To cat, or not to cat, that is the question...

[Possegal]

I got my first kitty that was all mine when I lived in an apartment while in grad school. I had a closet that I could slightly pull the door open and then put her litter box on the floor in there, but on the side of the closet that the door was closed on. It was a small apartment and I could never smell the litter. In my house, with them a floor below me, I'm more lax at cleaning them out and so they are more likely to get a little smelly.

My contractor just made a little kitty door in a closet door for a friend of mine, and she leaves the litter box in there. The cat can come and go, but the closed door keeps the smell from spreading too much.

I'm glad you are asking so many questions and giving it so much thought. It is certainly a commitment and there are, as with all things, definitely some negative aspects that I could do without. But right now my Maeve is tucked in my bent knees and my Finbar is on the cushion behind me with his head on my shoulder, and I don't much care that they sometimes smell and have a real affinity for the breakfast counter.

See, Maeve even likes watching the Tour de France with me. (Did I mention I could do without them thinking I had the built-in bookcase put in to be a cat jungle gym?)

[Aggie_Ama]

I always had cats growing up, as did DH. I LOVE cats, he wasn't a fan because his stepmom has always had aloof, borderline snobby cats. But our cat is way different. We got lucky I suppose, I found the exact breed I love (manx) at the shelter and she has the typical manx personality. They are a generally very friendly, very social breed. She is almost dog like, she comes to her name, meets you at the door and doesn't like alone time that much (in fact she seems to complain to us if we go away for a weekend).

1. Where do you keep the litter box? This is my biggest concern: I don't want my house to smell yucky. - In a corner of the dining room. Our house has a HORRIBLE layout, the guest bath is tiny, we worried she would get closed in a guest bedroom plus don't want our dogs in the room because our bikes are in there and the dogs tend to be clumsy knocking everything over. Clean it often is the best way to keep kitty happy and smell down.

1a. Does anyone use a fancy self-cleaning litter box? Do those things really work? I'm willing to invest. - I have heard they are not worth the cost. The jam, you have to clean the rake.

2. Inside cat or outside cat? Inside cat probably gets to live longer, outside cat probably has more fun; I'm interested in opinions. - Had outdoor growing up. Several disappeared, one got hit by a car and several came home injured from fights. My current cat was declawed by her original owner but even if she wasn't she would be indoor.

3. I'm noticing a lot of people feed their cats canned food. Is it actually better for the cats than dry food? I don't particularly like the smell of canned food (notice a theme?), but if dry food is really bad for the cat... -My vet said the canned food is healthier and would keep her weight down because the dry food has a lot of empty calories. Unfortunately our cat is not a big fan and will eat the dog food if she is offered only canned food. Plus it is a bit more work than we care for.

4. How do you pick a nice cat? I'd prefer a cat that purrs and snuggles to a cat that hisses and bites, please. - Again I was drawn to my cats breed. I would recommend a foster. Cats in the shelter may not show their true colors. Ours was much more reserved. She was sweet and purred but she has way more personality than even the shelter workers had seen. Foster parents will likely have gotten the kitty to come out of his/her shell.

5. Is there a trick to keep the cats from destroying furniture? I would never declaw a cat, that's just cruel. (Even I know that, and I'm a pet moron.) Can you get their nails filed or something? Or will one of those cat playgrounds solve the problem? - I have never had an overly destructive cat. I have been told providing plenty of stimulation for them helps a lot. My cat was declawed (as I said above) but I would never ever do that. I do know when of our friends uses the claw covers. They are actually quite comical because he puts bright colors on his cat. He claims it is because then he can tell when she loses one but I think he is lying. I know they do have to be replaced regularly.

[tulip]

Have you and your boyfriend determined that neither of you are allergic to cats? I grew up with cats and had chronic bronchial and sinus infections (and probably asthma). No one thought to see if the cats were the culprits, but when I moved away to college, all that cleared up. My parents continue to have cats and it's a problem when I go to visit. Cat allergies really are terrible.

