What are some things I should know about cats before getting a kitten?

Question

Im considering getting a kitten. What are the basic things I should know about cats (yes, i WILL do more research, i promise). I just wanna see from the basics if a cat is right for me. I'm considering a Siberian.

are kittens trained easily? is it true that a house with a cat smells kinda bad? and do they shed? (my parents will not go for fur hairs on their clothes...)

thank you!

Answer 1

Simple answers:

1) Yes, kittens are pretty easily trained.  They instinctively use a litter box and cover up their poo.  

2) No, a house does not necessarily smell bad if you have a cat, though you have be diligent about cleaning up.  

3) Yes, they will shed.  You can clean up but by the next day there will be more fur.

More things to think about:

- MOST cats use their litter boxes naturally, but some can develop an aversion and start peeing or poo-ing outside the box.  This is extremely frustrating.  Are you going to have the patience to work with the cat, take it to vet, try new litters, re-train the cat?

  - Have you budgeted for vet bills?  The first year with spaying/neutering, vaccinations, checkups, etc will easily be a few hundred dollars.

   - Cats have all sorts of different personalities that you can't necessarily tell as kittens.  Would you be okay if your cat didn't like to cuddle?  Would you be okay if your cat was constantly in your lap?

   - Litter boxes have to be cleaned every day.  Maybe every other day if your cat is very tolerant.  The cat will kick litter everywhere and track it into your bed and on your carpet.  Can you deal with that?  Can you be good about cleaning very often?

  - If you don't want fur on your clothes, you have to never leave clothes lying around.  

That being said, I love cats.  I think they're great companion animals and it's not too much work to take good care of them.  I think the fact that you're doing research is great.  Good luck!

Answer 2

They "automatically" know how to used the litter box.

Most people don't even try to train a cat because it is so hard. Most just let them do their thing. Cats are independent, affecionate only when THEY feel like it, fun to play with and watch. You have to clean the litter box regularly. There is quite a difference between breeds, so do your research.

If you don't get them declawed,  they can destroy furntiture and other home furnoshings. Vet bills are very expensive. Many people LOVE cats, and some peole HATE cats.

Answer 3

cats are really hard to train and I'm serious and their p**p smells super bad and i suggest you put a litter box in the bathroom and put a air freshener!the house will stink really bad!cats love lasers!just don't point it on their eyes and give them treats you can find at your local 1 dollar store and change their litter every day don't bother buying them a bed or cage cuz i guaranty you they he wont use it he will rather sleep with you or on the sofa and give him his shots before he gives worms all over your house!

Answer 4

well cats do shed alot and some kittens are easy to train and some aren't cats need to be potty trained and wat i did with my cat is every time it she looks like she was going to pee i wound show her where the litter box was and she learned fast they are smart animals they do there own things when they want to but they are good animals i have 2 cats at my house the house does not stink at all but if you don't clean the litter box every day or every other day then it will start to stink  

Answer 5

OH my word do cats shed.  I love cats though. If you get a cat...the hairs will not matter. They are such a prize to have.

Cats are usually trained by the time they are old enough to be away from their momma. My cats did not even want to pee outside because their litter box was in the house. No, cats do not smell, unless you do not chanage their litter box...then it smells.  Cats do not have a odor like a wet dog. They can be expensive. And let me tell you, do not feed them cheap store brand food. A lot of cats do not digest it well and end up on prescription diets and that is so so expensive. I would recommend Iams, Science Diet or Purina brands. You will need to get her shots just like a little kid. She will also need love and attention just like a kid.  If you make her mind right off the bat, she will be good, if you let her tear up things, she will do it for the rest of her life.  I would also recommend getting a "cat". sometime breeds are not as friendly and have more medical problems. Besides just a cat is wonderful. I have 3 "babies".  

Answer 6

Basics:

Think of a name

clean litter box everry day

brush it ounce a week

Feed and give water every day

dont let it get over weight

get rabies shota and vacines

get a collor

know for a fact that it will climb on u nibble u and want to play alot.

make sure your house is kitten proof

and dont let it cew on things that are bad.

Make sure u dont have any poison like pest stuff cause ur kitten may get sick.

And finnaly make sure you alwayz SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR CAT!

ok hope this helps

Answer 7

Right now I have 6 cats. I haven't really had a problem training the kittens. There really isn't much to train. You pretty much show them their litter box a couple of times and they figure out the rest.

It is true that the house can smell if you don't clean your litter box daily, which can be a pain, but it is worth it to not have the smell. I use Feline Pine for my cat's litter box and it seems to cut down on the urine smell.

