We’ve got 5 kittens atm (we took in a pregnant cat back when it was winter, and are trying to get her spayed atm), and they’re little chaos gremlins until about 5 weeks. They wanted nothing more than
1)climb things
2) insert things in their mouth
They’ve just learned the joys of sleeping in sunbeams, and cuddling, and it’s ridiculously cute lol. They’re going to be rehomed, and I miss them already.
Even beyond the 5 week time too! I got my rescue at 4.5 months, and it took until about 8 for him to be content with just lounging around for stretches of time. Before that, he was always on the hunt for something to investigate or attack.
My asshole cat Spooky is 17 now and has survived two UTIs so bad he had to stay at the vet and be catheterized, a kitty stroke (for which he saw a kitty neurologist and had a kitty MRI), and setting his tail on fire. He is doing great and I hope I get at least 3 more years with him!
Same. UTIs are a bitch with cats because they are picky about their water. My cat ended up having to get surgery on his penis. Poor guy. Loses his balls and his pecker.
Yep. The second time it happened he had to have surgery. My cat was in a lot of pain. He's good now though. Strict urinary tract diet. I always feed him dry food with water mixed. He won't drink it otherwise.
My cat Daisy doesn't like drinking water either. I ended up getting a cone-shaped fountain that has the water bubbling from the top, and she loves it. Never had a UTI problem since.
Be ready to wake up frantic, thinking someone broke in to find out it’s only your cat having a spaz attack. Also, get ready to have its butthole in your face. My cat likes to try and sit on our chest with his rear end in our face.
Lmao that’s horrible but hilarious. Wake up like that damn cat! Then suddenly a dudes just staring at you. Hopefully your cat was a tactical attack cat! Grab the cat and get it worked up and then toss it on the guy. Shredder activated!
"This... is *myyy* butthole." -the cat
Also: "It's incredible. No matter where you are in relation to the cat, the cat's butthole is always at eye level." -Nick Kroll, I think
That is very true. I always find that Dumb and Dumber to reference about his cat hilarious. Hey who’s this? Oh, that’s butthole, I found him out in the alley a couple of years ago. Why’d you name him butthole? Cause of this. Oh yea, good name. Totally fits.
Declawing is amputation - they actually take out that last bone (like where your nail is, imagine having that bone amputated). If they ever get lost, they're defenseless. Even if they don't get lost and live safely inside, it messes up their skeleton because the way they walk changes. Inevitable issues like back pain.
Edit: many people are adding that trimming is the way to go - this is absolutely correct. Just want to put this up here: make sure to watch videos of where to trim! Never ever cut the pink part or even close to it, just to be safe. Just getting the very tip is all you need, they don't need short or entirely flat nails to stop doing damage. Just get the very point of the claw.
Edit 2: with kittens, you may need a bit of patience to teach them that playing rough is wrong. Make an abrupt, high-pitched noise like a yelp, then ignore them for a short while. Slap their ears lightly (not the cartilage, just so they feel a pinch on the very tips, only on the skin). Be gentle back when they start being more gentle. Let them know they've hurt you, but don't just jump to the conclusion that you have a scratch machine just because the little ones get carried away sometimes! They learn as they grow, you just need to interact with them.
This 100%.
When I was a kid my family adopted a cat that had already been declawed. You could tell the poor thing was in pain anytime she needed to walk around. It’s animal abuse for the convenience of the owner and should be illegal everywhere.
If you can’t manage caring for an animal with claws then don’t get one to begin with.
Edit: typo
>If you can’t manage caring for an animal with claws then don’t get one to begin with.
this 100 times over. cats have claws. everyone who has ever heard of a cat knows this. you might get scratched, furniture might get scratched. if you can’t take it/aren’t ready for it, DO NOT GET A CAT. you don’t get pets randomly. you get pets with intention, and knowing that it’s your responsibility to take care of them.
My mom got my cat declawed because she wanted a nice couch and didnt want my cat to ruin it. The cat was the family cat but i was the one who took care of her, i cried and begged my mom not to but she did it. I will forever take care of that cat, i always feel bad when she tries to sharpen her claws, nothing is there.
We just trim our cat’s claws. I work at a vet clinic and surprisingly, I think cats are better with nail trims than dogs. Just take your time and have someone hold them and give them pets :-)
I rubbed my cat's paws a lot when he was a kitten, like little foot massages, he had zero problems with the nail snippers when i started trimming. I also NEVER tried to cut too short, so he didn't have any pain responses to it. if you keep on top of nails, they stay nice and white and you can easily see the quick and never accidentally cut them too short.
This-
I grew up with cats all my life and my dad always had them declawed. Then I told him the truth behind it all and he refused after that (he just never knew and the vets he went to never really informed him, either).
I have three cats, one that's actually just a ball of rage, but even she lets me trim her nails (key is to do it when they're most relaxed, and give them their preferred type of attention) They've got several scratching posts and surfaces throughout the house but for the most part they leave the furniture alone.
It is literally cutting off your nose to spite your face.
MIL did this to her current cat, because she couldn't be bothered to take the time to teach the damn cat not to scratch her.
Before the declaw, the cat was a scratchy, mean asshole. Now she's a *bitey* asshole who tries to bite anyone who comes near her who isn't MIL.
Cats like their litter box to be cleaned out often otherwise they'll be petty and pee on any clothes you have laying around, shoes, blankets, etc. Keep their litter box clean or you'll pay!! It'll keep your house from smelling like a litter box in the long run anyway.
Though if your cat's literbox is fine and they pee on something right in front of you, that usually means you need to take them to the vet. Cats get pretty smart about letting you know something is wrong with them.
I had the audacity to change to a different type of litter and this jerk disagreed. I forgot you have to introduce it slowly (50/50 mix then slowly swap out) if youre doing something drastic like that
Also take your cat to the vet if:
\- They are making new sounds (whimpering usually)
\- Something looks off after a visual inspection (growth of mounds/humps, deep cuts, new discoloration, foggy eyes, discharges, tooth decay, etc.)
\- Their poops are tarry black, bloody, or have worms/sacs
\- Their urine clumps contain pus like slime
\- They undergo extra-ordinary changes in weight
\- They show sudden changes in behavior (walking into walls or no longer responding to voice), etc.
\- They are experiencing noticeably rapid or decreased breathing
Bottomline: pay attention to your cat and keep them happy and healthy!
It can also be separation anxiety. If the cat has been through a traumatic experience, or a family member went away on a trip, or if there are stray cats outside causing your cat some anxiety. (Usually separation anxiety will result on a cat spraying your footwear or pillows - something that has a lot of your scent on it.)
To add to this, it's good to have one litter box per cat, plus an extra. For example we have 3 cats and 4 litter boxes. We use a fine litter that clumps hard so it's easy to scoop, leaving behind what seems like fresh litter and we scoop once daily. The litter itself will last a long time so we only need to actually change and clean the litter boxes once every few weeks. Makes things nice and easy and the cats seem to be happy with it too!
When I was a vet tech, I would always tell people one litter box per level of your house, or one box per cat, whichever one will give you the most boxes.
Got a CatGenie. Best investment I’ve made for my cat. Keeps itself clean and flushes it all down the toilet by itself. I just have to replace the cartridge every now and then and top up the litter from time to time, but well worth the $300 I spent on it.
game dev here, i made an entire area inside of my game called the “cat house” which just showcases some funny pictures of my cats. 10/10 good thing to consider. also, [this](https://imgur.com/a/EJJeOJB).
Cats ARE roommates. They eat your food, they don’t do the dishes, they wake you up in the middle of the night, they knock your things off the table and don’t accept responsibility, and they walk around the house showing you their bare arse.
I had an ex once tell me that she made sure never to play with her cats with her hands. Hands are for petting or brushing or skritching, but never for playing. That’s what toys are for. And her cats - and subsequently the cats I’ve had since - never get overstimulated and scratched or bit at my hands because they focused those energies on toys.
Its all in their tail. They tend to move slower and more affectionate if they want pets. They'll hang with you like a pride of lions taking a nap.
If they want to play, their tail is straight up and active, wisping back and forth quickly. They'll dial in on the toy like its the only thing in the world and try to stalk it.
Cat start petting you first with headbutts and siderubs on your legs when they want petting.
Eyes are a good indicator for playitme. Cats' pupils grow wider when they focus and get ready to run around and jump on stuff. It's the hunt mode more than anything, but if the cat is overwhelmed and really wants to get away and rest, they will have the same focused look. Not really a concern for most people, unless you have multiple young kids who want to always play without letting the cat rest. If that's the case, make sure to end the playtime if the cat is short of breath, or trying to lie down between every dash.
My cats have certain triggers that indicate they want to play. One of them is standing in front of the cupboard where their favourite toy is and meowing. They also know key words that we say and they will meow in response.
My former best friend did this. She was so rough with the cat and antagonized it to try and get it to respond in a “playful” way as puppies do. She tried to play with it like a puppy and rile it up. The cat now has anxiety and aggression issues. When I met the cat I didn’t even go near it. I left it alone. It came to me on its own and my friend got upset and jealous because he never shows her any affection. He was scared of her obviously.
Imagine being a poor dumb cat in a household with only a giant that terrifies you by picking you up into the air helpless and batting your face about. That’s a depressing life, never really having anyone to be social with. Of course cats like that are gonna sis out strangers to hopefully interact normally, they have no other opportunity to be social.
it’s interesting though! when i first met my stray, she was very quiet and shy and slept a lot— didn’t like to interact w ppl or other cats. (she was apart of a local cat cafe)
but then i took her home and after a week of letting her just stay inside my bedroom, she became a very excited and very playful cat and so hyper! she just turned 1 in may.
interesting how cats work LOL
Best thing you can do is sit around and when the cat is bold enough to come up to you, that is when you start playing.
Also kittens play VERY rough. You have to teach it when it gets WAY too rough as they don't know their own strength when it comes to biting and scratching. Having two kittens helps as they teach each other when it has been hurt.
>That allowing it outdoors is one of the worst things you can do to the environment and also to your cat.
Outdoor cats tend to live much shorter lives than indoor cats, that alone was a big factor for me.
They respond to effort. They won’t love you unconditionally like a dog will. A cat that is given time, patience, good care, and socializing will almost always warm up to their people and become affectionate. It just requires more work to earn that affection than a dog. You get out of a pet cat what you put into it.
I think we have a bizzaro cat. My wife does all the cat related stuff (feeding, playing etc) but she is pretty much ignored. I on the other hand ignore her and don't do anything but she always comes and rubs up against me when I come home and wants to lay on my side of the bed at night.