As for the smell--cat owners insist that their cats (and cat boxes) don't smell. However, as a visitor to many houses with cats, I can tell you that they ALWAYS smell. I think owners don't notice, but visitors very well might notice. The same is true for dogs, in my experience. There are gradations, of course.

Although I do not have any cats now, I had them for many years and all of my family still has them. They are all inside-outside cats. I think cats really benefit from being outside, particularly in gardens. There's nothing better than watching a contented cat in a garden! There are so many sensory experiences that they miss if always inside, particularly if the windows are never opened and the A/C or heat is always on. I find that sad.

My beloved cat that I got when I was 10 and who died when I was 31 was an indoor-outdoor cat. My mother's three cats are all indoor-outdoor and they are between 6 and 10 years old. My brother's cats are 10 and 14 years old. My father's cats are 9 and 3. I've lived in cities and in the county. Yes, we did have some cats who disappeared, and a few who came back a bit beat up. But the quality of life outside is something that you might want to consider. Birders, however, detest outside cats because cats eat birds. It's true. Fact of life. If you have coyotes, you might have other considerations, as well, and in that case I would definitely bring the cat inside at night.

Others will disagree, but I wanted to provide you with another opinion. I'm sure the flame wars will begin.

[tangentgirl]

Skunks and raccoons eat cats.

Skunks? But they're so little! At least it seems like it. Raccoons sure, they'll eat anything. Not that I want any cat I have getting into it with a skunk...they'd have to become an outside cat for a long time after that.

Nope, Tulip, no allergies. We have both lived with cats in the past. There was a really mean cat in my house when I was a teenager, but my dealings with it were usually avoiding having it bite the living *$@& outta me, which it did any chance it would get. I suppose I'm allergic to those kinds of cats.

We supervise him only slightly less than we would a toddler human.

That would be a dealbreaker for me. I'm guessing it's not like that with older cats...is that a good assumption?

[jessmarimba]

Mine don't get supervised so much in the house. But they don't usually go outside unless they're on a leash & harness

[tangentgirl]

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting the context of the supervision - Malkin, is that only when your cat is outside?

[Koronin]

Our litterboxes are in the 2nd bathroom. I also wish we had a basement, but living close to the coast basements are not an option (water table too high in general). Clean regularly and there shouldn't be much of a smell to virtually no smell. We did buy one of the self cleaning covered litterboxes called Litter Robot. The cats won't use it. So idea how well it works since they refuse to use it.

Our cats are indoor only. There are way too many ways they can get hurt or killed outside.

We have dry food out all the time and then feed wet food to them at different times. Also have a kitty water fountain as one of their water dishes. As for food you're better off buying it either at Petsmart, Petco or a local pet food store as those places have better quality foods than grocery and mass merchant stores have. We have one cat that gets a prescription diet due to bladder stones, but the other two we drive 2 hours to Raleigh to get them a high quality food. Make that trip about once every 6 weeks or so. Then keep the food in air tight containers.

A cat will pick you most of the time. One that my mom currently has actually showed up at our door and never left. Unfortunately our other three hate him and due to our move, he ended up with my mom and my mom's cat who has no issues with him. Two of ours are adopted and third (my oldest) was a stray. I would suggest a rescue over a shelter and ask lots of questions. (Of course there are a few shelters that do have foster programs, so that could work also.)

Keep the claws clipped (and start early with that) and keep lots of scratching posts and cat jungle gym things will help, also lots of toys. Of course we have one that that no matter what we do still wants to scratch one spot on our couch. Ended up putting doubled sided tape on that spot and it did solve that specific issue.

Oh and they will always throw up on the carpet. We have linoleum in the kitchen and bathrooms and that piece together wood flooring in the living room and office (bonus room), and yet the cats almost always still throw up on the carpet. There is more floor space in this house without carpet, but they insist on throwing up on the carpet.

[marni]

Skunks and raccoons eat cats.

and if they don't there is always the possibility of rabies. Really indoors cats are healthier, happier, more attached to the home as a territory wherein the humans are part of the , pride/group rather than intruders in the territory.

