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

[tangentgirl]

I'm not the world's biggest animal person. I like other people's cats for the most part (and sometimes their dogs, if they don't bite), I'm just a little hesitant to have something I have to take care of.

However, lately, I've been thinking about getting a cat. My bf, who I live with, travels for work quite a bit, and, to be honest, it gets pretty quiet around the house. I also work from home, so ditto. It might be nice to have a cat around.

Since there seem to be a lot of cat lovers here on TE, I thought I'd ask you a few questions.

1. Where do you keep the litter box? This is my biggest concern: I don't want my house to smell yucky.
1a. Does anyone use a fancy self-cleaning litter box? Do those things really work? I'm willing to invest.

2. Inside cat or outside cat? Inside cat probably gets to live longer, outside cat probably has more fun; I'm interested in opinions.

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...

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.

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?

Thanks in advance.

[pll]

#1 and furry critter smell prevents me from getting a cat. Anytime I visit someone with a pet, I can smell the pet in the house. I love cats and dogs, just not in my house!

[Trek420]

4. No, no no, you're got it all wrong. The cat picks you. Go to your local shelter and let your future cat pick a nice human.

5. Yes, cat gyms, climbing walls etc really help.

[KnottedYet]

The cat is going to do everything you don't want it to do.

It will puke on your bed, pee on the carpet, shred your couch, climb the blinds, fling kitty litter everywhere, yowl when you're trying to sleep, get hair on everything, smell, scratch you, eat rubber bands and choke and hack for hours.

Be ready.

Get the cat you fall in love with, and you won't mind all that.

[Brandi]

[QUOTE=KnottedYet;606113]The cat is going to do everything you don't want it to do.

It will puke on your bed, pee on the carpet, shred your couch, climb the blinds, fling kitty litter everywhere, yowl when you're trying to sleep, get hair on everything, smell, scratch you, eat rubber bands and choke and hack for hours.

Be ready.

Get the cat you fall in love with, and you won't mind all that.[/QUOTE I protest!
Ok so they might do some of these things but gosh you make it sound awful! I have indoor and outdoor cat's. They have to come in at night. They do get cat litter all over but a good mat and a dust buster work well. Also Fresh step is the best at keeping order's down. I know I have 3 cat's who when I travel stay in the house. Friends have commented on seeing the cat box but they don't smell it. Also I have cat scratcher's all over my house. It looks a little crazy all these scratcher's but my furniture is untouched! Lot's of toy's to play with helps. They love paper bags too. As far as letting them outside just wait at least till they are a year old. People have a tendency to take kittens. And yes spend time with the kitties then pick on lovability. I picked one on looks once and that was a mistake at the time. She has turned out to be a very good kitty. Took 12 years to bring her around though. Good luck! And go to shelter's please. Right now is a good time lot's of kitties from spring are needing home's.

[smilingcat]

If you don't have the time to train a young kitten, an adult cat is a very good way to go. Again ask the fosters about the cats personality and behavior. Some likes to sleep in your lap, others are aloof, some like to hide to go sleep, some like to be on the counter...

Many of the adult cats being fostered are with the foster for a prolonged time so much so that the most fosters are very aware of the cats behavior and personality.

A cat around year old and above will do. An older cat, 5-6 yrs old or more would more likely be laid back (sleeps more). Some cats will not bother the furniture, some cats will not bother jumping on the counter. Others will not stop.

You might be able to get a discount on an adult cat adoption. Just a reminder, many of the cat rescue group will require a home check. They are checking for draw strings on the blinds, no screen on windows, torn screen where the cat can get out, where you will be placing the litterbox, hazards for the cats, such as foyer where the cat can jump down from the second floor onto the first floor with tiles...

And be expect to pay around $120 for the adoption.

Considering what we spend on each cat, this isn't a bad deal. You know the cats personality before hand, he will be micro-chipped with AVID (Purrefect Partners). I'm not sure if Peggy and her group P.A.C.T. is doing this. They talked about it. The cat will be tested for FelV/FIV, will tell you if they are positive or not, fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, kid friendly, other animal friendly, single cat only home.

If the cat had fleas, cat would have been treated with Revolution or other kinds of medication. In your area, Advantage does not work anymore. Frontline is not working all that well. So most are switching to Revolution. Lastly, you should get a copy of the cat's veterinary record and the name of the vet the cat sees.

Listen to what the foster has to say. But don't let them push you into a cat you are not that interested. It's perfectly okay if you don't like the looks of the cat. Get a cat you like and if you are happy with what the fosters tell you about the cats personality.

[Possegal]

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.

While in many ways, I think this is a bit of a crapshoot I would suggest adopting a cat that has been fostered. I've been very lucky as I had 2 cats that were huge snugglers/purrers and both came to me without any knowledge of what they were like.