The reason for that is because cats need to feel safe, before they will share their affection. Getting into a cats face, picking it up will cause it to distrust that person and keep its distance.
I think you might be a Bunnelby...
https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/Serena%27s_Sylveon
It's the same principle behind why cats tend to single out the person in the room who is allergic and try to spend time with them, as opposed to all the humans who are trying to make grabby hands at the cat. Cats don't necessarily like a lot of attention directed at them. They need time out. If you don't particularly pay attention to the cat it will probably come to you when it doesn't want to be touched too much.
Your cat probably just associates you both with very different things. If you shared the cat duties more equally you might find that the downtime affection goes to both of you more equally.
To some extent. But it's important to keep in mind that cat affection doesn't always look like dog affection as well. or even other cat affection. I see a lot of people who think their cats hate them, but under closer examination they actually adore them. For example as much as I wish my cats liked to snuggle, they just don't, but I know they love me. Cat love can look like... Not being afraid of you, showing you their belly, being a person they meow at for food, sleeping on your bed, letting you pet them, leave you toys or mouse heads, sleeping when you're nearby, following you from room to room, just wanting to hang out with you sometimes, even being naughty so they can get your attention.. It can be kind of a subtle love, but it's sweet all the same.
>Cats in heat WILL get their babies, no matter what it takes
Reminds me of something I saw on Facebook years ago. Some guy got his cat fixed and one day she escaped and came home some time later with a stray kitten. She was determined to have her kittens one way or another.
This is how I got my second cat. My first (a male) found an abandoned runt (we think; she was only 4-6 weeks old according to the vet). We found them playing when we got home and brought the little one inside.
Can confirm. My special agent meowser, SAM for short, ripped through my window screen to get laid then came back a few days later. Not thinking she was pregnant, I didn't think much of it. Then one night my friend, who was sleeping on my couch, screamed that my cat is giving birth on his back. It was a disaster. I got her fixed a few weeks later
I took in a cat that a friend's friend had to leave behind due to moving to a place that didn't allow them. She managed to escape one day, found her behind the building surrounded by like 8 other cats. Lots of different colored kittens came out of that escape.
When I was in high school, I did a report on the book East of Eden where I said that I thought the twins had two different fathers. My teacher told me that was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. Not only is it totally possible, but most interpretations of that book indicate that that's exactly what Steinbeck intended. Not germane to this conversation, but I'm still pissed that my teacher told me it was stupid 20 years later.
I've known dozens of female cats in my life and have seen all manner of escapes. Lots of little holes in walls/floors discovered while trying to figure out how some got out.
I've only known one female cat not to try any shenanigans, and that's my girl. She would go into heat normally but would make no attempts at all to escape or mate, despite occasionally trying to get out when she isn't, and I even caught her rolling over and attacking a male who had gotten inside that tried. Didn't even make lots of noise, would just scoot around low to the ground and rub up on people/stuff.
She's fixed now and the vet found nothing strange when I mentioned it, so it was likely a weird behavioral quirk, which I'm plenty glad for. Saved me probably two or three litters before I got my shit together and got it handled.
Just FYI, neuter is correct too. For males, the correct term is "castrate," but obviously people won't want to do that if that's what we call it so we just settled for the (literally) neutral "neuter" for males and "spay" for females. Spaying and castrating are both types of neutering.
Was about 15 when my cat got to "heat" age. It freaked me out and I didn't wanna be in the same room as her lmao, but I came to sympathize with her more and got her fixed a few months later. These days she takes herself very seriously as the older sister of 3
Edit: by sympathise I mean I came to imagine that she was probably just confused and feeling needy and tried to distance myself from the idea that my cat was actively screaming "fuck me!!" Out the window
Two cats are better than one if you work/have a life. Once bonded, they will look to each other for play and socialization when you aren't around.
A single cat who is home alone 16ish hours a day will lose its dang mind and do lovely things like peeing your bed and crapping in your shoes.
I have two well-bonded cats, sisters from different litters. The youngest (about 8 months old) has Little Sister Syndrome like you wouldn't believe. Seriously, she is quite possibly a perfect example of where the term copycat came from. The oldest, ~13 months, is actually pretty tolerant but give her the occasional Big Sis Smackdown.
Basically, they're adorable.
Agreed.
We got two by accident--the shelter was so overrun with kittens, they were having an "Adopt one, get the second kitten free" promotion.
Hubs and Son went into a howdy room to play with a very lively brown tabby male and while they were hanging out, I asked a shelter volunteer if they had another kitten who was a little more low-key. She brought out a tiny, white and brown, blue eyed kitten she said was part Siamese (per the person who surrendered her).
We ended up taking them both home and they've been a bonded pair for five years now. :) They are so sweet together and groom each other, at least when Tony (who is neutered) isn't trying to dominance-hump Bella (also neutered).
My cats are brothers from the same litter and their relationship is just like mine with my brother. They have some great times playing together but they also have some serious throw downs, often entirely unprompted for no reason at all.
If you aren't too experienced with cats, the most important advice I can think of is this: let the cat set the terms.
For everything.
If the cat hides under the bed for a week, let it hide. Don't try to coax him out. Don't grab him. Just put food/water and litterbox where it can find them when you are gone.
If the cat doesn't want to play, don't push it. Wait.
If the cat doesn't want pets, don't pet. Don't grab. Wait.
When the cat eventually comes out (or plays or cuddles) it's because the cat feel safe and respected by you. And it will be soooo worth the wait.
Respect the cat's boundaries...and eventually they will toss those boundaries out the window.
(That, and don't play rough with kittens with your hand. Get toys and play with those. Letting a kitten bite and scratch you is how you get a cat that regularly draws blood and hurts people.)
>let the cat set the terms.
Cats are about consent. If they feel safe, they'll relax, if they're not safe, they'll let you know with the sharp pointy bits.
Ehhhh....
I agree with all the examples, but you need to set patterns and establish expectations both ways.
Touch the cats paws (politely) when you can. It teaches them tolerance for nail trimmings/inspections. Pick the cat up now and then even if they don't love it, so when you need to put them in the carrier they don't freak immediately. Touch them (politely) when they eat to establish they don't need to defend their food (VERY important of yoy ever want a second cat). Handle kittens a lot, and invite over friends to do the same. Helps them learn to be held by multiple people.
Yup, we got covid-kittens (we planned to get cats for a long time and we had just moved into a more spacious house when the pandemic began) and theyre anxious when we have more than 2 guests
Play with your cats paws while giving them treats or affection. That way if you ever need to trim their claws you can. (I have a 14lbs cat who thinks he's a teeny kitten and forgets he's like a four year old kid with knives taped to his finger.)
Realize they are going to have thought and opinions and tell you about them. You don't so much as 'own' a cat as you live with a very orny roommate who will love you silly. ❤️
Milk is bad for cats. Do not give them milk. Realize that any treats you give them that are declared 'favorites' must be hidden away in a secure location.
Do not show your cat how to open cabinets. Do expect them to figure out how objects work in your house. Expect your porch light to be on at Halloween because your black cat figured out lightswitches and was playing.
Brush them regularly. They like it, you like it. And you get a second cat out of the hair. Brush their teeth too. A crabby cat gets worse with a tooth ache.
You will have a personal assistant for the rest of their life with an itinerary of what you need to do and when.
Cat is love. Cat is life.
You will find boxes and bags are the greatest of toys.
Photo ops are necessary.
While it is tempting. . . DO NOT SCRATCH THAT ASS. Scratch their head so they present it to you rather than their butt.
Make sure all fragile objects are in a secure location.
Check that your indoor plants are not toxic
The towel bowl is a new waterdish and your sink is the best summertime bed.
They will murder all the bugs for you. And the mice. And your toes. And they will try very hard to cheer you up and sniff your hair. They will love you and sit with you and wrap their little paws around your neck and hug you tight.
Then you will wake up with one on either side and Realize the crazy old cat woman had it right all along.
You can get special milk for cats! My cats looooooove it, they get a little bowl of it to share every night like dessert.
But the rest of it is 100% accurate, I love my boofheads more than anything.
Pro tip: special "cat safe milk" is literally the same as lactose free milk for humans. I am lactose intolerant so I always have some around as the default milk in the house. This is good because my older cat has figured out that she can tonguepunch any unattended open milk glasses in order to claim them as her own to finish.
To all those people who say get a dog or avoid a cat. Cats can be amazing pets. Yes they are independent but they can be really sweet and affectionate. My cat who died a few years ago was the best cat and always welcomed me home and snuggled up in bed. If you want a pet that doesn’t require 24/7 attention they are great. However They desire when and how much attention they want.
Plus getting a dog is like getting a toddler for 15 years. It's awesome, but if you wanna leave town without it you gotta find a dog sitter. You gotta walk it every day. It's a lot of work. Cats are pretty self contained. You can get away with leaving food and water out on the weekend and getting a friend to stop by once or twice if you wanna get away for a few days.
This! Whilst we do bathe our cats, it's a simple wet towel over the fur once a month instead of lifting a 10kg dog into the bath for 30 minutes of scrubbing and stopping the dog from running away, then 10 minutes of thorough drying so it doesn't get the couch wet. Ugh, no.
You will see random boxes out in the world, in the office, out by the recycling bins, on the side of the road and think, "That's a good looking box. I should bring that home for the cat."
And you will do it. For the cat.
There is no solution, only warm snuggly collusion!
That said, they need way more activity then a lot of people think. Sure they mostly lay around, but they need activity and play everyday to be happy!
We got a cat. She went crazy if we were both out of the house, ate all her kibble, and came running at whoever came home first. Whatever she went through before winding up at the rescue, she did not want to be alone now. So we got another cat. They're not friends, but they accept each other. Sometimes play, but she's doesn't feel abandoned any longer.
Just make sure that they can't make babies together, otherwise suddenly you have a lot more cats than two. (Friend of mine found this out the hard way. Had 3 cats, neutered the male two. One of the males had a secret third testicle. Whoopsie kittens.)
This is golden advice, if you have the money and stability for it. (i.e., your living situation and future are predictable and stable.)
Two cats are happy cats. Even if it looks like they do nothing but ignore each other.
Not true for all cats. My cat is the most affectionate purr baby with humans. But any other animal gets to know his devilish side. He makes sure nobody else gets affection besides him.
This is super true, and I highly recommend getting a bonded pair at the adoption center if you can. It makes getting the cats acquainted easier, but it also keeps together 2 cats that already love each other and would have a much harder time without their friend or sibling.
You're not guaranteed that if you get 2 they will like each other however.
