Against my better judgement I have been persuaded to get a cat in the new year for my two boys. Having had and enjoyed pets in my own childhood it seems a reasonable thing to do. I am trying to work out the different considerations I need to think about and, given "cat" is too short to search previous threads, please forgive me if the following questions have been asked before:
1) A cat or a kitten - I am concerned a kitten will cause initial chaos, however I also understand that there are benefits of having a cat grow up in the same household from a kitten. Any thoughts on this?
2) Where to get one from - I am thinking the cats protection league as a first port of call, where else should I be thinking?
3) Insurance - What should I expect to pay and are there any considerations I need to think about when looking at insurance plans?
4) Holiday care - This is a big factor for us because we do tend to travel a few times each year. One of the influencing factors for getting a cat was the availability of services that come to the house a couple of times each day to sort out the cat. What is the going rate for this kind of service?
5) Other considerations and costs - Anything I should be thinking of that I have not mentioned?
Many thanks in advance of advice offered.
I'd recommend a male Oriental Spotted Shorthair. My own preference is the red. In any case, don't deviate from the male cat. So much more friendly & loving than the she cats in my experience & we've had about 9 cats over the years. Currently have a dog but realise that I'd much prefer a cat :-(
Mrs T & I have had cats pretty much all the time we have been together so a bit of background before answering your Q's
Our 1st one was 'adopted' at 18 months old from cat rescue home, she was with us 17 years...my baby, a perfect loving cat
2nd we took on after he was abandoned by a neighbour as he wasn't sociable with their kids, a pedigree Silver Tabby 2 years old, a little feisty at times we believe this was down to his previous care, unfortunately disappeared one night 2 years ago.
Current one, we got him from rescue center at 10 weeks old, Mrs T is smitten and he loves it here,
so
- (see no. 2) but kitten would be my preference, a bit of time and effort will be worth it
- I'd go rescue center without a doubt and see which has an instant appeal to yourselves/your boys, sure you will have a local center not too far away, which will no doubt have adults & kittens aplenty
- We've never had insurance, always had a vaccination for life scheme. Our Cat no. 1 eventually had medical issues and we paid a a fair bit for medication and operations in her later years but nothing for the first dozen or so..(a gamble?)
- We use a cattery for our cat (always have) takes away the issue of strangers coming to your house. Our cats have never been stressed by this and are always there on return!
Our current cattery is only 2 miles away and we use for either a long weekend or 10 days approx every 6 weeks, we pay £9 per night (cheaper available)- Costs, obviously food, vaccinations, flea & worm treatments, if going for a kitten maybe purchase a large crate for them to sleep in initially
looking at the 'show you cats' thread there are plenty more cat lovers around here who I'm sure will also have advice
If you want an indoor only cat that is great with kids, then go for a Birman:
see several breeders and remember thecbreeder vets you too!
Excellent choice of pet.
In respect to holidays - if a couple of days ask a neighbour ( this assumes your cat does not use a litter tray). A couple of feeds a day isn't much to ask. For longer holidays use a cattery - about £10/day
insurance - recommended.
other costs - neutering, chipping, etc can be avoided if you re home a cat from a rescue centre.
Our Freddie cost about £80/month, partly because SWMBO buys high meat/protein cat foods, but worth every penny.
Currently he is on the sofa, taking a nap, following a lengthy spell of heavily sleeping most of the afternoon. Pacing himself for a Saturday night on the tiles, which will start in about 2 hours. Mice beware.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Exactly the same position I was in a few months ago! My boys nagged for a kitten and the wife was asking the cats protection league for ages but surprisingly to me there were lots of adult cats but no kittens, we ended up buying a kitten, lovely little thing it is too, crazy playful and no feet are safe from getting pounced on! She came to us at 8 weeks and was litter box trained from the breeder so no worries there. Not got into the insurance thing yet. I was sceptical to begin with never having had a cat before but she’s won me over and is great for fun, the boys have been great with her and it gives them a bit of responsibility with feeding etc.
Cheers..
Jase
1. Kitten is a lot of fun especially for younger people.
2. Cats protection, or RSPCA. Or just buy Iv had some nice cats from both. Just bought a kitten, one from a family member, British blue short hair £500 more fun than any watch imo
3. Insurance some bother some don't, I do, from animal friends, £11 per cat per month up to £4000 vet bill. Lifetime cover. Have a look on compare could be cheaper?
