Been thinking about getting a cat, but I know NOTHING!! HELP!?

Question

I have always been a dog owner, but because of my busy schedule, people have been suggesting that I get a cat because they are more independent. I don't know anything about cats. I would like to know everything I can about owning a cat for the first time, please answer some of my questions and/or anything else you think that I should know about getting a cat, especially the common problems that come with owning a cat.

My situation:

I'm gone from home about 3-10 hours daily. I would like a relaxed pet that enjoys cuddling and playing, but doesn't get to excited or need too much attention. Also a cat that doesn't need much grooming, so something with short hair. Here are some questions that I can think of.

~I would like a companion, but a pet that doesn't require a lot of maintenance. I would like something I can hold and play with, is a cat a good choice?

~Should I get a kitten or an older cat?

~Should I get two at once? I've heard that two cats will keep each other occupied.

~Is there a certain breed that is more relaxed and friendly (not wild, or needy)?

~Are they expensive? About how much are common costs?

~Do they really potty train themselves?

~I would like a house cat, but if he gets outside will he get lost? Should I use a leash?

~Are females or males easier?

~Should they get "fixed"?

~Do they really tear up your furniture?

~Do I have to pet proof (wires, etc.)?

~Are they messy (litter box, etc.)?

~Are they loud?

~Are they needy?

~A lot of people offer free kittens? Is this okay? or should I adopt, or get from a pet store? What is best?

~Do they have a lot of health problems? Do they get sick a lot? What is common?

That's all I can think of now, but if there is more I need to know. Please post.

Answer 1

i have two cats

right; first of all, it's better to have older cats, especially if you aren't going to be at home. The 'hold and play with' thing depends on the cat's nature. I bought one cat as a kitten, he was a farm cat and would never come within a foot. Now he's about 4 years old and has a habit of sitting right on top of you; but only when you actually have something to do. This morning i tried to do some coursework... left the room and came back in to find the cat sitting on top of it.

oh well.

It's true that cats keep each other occupied. My two play fight and occasionaly sleep on the same sofa. But they refuse to actually be civilized. On cat is just fine on its own. They are quite expensive to maintain.

I would advise you to get a male rather than female, an yes you should 'fix' them. Pregnant or broody cats are NOT FUN. Mine rip up the carpet. That's quite annoying. But i've never known them to chew wires or anything like that. They don't use litter trays because normally they're outside and they NEVER go on the carpet or anyhting like that. When they're new you need to let tem out gradually. Mine hated it when i closed the door behind them so for the first few months i had to leave the door open whenever he went out. Cats are often sick. Fact of life. Mine are pathetic, they can only eat one kind of cat fod and they're used to it. It's quite irritting. But i don't know of any point where my cats have actually been badly ill.

Other things; cats get fleas just like dogs do. It's annoying to treat, but easily done. Cats are very sociable animals, but only when ithey want to be. When mine was young he used to follow random strangers and drunks home, so make sure he/she is chipped/ is wearing a collar.

Answer 2

I think that it's great that you are searching before you buy. That's the best thing. Ok I really recommend the SPCA they can help you chose a pet that suits you. It can be from 85.00 That takes care of the spayed/fixed.There is a guarantee period for sick cats.That's if it became sick after you got it. Kittens are a lot of work box training, need time etc.. But they are really cute and active. I would recommend an older cat since your hours.I had both female /male they both are great. Depend sometime some may tear up your furniture.Needs a scratch pad. And you need to take it to the vet. I think a cat would be a great pet for you. Good luck!

Answer 3

I adopted a my Cat a year ago from the pond, He is wonderful, I prefer male pets, I believe they are easier to get along with. He was two years when I got him, He adjusted pretty well. I feed him one can of fancy feast in the morning and leave dry food out all day. Take him/her to the vet once a year to be examined, and you should be fine with a cat, and buy toys for the cat to keep him/her busy.

Answer 4

I have 6 cats, they get on great together and love coming to us for affection.

If you train your kitten well it won't wreck your home. Make sure it has some bark or a rope toy to scratch!

Cats are pretty independent animals.

I find male cats (neutered) are the most affectionate, girl cats can be sassy!

Once vet's bills are out of the way it's only food costs which shouldn't be too high unless you overfed.

I always get cats from the shelter or if someone has kittens at home.

Pet stores often have kittens that are taken away from their mothers too young and they tend to be a little harder to adjust when you take them home, saying that all kitties need homes and whatever works best for you... I'd suggest adopting, then you can choose a cat who has the right temperament for you.

If you have one cat it will be more dependent on you for affection, two cats will stick together and it means they always have a playmate.

The Ragdoll breed is the most relaxed, it's like it's name suggests, but they do require a lot of grooming.

Good luck finding the right cat for you!