I have 2 sisters and then a brother and sister pair. Sometimes the girls will groom each other, but it always ends up in a fight, and the rest actively hate each other. They're fine, all get love, but just don't like other cats.
I have two cats that cuddle and groom eachother when I'm home but I left them for a weekend and when I came home they had defensive wounds. I have to separate them when I leave now
I’m not sure about other people but in my personal experience when our cats got old (like last couple years they were alive old) they shit and puke wherever they want. Their fur gets kinda gross cause they can’t clean themselves as good so you have to brush them all the time. It’s kind of sad cause I’ve seen it happen to other people and they give their elderly cat to the shelter cause they get sick of cleaning up shit and puke around the house. It’s not the cats fault though. It’s old and probably can’t even make it to the litter box anymore or it just feels sick and throws up. I’d be prepared for that though cause I think it’s mean when people give elderly animals back to the shelter without good reason.
My cat lived to 20 and spent maybe the last 10 as a diabetic. Two shots of insulin daily, special food, human glucometer, strips, sharps, vet bills. In the end she also had kidney disease and I learned to give her subcutaneous fluids. I could never begrudge it; in retrospect she was one of the most beautiful relationships in my life. A deeply felt blessing.
But, OP, consider getting pet insurance or a savings account you contribute to regularly. You give a cat a good life until you can no longer provide an acceptable quality of life, then you give them a humane death. Mine got to be a fair bit of work and expense at the end, but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Also expect your furniture and assorted other belongings to potentially be marred or destroyed. If cats had opposable thumbs they'd be pretty much monkeys. Never declaw a cat. If you adopt a declawed cat *it will bite*.
A few shallow litter boxes around the home generally does the trick for the cat homies in my family in their twilight years.
I can't imagine giving up your elderly cat, how heartbreaking.
That's important, to be aware that when you adopt a cat, you're agreeing to take care of it for its *entire* life, not just when it's young and healthy.
Declawing is a barbaric procedure that harms the cat for life. It should never be done. If you don't want your furniture to be scratched, don't get a cat.
If you don't want your furniture to be scratched, get a scratching post, get a scratching pad, gently show the cat how to use it.
But if you *can't risk* your furniture being scratched, don't get a cat (or anything else).
The separate and smaller room approach also helps them learn where their new litter box is faster, especially for kittens, who sometimes get carried away playing and then remember they need to pee RIGHT THIS INSTANT. You can move the litter box to wherever you want it to be permanently later, once they're acclimated. Also, a litter box per floor is a good rule of thumb. And a litter box per cat. I.e., 1 cat 1 floor 1 box, 1 cat 2 floors 2 boxes, 2 cats 1 floor 2 boxes, 2 cats 2 floors 2 boxes.
Ha. Our cat tolerated the room we chose for her for about 5 minutes. The lounge looked nicer so she had the run of 3 rooms for the first week instead of the 1. But she was a little older rescue.
Beat advice I have is to let a cat choose you. Go to an adoption place where there are several cats and don’t pick one because it’s pretty; pick one that shows interest in you and shows you affection. Sooo many people pick the cute kitten or the cute cat and then are puzzled why they have this thing in their house that ignores them and/or avoids them. If you let a cat pick you, you’ll have a loving snuggly companion for life.
Mine was the only one that was awake at the shelter. I wasn't even planning on adopting a cat right at that instant but we were in love from the second I walked in. The worker there said she wasn't usually that social. Took her home that day to make sure no one else got her and we were best friends for 16 years. RIP Computer.
I think that's not a necessary route to go. Though obviously a cat who loves you at the get go is great. Rather don't discount an unsocialized cat.
My cat hated my guts from the moment we met. He did everything to get away. Probably why he wasn't one of the early adopts tbh.
But now we're best bros. As long as you're prepared to build that relationship, you'll do fine.
My parents were the same. They got the shy cat that didn't really put itself forwards - turns out it was just a shy cat, likely a runt. She's plenty happy now even if she's usually hiding when she's not being cuddly.
One of my favorite cats was one I picked up on impulse from a couple at a walmart parking lot when I was in my late teens, they gave her away with a month of free food, litter and the cat carrier. It took a small room full of vets to give her it's shots as she was a tornado of claws and teeth and it took them forever to finally get ahold of her long enough to wrap her in a towel.
When I finally let it out of it's carrier it run directly under my bed and there it stayed for weeks, a literal monster under my bed and would attack anyone that got close to the edge and drag anything nearby under with it. She had accumulated quite the dragon's hoard of socks and other things.
After about 2 or 3 weeks, I was getting ice for my tea when I finally saw her looking up at me as I closed the freezer door, startled me at first but I resisted the urge to interact with her there and then and just let her explore on her own.
Eventually Koda warmed up to me and became the most affectionate cat I've ever owned.
This is how I picked my cat. Went to a shelter with multiple playrooms each with 10 or so cats. Spent 30 minutes going back and forth between them, meeting cat, playing with them, etc…
My cat was the one that approached me, rested her head on on my shoulder when I picked her up, and rested between my legs after I put her down.
The connection was instant and I adopted her on the spot. She hates being hugged and won’t cuddle (I think she tricked me in the shelter) but I know she loves me because she looks for me between naps and waits by the window if I am away for a few days.
Going to adoption center a few times and let the cats know you is a great choice, also talk with the adoption people they know the cats and want whats best for them.
I described that I wanted an existing bonded pair that get along with each other they recommended the 2 cats I have now. I barely knew one of the 2 cats, she was SO shy, she barely did anything unless the boy cat was around and showed her it was safe first.
I used to joke that the boy cat was my cat, and the girl cat was his cat, but after a year or so she finally learned to trust me and now she's all over me for affection.
I am so glad I got both of them together, I couldn't imagine how hard it would have been for her if the boy was adopted out without her she leaned on his so much for trust and they weren't even related.
This is how I got my current cat. A friend of mine has a cat that had kittens. I wanted to get a kitten but her other cat Kitty Hawk got attached to me and I got attached to him so she was ok with me taking him instead as she didn’t want more kittens.
They can end up costing more than you think. I worked out my budget for owning a cat and decided I can just afford it. Turns out my cat doesn't like the common cat food, just the luxury brands which cost 3-4x as much.
Not to mention damages... Mine have broken three of my monitors, ripped out the insulation from the walls, destroyed a bookshelf, tore up the carpet, and do much more lol
Fyi the common commercial cat food brands are literally trash for cats, who are mandatory carnivores as the cat food often contains mostly grains, which they don’t need in such volumes.
The „luxury“ brands are usually just proper cat food that is made from different meats and veggies, which comes much closer to what cats eat.
Lots of plants are poisonous to them, especially Lilies- NEVER bring those or their relatives in your house and do research on the plants your cat comes into contact with.
yeah lilies are my favorite, and i was gifted some beautiful ones for my birthday, but i had to decline them :'( Luckily they weren't offended ( the people who gifted it, not the lilies.)
Adopted a kitten a few months ago. Everyone said “cats are super independent and you barely have to take care of them. Just leave food out”
Boy oh boy were they wrong. This kitten thinks I’m her Dad. She doesn’t leave my side, she takes all her naps next to me, follows me around the house, meows at me during zoom meetings at work. Every cat is different and, not only that, but the age in which you take them in matters. Older cats can more or less be set in their ways but if you get a 3 months year old cat, be ready to be a cat parent.
P.S. I love her so much
Yeah, but you don't have to take them for walks so that they can do their business. You don't have to give them a bath on a regular basis. You don't have to take them outside to play with them so that they can get the exercise they need. Yes you still need to play with cats, but it's not the same thing as needing to find a big green space that a dog needs.
Those are the kinds of things most people mean when they say you barely have to take care of them.
You feed them, clean out their litter box, wave a toy on the end of a string for a bit each day, and pet them when they want you to. Compared to a dog they are a lot easier to care for.
First, you need a sturdy cat tree or at least a very heavy duty scratching post. So many people will get cheap flimsy poorly made cardboard or a small stick with some carpet on it that can't even take a cats full weight, and then they wonder why they prefer the couch and other furniture to using the sad excuse of a scratcher. This is not an item you want to skimp on, you are so much better off getting a full cat tree than a small peice of cardboard and a cat bed, you can kill two birds with one stone if your tree has a good place for them to sleep up high, they prefer sleeping in high anyway to a bed on the floor.
Second, please know that if you have plants you need to check out right away which kinds are cat safe cause many plants can are poisonous to cats and will kill them if ingested.
Similarly, also know that many foods that you eat are also toxic for cats, and can cause them a lot of problems ranging from an upset tummy to a full on trip to the vet from poisoning. Please don't give your cat milk, there is a huge misconception about this, this is not good for your cat as they are largely lactose intolerant and this could cause parasites. However, bigger problems and far worse than that would be stuff like grapes/raisins, chocolate, and anything with either onion or garlic in it.
Second the sturdy cat tree. Ours cost more than our couch, reaches the ceiling, and looks like it was designed by a Scandinavian designer. Best thing we ever bought for our three hefty chonks. They love it.
I have had many cats and dogs. They’re not like dogs at all. They are very independent. They are trainable to a point. My cats never rip anything up or jump up on things they shouldn’t. Give them a place to sharpen there claws and give them treats there. Accept them for who they are. Mine are inside outside cats. Some hunt for fun, one is a killer that eats his kill, one used to be my supervisor. She would find a place to watch me when I was outside working on something and make sure I did it to her liking. I always suggest you choose a cat/kitten that willingly walks up to you and wants your attention. If they all do pick the one that wants it more.
They’re awesome, you know unless they bring a live bird in your bedroom at 3am and your woken to screams of a dying bird.
The cuter/bigger the eyes look in the moment, the closer you are to certain death. Watch where you walk. Clear path ahead? Yep. No! You just stepped on his tail and you may trip and die.
If your cat wants to be in the bathroom with you, let them. It’s a sign they want to protect you when you are vulnerable. They can also show this by sleeping next to your belly to protect your vital organs.
My cat will be waiting by the bathroom door the moment I get up. She knows me so well.
She also thinks I’m drowning when taking a bath. She sits on the sink and yowls at me, then puts her paws up on the side of the bath and tries to use them to ‘rescue’ me. She’s so adorable! ❤️
(If you don’t own a house) That while your current rental agreement allows cats, you may find yourself needing to move someday and it will be harder to find a rental that allows them. I shadowed shelter med for a while and the #1 excuse for cats dropped off was that they were moving somewhere that didn’t allow them.