4. We have a cat sitter for holidays! She charges £10 a visit. We have 2 visits a day. She feeds and plays with them, opens curtains etc has a cuppa. Comes back later for the same.
5. We have a preventative healthcare plan at the vet, £11 per month each which covers vaccinations, check up and a jab for fleas every 6 months plus broadline for worms every three months. As we do this we get a good discount on food from there so a sack of dry food which is same as Hills which would cost about £60 costs £27. They also give up to a year to pay off bills with this if you don't have insurance.
6. I have had cats and done non of the above just give them food and water with no problems, but had a couple hit with cars and ended up with having a £1000 vet bill twice for a damaged leg removed, so now always do the above.
Im mad about them and like to look after them
Last edited by Karl; 25th November 2017 at 21:36.
Get two cats.
Company for each other.
If you lose one, you've still got one.
1.Go to cat rescue place in first instance
2.Deffo get insurance
3.Mx5
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Get 2 mx5's just in case
5) Other considerations
Will your neighbours mind them shi**ing all over their gardens, be told "well that's what cats do, they are free spirits, you can't stop them" , and therefore want to kill them?
F.T.F.A.
Originally Posted by jwillans
The Sheffield Cats Shelter always has cats looking for new homes.
Simple, indoor cat? Kids?
Choose a Birman:
Not cheap, but wonderful!
Not as innocent as as he looks :-)
Our cats have always come from Cats Protection but the last one didn’t settle and had to go back so we’re probably blacklisted now. We were made to feel like dirt when we took him back because he was so nervous that he’d not moved from under the shed for weeks and we’d decided it was no life for him. They can be a funny lot and sometimes insist on home visits first, sometimes resulting in being refused a cat for little or no reason. Friends were refused by them with no reason given. It took numerous phone calls before they were eventually told that the reason was because they lived half a mile away from a reasonably busy road. Also, take everything your told about the cats with a pinch of salt. We had a supposed mother and kitten from them only to be told by our vet that they certainly weren’t mother and kitten as they could tell from the scar that the mother had the op long before the kitten was born. From reading around it seems that it is quite common for them to lie in order to get you to take an older cat as well if you want a kitten.
Buy your neighbours a cat as well.
FYI they do not "shi* all over the place. In fact the majority like to a dig hole in a flower bed and bury it. So unlike dogs, foxes, hedgehogs, pigeons, crows, starlings, bats, etc.
Actually I find them very clean animals.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Indoor cat? Get a Ragdoll, we’ve had two. Monty passed away aged 14 years and we still have Arthur who is now 16.5! As kittens they are great, you can throw a sweet wrapper and they’ll bring it back like a dog, the rest of the time they just sit on your lap purring.
Cost? I supppose we’ve been very lucky, never insured them, and never had injections as they both lived indoors (All though they do go out sometimes) we had maybe two vet bills first £700 and second last week £150. We had a couple of flea problems so now do the drops thing but that’s it.
Down side - every suit I have has cat fur on it.
But when he goes he is going to leave a big hole in the family.
I was in exactly the same position earlier this year. I've always had pets growing up so with our two being 6 and 10 it seemed the right time.
We went with Cat Protection League and ended up with a 6-month-old black and white female, chipped and all injections taken care of. We'll take her to a vet every year for a check up but otherwise she looks after herself. I pay £8 a month lifetime insurance.
She's a bit stumpy (short legs) and a bit lazy, but she's friendly and likes to sit on the boy's bed when he's reading. She is, however, totally freaked out by our 6-year-old daughter, but then our daughter can be a bit 'lively'.
She only eats dry food. We've tried wet food but she nibbles, disappears, then the food needs binning. With the dry food she picks at it throughtout the day, and drinks a fair amount of water so we top that up regularly.
We went away for two weeks in the summer but luckily had a friend who looked after her. We've also been away for a weekend and left her in the house with 3 litter trays, lots of water bowls and a couple of food bowls. She was absoutely fine and no mess. I wouldn't leave her for more than 3 nights though.
She goes out a lot but doesn't seem to venture far and the most exciting thing she's brought back has been a caterpillar. She likes chasing moths and spiders though.
All in all we're very happy as a family to have her. She makes us laugh and is a sweet little thing
Get an indoor pedigree cat. We have a British Shorthair and he is a perfect house cat. I never used to be a cat person having grown up with dogs, but now I'd have a British Shorthair (maybe an Exotic) over a dog any day. Fantastic company and companionship.