In December I finally adopted 2 more (the others had died in 2006 and 2009) and I admit one reason I waited so long was a fear of not having cats as lovely and friendly and fun as the two I had. But I think by taking in two that were being fostered, at least then I had some idea of their personalities. The woman that was fostering them said they were lovely cats who sat on your lap and loved to be held and that they were great pets. Only one really purrs. The other doesn't even meow actually, she chirps more than anything. But they are exactly as I was told they would be - fun and friendly and cuddly.

Oh, and I would never say an outdoor cat has more fun. My cats have a BLAST and they do so without fear of being hit by a car, or attacked by another animal, or poisoned by neighbors who don't like cats. These two have never been outside at all. The other two spent a lot of time on my deck. These two will eventually as well but I'm not quite ready to try that with them. They have too much energy and although I have no hard proof of it, I'm pretty sure they can fly!

[indysteel]

I'll answer a few of your questions. We keep our boxes in the basement. We scoop at least once a day and clean and disinfect regularly. One of the things that keeps down the smell is good hydration so that their urine is less concentrated. And that's where canned food comes into play. Cats do not get enough moisture from dry food and often do not drink enough water to make up for that. Canned food is better on that regard. You can do even better byaking sure that the canned food is high in protein rather than carbs. Many cat foods, even those that are considered premium, are too heavy on the carbs. as for smell; you feed it to them and walk away. I don't leave it put for extended periods, so it's not an issue. Keep in mind that a cat's appetite is stimulated by smell.

I second the idea of a foster. You might be better off with an adult cat. I like my cats indoors. There are lots of ways to encourage play and to make their environment stimulating. They sleep a lot regardless.

[Owlie]

If you live with your BF, how does he feel about a cat?

[VeganBikeChick]

1. Where do you keep the litter box? This is my biggest concern: I don't want my house to smell yucky. Keep mine in the bathroom as I live in a studio...I put baking soda in the bottom before I add the litter and honestly, no one has noticed the smell. I also scoop it at least 3x/day.
1a. Does anyone use a fancy self-cleaning litter box? Do those things really work? I'm willing to invest. I've heard they can be a pain if poop gets stuck to the rake, making them not work as well.

2. Inside cat or outside cat? Inside cat probably gets to live longer, outside cat probably has more fun; I'm interested in opinions. Definitely inside, if you want your cat to have a long lifespan. They love all kinds of kitty toys, I've especially found the "fishing pole" toy with a dangling feather/stuffed toy really fun for them. Oh, and laser pointers!

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...
It's definitely best to incorporate wet food into their diets. Dry only can lead to bladder stones, which can be VERY pricey to treat (ask me how I know!)

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. Please consider a rescue cat! Mine were from a family that had a toddler who would chase after them all the time, so they're very laid back and not bothered by anything

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? Keep its nails trimmed with a nail scissors for cats, a couple times a month. The more you do it, the easier it is. And definitely a scratching post for scratching on. They also sell "softclaws" which are covers you can put over the cat's nails.

Good Luck in your decision!

[Eden]

My cats are indoors only - I love them too much to risk them outside.... too many kitties disappear around here - traffic, raccoons, coyote, nasty neighbors... I don't necessarily think that being outdoors is all "fun" for them either... it's stressful, they have to worry about other animals and patrolling their territory, they fight ... Give them toys and sunny warm places to sleep and indoor cats are very happy - especially if they have the companionship of another cat.

I also have the litter boxes (two cats- multiple boxes) in the basement. If you are right next to them and they need scooping you can smell them, but they don't stink up the house. I use wheat litter.

My cats are on a canned only diet. I feed them small amounts 3 times a day. Food doesn't last long enough to stink...

How to pick one- they show their personalities pretty readily - even at the shelter. Some come in scared and can be worked with, but the cranky, hissy, growling are unlikely to turn into sweet lap cats in your home, nor are the ones who are super sweet in the shelter likely to change too much either.

and yes Knot is right - any pet will at times be bad, smell bad, puke or pee on something, wake you at 3am and be a general pain, but if you love them it doesn't matter. If you can't imagine ever being able to get over that don't get a pet.

[jessmarimba]

You're getting good answers for everything, but I just wanted to chime in as far as canned cat food goes.

You're probably thinking of the cheaper stuff that looks like vomit and smells about as good. There's canned cat food now - and not much more expensive - that looks like what you'd pour out of a people can of stew/soup. It doesn't smell like anything but whatever food it is - chicken, beef, whatever. The extra cost is worth it for ingredients I can visually identify and for food that doesn't make me want to be sick.

Also for your last question - I think they make rubber tips you can put on cats claws, but as long as they have scratching posts they generally leave furniture alone. If they don't, a squirt bottle can work wonders. Mine love those little cardboard scratchers and they both learned pretty quickly not to scratch the couch.

[smilingcat]

Hi tangentgirl,

Cats will throw up on occasion on places that you don't want. It's not on a tile floor, not on an old rug you are ready to throw away. Most will scratch furniture. Some don't surprisingly.

Owning a cat has good sides too. They keep you entertained, they keep themselves entertained and they love you.