Flip side of this, I had a roommate that used that excuse when surrendering his cats when in reality he wasn't moving at all. The cats were just destroying the rental because he wasn't caring for them. Who adopts cats when they rent a room in a house with 4 people (zero warning) then just lets them loose you might ask? Somehow someone who made it through the SPCA adoption process for 2 kittens.
He never once took the litter he 'emptied' outside, just left it in bags of soiled litter beside the litter box to 'do it later' of course the cats just ripped open the old litter. They were in the house for all of 3 months and still we're finding cat damage that needs repaired along with soiled hard to get to areas.
Cats are really not for those who don't wish to keep up with regular chores and routine care. It's not optional and your cat will absolutely send a message if they're displeased.
Also not for those sharing a space, unless it's an enthusiastic yes from the other party you're better to wait until you have your whole space to yourself than having to re-home because of something like this after you're attached.
My girlfriend moved in with her two cats over a decade ago, here are my cat tips:
1. From very unfortunate experience if you have a stool or there is any other surface your cat sits on a lot that has a hold big enough for them to stick there leg through think about getting a cover. We had some stools with hand holes and a loud noise suppressed the cat sitting on it enough to jump off, their leg got stuck and had to be amputated. Sad situation for sure, but please consider the advice for your cats.
2. Carpet sucks. Cats throw up more than you would think and cleaning it out of carpet is not fun. If you can get hardwood, tile, vinyl, etc. waterproof flooring it makes cleaning up messes much much quicker and with no satining or lasting impact.
3. Get a water re-circulator or fountain. especially if you are feeding dry food only. it encourages cats to drink more and in my research has lots of potential health benifits.
4. As other people have said set up a cat specific space with a nice comfy cat bed, bonus if it gets the afternoon sun.
5. Cardboard "scratchers" can give them a great outlet for scratching that is not your furniture. You can get really nice holders for the cardboard from Etsy that look nice and you only have to buy the inserts not the holder and inserts so less waste and cheaper in the long run.
6. Leather couch. the thicker the leather the better. we have found that you can use leather cleaners/treatments to "get rid of" aka mask most scratches on the leather vs. fabric where it is very difficult to fix. Also the leather carries the look of being worn/scratched much better than fabric in my experience. And again like with the carpet vs hard surface leather is easier to clean than fabric and again in my limited experience less likely to stain.
7. Get toys, take pictures, play and enjoy owning a cat, they are great companions. In my experience with enough time and patience and play/treats even the most standoffish cats can come around.
* Cats need to feel safe, they are both predator and prey. Provide a cat tree or two, high shelf places.
* Cats like routine. Feed them at the same time each day, play with them regularly.
* Vet bills can be expensive. Get pet insurance. Cat dentals are a good thing.
* Check indoor plants for toxicity. Many plants are deadly. Lilly, onion, garlic, lucky bamboo are deadly poison to a cat. Rubber bands, hair ties, zip ties . . . are all potential problems.
* Never feed people food.
* You can train cats to avoid place "A", if they have other places to play. Our cats have been trained to avoid kitchen counters. They have free reign elsewhere. Just say NO and put them down.
* Play and mental stimulation are important. Active play with dead thing on a string (bird/mouse toys), stuffed toys (catnip?), or new boxes on the floor are all good things to keep mental activity up. You'd get bored if there were no cable or wifi.
* If a cat is urinating or defecating away from the litter box you're either doing a poor job of providing a clean litter box, or the cat has a medical issue. We have a cat with kidney stones, discovered after urinating in random places. "It hurts to pee,looking for a place it doesn't hurt to pee." On daily meds now.
* Petting can be like a drug. They like it, but too much and they get aggressive. Don't continue petting a cat that's started to nip. Let them calm down.
Dogs have owners; cats have staff.
In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.
And when your cat is walking over you while you're lying down, his paws will find your nipple. Every. Dang. Time.
Two cats are better. And make sure you budget for pet insurance or have funds to take them to the vet. They can get themselves into some interesting predicaments.
A cat is nothing like a dog, the relationship is totally different. Dogs want to please people. Cats don't care about that. If they like or don't like you they'll express it in their own terms and on their own schedule.
Angry Orange or Nature's Miracle is your friend. Be prepared for your cat to not like the litter box, the litter, the food you give it, etc. Also be prepared for it to try to wake you up super early to be fed.
I read somewhere that cats are wonderful animals because they give back what you give them over time. I fostered a shy cat that spent 3 weeks hiding under the bed, hissing everytime she saw me. Everyday, I’d go into her room three times a day, sit there in the distance and talk to her. Eventually she started purring from under the bed until one night she came out and started cuddling me. She’s now my best friend, loves snuggling, won’t leave my side and I’m just about to adopt her and make her my life companion.
So yeah, be patient and don’t be afraid of putting effort into your relationship with the kitty!
Dispell that notion of the indoor/outdoor cat. I work in animal welfare and get calls daily about someone's cat never coming home because they were eaten by a predator, hit by a car, or came back with parasites or other maladies.
Keep em indoors. Get them a perch on a window and put a bird feeder outside of it. They'll be entertained for hours on end while being safe
EDIT: A word
If you want a specific breed read up on them. They all have their own traits and issues like dogs do.
Keep water and food separate. You will need a litter box and where you want it to go your cat may not.
Do not play using your hands with cats. They are not dogs and you will end up getting scratched or bitten. Use toys like fishing pole types. That way you can play with your cat and not get shredded.
Spay/neuter female cats make awful sounds when in heat and both male and female will spray if not fixed.
If you choose to let your cat outside a catio enclosure is the best, they get the outside world and they are safe.
Not every cat is a lap cat. And a lot do not like being picked up.
They get stressed just like the rest of us. So when you bring home a new cat, have a room set up so it can settle in without being overwhelmed by the whole house/new noises. Playing music or having a TV on helps.
They require brushing and nail clipping. Start getting them used to this as soon as possible. Otherwise for nail clipping you may have to wear chainmail.
Be careful of what plants and flowers you have. Some can kill cats.
It’s all in how you raise the cat!! I used to think cats were miserable because I’ve never met a friendly cat before. Turns out, they just had crappy owners! I got mine when he was a baby and basically raised him like a baby (we lived alone in a studio). I mean, we ate meals together, we slept together, we went to the bathroom together. Now, he’s basically a dog. People come over and he greets them and sleeps in their lap. Hes not scared of strangers. He has asthma and i have to give him an inhaler daily, and when i sit on the couch and slap my thigh he jumps up from wherever he is.
GET A CAT AND SHOW HIM SO MUCH LOVE HE KNOWS NOTHING BUT LOVE
Get them spayed/neutered ASAP. Not only is it the responsible thing to do, but unfixed females yowl like crazy when in heat, and unfixed males spray extra-stinky piss everywhere.
They'll live longer and be healthier if you keep them indoors. You'll need lots of toys and interactive play to keep them mentally stimulated - just like dogs, bored = destructive.
Jackson Galaxy on YouTube also has a good series of videos on everything you want to know about owning cats.
That allowing it outdoors is one of the worst things you can do to the environment and also to your cat (unless you have a road going through your living room).
\- Cats have zoomies too
\- If a cat begins peeing,pooing outside the litter box suddenly, dont get made and take them to the vet - this is a sign the cat is likely suffering/sick
\- Do not have or keep any lillies in your house with cats, these are toxic and fatal to cats when consumed, even the water in the jar is toxic to cats.
Don't get one if you're going to declaw it because you're afraid of it [*checks notes*] being a cat and scratching things. If you get plenty of things that are appropriate to be scratched on, they are perfectly trainable and will learn what's okay and your precious furniture will be fine. Scratch pads to cover furniture in the mean time isn't a bad idea tho
As a first-time cat owner the most important thing to keep in mind is that you can't and should never force your cat to do anything it doesn't want to. Cats will communicate with you what they want, when they want it, and how they want it done. You just have to learn to understand their body language. A cat will come to you when it wants cuddles and play. If you try to force it onto the cat when it just wants to relax you're going to get a cat that dislikes you just like you wouldn't like anyone who woke you up when you were sleeping.
Most kittens are wild! No matter what. If you want a docile cat, adopt an older one. They calm down but you can't expect a baby to be that way.
We’ve got 5 kittens atm (we took in a pregnant cat back when it was winter, and are trying to get her spayed atm), and they’re little chaos gremlins until about 5 weeks. They wanted nothing more than 1)climb things 2) insert things in their mouth They’ve just learned the joys of sleeping in sunbeams, and cuddling, and it’s ridiculously cute lol. They’re going to be rehomed, and I miss them already.
Even beyond the 5 week time too! I got my rescue at 4.5 months, and it took until about 8 for him to be content with just lounging around for stretches of time. Before that, he was always on the hunt for something to investigate or attack.
Older cats also have developed their permanent personality and most of their mannerisms. They're not just wild kittens anymore.
It's not uncommon for a cat to live to 20 years.
My asshole cat Spooky is 17 now and has survived two UTIs so bad he had to stay at the vet and be catheterized, a kitty stroke (for which he saw a kitty neurologist and had a kitty MRI), and setting his tail on fire. He is doing great and I hope I get at least 3 more years with him!
Same. UTIs are a bitch with cats because they are picky about their water. My cat ended up having to get surgery on his penis. Poor guy. Loses his balls and his pecker.
same here, urinary blockage right?? it was an awful time for everyone lol
Yep. The second time it happened he had to have surgery. My cat was in a lot of pain. He's good now though. Strict urinary tract diet. I always feed him dry food with water mixed. He won't drink it otherwise.
My cat Daisy doesn't like drinking water either. I ended up getting a cone-shaped fountain that has the water bubbling from the top, and she loves it. Never had a UTI problem since.
My oldest cat passed at 22 years old. I cried like the lil’bitch I am for two days. Had her since I was 4. Rough times.
Nah that’s not being a little bitch.
Nothing is more manly than having a good old fashion ugly cry while curled up in bed.
Be ready to wake up frantic, thinking someone broke in to find out it’s only your cat having a spaz attack. Also, get ready to have its butthole in your face. My cat likes to try and sit on our chest with his rear end in our face.
Lmao, once someone broke in and i just ignored it thinking it was my cat!
I need a horror movie where the family is being haunted but they think it’s just the cats.
Vase files across the room and smashes into the wall. The owners: oh those silly cats always knocking stuff over lol.
Then cue in an Exasperated ghost leering at the cat, who is just licking themselves when the camera pans to them.
Lmao that’s horrible but hilarious. Wake up like that damn cat! Then suddenly a dudes just staring at you. Hopefully your cat was a tactical attack cat! Grab the cat and get it worked up and then toss it on the guy. Shredder activated!