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Agreed. They keep each other company when you're out, and they're fun.
I had one two-year-old rescue cat and she and I agreed to share the house, an amicable arrangement. I replaced her with two kittens. Moggies from a box at the garden centre. They were entirely loyal to me. Where I went, they went.
It seems to me the younger the cat the more affectionate they are.
Wow - many thanks for such an extensive and detailed response everyone. I'm going to try and process all of this - most of all I appreciate the enthusiasm many of you have expressed which reassures me we are doing the right thing.
Do you know if they are allergic or not?
If they haven't had close contact with cats before I would recommend that they spend time in an enclosed environment with a cat or two.
Our neighbour has three children and recently bought two cats, they had all spent time over many years in our house with our cat with no problem. One of the children was extremely allergic to the cats once he was around them day and night. Cats had to go.
Pretty much all been said.
Kittens ideally, then you can "train" them. Yes you can.
Insurance, absolutely yes unless a bill of £10k is a drop in the ocean or you're a heartless git who can say no, I'll just get another. Some can, not me I'm afraid and yes I've spent thousands, or rather the insurance co has. Apart from the one occasion we maxed out the policy...
Rescued cats all the way here. £40 each plus a donation.
2 is quite a good idea if it's possible.
Good luck
Absolutely true. Best get two from the same litter and while they are still young, simply bastard shorthairs as they are less inbred than 'pure' races - and of course preferably rescued. That way they will really get attached to you, and be mentally healthier as they have each other too, to be cats with and not some kind of convoluted small humans. Note that males may get into some dominance wrestling, that tends to happen less with females; and of course males, even castrated ones, tend to venture further from home base than the girls so they run greater risk of getting hit by cars etc.
I can't say if males are sweeter towards humans than females; we have 6 cats at the moment, four are females, two males and they just all have their individual personalities, preferences and ways of befriending us (and each other, or not).
Just remember, and impress that on your kids, that a cat is not a toy, some animated furry doll. Treat it like a toy and you'll get some nasty scratches at some point. Respect it and the cat will respect you and accept a lot from you.
Cost? Oh, for the price of an iPhone you can easily feed and care for a cat for a year or longer... ;-)
Just a few random-ish thoughts:
When people say "indoor" cat, does that mean the cats never go outside? Beware of free-thinking cats that shit outside the box. In fact, do your best to avoid litter trays.
Is a rescue cat the best choice for a first timer? I have had similar experiences to the poster above with my local cat rescue place.
A bitzer might be a better choice than a pedigree, long term health wise?
Unless you are happy to have a disposable cat, or have unlimited disposable income, get insurance.
There is a very high likelihood your furniture will get shredded (and also your hands if you get a kitten).
Get a kitten,.or you will miss some of the best and funniest moments of the cat's life, before it discovers that laziness is the way forward at about 18 months. You have never lived until you've had a kitten climb up your leg.
Don't teach a kitten to play rough. It's fun until you realize they will carry on playing rough into adulthood.
Cats are great.
We had two kittens years ago and they tore around the place chasing each other then slept and repeat.
This was before we had kids, kids were easier. As they got older one the girl cat became the dominant one over the boy, ate all his food, although he was soft as a bun and she was very loving but a pain in the bum. Sadly she passed away at 8 years old, we all missed her as she was a real character and a real people cat. Just before she died, a neighbor we suspect knocked the boy cat over, he had a cast on his leg. It was impossible to ever keep him inside as he wanted to be out side all the time, some times going missing for a day and occasionally two. But after the incident he disappeared for 4 months over the summer, the other cat died while he was away. We were all deverstated but I had a feeling he might return. We lived near the motorway and there was a tunnel for a stream under it.
He was spotted a couple of months later by a friend he thought on the other side of the motorway. I had a workshop over there and I saw him a month later, kids and I went over called for him but he just ran away, you could not get close to him. We were sure it was him.
About a month later, in he middle of the night he came home through the cat flap calling like a mad man, ate loads of food and then never left. He never noticed his sister had gone, weird.
We moved to a new house away from are old area, with its own garden, we were worried he would run away again, but he loved the new place. He lived to 17 years old, became diabetic in the last two years so we had to give him insulin injections twice a day, which he seemed to not mind, but It was expensive, hard work but worth it.
He died a couple of years ago, everyone was deverstated although he had a great life and it was expected.