Answer 5

I have one cat, and I'm gone a lot.  She is fine being home alone.  make sure they have plenty of scratch posts to make sure it doesn't ruin furniture.  If it does anything you don't want it to, spray it with a water bottle.  The cat box is pretty gross.  Get one with a lid and use large zip lock bags to scoop the clumps into ( always get clumping litter), and get the clumps out every other day.  Make sure its in a place where u aren't sitting or hanging out.  Also keep the food and litter box as far away from each other as possible.  Get a fully grown cat from the pound.  they generally already are box trained and have less issues.  also make sure the pound gives u a report of its shots.  My cat has only been sick one time, she had an upper respiratory infection, if you have to give it pills, us a spoon with a little wet cat food and put the pill in the middle at the tip of the spoon.  DON'T EVER LET YOUR CAT OUTSIDE!  They will get fleas or ticks or get hurt.  If the cat wants to be left alone leave it alone.  They still need to be played with but make sure it has its own toys and it will play by itself.  invest in a laser pointer, its the best, and its fun to watch the kitty run around to get it, and good exercise.  females are easierier. no spraying.

Answer 6

Okay so that was a lot of questions, but that's good because ti shows you want to take good care of your cat. >^.^< (that's supposed to be a cat :p)

Anyway, the best choice would be to get an adult cat from a shelter.

1) You save it from possibly being euthanized.

2) An adult cat's personality is already set, so you won't run the risk of it growing into a mean kitty.

3) When you adopt a cat form there, they give it all it's shots and spay/neuter it for you.

While you do have to pay for it, you'll find that it's definitely worth it. They let you hold and get to know the cats there and there's no pressure to pick one.

Two cats is good, but one can easily entertian itself if it has toys.

As far as I know, cats DO NOT potty train themselves. That's another reaosn to get an older cat. Females are easier in my opinion and they don't spray liek some males can.

Tabbies and mixed breed cats are usually the frinedliest, and Siamese are known for bein gloud and needy.

As long as the ocnditions of your home are fine, they won't get sick alot (unless they have a medical problem).

Dpeneding on the cat, you might have to pet proof your house, but there is spray that's invisible and odorless that you can put on your couch and things and it's inexpensive but does a good job of keeping the kitty away.

House cats are easier, because you won't have to worry about fleas, and they won't get in fights or get lost or hurt.

Anyway, hoep that helped you, just ask if you have any more questions. Good luck!

Answer 7

Cats are wonderful independent creatures. Go the the local shelter and get a cat or two. If you get one that is at least 6 months old they are pretty much through the kitten stage. A short hair cat will shed the least. But an occasional brushing will take car of that.  The shelter will make sure they have all their shots and are fixed.  The fee you will pay covers that and is cheaper that doing it at the vet. You will want to make sure they have a safe quiet place for them to sleep and plenty of food and water. If they are going to be alone a lot , make sure they have a few toys to entertain themselves. Most cats are not needy. If the litter box is an issue, they do have self cleaning ones. Indoor cats tend to be healthier because they don't have with sick animals. Cats personalities are as varied as people.  But at the shelter you will see who is and is not friendly. But remember a scardy cat could be an abused cat, and will just take time to warm up to you.

Answer 8

Hello i have 3 cats so i thought i'd try to help by answering your questions =]

Me and my family are out most days so cats are a good pet choice.

You should start by getting an older cat maybe adopt or from a pet store?

Older cats are much more quieter then kittens and are easier to please.

Its true that 2 cats keep eachother company, but it will cost you more.

Theres not a certain breed that is more relaxed and friendly.

It depends where you get a cat from on the cost but they shouldnt cost too much.

Cats don't potty train themselves but if you adopt you should be able to find a cat that has already been potty trained.

If you want a house cat, you could let it on in your garden if you have one? Or if the cat does happen to get outside its most likely to remember where it lives and come back for food and shelter.

You should let the cat get used to your neighbour hood and where you live before you start letting it out ( if you choose to )

Male cats are more affectionate and cuddly than female cats.

If you get your cat a scratching post it'll use that instead of tearing up your furniture.

Only for kittens you may have to make your house pet proof.

Cats should'nt be too messy but you'll have to remember to clean out their litter box and after they've eaten.

Most cats aren't loud they only meow when they're hungry.

If you make sure your cats had the right injections it should'nt get sick very often.

Hope i've helped - maz.ox

Answer 9

I grew up with dogs since I was 4.  Got my first cat 4 years ago when I met my girlfriend.  It's different.  They are better at being alone and can survive if you're gone for a week with food and water and 2-3 litter boxes.  They can be very affectionate, but usually only when they want to.  They will greet you at the door much like a dog, but they will then demand food or water or a treat.  A dog is like a 6 or 7 year old.

A cat is more like 2 or 3.  Don't leave the door open and be sure that screens are in the windows or they'll be gone if you go out and you may never see them again.  Be aware cats can jump very high.  Expect to find stuff on the floor that wasn't there before.  Buy an expensive cat toy and they'll ignore it, but they will find a bottle cap and play with it for hours.  Mine loves to l**k plastic.  I don't know if that's healthy but she's been doing it for years and I've heard other cats do it too.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but they can be a lot of fun too.  Spay or neuter so they don't get all randy and they should be fine for about 15 years.