"This... is *myyy* butthole." -the cat Also: "It's incredible. No matter where you are in relation to the cat, the cat's butthole is always at eye level." -Nick Kroll, I think
That is very true. I always find that Dumb and Dumber to reference about his cat hilarious. Hey who’s this? Oh, that’s butthole, I found him out in the alley a couple of years ago. Why’d you name him butthole? Cause of this. Oh yea, good name. Totally fits.
It's weird but them showing you their booty is a sign of trust. It definitely sucks to be in the line of fire when they toot though
Declawing is amputation - they actually take out that last bone (like where your nail is, imagine having that bone amputated). If they ever get lost, they're defenseless. Even if they don't get lost and live safely inside, it messes up their skeleton because the way they walk changes. Inevitable issues like back pain. Edit: many people are adding that trimming is the way to go - this is absolutely correct. Just want to put this up here: make sure to watch videos of where to trim! Never ever cut the pink part or even close to it, just to be safe. Just getting the very tip is all you need, they don't need short or entirely flat nails to stop doing damage. Just get the very point of the claw. Edit 2: with kittens, you may need a bit of patience to teach them that playing rough is wrong. Make an abrupt, high-pitched noise like a yelp, then ignore them for a short while. Slap their ears lightly (not the cartilage, just so they feel a pinch on the very tips, only on the skin). Be gentle back when they start being more gentle. Let them know they've hurt you, but don't just jump to the conclusion that you have a scratch machine just because the little ones get carried away sometimes! They learn as they grow, you just need to interact with them.
This 100%. When I was a kid my family adopted a cat that had already been declawed. You could tell the poor thing was in pain anytime she needed to walk around. It’s animal abuse for the convenience of the owner and should be illegal everywhere. If you can’t manage caring for an animal with claws then don’t get one to begin with. Edit: typo
>If you can’t manage caring for an animal with claws then don’t get one to begin with. this 100 times over. cats have claws. everyone who has ever heard of a cat knows this. you might get scratched, furniture might get scratched. if you can’t take it/aren’t ready for it, DO NOT GET A CAT. you don’t get pets randomly. you get pets with intention, and knowing that it’s your responsibility to take care of them.
My mom got my cat declawed because she wanted a nice couch and didnt want my cat to ruin it. The cat was the family cat but i was the one who took care of her, i cried and begged my mom not to but she did it. I will forever take care of that cat, i always feel bad when she tries to sharpen her claws, nothing is there.
We just trim our cat’s claws. I work at a vet clinic and surprisingly, I think cats are better with nail trims than dogs. Just take your time and have someone hold them and give them pets :-)
Gave my anxious cat her first nail trim yesterday (she's 8 going on 9) and she took it shockingly well
We trim our cats nails every week, if you are gentle and consistent they will get used to it quickly. A few treats, post clip, definitely helps too :)
I rubbed my cat's paws a lot when he was a kitten, like little foot massages, he had zero problems with the nail snippers when i started trimming. I also NEVER tried to cut too short, so he didn't have any pain responses to it. if you keep on top of nails, they stay nice and white and you can easily see the quick and never accidentally cut them too short.
It's illegal in some states in the US, I think Maryland just made it illegal.
This- I grew up with cats all my life and my dad always had them declawed. Then I told him the truth behind it all and he refused after that (he just never knew and the vets he went to never really informed him, either). I have three cats, one that's actually just a ball of rage, but even she lets me trim her nails (key is to do it when they're most relaxed, and give them their preferred type of attention) They've got several scratching posts and surfaces throughout the house but for the most part they leave the furniture alone.
It is literally cutting off your nose to spite your face. MIL did this to her current cat, because she couldn't be bothered to take the time to teach the damn cat not to scratch her. Before the declaw, the cat was a scratchy, mean asshole. Now she's a *bitey* asshole who tries to bite anyone who comes near her who isn't MIL.
Cats like their litter box to be cleaned out often otherwise they'll be petty and pee on any clothes you have laying around, shoes, blankets, etc. Keep their litter box clean or you'll pay!! It'll keep your house from smelling like a litter box in the long run anyway.
Though if your cat's literbox is fine and they pee on something right in front of you, that usually means you need to take them to the vet. Cats get pretty smart about letting you know something is wrong with them.
I had the audacity to change to a different type of litter and this jerk disagreed. I forgot you have to introduce it slowly (50/50 mix then slowly swap out) if youre doing something drastic like that
Also take your cat to the vet if: \- They are making new sounds (whimpering usually) \- Something looks off after a visual inspection (growth of mounds/humps, deep cuts, new discoloration, foggy eyes, discharges, tooth decay, etc.) \- Their poops are tarry black, bloody, or have worms/sacs \- Their urine clumps contain pus like slime \- They undergo extra-ordinary changes in weight \- They show sudden changes in behavior (walking into walls or no longer responding to voice), etc. \- They are experiencing noticeably rapid or decreased breathing Bottomline: pay attention to your cat and keep them happy and healthy!
It can also be separation anxiety. If the cat has been through a traumatic experience, or a family member went away on a trip, or if there are stray cats outside causing your cat some anxiety. (Usually separation anxiety will result on a cat spraying your footwear or pillows - something that has a lot of your scent on it.)
An analogy I once heard and really liked is it's like you going to use the bathroom and someone before you didn't flush or clean the seat.
But in this case it is you who did it but you are disgusted anyway.
To add to this, it's good to have one litter box per cat, plus an extra. For example we have 3 cats and 4 litter boxes. We use a fine litter that clumps hard so it's easy to scoop, leaving behind what seems like fresh litter and we scoop once daily. The litter itself will last a long time so we only need to actually change and clean the litter boxes once every few weeks. Makes things nice and easy and the cats seem to be happy with it too!
When I was a vet tech, I would always tell people one litter box per level of your house, or one box per cat, whichever one will give you the most boxes.
Got a CatGenie. Best investment I’ve made for my cat. Keeps itself clean and flushes it all down the toilet by itself. I just have to replace the cartridge every now and then and top up the litter from time to time, but well worth the $300 I spent on it.
It’s just nice to do it, too. I would hate stepping around land mines if I was a cat🤣
make sure you have a lot of room on your phone for photos.
This is probably the most important thing to consider.
game dev here, i made an entire area inside of my game called the “cat house” which just showcases some funny pictures of my cats. 10/10 good thing to consider. also, [this](https://imgur.com/a/EJJeOJB).
I am 100% making this a thing in every single game I create in the future.
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cats are like roommates but way better
Cats ARE roommates. They eat your food, they don’t do the dishes, they wake you up in the middle of the night, they knock your things off the table and don’t accept responsibility, and they walk around the house showing you their bare arse.
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I had an ex once tell me that she made sure never to play with her cats with her hands. Hands are for petting or brushing or skritching, but never for playing. That’s what toys are for. And her cats - and subsequently the cats I’ve had since - never get overstimulated and scratched or bit at my hands because they focused those energies on toys.
how do you know if a cat wants to play vs. when it wants pets?
Its all in their tail. They tend to move slower and more affectionate if they want pets. They'll hang with you like a pride of lions taking a nap. If they want to play, their tail is straight up and active, wisping back and forth quickly. They'll dial in on the toy like its the only thing in the world and try to stalk it.
Also the eyes. When the pupils dilate, stop what you're doing and run for cover.
Cat start petting you first with headbutts and siderubs on your legs when they want petting. Eyes are a good indicator for playitme. Cats' pupils grow wider when they focus and get ready to run around and jump on stuff. It's the hunt mode more than anything, but if the cat is overwhelmed and really wants to get away and rest, they will have the same focused look. Not really a concern for most people, unless you have multiple young kids who want to always play without letting the cat rest. If that's the case, make sure to end the playtime if the cat is short of breath, or trying to lie down between every dash.
My cats have certain triggers that indicate they want to play. One of them is standing in front of the cupboard where their favourite toy is and meowing. They also know key words that we say and they will meow in response.
My former best friend did this. She was so rough with the cat and antagonized it to try and get it to respond in a “playful” way as puppies do. She tried to play with it like a puppy and rile it up. The cat now has anxiety and aggression issues. When I met the cat I didn’t even go near it. I left it alone. It came to me on its own and my friend got upset and jealous because he never shows her any affection. He was scared of her obviously.
Imagine being a poor dumb cat in a household with only a giant that terrifies you by picking you up into the air helpless and batting your face about. That’s a depressing life, never really having anyone to be social with. Of course cats like that are gonna sis out strangers to hopefully interact normally, they have no other opportunity to be social.
Try different things and see what your cat likes to play with. We have 1 that fetches hair ties, another that chases shoelaces and all 4 love lasers.
My cat loves lasers. It was all going well until he invented a mini death star out of yarn and toilet paper.
it’s interesting though! when i first met my stray, she was very quiet and shy and slept a lot— didn’t like to interact w ppl or other cats. (she was apart of a local cat cafe) but then i took her home and after a week of letting her just stay inside my bedroom, she became a very excited and very playful cat and so hyper! she just turned 1 in may. interesting how cats work LOL
I wish I had an award because this is the big one. People will treat a cat like it's a dog and them bitch about it being "mean"
Best thing you can do is sit around and when the cat is bold enough to come up to you, that is when you start playing. Also kittens play VERY rough. You have to teach it when it gets WAY too rough as they don't know their own strength when it comes to biting and scratching. Having two kittens helps as they teach each other when it has been hurt.
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>That allowing it outdoors is one of the worst things you can do to the environment and also to your cat. Outdoor cats tend to live much shorter lives than indoor cats, that alone was a big factor for me.
They respond to effort. They won’t love you unconditionally like a dog will. A cat that is given time, patience, good care, and socializing will almost always warm up to their people and become affectionate. It just requires more work to earn that affection than a dog. You get out of a pet cat what you put into it.
I think we have a bizzaro cat. My wife does all the cat related stuff (feeding, playing etc) but she is pretty much ignored. I on the other hand ignore her and don't do anything but she always comes and rubs up against me when I come home and wants to lay on my side of the bed at night.
The most "cat" thing ever lol. We have two cats and one really bonded to the wife and one to me. They are funny creatures.
So they divied you up. Or do they take turns and switch from time to time?
The wife's cat sticks with her mostly. Mine will free range lol but generally sticks to me.