I thought we could maybe have a break from having a cat, but wife and kids said no. We went to the cats protection league and a black cat called Basil choose the kids, I was looking around but they were all said this one. Lucky really.
I have never known anything like him, he was a year old when we had him, he had been a inside cat, he now goes out side but never far, always comes when you call him.
Plays like a kitten all the time and is the most cuddly and loving thing ever.
He is very highly strung, we put him in cattery while we went on holiday, he did not eat and was highly traumatised when we returned so we have to get a cat sitter now.
He is a black cat with a bit of Persian thrown in, would not be with out him.
If you sit down he is on your lap straight away, sleeps in new places all the time in the house never in the many cat beds my wife buys him and he loves his toys, so he has plenty or he attacks the furniture if he does not get attention.
We do not own a cat, he seems to own us.
Cats are great.
It is the “better thing to do” to get a rescue cat. Though it can obviously be a lottery they are very adaptable and normally make lovely pets if you put the effort in. The Cat Protection League make you jump through hoops and make you feel like they are doing you a favour I would not use them again. The RSPCA have a much more sensible approach. In both cases you get a neutered, chipped, inoculated and well checked animal with probably a months insurance for the money you pay.
Our current cat spent the first 4 years living in a flat consequently can only use the litter tray but that is her only foible. Quite happily goes outside now. If you get a cat flap then a Sureflap is brilliant and have great customer service.
I've had Ragdolls for 20 years now and am on my second pair. I'd recommend them to anyone who seriously wants an indoor cat, but in the OP's case I'd strongly want to dissuade you from going down this particular route.
They are great pets but they become very dependent on their owners very quickly and get stressed by changes in environment. If you're planning on travelling several times a year then even with daily house cat sitter visits, they will pine for you in your absence. There is also the fact that as house cats you have to be vigilant with keeping external doors closed otherwise they will disappear and you may not get them back. Ever. With young kids around I'd be tempted to go for a rescue moggy that can come and go as it pleases and fit around you and your family's lifestyle, and not try and do it the other way around.
There are lots of cats out there looking for new homes. I have a monthly Direct Debit set up to the Cats Protection League and get regular updates on some of the poor little blighters that I sponsor that are looking for new homes/chances in life. You'd be doing a noble thing by offering one a home :)
It always pays to remember this...
Always love seeing that one!It always pays to remember this...
And yes go to a rescue centre of some sort, there are lots of cats and kittens who need a home.
I don't think it matters. Whether a cat comes to you as a kitten or as an adult, you still end up adapting and co-evolving with them.
Definitely this, or other less well known local shelter. But read on...
Alternatively, simply look outside your back door. Leave bowls of cat food outside and keep an eye out. Other than neighbours' cats and foxes, sooner or later a hungry-looking cat will arrive and will begin to hang around. After you get to know it a bit it will move in. You will have a cat.
Vaccinations, de-fleaing, worming, chipping, and neutering are really critical in my opinion.
LOL.
Friend just got a rag doll. It’s apparently the dog of the cat world so you get the best of both worlds
I'd vote for a Bengal. They are absolutely stunning cats, look like a mini 'proper cat' and have a character like no other. Mine would fetch like a dog and loved water. His meow was something else too haha. Sadly my ex took him and he recently got run over & killed as she lives in a not very cat friendly road area :(
Our Freddy is a Pixie Bob/Bengal - aka big bugger.
Still asleep on the Sofa again following his Saturday night out with the crossed cats from next door.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
if you go for a siamese/tonkinese that sort of cat - be prepared for super high intelligence and very vocal they talk to you in their way and you get to understand what they want - our ginger tabby is the opposite, not so bright but very quiet and hardly makes any noise only when feeding time.
We adopted a bengal couple of years ago, compared to our 2 previous cats she is high maintenance and very vocal
We've never bothered with insurance, have been lucky over 20+ years
Cat or Kitten: Depends on the cat really - we've had some great rescue cats and a couple that were clearly mentally disturbed. It was heartbreaking. Probably not good if you have kids. so i'd say get a kitten from rescue.
If you want to get a breed as others said Birmans are great with kids, as are Maine Coon's. Added bonus is both aren't overly meow-y. Bengals and Siamese area nightmare as they want a LOT of attention.
We get a cat sitter so we don;t put ours in kennels - £12 per day (we're in London)
I hink it's all covered above. Always had a cat in every home I've lived in - love 'em.