The best place to adopt a cat is from a rescue group/foster. Ask questions to the foster and they can help you narrow down the choices. If you want a lap cat, tell them that you want a cat that likes to sleep in your lap.

In Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach area, check with P.A.C.T group. They show their cat at Petco on PCH on Saturday and occasionally on Sunday . Another group is PurrfectPartners. They show their cats on Saturday and Sunday at Centinella Feed and Pet store also on PCH and Beryl St.

If you decide to adopt a cat from Purrfect Partners, send me an e-mail and tell me who the foster is. And I can tell you more. Like any service, some are better than others. Purrfect Partner was the group I helped and fostered maybe 30 bottle fed kittens or more.

I've adopted an "adult" cat from PACT and he has turned out to be a great laid back cat. He is the alpha. Doesn't scratch furniture, rarely do I find him on the counter top. Pretty clean with his litter box (doesn't kick s*&t out of the box). Likes lot of soft scratches and loves to sleep in my lap. He has been with me for 11 years now. I also know Peggy the founder of the group. They are really good too.

Both group will require a home check. And they prefer that your cat be indoor only. Outdoor is really too dangerous for the cat. Cat will not mind being indoor only. Keep a cat nip toy around, a scratching post and maybe a climbing tree with a platform at the top so he has a perch to look down.

[winddance]

1. Where do you keep the litter box? This is my biggest concern: I don't want my house to smell yucky.
1a. Does anyone use a fancy self-cleaning litter box? Do those things really work? I'm willing to invest.

I keep theirs in the office, in a closet. They get scooped frequently and I have domed boxes, plus using baking soda really does cut down on the odor. Rinse them out frequently outside and change the litter completely at regular intervals.

I've never used the fancy ones, I think they'd terrify my wussy boy cat, and I would never want him to have a negative association with the litter!

If you do have problems with inappropriate elimination, please take your kitty to the vet right away to get checked out for possible UTI. Also, enzymatic cleaners are available at pet supply stores and that's really the only thing that works on cat urine.

2. Inside cat or outside cat? Inside cat probably gets to live longer, outside cat probably has more fun; I'm interested in opinions.

Inside only. Outdoor kitties have to face a lot of dangers and I live on a busy street. I've had a lot of close calls with my neighbor's outdoor cat, who seems to like to play chicken with cars. Training your kitteh to walk on a leash from a young age is a great way to have some adventures together and satisfy kitty's need to chase bugs and chew on your lawn.

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...

Higher quality cat foods smell a LOT better than the grocery store stuff, but quite frankly, it just depends on what your cat will eat. If the first ingredient is chicken, the food smells like chicken. If the first ingredient is something wacky like "chicken by-product meal" or well....corn, the food and the kitty probably won't smell too good.

Wet food is much better for cats, who naturally get a lot of their hydration from their prey and aren't always great drinkers. Offering them a fountain is a good way to stimulate their thirst. I throw ice cubes in mine every morning and you'd think I had filled it with mice based on how excited they get.

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.

I would actually suggest two. Two kittens or cats will beat up on each other instead of your house. If you do get an adult cat, try to adopt from a foster group so you adopt from someone more familiar with kitty's real personality and quirks to ensure they're truly suitable for your home.

I've gone the "adopt an adult cat" route and ended up with my sweet kitty who chose me at the shelter turning into a bit of a hellion. It turned out that she needed to live in a herd and be an indoor/outdoor kitty, but they didn't know enough about her history and personality outside of the shelter and placed her in my indoor-only, single cat home. She is now the queen bee in a household of 5 cats with outdoor space and is always happy to see me.

I think kittens are a lot easier to train the way you'd like. All cats have independent minds and pretty much do what they want, but at least my two know to not let me SEE them on the kitchen counter.

I've fostered many kittens, and the shy/skittish, formerly feral boys make the LOVIEST cats. You have to go slowly with them and earn their trust, but they will absolutely adore you for life.

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?

Microsuede furniture! Mine haven't touched it. Any fabric furniture they're very interested in and do claw (when I am not home to see it,) but the microfiber/microsuede...not so much. Leather does get scratched just from their daily romping around. Just make sure that you offer them appropriate places to scratch and also of their preferred material. Some cats like to claw carpet, others like sisal. Some cats like a tall post, some prefer to scratch the ground.

When trying to teach my two cats, as kittens, the glories of the scratching post, I took their favorite bell toy and sewed it to the top. They went NUTS trying to climb the post to get it off and have used scratching posts reliably since. If you have something that they are clawing and they shouldn't, double-sided tape works well.

Cats also like to be up high, so places to snooze where they can survey the room, appropriate places to claw, perches by the window, and a nice selection of toys to stimulate them will reduce their destructiveness and keep them happy.

Do clip their claws regularly and start young on both claw clipping and dental hygiene. Much easier.

There are lots of wonderful cats out there! I hope you decide to bring home your new best friend.