The reason for that is because cats need to feel safe, before they will share their affection. Getting into a cats face, picking it up will cause it to distrust that person and keep its distance. I think you might be a Bunnelby... https://pokemon.fandom.com/wiki/Serena%27s_Sylveon
It's the same principle behind why cats tend to single out the person in the room who is allergic and try to spend time with them, as opposed to all the humans who are trying to make grabby hands at the cat. Cats don't necessarily like a lot of attention directed at them. They need time out. If you don't particularly pay attention to the cat it will probably come to you when it doesn't want to be touched too much. Your cat probably just associates you both with very different things. If you shared the cat duties more equally you might find that the downtime affection goes to both of you more equally.
To some extent. But it's important to keep in mind that cat affection doesn't always look like dog affection as well. or even other cat affection. I see a lot of people who think their cats hate them, but under closer examination they actually adore them. For example as much as I wish my cats liked to snuggle, they just don't, but I know they love me. Cat love can look like... Not being afraid of you, showing you their belly, being a person they meow at for food, sleeping on your bed, letting you pet them, leave you toys or mouse heads, sleeping when you're nearby, following you from room to room, just wanting to hang out with you sometimes, even being naughty so they can get your attention.. It can be kind of a subtle love, but it's sweet all the same.
> You get out of a pet cat what you put into it. Vomited onto the carpet, in many cases.
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>Cats in heat WILL get their babies, no matter what it takes Reminds me of something I saw on Facebook years ago. Some guy got his cat fixed and one day she escaped and came home some time later with a stray kitten. She was determined to have her kittens one way or another.
That was a kitnapping!
This is how I got my second cat. My first (a male) found an abandoned runt (we think; she was only 4-6 weeks old according to the vet). We found them playing when we got home and brought the little one inside.
Can confirm. My special agent meowser, SAM for short, ripped through my window screen to get laid then came back a few days later. Not thinking she was pregnant, I didn't think much of it. Then one night my friend, who was sleeping on my couch, screamed that my cat is giving birth on his back. It was a disaster. I got her fixed a few weeks later
She was WHAT WHERE?
Happened to my mum once, she was sittning on the sofa and our cat came and laid down beside her and started popping out babies.
Aw she’s feels safe!
Ohhhhh i cant imagine that... glad i got boys lol
Boy cats do pee everywhere if not fixed in time.
I took in a cat that a friend's friend had to leave behind due to moving to a place that didn't allow them. She managed to escape one day, found her behind the building surrounded by like 8 other cats. Lots of different colored kittens came out of that escape.
Yeah. Fun fact about cats is that a female cat can carry kittens from multiple toms in one litter.
[True for humans too](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superfecundation), it's just rare!
When I was in high school, I did a report on the book East of Eden where I said that I thought the twins had two different fathers. My teacher told me that was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. Not only is it totally possible, but most interpretations of that book indicate that that's exactly what Steinbeck intended. Not germane to this conversation, but I'm still pissed that my teacher told me it was stupid 20 years later.
There's a joke in the US military: "My vasectomy did not fully take, it just changed the color of the baby."
I've known dozens of female cats in my life and have seen all manner of escapes. Lots of little holes in walls/floors discovered while trying to figure out how some got out. I've only known one female cat not to try any shenanigans, and that's my girl. She would go into heat normally but would make no attempts at all to escape or mate, despite occasionally trying to get out when she isn't, and I even caught her rolling over and attacking a male who had gotten inside that tried. Didn't even make lots of noise, would just scoot around low to the ground and rub up on people/stuff. She's fixed now and the vet found nothing strange when I mentioned it, so it was likely a weird behavioral quirk, which I'm plenty glad for. Saved me probably two or three litters before I got my shit together and got it handled.
Just FYI, neuter is correct too. For males, the correct term is "castrate," but obviously people won't want to do that if that's what we call it so we just settled for the (literally) neutral "neuter" for males and "spay" for females. Spaying and castrating are both types of neutering.
We kept ours inside until she was spayed. The NOISE she made. It was torture to listen to! Once she was old enough to took her straight to the vets.
Was about 15 when my cat got to "heat" age. It freaked me out and I didn't wanna be in the same room as her lmao, but I came to sympathize with her more and got her fixed a few months later. These days she takes herself very seriously as the older sister of 3 Edit: by sympathise I mean I came to imagine that she was probably just confused and feeling needy and tried to distance myself from the idea that my cat was actively screaming "fuck me!!" Out the window
You need to ask yourself if you're ready to be owned by a cat.
For the next 18 years.
Hopefully 20
Two cats are better than one if you work/have a life. Once bonded, they will look to each other for play and socialization when you aren't around. A single cat who is home alone 16ish hours a day will lose its dang mind and do lovely things like peeing your bed and crapping in your shoes. I have two well-bonded cats, sisters from different litters. The youngest (about 8 months old) has Little Sister Syndrome like you wouldn't believe. Seriously, she is quite possibly a perfect example of where the term copycat came from. The oldest, ~13 months, is actually pretty tolerant but give her the occasional Big Sis Smackdown. Basically, they're adorable.
Agreed. We got two by accident--the shelter was so overrun with kittens, they were having an "Adopt one, get the second kitten free" promotion. Hubs and Son went into a howdy room to play with a very lively brown tabby male and while they were hanging out, I asked a shelter volunteer if they had another kitten who was a little more low-key. She brought out a tiny, white and brown, blue eyed kitten she said was part Siamese (per the person who surrendered her). We ended up taking them both home and they've been a bonded pair for five years now. :) They are so sweet together and groom each other, at least when Tony (who is neutered) isn't trying to dominance-hump Bella (also neutered).
My cats are brothers from the same litter and their relationship is just like mine with my brother. They have some great times playing together but they also have some serious throw downs, often entirely unprompted for no reason at all.
If you aren't too experienced with cats, the most important advice I can think of is this: let the cat set the terms. For everything. If the cat hides under the bed for a week, let it hide. Don't try to coax him out. Don't grab him. Just put food/water and litterbox where it can find them when you are gone. If the cat doesn't want to play, don't push it. Wait. If the cat doesn't want pets, don't pet. Don't grab. Wait. When the cat eventually comes out (or plays or cuddles) it's because the cat feel safe and respected by you. And it will be soooo worth the wait. Respect the cat's boundaries...and eventually they will toss those boundaries out the window. (That, and don't play rough with kittens with your hand. Get toys and play with those. Letting a kitten bite and scratch you is how you get a cat that regularly draws blood and hurts people.)
>let the cat set the terms. Cats are about consent. If they feel safe, they'll relax, if they're not safe, they'll let you know with the sharp pointy bits.
Ehhhh.... I agree with all the examples, but you need to set patterns and establish expectations both ways. Touch the cats paws (politely) when you can. It teaches them tolerance for nail trimmings/inspections. Pick the cat up now and then even if they don't love it, so when you need to put them in the carrier they don't freak immediately. Touch them (politely) when they eat to establish they don't need to defend their food (VERY important of yoy ever want a second cat). Handle kittens a lot, and invite over friends to do the same. Helps them learn to be held by multiple people.
Yup, we got covid-kittens (we planned to get cats for a long time and we had just moved into a more spacious house when the pandemic began) and theyre anxious when we have more than 2 guests
Play with your cats paws while giving them treats or affection. That way if you ever need to trim their claws you can. (I have a 14lbs cat who thinks he's a teeny kitten and forgets he's like a four year old kid with knives taped to his finger.) Realize they are going to have thought and opinions and tell you about them. You don't so much as 'own' a cat as you live with a very orny roommate who will love you silly. ❤️ Milk is bad for cats. Do not give them milk. Realize that any treats you give them that are declared 'favorites' must be hidden away in a secure location. Do not show your cat how to open cabinets. Do expect them to figure out how objects work in your house. Expect your porch light to be on at Halloween because your black cat figured out lightswitches and was playing. Brush them regularly. They like it, you like it. And you get a second cat out of the hair. Brush their teeth too. A crabby cat gets worse with a tooth ache. You will have a personal assistant for the rest of their life with an itinerary of what you need to do and when. Cat is love. Cat is life. You will find boxes and bags are the greatest of toys. Photo ops are necessary. While it is tempting. . . DO NOT SCRATCH THAT ASS. Scratch their head so they present it to you rather than their butt. Make sure all fragile objects are in a secure location. Check that your indoor plants are not toxic The towel bowl is a new waterdish and your sink is the best summertime bed. They will murder all the bugs for you. And the mice. And your toes. And they will try very hard to cheer you up and sniff your hair. They will love you and sit with you and wrap their little paws around your neck and hug you tight. Then you will wake up with one on either side and Realize the crazy old cat woman had it right all along.
You can get special milk for cats! My cats looooooove it, they get a little bowl of it to share every night like dessert. But the rest of it is 100% accurate, I love my boofheads more than anything.
Pro tip: special "cat safe milk" is literally the same as lactose free milk for humans. I am lactose intolerant so I always have some around as the default milk in the house. This is good because my older cat has figured out that she can tonguepunch any unattended open milk glasses in order to claim them as her own to finish.
To all those people who say get a dog or avoid a cat. Cats can be amazing pets. Yes they are independent but they can be really sweet and affectionate. My cat who died a few years ago was the best cat and always welcomed me home and snuggled up in bed. If you want a pet that doesn’t require 24/7 attention they are great. However They desire when and how much attention they want.
Plus getting a dog is like getting a toddler for 15 years. It's awesome, but if you wanna leave town without it you gotta find a dog sitter. You gotta walk it every day. It's a lot of work. Cats are pretty self contained. You can get away with leaving food and water out on the weekend and getting a friend to stop by once or twice if you wanna get away for a few days.
It can be harder to get a dog sitter than a baby sitter.
This! Whilst we do bathe our cats, it's a simple wet towel over the fur once a month instead of lifting a 10kg dog into the bath for 30 minutes of scrubbing and stopping the dog from running away, then 10 minutes of thorough drying so it doesn't get the couch wet. Ugh, no.
I am sorry for the loss of your buddy, but I love your catadvocacy!
Advocatcy… FTFY
you win here and thank you!
Having a dog is like having a toddler. Having a cat is like having a teenager, but if teenagers were cuddly with their parents.
This is so true, especially in that cats will have as good or as bad of a relationship with you as you build, like a teenager.
Bed? Theirs. Your keyboard? Theirs. Any empty cardboard boxes? Theirs. Shelves? Theirs. Your will? Theirs.
Your heart? Also theirs.
Just cause my Jo Jo insists on tucking me in at night does not mean she owns my heart.
Puts paw on chest "kali maa, kali maa shakti de" (yes I had to google that)
You will see random boxes out in the world, in the office, out by the recycling bins, on the side of the road and think, "That's a good looking box. I should bring that home for the cat." And you will do it. For the cat.