Our litter boxes, side by side, two of them, one for each cat although they share and share alike, are in the laundry next to the kitchen and main eating area. I scoop twice a day, change out all of the litter and wash the boxes 1 a week and sprinkle every other day with a bit of baking soda. No one has ever complained about the smell.

My two are both rescue kitties. Tux the Maine Coon is a castrated maine coon, who loves to lie in my arms and be cuddled and stroked and sleeps with his forehead pressed under my chin. Miss Ike is a three year old fixed female. She if a bit more standoffish ( which seems to be generally true of female cats in my experience) but perfectly willing to purr and head butt as long as she does it in her own time and way and is not picked up or forcibly restrained. She obviously was not handled much as a foster.

Cats like any pet or a child, or a boyfriend imply a responsibility to care for them in good times and bad and a willingness to clean up after them as needed. But the rewards are infinite, especially if like a child, you allow them to grow into their own personality, while providing them with clear rules and accept that they are indeed sensitive, and understanding minds that can learn and be influenced by you and your behaviour.

probably too much of an answer though.

[Biciclista]

uh, Knot, skunks don't eat cats!!!

I trim all my cat's claws with nail clippers. if they don't like it at first, i follow up with a treat. after a while, they are all very laid back and tolerant about it. Some need treats forever

I also stay away from furniture that cats like to scratch. I have a leather sofa and a leather chair in my livingroom. There are some holes in them, but it's not from scratching, it's from acrobatics. I have scratching posts and scratching blocks for my cats.
Not all cats puke frequently. I see cat puke maybe once a month and i have 3 cats.

I don't have to cover the cat litter thing; except to say, you don't have a basement?
how about a back room? a storage room?

and clean frequently and you'll be glad you did.

My husband has been home for the last month or so because of medical issues. Our cat has been such a good companion for him!

[zoom-zoom]

uh, Knot, skunks don't eat cats!!!

Doesn't matter if they eat them, or not...they will certainly kill them. Skunks are mean mofos. They are related to badgers and wolverines (honey badger, anyone? ). I wouldn't mess with a skunk and I weigh 150#s. My biggest cat is only about a tenth my size.

[malkin]

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting the context of the supervision - Malkin, is that only when your cat is outside?

Yep.

Right, I wasn't clear... Of course, I wouldn't leave a human child home alone while I went to work all day, but anyone who followed the local news in Utah this summer would get what I mean.

Outside, the cat is getting better, but without benefit a frontal cortex, safety seems not to be one of his higher priorities.

[Biciclista]

Doesn't matter if they eat them, or not...they will certainly kill them. Skunks are mean mofos. They are related to badgers and wolverines (honey badger, anyone? ). I wouldn't mess with a skunk and I weigh 150#s. My biggest cat is only about a tenth my size.

naaah. Growing up in NJ we had lots of outdoor cats and plenty of skunks. Skunks are fearless small animals and most cats are way way way too smart to get involved with anyone who smells like that.

There are rare cases of skunk/ cat fights. the result is a very stinky cat.
PS in most situations, I agree that indoor cats is the best way to go.

OH OH and there is one very important OTHER reason for keeping cats. mice and rats do NOT like the smell of cats, and THEY will avoid your home.

[tulip]

Skunks eat grubs and insects.

[malkin]

PS in most situations, I agree that indoor cats is the best way to go.

Me too.

That's why we supervise our Txukka outdoors and give him tuna when he comes when called.

The skunks might be jealous because he catches all the best grasshoppers.

[KnottedYet]

My wry usage of the hyperbolic "eat" to signify physical danger has obfuscated the issue.

My deepest apologies for the unwarranted confusion engendered by my vocabulary selection.

Allow me to flesh it out a bit:
A skunk f*cked up one of my cats real bad, he needed surgery, it wasn't funny, and he didn't get sprayed. The vet warned us to keep him inside, as skunks have been known to kill cats. I had no idea.