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Alcemistnv [567 candy corns]
#3906 • 1974 views
Posted: 2012-04-22 17:42:41
#10755
Al...wants a kitten?
Alright, so everyone knows how much I want a dog, right?
Well, I realized that I might have to put it on hold because there's a chance I could get a CAT before a dog. Why? Because my parents were already saying earlier we could get a cat as long as I were to manage it. Therefore, right now I think I'm honestly just going to get a feline friend until I'm ready for a dog.
Pros: Cats can be alone longer Are not loud (they don't bark) Don't need to be taken often on a walk
Cons:
This is where i need your help!
Since I haven't owned a cat in a very long time, I don't know the downsides to owning one. I would like to know what cat owners have to say would be the downsides of owning a cat.
If this were to help, I'm hoping to get either an all black cat, or a Tuxedo cat. I'm hoping for a male cat because I have experienced that female cats are more attitude-y than males. But I am planning on neutering the male as to avoid any breeding with the strays that are around campus.
What I will do for the cat -I will wait until I have an apartment to bring the cat with me, but if there is a chance that I will have the cat with me at home. -Provide lots of social interaction with it -I might even try to teach the cat how to go on walks and I can attempt (ATTEMPT) to take it on campus -There is a vet and pet store within walking distance of the campus
Questions I have: -What are the cons of owning a cat. -What is the average cost of having a cat for the first year? -Is the price more money if you start with a kitten? -Any other vital information I need?
And on a personal note, please don't harass me with "oh, are you sure?" or "You're such a terrible person for choosing a dog over a cat" or whatever else. I'm just being indecisive right now because it's such an important thing to me. I want to make the right decision, and feel like getting a dog, as everyone said, might not be the bet thing at the moment. Especially since I have my maltese still, and he won;t be leaving my family as I thought he would a few months ago.
So, please help me :)
Replies
rayxakaru
#100550 • 2012-04-24 16:16:50
#100550
=x And yet so many pregnant mothers have cats. I shouldn't think it would be a colossal problem if it's in a separate area of the house from, say, the living room/her bedroom?
Steaks
#100548 • 2012-04-24 15:48:38
#100548
Fleet, pregnant mothers should stay away from cat litter because of the bacteria Toxoplasmosis in cat feces. It can kill a baby.
rayxakaru
#100545 • 2012-04-24 14:13:11
#100545
Al, if the concern was that your mother might get sick from the litter, why not use Good Mews or a similar kind of recycled litter?<br /> It doesn't make all that dust, and imo it's a heck of a lot easier to clean out.
Steaks
#100544 • 2012-04-24 14:08:59
#100544
Even with brushing, a cat will never not get hairballs. Speaking from experience lol... <br /> This was brushed off of my cats in one 5-minute brushing: <a href="http://i42.tinypic.com/rwtq21.jpg">[LINK]</a><br /> Short-haired cats will shed EVEN MORE.
Alcemistnv [567 candy corns]
#100543 • 2012-04-24 14:07:26
#100543
Honestly, I'd rather have a dog, but at the moment, I think it's not going to work as well. I have my maltese right now, and after speaking with my dad again, it seems like another dog will be too much of a burden for all of us. Now, as for me getting some sort of income, there isn't much for me to do ATM because A. I don't drive and B. I'm a freshman.<br /> <br /> A lot of the on campus/off campus job oppurtunities are for those with a car or for sophmores and up. <br /> <br /> Also, my school is implementing a gender neutral housing situation, so if that happens, I might end up staying on campus for another year. I've always wanted a cat, and I was extremely close to getting one, and then when we found out my mom was pregnant, we realized we couldn't get one because she could get sick from the cat litter. But in the next two years or so, I feel like it might be better to get a cat than a dog. As you said, there are less cons, and I've already had some experience with cats before (I owned 4 kittens for about a year or two and 2 full grown cats for their whole life)
Maggots New Side
#100539 • 2012-04-24 11:02:41
#100539
Al, it doesn't sound like -you- know what you want. Cats still cost money and it would push you further from your dog goal if you really want a dog. You should just stick to one goal and see it through before setting up more goals and distracting yourself. I also don't think you have a means of money to pay for it or anything? You sound very flip floppy and unsure with everything. You need to be set before you make any commitment. Is it a cat, or a dog that you ultimately want? Pretend that you can only pick one or the other for the next 10yrs. Which would you want to be with? After you get one animal, you'll probably find it was more work and cost more than you'd imagine and it would take longer for you to save for the second. <br /> <br /> I am a cat person myself and love cats more than dogs. I like how most are independent and don't -need- to be by you. I have 2 females with all their claws out and spayed. Even though their claws are out they still want to 'scrape' them against furniture and anything else they can get the paws on. <br /> <br /> They also have hairballs and that is very gross but brushing can lower this. <br /> <br /> I feel cats overall have less cons than dogs.