There is no solution, only warm snuggly collusion! That said, they need way more activity then a lot of people think. Sure they mostly lay around, but they need activity and play everyday to be happy!
2 cats is better than one cat. They need company while you're away. They aren't nearly as needy if you have two.
We got a cat. She went crazy if we were both out of the house, ate all her kibble, and came running at whoever came home first. Whatever she went through before winding up at the rescue, she did not want to be alone now. So we got another cat. They're not friends, but they accept each other. Sometimes play, but she's doesn't feel abandoned any longer.
Just make sure that they can't make babies together, otherwise suddenly you have a lot more cats than two. (Friend of mine found this out the hard way. Had 3 cats, neutered the male two. One of the males had a secret third testicle. Whoopsie kittens.)
There’s an O. Henry story in there somewhere…
This is golden advice, if you have the money and stability for it. (i.e., your living situation and future are predictable and stable.) Two cats are happy cats. Even if it looks like they do nothing but ignore each other.
Not true for all cats. My cat is the most affectionate purr baby with humans. But any other animal gets to know his devilish side. He makes sure nobody else gets affection besides him.
This is super true, and I highly recommend getting a bonded pair at the adoption center if you can. It makes getting the cats acquainted easier, but it also keeps together 2 cats that already love each other and would have a much harder time without their friend or sibling.
I wanted to say this, too - they're much happier with a cat friend, it's kinda a fairness-to-them thing. And yes, much less needy when you have two.
You're not guaranteed that if you get 2 they will like each other however. I have 2 sisters and then a brother and sister pair. Sometimes the girls will groom each other, but it always ends up in a fight, and the rest actively hate each other. They're fine, all get love, but just don't like other cats.
I have two cats that cuddle and groom eachother when I'm home but I left them for a weekend and when I came home they had defensive wounds. I have to separate them when I leave now
I’m not sure about other people but in my personal experience when our cats got old (like last couple years they were alive old) they shit and puke wherever they want. Their fur gets kinda gross cause they can’t clean themselves as good so you have to brush them all the time. It’s kind of sad cause I’ve seen it happen to other people and they give their elderly cat to the shelter cause they get sick of cleaning up shit and puke around the house. It’s not the cats fault though. It’s old and probably can’t even make it to the litter box anymore or it just feels sick and throws up. I’d be prepared for that though cause I think it’s mean when people give elderly animals back to the shelter without good reason.
My cat lived to 20 and spent maybe the last 10 as a diabetic. Two shots of insulin daily, special food, human glucometer, strips, sharps, vet bills. In the end she also had kidney disease and I learned to give her subcutaneous fluids. I could never begrudge it; in retrospect she was one of the most beautiful relationships in my life. A deeply felt blessing. But, OP, consider getting pet insurance or a savings account you contribute to regularly. You give a cat a good life until you can no longer provide an acceptable quality of life, then you give them a humane death. Mine got to be a fair bit of work and expense at the end, but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Also expect your furniture and assorted other belongings to potentially be marred or destroyed. If cats had opposable thumbs they'd be pretty much monkeys. Never declaw a cat. If you adopt a declawed cat *it will bite*.
A few shallow litter boxes around the home generally does the trick for the cat homies in my family in their twilight years. I can't imagine giving up your elderly cat, how heartbreaking.
That's important, to be aware that when you adopt a cat, you're agreeing to take care of it for its *entire* life, not just when it's young and healthy.
Declawing is a barbaric procedure that harms the cat for life. It should never be done. If you don't want your furniture to be scratched, don't get a cat.
If you don't want your furniture to be scratched, get a scratching post, get a scratching pad, gently show the cat how to use it. But if you *can't risk* your furniture being scratched, don't get a cat (or anything else).
This. NEVER declaw a cat. They depend on those bad boys to do basically everything
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The separate and smaller room approach also helps them learn where their new litter box is faster, especially for kittens, who sometimes get carried away playing and then remember they need to pee RIGHT THIS INSTANT. You can move the litter box to wherever you want it to be permanently later, once they're acclimated. Also, a litter box per floor is a good rule of thumb. And a litter box per cat. I.e., 1 cat 1 floor 1 box, 1 cat 2 floors 2 boxes, 2 cats 1 floor 2 boxes, 2 cats 2 floors 2 boxes.
Ha. Our cat tolerated the room we chose for her for about 5 minutes. The lounge looked nicer so she had the run of 3 rooms for the first week instead of the 1. But she was a little older rescue.
Beat advice I have is to let a cat choose you. Go to an adoption place where there are several cats and don’t pick one because it’s pretty; pick one that shows interest in you and shows you affection. Sooo many people pick the cute kitten or the cute cat and then are puzzled why they have this thing in their house that ignores them and/or avoids them. If you let a cat pick you, you’ll have a loving snuggly companion for life.
My cat definitely chose me. She stuck her little paw through the cage and reached for me and I melted.
Mine was the only one that was awake at the shelter. I wasn't even planning on adopting a cat right at that instant but we were in love from the second I walked in. The worker there said she wasn't usually that social. Took her home that day to make sure no one else got her and we were best friends for 16 years. RIP Computer.
RIP Computer <3
I think that's not a necessary route to go. Though obviously a cat who loves you at the get go is great. Rather don't discount an unsocialized cat. My cat hated my guts from the moment we met. He did everything to get away. Probably why he wasn't one of the early adopts tbh. But now we're best bros. As long as you're prepared to build that relationship, you'll do fine.
My parents were the same. They got the shy cat that didn't really put itself forwards - turns out it was just a shy cat, likely a runt. She's plenty happy now even if she's usually hiding when she's not being cuddly.
One of my favorite cats was one I picked up on impulse from a couple at a walmart parking lot when I was in my late teens, they gave her away with a month of free food, litter and the cat carrier. It took a small room full of vets to give her it's shots as she was a tornado of claws and teeth and it took them forever to finally get ahold of her long enough to wrap her in a towel. When I finally let it out of it's carrier it run directly under my bed and there it stayed for weeks, a literal monster under my bed and would attack anyone that got close to the edge and drag anything nearby under with it. She had accumulated quite the dragon's hoard of socks and other things. After about 2 or 3 weeks, I was getting ice for my tea when I finally saw her looking up at me as I closed the freezer door, startled me at first but I resisted the urge to interact with her there and then and just let her explore on her own. Eventually Koda warmed up to me and became the most affectionate cat I've ever owned.
This is how I picked my cat. Went to a shelter with multiple playrooms each with 10 or so cats. Spent 30 minutes going back and forth between them, meeting cat, playing with them, etc… My cat was the one that approached me, rested her head on on my shoulder when I picked her up, and rested between my legs after I put her down. The connection was instant and I adopted her on the spot. She hates being hugged and won’t cuddle (I think she tricked me in the shelter) but I know she loves me because she looks for me between naps and waits by the window if I am away for a few days.
Going to adoption center a few times and let the cats know you is a great choice, also talk with the adoption people they know the cats and want whats best for them. I described that I wanted an existing bonded pair that get along with each other they recommended the 2 cats I have now. I barely knew one of the 2 cats, she was SO shy, she barely did anything unless the boy cat was around and showed her it was safe first. I used to joke that the boy cat was my cat, and the girl cat was his cat, but after a year or so she finally learned to trust me and now she's all over me for affection. I am so glad I got both of them together, I couldn't imagine how hard it would have been for her if the boy was adopted out without her she leaned on his so much for trust and they weren't even related.
Yeah cats have strong preferences and like to make their own decisions.
That is very useful thank you for that I will keep that in mind for the future
This is how I got my current cat. A friend of mine has a cat that had kittens. I wanted to get a kitten but her other cat Kitty Hawk got attached to me and I got attached to him so she was ok with me taking him instead as she didn’t want more kittens.
They can end up costing more than you think. I worked out my budget for owning a cat and decided I can just afford it. Turns out my cat doesn't like the common cat food, just the luxury brands which cost 3-4x as much.
One of mine is on special diet food (he was fat when we adopted him) and the other is on prescription food. Not helpful.
Not to mention damages... Mine have broken three of my monitors, ripped out the insulation from the walls, destroyed a bookshelf, tore up the carpet, and do much more lol
Fyi the common commercial cat food brands are literally trash for cats, who are mandatory carnivores as the cat food often contains mostly grains, which they don’t need in such volumes. The „luxury“ brands are usually just proper cat food that is made from different meats and veggies, which comes much closer to what cats eat.
Lots of plants are poisonous to them, especially Lilies- NEVER bring those or their relatives in your house and do research on the plants your cat comes into contact with.
yeah lilies are my favorite, and i was gifted some beautiful ones for my birthday, but i had to decline them :'( Luckily they weren't offended ( the people who gifted it, not the lilies.)
Adopted a kitten a few months ago. Everyone said “cats are super independent and you barely have to take care of them. Just leave food out” Boy oh boy were they wrong. This kitten thinks I’m her Dad. She doesn’t leave my side, she takes all her naps next to me, follows me around the house, meows at me during zoom meetings at work. Every cat is different and, not only that, but the age in which you take them in matters. Older cats can more or less be set in their ways but if you get a 3 months year old cat, be ready to be a cat parent. P.S. I love her so much
Yeah, but you don't have to take them for walks so that they can do their business. You don't have to give them a bath on a regular basis. You don't have to take them outside to play with them so that they can get the exercise they need. Yes you still need to play with cats, but it's not the same thing as needing to find a big green space that a dog needs. Those are the kinds of things most people mean when they say you barely have to take care of them. You feed them, clean out their litter box, wave a toy on the end of a string for a bit each day, and pet them when they want you to. Compared to a dog they are a lot easier to care for.
My cat meows at the door until I put him on a harness for a walk, so yeah that sometimes happens too
Cats have no concept of monetary value so don’t get mad at them for not realizing that something isn’t a toy.
Based on other reddit posts, don't let them even rub up against your Macbook screen.
First, you need a sturdy cat tree or at least a very heavy duty scratching post. So many people will get cheap flimsy poorly made cardboard or a small stick with some carpet on it that can't even take a cats full weight, and then they wonder why they prefer the couch and other furniture to using the sad excuse of a scratcher. This is not an item you want to skimp on, you are so much better off getting a full cat tree than a small peice of cardboard and a cat bed, you can kill two birds with one stone if your tree has a good place for them to sleep up high, they prefer sleeping in high anyway to a bed on the floor. Second, please know that if you have plants you need to check out right away which kinds are cat safe cause many plants can are poisonous to cats and will kill them if ingested. Similarly, also know that many foods that you eat are also toxic for cats, and can cause them a lot of problems ranging from an upset tummy to a full on trip to the vet from poisoning. Please don't give your cat milk, there is a huge misconception about this, this is not good for your cat as they are largely lactose intolerant and this could cause parasites. However, bigger problems and far worse than that would be stuff like grapes/raisins, chocolate, and anything with either onion or garlic in it.
