Thinking of getting a cat

[DuckRyder]

Adopt a black one, they generally have a hard time getting adopted.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted by SirTanon
Our most recent cat, a beautiful Russian Blue girl, sleeps in the bed with me, ever night, pressed up right against me.


Kiki does the same with me too. She starts out on top with my arm around her, bracing her back against me, and massages me till I fall asleep. Then she gets under the covers and wraps her arms and legs around me and falls asleep. Then every morning she headbutts me to wake me up. If that doesn't work she'll paw me in the face. If still I won't wake up, she sits in a tight ball on top of my head haha!!

She's also at the door every day when I come home from work to greet me.

Yes,cats are absolutely wonderful!!

 

[nwjones18]

I'm another one that believes you don't find cats they find you.. I was always a dog person myself, but my wife has cats growing up. One day we had a kitten appear from nowhere in the yard I told my wife we were taking it to the shelter the next day.. and that was over a year ago. Now the cat is my buddy and follows me around the house and sits and watches tv with me most every night. We put in a cat door for her to go in/out, but we had to stop that after about the 10th wounded chipmunk in the house. haha She would definitely do all her business outside if we are there to let her out, but will use the litter box if she has to.

 

[oldhp]

See if you can a cat that argues with that screaming lady. That would be funny to watch.

 

[pcoxe]

Three-color calico cats are usually crazy. Not saying they can't be good pets, just expect some strange mood swings.

 

[Mr Nice]

I got 2 out door cats and I love them OUT DOORS.

Zero problems.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

We had many cats over my 60+ years. Last 30 years we've mainly adopted lost cats that were hanging out under the porch in the Winter. You treat them well and they will friend you.

When we bought cats we used to go for Siamese mix as they are entertaining - but maybe too rambunctious. Same with Burmese. Get the right one and they will be good buddies. The orange tabbies have been good cats as well as Norwegian Forest cats - often confused for a Main Coon Cat
The long hairs are high maintenance an then you have to deal with the fur-ball thing. Nothing like stepping on a hot wet and squishy fur-ball on the way to the bathroom in the morning in bare feet

.

We have only had neutered males.

Lately my wife has pushed me to adopt special need animals - and they have been good cats and almost "cost free" from shelters with all shots and operations completed.

Most important is keep them indoors if you are near a road or forest. This will keep them bug free ( ticks,mites etc) and animal bite free. Trips to the vet cost more than a trip to the doctor!

A word about cat food. Major brands are mainly garbage and then to lead to diabetes due to high waste grain content. - something that is not natural for a cat diet.

We were big on Blue Buffalo grain free indoor then found Merrick to be even better. I would stay away from feeding any Fish diet.

We stuck with turkey, chicken or Duck ( keep a variety) and had NO constipation, no diarrhea and no vomiting at all. Amazing.

On litter I would use basic Walmart clay with no scent and maybe add in a hand full of pine pellets to absorb moisture and control ammonia odor.

Pick an animal that seems friendly and responds to you. If obtaining the animal from a shelter - their personality will "perk up" in a "visiting" room vs being in the cage. Spen some time with the animal to see if he like you. Speed dating.

Show us pictures if you make the move.

Know that It may take a couple months for the cat to calm in a new home

-Ken

 

[ls1mike]

We have two. Both good cats, get along with the dog great. The one sleeps on the dog. It is the strangest thing.
I will say they have their people. The one cat, once I get in bed is right up on me, the other cat loves my wife and son.

They don't do much just lumber around the house and like to be loved.

 

[krismoriah72]

I have never wanted a cat.. But over the years I have found 2, and 3 of them found me.


The two that I found one was a kitten thrown in a dumpster for dead as a kitten.. he nearly died on me. The other one was a skinny stray that ran from me..i had to put for alot of effort to get it.. that i took home and fed and brought her back to life. Both of those cats were problematic, antisocial.. and a true chore to take care of.


The three that found me..all were juveniles dumped or forgotten that came out of nowhere at the strangest of times and places. Those were the best 3 cats that i have ever known. Smart, loyal and almost human like in emotions.

So i agree to let the cat find you.. if you want a friend for life.

 

[Smokescreen]

Sometimes you get a dud cat..meaning mentally they are broken. Don't take it personally, its not you its them. If you do get a dud, just get a different one...they are a dime a dozen.

 

[rekit]

IMPORTANT for all-put used dental floss in a container that cats can't get into. Our friends cat found some, played with it, and it ended up in her intestines. Dr. told them not to pull on it, might rip her intestines. had to remove it surgically. $$.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Plus, I am pretty sure Gore invented the Internet so people can post pictures of their cats.
Mr. Charles Bingley... he lives a rough life.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite

On litter I would use basic Walmart clay with no scent and maybe add in a hand full of pine pellets to absorb moisture and control ammonia odor.



I use baking soda, but I'll have to try the pine pellets thing.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted by OldSparks
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
I have had several cats. I always got them as kittens. A grown cat has already made his personality. A kitten will grow with you and you learn each others personality.


