Should I?

[iwantFUEGO]

hey gang,

ive been thinking alot lately...

You see, i live by myself in a one bedroom and i love it, but lately ive been thinking about getting a kitty.

All you cat owners out there... share your story... how was raising the little runt? did you get it as a kitten? does it destroy things? is it messy? How much effort will it take to raise?

You see ive had two cats, but they both were outdoor cats and im a little new the the indoor pet thing.

Thanks in advance :smokin:

iwantFUEGO Reviewed by iwantFUEGO on 11-06-2006. Should I? hey gang, ive been thinking alot lately... You see, i live by myself in a one bedroom and i love it, but lately ive been thinking about getting a kitty. All you cat owners out there... share your story... how was raising the little runt? did you get it as a kitten? does it destroy things? is it messy? How much effort will it take to raise? You see ive had two cats, but they both were outdoor cats and im a little new the the indoor pet thing. Rating: 5

[birdgirl73]

Hiya, Fuego. I'm a life-long cat owner and have two official kitties of my own now, whom I raised from kittenhood, and a third who lives behind our house and, on cold nights, in our garage.

Cats are the best pets in the world. They basically take care of themselves. You simply have to provide them a litter box, clean water, food (ideally dry food), and a scratching post, and they'll be right at home. One thing lots of people forget to give them is veterinary care, too. They definitely need to be spayed or neutered, and they need their vaccinations and some sort of protection against fleas and other parasites. Those medical aspects of cat-ownership can be expensive, but they're necessary.

Young kitties can be hard on furniture and curtains, which is why you need to provide them access to something they naturally like to scratch. Even with scratching pads or posts, they still sometimes go after upholstered furniture and curtains. They love to climb and explore, and they can get in trouble if you don't keep an eye on them. I once accidentally closed my orange kitty in a kitchen cabinet for several hours before I finally identified the source of faint meowing in the kitchen and set him free.

Cats do cause messes, but that's just par for the course with animals. Kitties add to the volume of dirt and dust in your house because they shed and track cat litter around in their feet. Those are fairly mild inconveniences, though, in comparison to having a cat around to love. Good luck with your new pet if you go through with your decision to get one!

[iwantFUEGO]

having a kitty sounds nice and i know things wont be so lonely around here anymore...

Birdgirl you brought up a good point that i forgot to mention... the shedding and cat hair everywhere will drive me crazy...

Is it possible to find a cat that has been bred for its coat? meaning it wont shed as much or at all? If not is there any methods of controlling the shedding?

Thanks

[birdgirl73]

Well, some people believe that Siamese cats don't shed as bad as other breeds, which is a myth. One of my cats is a Siamese, and he not only sheds but also has the nervous habit of pulling out tufts of hair. Then there are two breeds of cats called Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, which have shorter, curlier fur than normal cats. Lots of people don't believe they shed, either, and again, that's a myth. All creatures with hair, including humans, shed. The more serious problem with the shorter-haired Rex cats, as I see it, is that they're extremely strange looking, sorta like an alien pet, and cost a ton of money. No one needs one of those ridiculous creatures except someone who wants to breed them.

The thing about shedding is this. Yes, it's annoying, but it's fairly easy to keep on top of, especially if you only have one cat. You just make sure you vacuum and dust fairly regularly--and you keep one of those pet-hair/lint pickup things (like a big roller, basically, covered with sheets of masking tape) on hand. You also make an effort to brush the cat so he/she loses his fur when you're there to help manage the excess. It's a manageable problem and definitely not a reason to totally rule out cat ownership entirely. They're still the best companions in the world, shedding or not.

[JaggedEdge]

He will be digging his claws into your furniture and will prob get into situations where he will need you to get him down. But the positives far outway the negatives. They are so cute as kittens. Get one, I just hope you don't have to many nice things. Plus you can just spray him with a water bottle when ever he does something he isn't supposed to. The funniest animals I've known though. I hope you get one and post a picture of he/she if you do.