Answer 10

i think the optimal situation is if you can adopt a young domestic short haired kitten.

when you adopt an animal, they come with the vaccinations needed because teh adoption agency has to make sure that the animal is healthy enough to leave the kennel. whether you buy from a petstore or get one off some person is practically the same because many petstores often buy their littler off people anyways. people or petstores also can't guarantee that your cat in healthy 100% like the humane society can. and for me, it was hard because once i found out my kitten was sick (from the petstore) i was already in love with her and so i paid for all the expenses. my vet says that fixing them is better to prevent some health problems in the future but its your choice, id say.

domestic cats are pretty well-behaved depending on how you rear them which is why its best to get a kitten because they will learn early in life how to adjust to your lifestyle. if you play with them and manage them a lot they will get used to you and allow you to hold them and cuddle, unlike some that are left alone from the get-go. so for when they are still little kittens you should play with them but it is ok that you have work and if you decide to only have one cat. they arent loud. even when they "meow" its fairly quiet, so its good for an appartment. my cat is a girl and shes great, but i never had a boy before.

my kitten from the petstore pretty much came litter trained. the minute i put down a litter box and some rocks thats where she imemdiately went. if you get the kind of littler that clumps its basically mess-free. just scoop it with a scooper and dump it out and thats it. refill with more litter when the level of rocks gets too low.

hope this helped somewhat!

Answer 11

OK, a cat  sounds perfect for you! they do love atention though. also, you should let them slle on the bed with you. they loved to cuddle close mosta th time

ok, as for the questions:

i really think you should get an older cat from the shelter. more likely to not scratch on furniture, more likely to be quiet, content with being alone, be less likely to be loud messy etc

just scoop out the catbox every day or 2 and dump it, wash it, dry it and re-fill  it with fresh litter once a month

feed it and water it daily

depends. some like males, some like females, spend time with both at the shelter an see what you like.

cost is lke 150$ to adopt, and they are fixed and usually worm-free and vacinated. i sill recomend taking it to the vet within 2 weeks of first geting it, for a checkup.

yearly, they need to have their shots and a checkup so its like between 75$ and 100$ a year. also, as with dogs if i looks sick it HAS to go to the vet for an emergency visit, so it varys

feed it a GOOD food. not something fulla fillers like IAMS. go to a petstore and get GOOD food. its like 25$ a bag but it lasts  a little over a  month for most cats =]

for the wires, if hey cew em, just rub a bar of soap on them. if they dont, is nothing to pre-proof

YES they should always be fixed

not relaly loud, mess (just clean litterbox often) as for needy they just need food,w ater, shelter, litterbox, scratchpost (since your gone all day i suggest one of those cat condoes with the multi levels) and some love=]

as for the free kittens, its not worth it. i prefer shelter cats myself. if you get a shjeler cat it just the basic vet checkup at like 60$, if you get a 'free' kitten they need to be fixed (10$ to 170$) dewormed (like 50$) and usually treated for flees (can vary greatly)

so, honestly, pick up a book and get an older shelter cat! well, good luck and hope i helped, sorry its in the wrong order (my answer) =[

Answer 12

Get 2 cats or kittens because if u only get one the he/she will be lonely. If u get a kitten, to potty train it, all u have to do is put it in the litter box and it will potty train itself and also when u first get ur kitten/s or cat/s keep them in one room when u go to work and when u get home let them run around the house to get used to it but anyways cats and kittens are good to have.

Answer 13

u don't need to know all that it's a cat but if u gonna be gone a lot get a dog they take care of themselves better than cats and cats run away to much so i say dog

Answer 14

Cats are all the same..pure bred or strays...you just pay for the "looks".  All you haev to do is water and feed them..just keep their bowls full.  Unlike dogs, they will not over-eat.  And keep their litter box clean....once a day.

EASY!!  Just make sure to vacuum up the hair frequently if you get a long-haired cat.  HUGS!!

Keep your cat inside at all times...get her spayed or him neutered...just in case.  

Cats are weird animals..they want you to pet them when they want to be petted....you don't get to pet them when you want to...

Answer 15

I think that you should get a kitten, possibly two.

i'm not sure about the whole needy thing, but definitely get two girls, unless you get a fixed male.

its ok to get a free kittens. we sell free kittens just because we need to get rid of the cute, darling sweetie pies!

for the outdoor thing, we have outdoor cats, but we also live in the woods with 44 acres, and our cats just go around outside and come in occasionally.

for all the needy, loud, messy questions, depends on the cat!

for the claw up the furniture, you could always declaw them!

Answer 16

Cats are like Tigers, proud beasts wild and untamed, kings of the jungle.  Theyve got wits as sharp as their claws.  And claws as sharp as their wits.  Beat once you can hold em down for a week been em thrice and their yours to keep!