My ex used to fall in love with kittens and bring them home. This is the first and only cat I've ever picked out myself - a long-haired 7.5 pounder. Her original owners had a baby and put her up for adoption. She follows me around the house and, much to my surprise, she likes dogs. Not little yappers, but big dogs. I was looking after my neighbours lab, and she stuck her head in his bowl while he was gulping down his dinner...

Looks like my old Blue Main Coon.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

OP: From my own experience with cats I have found that males tend to be more amiable/clownish than females.

Also take into consideration your physical state when it comes to litter. Clay litter is heavy but there are other types (crystal, corn husk, etc) which are much lighter.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by DuckRyder
Adopt a black one, they generally have a hard time getting adopted.

Which I, not being a superstitious type, have never understood. In my experience, pure black cats are the most easygoing and adaptable, possibly even the smartest. The late black cat Marie-Antoinette loved to walk on a lead -- she'd run to the door crying when you brought out the harness -- and knew her name even if someone said it on TV.

Currently I have two feline thugs. The older, Chekov, is a white-and-black Siberian, much like a Maine Coon but barrel-bodied, with a triple coat; male, altered, and likes to nip to show affection, so he and I are not that close. Oddly, he insists on sitting on a pillow on my lap several times a day.

His adopted brother, Wolf, is large, rangy, black and long-haired. He lived with a family near Linda's condo, and they fed him but also let him out to stroll around, which is how I made his acquaintance. Then his "humans" got evicted and left him behind -- didn't go around and ask their neighbors if they wanted a cat; oh, no. They just turned him out and drove away. He was going door to door for handouts when I took him in. I expected difficulties with the incumbent, Chekov, but nope. They sniffed each other and walked warily for a little while. Within an hour they were sitting in the window together and watching birds. Now they sleep together, groom each other, and play-fight like two human brothers. Altered now, Wolf likes my company and has rapidly become my favorite.

The others have given you plenty of advice about food and litter. I've discovered that the topical flea treatments like Revolution work, though they are pricey. (Don't use Hartz Mountain flea treatment! One cat I used it on almost had seizures until we rinsed her off.) Last November and again this past spring I removed the cats and set off flea bombs in the apartment. The fumigation not only killed the fleas but all the roaches I had swarming, and I plan to repeat it this month. The scratching post is a good idea; sprinkle some catnip on it, and they'll love using it.

Each cat I've known has been an individual, a friend and companion. That they hunt vermin (when they feel like it, and when the vermin are large enough to be worth bothering about) has been a nice plus, but I'd want at least one cat anyway.

Remember the adage: "God made the cat to give man the pleasure of petting the tiger."

 

[RDY4WAR]

We have 5 of them named Crack Monkey, Nitro, George, Luna, and Pearl. Crack Monkey is my lap buddy. If my anxiety is up, their purr always calms it down.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
OP: From my own experience with cats I have found that males tend to be more amiable/clownish than females.

Also take into consideration your physical state when it comes to litter. Clay litter is heavy but there are other types (crystal, corn husk, etc) which are much lighter.

Generally males are more easygoing. But I recall Arizona, the big male red tabby Maine Coon mix, who was touchy and suspicious of strangers; and girl cats Marie-Antoinette, Tatiana, and Oreo who were as sweet as you could imagine. (To balance that, there was Angelique, the tabby-point blue-eyed Siberian who loved to get on your lap, but if you shifted an inch she would growl at you. Wouldn't leave, just growled on a rising note, as if saying, "I'm gonna explode --!") And my current males give me a hard time about going into their carriers, as did Arizona; but all the females, even the psycho growler, went in without a hassle.

The heavy clumping clay litter (e.g., Walmart's "Special Kitty" brand) is what my beasts are used to. Recently I tried some lightweight non-clumping stuff, and they hated it and crapped on the bathroom floor. I went back to the old stuff.

 

[Benzadmiral]

As for finding a cat: Sure, the shelter is a good place. Or one can find you. The blue-eyed Siberian found me one morning when I was drying and waxing my car in the parking lot of a shuttered grocery store. She came up crying as if saying, "I need human help now!" Clearly she was a purebred and somebody's pet. When no one showed up, at last I said, "I'll go back home, get a carrier, and come back, and we can put an ad in the paper." (This was 2003.) I opened the door of my Mercedes, got in -- and she jumped in on my lap!

I took her to Linda, since my current cat was sick. When nobody responded to the ad or our inquiries at veterinarians, she became Linda's cat.

Petco and Petsmart around here usually have 1 to 4 cats or kittens in each store from the local shelters, so you can be seduced while you're shopping.

 

[aquariuscsm]

My beautiful loving Kiki (aka The Nades) is a rescue cat from the animal shelter. She was my dad's,and when he passed away I adopted her.

Her favorite litter is Arm and Hammer Double Duty. Her favorite foods are Purina One and Rachel Ray.