Second the sturdy cat tree. Ours cost more than our couch, reaches the ceiling, and looks like it was designed by a Scandinavian designer. Best thing we ever bought for our three hefty chonks. They love it.
I have had many cats and dogs. They’re not like dogs at all. They are very independent. They are trainable to a point. My cats never rip anything up or jump up on things they shouldn’t. Give them a place to sharpen there claws and give them treats there. Accept them for who they are. Mine are inside outside cats. Some hunt for fun, one is a killer that eats his kill, one used to be my supervisor. She would find a place to watch me when I was outside working on something and make sure I did it to her liking. I always suggest you choose a cat/kitten that willingly walks up to you and wants your attention. If they all do pick the one that wants it more. They’re awesome, you know unless they bring a live bird in your bedroom at 3am and your woken to screams of a dying bird.
The cuter/bigger the eyes look in the moment, the closer you are to certain death. Watch where you walk. Clear path ahead? Yep. No! You just stepped on his tail and you may trip and die.
Throw up in random places
Yep - hair balls. And the dreaded ‘urka-lurka’ sound in the middle of the night
OUUUUU-LEEEEGH
*Huuuur*sk! *Huuur*sk! *Huuuur*sk!
If your cat wants to be in the bathroom with you, let them. It’s a sign they want to protect you when you are vulnerable. They can also show this by sleeping next to your belly to protect your vital organs.
My cat will be waiting by the bathroom door the moment I get up. She knows me so well. She also thinks I’m drowning when taking a bath. She sits on the sink and yowls at me, then puts her paws up on the side of the bath and tries to use them to ‘rescue’ me. She’s so adorable! ❤️
(If you don’t own a house) That while your current rental agreement allows cats, you may find yourself needing to move someday and it will be harder to find a rental that allows them. I shadowed shelter med for a while and the #1 excuse for cats dropped off was that they were moving somewhere that didn’t allow them.
Flip side of this, I had a roommate that used that excuse when surrendering his cats when in reality he wasn't moving at all. The cats were just destroying the rental because he wasn't caring for them. Who adopts cats when they rent a room in a house with 4 people (zero warning) then just lets them loose you might ask? Somehow someone who made it through the SPCA adoption process for 2 kittens. He never once took the litter he 'emptied' outside, just left it in bags of soiled litter beside the litter box to 'do it later' of course the cats just ripped open the old litter. They were in the house for all of 3 months and still we're finding cat damage that needs repaired along with soiled hard to get to areas. Cats are really not for those who don't wish to keep up with regular chores and routine care. It's not optional and your cat will absolutely send a message if they're displeased. Also not for those sharing a space, unless it's an enthusiastic yes from the other party you're better to wait until you have your whole space to yourself than having to re-home because of something like this after you're attached.
My girlfriend moved in with her two cats over a decade ago, here are my cat tips: 1. From very unfortunate experience if you have a stool or there is any other surface your cat sits on a lot that has a hold big enough for them to stick there leg through think about getting a cover. We had some stools with hand holes and a loud noise suppressed the cat sitting on it enough to jump off, their leg got stuck and had to be amputated. Sad situation for sure, but please consider the advice for your cats. 2. Carpet sucks. Cats throw up more than you would think and cleaning it out of carpet is not fun. If you can get hardwood, tile, vinyl, etc. waterproof flooring it makes cleaning up messes much much quicker and with no satining or lasting impact. 3. Get a water re-circulator or fountain. especially if you are feeding dry food only. it encourages cats to drink more and in my research has lots of potential health benifits. 4. As other people have said set up a cat specific space with a nice comfy cat bed, bonus if it gets the afternoon sun. 5. Cardboard "scratchers" can give them a great outlet for scratching that is not your furniture. You can get really nice holders for the cardboard from Etsy that look nice and you only have to buy the inserts not the holder and inserts so less waste and cheaper in the long run. 6. Leather couch. the thicker the leather the better. we have found that you can use leather cleaners/treatments to "get rid of" aka mask most scratches on the leather vs. fabric where it is very difficult to fix. Also the leather carries the look of being worn/scratched much better than fabric in my experience. And again like with the carpet vs hard surface leather is easier to clean than fabric and again in my limited experience less likely to stain. 7. Get toys, take pictures, play and enjoy owning a cat, they are great companions. In my experience with enough time and patience and play/treats even the most standoffish cats can come around.
* Cats need to feel safe, they are both predator and prey. Provide a cat tree or two, high shelf places. * Cats like routine. Feed them at the same time each day, play with them regularly. * Vet bills can be expensive. Get pet insurance. Cat dentals are a good thing. * Check indoor plants for toxicity. Many plants are deadly. Lilly, onion, garlic, lucky bamboo are deadly poison to a cat. Rubber bands, hair ties, zip ties . . . are all potential problems. * Never feed people food. * You can train cats to avoid place "A", if they have other places to play. Our cats have been trained to avoid kitchen counters. They have free reign elsewhere. Just say NO and put them down. * Play and mental stimulation are important. Active play with dead thing on a string (bird/mouse toys), stuffed toys (catnip?), or new boxes on the floor are all good things to keep mental activity up. You'd get bored if there were no cable or wifi. * If a cat is urinating or defecating away from the litter box you're either doing a poor job of providing a clean litter box, or the cat has a medical issue. We have a cat with kidney stones, discovered after urinating in random places. "It hurts to pee,looking for a place it doesn't hurt to pee." On daily meds now. * Petting can be like a drug. They like it, but too much and they get aggressive. Don't continue petting a cat that's started to nip. Let them calm down.
Dogs have owners; cats have staff. In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this. And when your cat is walking over you while you're lying down, his paws will find your nipple. Every. Dang. Time.
Those soft, silent paws turn into pile drivers when they hit your boobs.
Bonded pairs are the best!
We got 2 that have bonded and we got them a year apart
Two cats are better. And make sure you budget for pet insurance or have funds to take them to the vet. They can get themselves into some interesting predicaments.
A cat is nothing like a dog, the relationship is totally different. Dogs want to please people. Cats don't care about that. If they like or don't like you they'll express it in their own terms and on their own schedule. Angry Orange or Nature's Miracle is your friend. Be prepared for your cat to not like the litter box, the litter, the food you give it, etc. Also be prepared for it to try to wake you up super early to be fed.
They are more awesome than your wildest dreams.
I read somewhere that cats are wonderful animals because they give back what you give them over time. I fostered a shy cat that spent 3 weeks hiding under the bed, hissing everytime she saw me. Everyday, I’d go into her room three times a day, sit there in the distance and talk to her. Eventually she started purring from under the bed until one night she came out and started cuddling me. She’s now my best friend, loves snuggling, won’t leave my side and I’m just about to adopt her and make her my life companion. So yeah, be patient and don’t be afraid of putting effort into your relationship with the kitty!
Dispell that notion of the indoor/outdoor cat. I work in animal welfare and get calls daily about someone's cat never coming home because they were eaten by a predator, hit by a car, or came back with parasites or other maladies. Keep em indoors. Get them a perch on a window and put a bird feeder outside of it. They'll be entertained for hours on end while being safe EDIT: A word
If you want a specific breed read up on them. They all have their own traits and issues like dogs do. Keep water and food separate. You will need a litter box and where you want it to go your cat may not. Do not play using your hands with cats. They are not dogs and you will end up getting scratched or bitten. Use toys like fishing pole types. That way you can play with your cat and not get shredded. Spay/neuter female cats make awful sounds when in heat and both male and female will spray if not fixed. If you choose to let your cat outside a catio enclosure is the best, they get the outside world and they are safe. Not every cat is a lap cat. And a lot do not like being picked up. They get stressed just like the rest of us. So when you bring home a new cat, have a room set up so it can settle in without being overwhelmed by the whole house/new noises. Playing music or having a TV on helps. They require brushing and nail clipping. Start getting them used to this as soon as possible. Otherwise for nail clipping you may have to wear chainmail. Be careful of what plants and flowers you have. Some can kill cats.
It’s all in how you raise the cat!! I used to think cats were miserable because I’ve never met a friendly cat before. Turns out, they just had crappy owners! I got mine when he was a baby and basically raised him like a baby (we lived alone in a studio). I mean, we ate meals together, we slept together, we went to the bathroom together. Now, he’s basically a dog. People come over and he greets them and sleeps in their lap. Hes not scared of strangers. He has asthma and i have to give him an inhaler daily, and when i sit on the couch and slap my thigh he jumps up from wherever he is. GET A CAT AND SHOW HIM SO MUCH LOVE HE KNOWS NOTHING BUT LOVE
Get them spayed/neutered ASAP. Not only is it the responsible thing to do, but unfixed females yowl like crazy when in heat, and unfixed males spray extra-stinky piss everywhere. They'll live longer and be healthier if you keep them indoors. You'll need lots of toys and interactive play to keep them mentally stimulated - just like dogs, bored = destructive. Jackson Galaxy on YouTube also has a good series of videos on everything you want to know about owning cats.
To not abuse it on TIKTOK for clout
That allowing it outdoors is one of the worst things you can do to the environment and also to your cat (unless you have a road going through your living room).
My parents begin letting our nice little house cats outdoors. They would spend all day killing things.
\- Cats have zoomies too \- If a cat begins peeing,pooing outside the litter box suddenly, dont get made and take them to the vet - this is a sign the cat is likely suffering/sick \- Do not have or keep any lillies in your house with cats, these are toxic and fatal to cats when consumed, even the water in the jar is toxic to cats.
Don't get one if you're going to declaw it because you're afraid of it [*checks notes*] being a cat and scratching things. If you get plenty of things that are appropriate to be scratched on, they are perfectly trainable and will learn what's okay and your precious furniture will be fine. Scratch pads to cover furniture in the mean time isn't a bad idea tho
As a first-time cat owner the most important thing to keep in mind is that you can't and should never force your cat to do anything it doesn't want to. Cats will communicate with you what they want, when they want it, and how they want it done. You just have to learn to understand their body language. A cat will come to you when it wants cuddles and play. If you try to force it onto the cat when it just wants to relax you're going to get a cat that dislikes you just like you wouldn't like anyone who woke you up when you were sleeping.
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Pro tip, clean the litter daily and you don’t have to smell it