isn’t cheap, but it’s cheaper than infections and tooth extractions.
Cats can live a very long time and stay relatively healthy for most of that period. When they get quite old and no longer seem interested in food, try the pureed “Ham with Ham Gravy” baby food from Gerber. Seriously. It’s non-reactive for cats, easy to eat, and most cats will kill for it. This was a recommendation from our vet.
Salmon and white fish have been shown to possibly aggravate thyroid conditions in cats.
Anything beats trying to feed a pill to a cat. The good news: thyroid and blood pressure meds (and probably others) can be obtained in cream form, which is smeared in the cat’s ear.
A cat is always on the wrong side of a closed door.
Ask your vet about how to feed your cats. It can differ for kittens versus adults. We got our cats when they were about the same age yours will be and the vet told us no feeding schedule at that point, just give them food when they ask for it. Kittens grow like weeds and need to eat a lot. We were feeding them almost hourly during the day. And give them food marked specially for kittens. Trust me, when they’re hungry, they’ll let you know! Once they started growing wider rather than longer, we switched to a feeding schedule, almost exclusively wet food with the occasional dry food snack.
We also do occasionally let them eat some of our food. I would check before you give them anything not marked for cats, because some of it can be harmful to them, but a lot of it is totally fine and a nice treat for them. One of ours loves chicken, pepperoni, and arugula. The other likes Cool Ranch Doritos. They’re weird little animals.
Like some people have said, cats are very individual and you’ll just have to see what yours are like. Some are fine with a dirty litter box, some aren’t. Some like to chase string, some look at you like you’re the biggest moron on the planet when you dangle it. Some like playing with water, some don’t. Some will sit on your lap and climb all over you and others will consider it plenty to just occasionally rub against your ankles (this usually means they want something; cats always have an ulterior motive). Getting to know your cats will be a lot of fun. They definitely have personalities.
Two cats are better than one, esp. littermates like you’re considering. My guys aren’t super affectionate toward each other, but they get along well and usually when they’re chasing each other around it’s a game. I like that they can keep each other company when I’m gone.
I was told when these guys were babies that you shouldn’t use clumping litter till they’re a year old (forget the reason, sorry), but switch over to it as soon as you can – one of the great inventions of the 20th century.
I wish I could have a 2nd cat in the house. My boy is way too prone to respiratory problems (which has come with massive vet bills…2K in the last week because he had to be hospitalized) to even consider another one.
What works best for feeding our cat is to give him a measured portion twice a day. That way he’s able to have what he wants, but we control how much. It may take a couple of tries to find a food they prefer. For example, we learned early on that our cat doesn’t like wet cat food. He will literally let it sit there until it dries out. Makes our lives a bit easier though that he prefers dry food from a bag.
Chalk me up for, ‘‘It’s a cat.’’ The thing that surprised me the most about getting my kitty is how incredibly easy it is to take care of him. Feed, water, change litter, take to the vet annually. Shit, I’ve had fish that were more work than this.
I once invested $125 in one of those super-tall cat towers and all he did was use it as a stepping stool to get the window-sill. I’ve since decided that a cat’s interest in a toy is inversely proportional to the amount of money you spend on it. Every once in a while, I’ll invest a whopping $5 in a new cat toy and he’ll go nuts. But really, his favorite thing to play with are my hair scrunchies. I found about twelve of them underneath the couch when I moved out of my last apartment. He’s also fond of shopping bags and the laundry hamper.
The best litters IMO are Swheat Scoop and World’s Best.
My cat annoys and delights me, sometimes in the same moment. I suppose at this point I really can’t imagine life without him. Why just this afternoon we curled up together for a long nap. It was awesome until my arm fell asleep and he wouldn’t budge. I predict a lot of happiness and irritation in your future. Good luck!
Oh, that reminds me. One toy we’ve found that our cat just loves is a hard plastic ball with a rattle in it. he will chase that thing around the hours for ages.
And my own post reminded me, look into pet insurance. Vet bills can add up really fast, so you want to insure them with no pre-existing conditions if you can. We got stuck because ours has had health problems since we got him. His vet bills have run close to $5,000 in the last 3 1/2 years.
I’ve thought about insurance for my very healthy cat, but I was always skeptical that it was a real thing. I might put this on the agenda myself. Vet bills are no picnic.
I have no opinions on any particular company, but our vets office gave us brochures for three different ones. Pets Best Insurance, Trucompanion and the ASPCA’s insurance plan.
The best toy for a cat is anything that will reflect light: your eyeglasses, a watch crystal, whatever; even a flashlight beam. A cat will chase a reflected light until it drops from exhaustion. And the next time you do it? Hey! Look! A shiny thing! Catch it!
An indoor cat will likely live longer and be healthier than an outdoor cat. Fewer fleas, disease, and mauling opportunities.
I commend your attitude. I have repeatedly found that the more effort I put into learning about a pet, the more rewarding the relationship becomes.
My suggestion is to Google “cat message board,” “cat forum,” and so on to get a variety of different cat-focused talk communities – and then read, read, read. You will find some sites more to your liking than others – bookmark those and become a regular.
Yup. We recently got a kitten by accident and he’s the easiest pet I’ve ever had in my life and actually way easier than the bloody goldfish. We took him on when he was 8 weeks old, his third home (fourth including whoever bred him) and he was already toilet trained.
We don’t have any special toys for him, but I got the stepladder out for some DIY and have left it out since then because he loves it so much, so am going to get something similar that doesn’t look as ugly.
His favourite toys are old headphones, cotton buds and - the VERY best because because it takes no effort on our half and is very amusing - the laser pointer on my stud detector DIY laser tool tool thingummy. We have a scratchy doormat that he loves. Try the cats out with your stuff at home before investing money and space on toys that the cat might not like, unless you really want to buy the cat toys - that can be fun for you too, obviously.
From other friends I’d say to socialise them to people as well as other cats (if possible) and dogs early on, and to feed them a variety of cat food because there’s an extraordinary number of cats out there who will only eat one particular brand of cat food.
A covered litter tray is essential.
Erm, get rid of any lilies in your house. They’re toxic to cats. [/url=http://www.vetinfo.com/ctoxin.html]So are a few other plants, but you don’t need to be overcautious.
Same with my guy, he just doesn’t like wet food. And as for dry-food, all I’ve found that he like is Iams, and it has to be in that triangular shaped kibble, not the pellets. I’ve tried giving him the super expensive “healthy” foods, but he just pokes at it a bit and looks up at me like “dude, this isn’t Iams, go back to the store and when come back bring Iams!” So then, I try blending the Iams and the fancy stuff together so it doesn’t go to waste, and he just picks out the Iams and leaves the rest for the waiter to take away.
So he’s very easy - I got him a big ole’ dog continuous feeder that holds enough Iams for about a month, and a big ole’ stainless dog bowl that holds enough water for a week. His litterbox is a big ole’ plastic storage bin that easily holds 40lbs of clumping litter. (he loves to dig to China) I scoop that out everyday, but it can comfortably go almost a week if I’m away for a few days. So I’ve got all the low-maintenance accessories to go with my low-maintenance cat. Winning!