Think carefuly about a female cat - a bit more expensive initially re neutering but tend to have a lessd aggressive temprement - if that matters to you. You might prefer one that is less friendly and wating to sit on you/someone at every opportunity.
Where cats 'beat' dogs is that they are soluitary animals and don't need company - so a neighbour once a day is fine for holidays (and free!).
Dry food is a lot less hassle and smelly than wet food and of course keeps better when you're on holiday.
As per others, never bothered with insurance.
Always got ours from Cats Protection locally, but sometimes it's necessary to wait to get the right one. If you're not experienced with cars, pick carefully for one with 'mild manners', not too fearful and not too 'friendly'. I've usually had an 'adolescent' around 6-8m old - none pf the hassle/damage of a kitten but young enough to adapt and learn.
Everyone should have one!
I grew up with Birmans, my brother currently has two. Very docile, friendly and affectionate cats. Good with children too.If you want an indoor only cat that is great with kids, then go for a Birman:
see several breeders and remember thecbreeder vets you too!
I have a Siamese. Without doubt the most loyal cat I have had - in fact she is almost human like at times. Very noisy and high maintenance though.
Get a cat flap fitted to your door.
Wow, I never knew all this stuff about cats. We had one when we are younger, it adopted us. The only bit I remember about it was that it had sharp claws and when sitting on you. Out of interest as the claws are not cut, is there something I was doing wrong years ago?
Doesn't sound like you were doing anything wrong. Yes, cats have sharp claws and like to knead you with them when enjoying a stroke. You just get used to it. ;-) Two of my cats like to leap across the kitchen onto my back or shoulder; this involves serious claw use. Ouch.
Cats who go out a lot tend to wear down their claws so they are less noticeably sharp. You can (sometimes) use nail clippers to trim a cat's claws if they don't go out much but not all cats will let you do this.
For the avoidance of doubt, de-clawing cats (that is surgically removing their claws) is a barbaric procedure that is illegal in the UK (and rightly so).
Last edited by markrlondon; 28th November 2017 at 08:13.
Cheers, useful to know. I think I will cat sit for a couple of friends to see if I can live with the idea of having a cat.
I've had three cats from Preloved, about £20.00 each, sometimes free. You can spend hundreds if you want a pedigree. Two kittens are best, keep each other company. Expect some damage to furniture and carpets etc. Cardboard boxes, connected with cable ties, make for great cheap fun and accommodation. There is a trick with a long sleeved T-shirt and a cardboard box on Facebook.
I have nine cats but only one is kept in at night the rest live in outbuildings but are allowed in during the day.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...27974550664624
Our Birman came from a breeder who has Siamese cats for herself, Chico was bought up by one as he was the first kitten from a new mum who didn’t quite get the whole rearing business. So,he can give us the full gamut of Siamese screeches when he isn’t getting his way :-)
scare the other cats silly at the pet hotel, as he’s a small furball, but he’s so friendly the staff there give us Christmas cards and cry when he comes home :-)
...with a zebra she killed earlier.
Just had cat diagnosed with tooth resorption (apparently, a pretty common "disease" or syndrome whereby one or more of the cat's teeth is re-adsorbed into the bone of the jaw). Given how common this is (according to vets and online information (it's at least one in three, and possibly two in three) you'd probably want to get insurance that specifically covers dental care. Mine, with Animal Friends, doesn't. So in order to try to reduce the pain that this process must cause, we'll have to have a couple of his teeth removed under general. We accidentally inherited the cat. He's lovely. No bother at all. We use a cat sitter when away, usually coming twice a day. Costs aren't prohibitive.
One thing. How many cats are there in the immediate area? Do you regularly have cats walking across your fences and jumping your walls? We accidentally threw our cat into a turf war. He's managed to sort things out with a couple of the locals, but there's one with whom he continues to fight. The results of these fights can be distressing, although they rarely require a visit to the vet.
Am I allowed to say I just don’t get the fascination with cats? As far as I can see they just kill native wildlife. When I lived in London they were everywhere, now I live in the country I hardly ever see them. Can’t stand the smell of their food, lots of people are allergic to them and when I come across their crap in the garden the stench is horrific! - just saying (for those cat lovers out there, I’d never do a cat any harm - just don’t see the point, sorry?!)
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I know what to get you for Christmas now :))
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Well, I have noticed a lack of *ussy in this neck of the woods I guess!
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Not everyone is a cat person. :-)
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