Cats do shed...they shed a lot. I get cat hair on me everytime they come within 2 feet of me! One nice thing is that they are pretty independent, so if you're not home a lot to let them out a lot it is a good choice.

One thing to remember that if you get a female, make sure to have her spaid otherwise you'll end up hearing the most annoying meowing in the middle of the night (when they go into heat). I've also found that my male cats are more affectionate than the females.

Hope this helps a little!

Answer 8

Here is a helpful tip for getting a cat: ENJOY!!!!

Cat's diary:

Day 183 of my captivity...

My captors continued to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape,and the mild satisfaction I get from clawing the furniture. Tomorrow, I may eat another house plant.

Today, my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded - must try this at the top ofthe stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair - must try this on their bed.

Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear in their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was. Hmmm, not working according to plan.

There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the food. More important, I overheard that my confinement was due to my powers of inducing "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.  I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches.  

The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit.

The bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured. But I can wait; it is only a matter of time

Answer 9

First, with a siamese cat I dont believe that shedding would be a problem as they have very short hair to begin with.  A house with a cat can possibly smell bad depending on where the litter box is kep and in what condition it is kept in.  Cats themselves are extremely clean animals and pride themselves on being so.  It is true, a cat will make you work for its affection but, but once you have a special bond with them it is never broken.  I just lost my cat of fourteen years, Muffin, to cancer.  I got Muffin when I was 11 years old off the street and spent much time with her showing her different tricks and litter box training.  She was the best companion I have ever had, very caring and affectionate and caught on very quickly especially with the litter box training (as most cats do).  There are plenty of books in places such as barnes and noble which can go into more detail about cats.  I highly recommend getting a kitten, they are loyal affectionate and wonderful pets.  You should be very pleased with the outcome....Good luck to you

Answer 10

depends what kinda cat you get on the shedding!

um kittens are ramboxious and wild they will claw away at anything so make sure you have a spray bottle(fillled with water) so you can nip those bad habits in the butt right away at a young age.

um usually all you should have to do is dip their paws in the litter box and natural instincts will set in so training wise should be fine.

did this with my cat when she was a a couple months old dipped her paw in the litter and never had any accidents (she was used to going outside) shows you how awesome they are!

also make sure  you purchase some toys kittens need something to do always! lasers are really good too and its funny to watch yor cat run around the house trying to catch something that is just light lol!

to the house smelling question if you don't clean the litter bin then yes but I have 2 cats and are house doesn't smell however my friend has 6 cats and hers does but that is just because they don't clean the litter bins as often as they should plus with 6 cats its hard to tell whose had accidents and where??

well i hope this helps, cats i really do think are amazing pets and each one is different in their own special way!

Answer 11

cats do understand things very quickly, and usually houses dont smell with cats. you just have to make sure you get kitty litter that doesnt smell and put the litter box in a place where it would smell around the house.they are really easy animals, easy to teach and dont do very much bad things except scratch chairs and couches but if you get a scratching post it should be fine. they are easy to feed, you put food in their bowl in the morning and the graze at it little by little the whole day. but sometimes it is hard keeping them inside, some cats try really hard to get out. but cats are very good pets to have!!! i have a cat that i love that just had kittens that i am soooo happy about!!!

Answer 12

Kittens are defiantly GREAT pets! If you get a long hair cat it can shed but if you don't want it shedding consider a short haired cat. Kittens train VERY easy! We brought ours in from the wild and as soon as it got inside it just jumped right in the litter-box and used it! How easy was that?! You have to be comfortable with cleaning litter if you are getting a cat! If you do end up getting one you will need:

Food tray

Water tray

Food

Litter

Litter-Box

Toys

Scratch pad

Cat brush and/or Cat Comb

Cat shampoo

Cat carrier

Pet bed

Blanket

Some names I would suggest:

Twister

Twist

Shadow

Sorm

Misty

Smokey

Muffin

Fluffin

Twinkie

Snickers

Butterfinger

Whiskers

If you do end up getting a cat I know you will really enjoy it! They are really great pets! They are also really easy to take care of! GOOD LUCK! Hope this helps!

Answer 13

ok i have 2 kittens and first of all the house wont smell if u keep up on the litter box cleaning  because if u dont keep it clean they will start going on the floor and who wants that, they love to play all the time and they will sharpen they're claws on stuff and they do climb up the furniture and my kittens dont shed they will shed when they get older though kittens should be fed alot kitten food but if u dont have kitten food just put a little warm water in the cat food (if dry food) if its wet food then dont worry about putting water in it, you should always have fresh clean water for them.

Answer 14

check this out.