Al, from personal experience working at a vet and seeing pets come to us after having been to Banfield(petsmart vet). Even if Petsmart offers vet perks from adopting out of there I personally would never set foot in a Banfield vet clinic unless it was my ONLY option...
Alcemistnv [567 candy corns]
#100489 • 2012-04-22 22:11:07
#100489
Oh, alright, I'm glad to know that Petsmart is an acceptable source since, as I said, they provide bonuses with it xD<br /> <br /> <br /> Also, yea, I don't like the idea of having cats roam. A few of the cats Ive owned in the past were kittens produced from stray/roaming cat pregnancies. also, my one cat that we've had for about 10 years left the house and never came back. I'm so afraid of the idea of the cat leaving the house and getting picked up by someone, or having a college kid run it over while drunk. Too many bad things can happen.<br /> <br /> And I don't know, the thought of bringing a cat onto campus seems so interesting xD
Steaks
#100488 • 2012-04-22 22:02:05
#100488
No problem, Al :) I apologize for it being so long, but I'm glad I could help.<br /> I'm extremely relieved to hear you're not letting your cat roam. Too many times do I see the negative results of this happening.<br /> Walking a cat is fun, in all honesty. Although a cat won't really walk like a dog will (a dog will walk for as long as you want, where you want, etc), cats tend to just.. walk.. pause.. smell.. walk.. sit down.. smell... walk... pause.. etc etc. I once walked Red to the icecream store :)<br /> <br /> <b>Now, I don't know if I would consider PetSmart a shelter, because I have a good feeling, we might get a cat from there since 90% of the time, they are fixed, and also they provide bonuses for adopting a cat from there. Good idea? I don't know yet.</b><br /> Definitely. I know that the PetsMarts in my city actually get cats brought from the shelters to be adopted in PetsMart. I see cats in there all the time from the humane society :D<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>@Aqualeaf:</b><br /> <i>"I understand the points that Clayton has made, however, that's quite the opposite of what I've experienced,"</i><br /> I'm not saying all of that is what all cats do, I was mentioning the cons of cat ownership that I've personally experienced.
Alcemistnv [567 candy corns]
#100486 • 2012-04-22 21:44:59
#100486
Alright, thank you so much for your responsives! Like, honestly, they are both extremely helpful! :D<br /> <br /> As for some blips I made, no I don't plan on having the cat roam outside. I should want to take <b> ALL </b> precautions, because I don't know what my roommate would do. For all I know, my roommate might want to bring one of the strays in so they could feed it, or something. <br /> <br /> The idea of walking the cat is just a thought, and I'm not going to get a cat because I don't want to walk it haha.<br /> <br /> As for the cost, honestly, the vet visits don't sound so bad. I pay about $200 for my dog everytime I bring him to the vet, and anything lower than that is amazing. <br /> <br /> I do hope to get a cat from the shelter, we've always went to a shelter to get a pet. Now, I don't know if I would consider PetSmart a shelter, because I have a good feeling, we might get a cat from there since 90% of the time, they are fixed, and also they provide bonuses for adopting a cat from there. Good idea? I don't know yet.<br /> <br /> Um, as for being left alone, I understand that and I don't plan on staying out 24 hours. Only, for a few hours during the day since I will have class and such. <br /> <br /> And as for the smell, I can manage. I'm prepared for that, honestly. <br /> If it means I can have a kitten of my own, I should be able to man up and deal with the smell ^^
