Cats what to know before I get one

amother

OP ↓

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 3:52 pm

Hi I noticed that someone started a thread on dogs.

I am an pet lover and have been dreaming of getting one.
I'd love to get a dog, they can be very therapeutic but also need a lot of care.

Cats need less care but are more snobby and they are just different then dogs. Less loving. You can do less with them etc...

I have some experience with cats as a neighbor had one some years back and I used to "borrow him".

Some questions.
1. Right now I'm renting a tiny winy apartment in the tri state area (in a very in the box town) my landlords are very in the box ppl. Any ideas how to ask them to allow me to get a cat?

2. About how much does it cost to buy and own a cat.

3. Can you own a cat in a very small apartment with no real windows for the cat to look out?

4. How bad do cats make your apartment smell? What can you do to prevent the smell?

5. What does it entail for someone to own a cat?

6. What is your negative/positive experience owning a cat?

7. Do you find it therapeutic to own a cat?
🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈

Not_in_my_town

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 4:30 pm

Cats can be cool, and they CAN be raised in an apartment without windows but that's kinda cruel...

Cats don't really do the potty trip outside deal, so you'll be scooping poop... Ewww. And they carry litter around on their paws. Kind of unsanitary.

A cat bite really hurts (been bit by accident)... and their mouths are full, full, full of bacteria. Like highly. If you ever get bit by a cat, it should be straight to the doctor.

Cats don't necessarily smell much, aside from the litter box, but they do shed, a lot, generally speaking.
They also need to be bathed and brushed.

vintagebknyc ↓

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 4:43 pm

Cat haters, step aside.

I have always had a cat as a pet and I love them. They are not snobs! They are loving and studies show they actually care for their owners--yes, I have read these studies.

Do NOT buy a cat. Rescue a cat or kitten from a shelter or rescue. There are thousands of cats and kittens than need homes. You can go to Petfinder.com and search for breeds or visit your local shelter. You must get your cat fixed and you can ask a rav for the kosher ways to do that, unless you adopt one already fixed. Adoption fees are, max, $100. Often that includes the neutering charges and vaccines.

There are newer litters that don't smell and are clumping and flushable. We use one made from corn. Scooping takes 12 seconds and then I gets flushed. Poof, gone.

Costs? Food, yearly vet visits, about $300 per year. Insurance is more and goes up as your cat ages.

A cat will be fine not looking out the window, just make sure the little windows you have have screens.

What does your lease say? If it doesn't say "no cats" then you can have a cat.

I find having a cat very therapeutic. She plays, cuddles, meows for me. Very affectionate!

You can PM me if you have more questions.

BH Yom Yom ↓

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 4:53 pm

Kitties are the best! That said, firstly, if you’re genuinely interested: adopt, don’t shop. There are thousands upon thousands of homeless cats needing to be adopted in shelters in all areas of the US.

Secondly: clear it with your landlord in writing before taking any steps to adopt a cat. Don’t play games with getting this approval. This can come back to bite you if you don’t.

Only adopt a cat if you are fully committed to caring for it for its entire lifetime—costs, shenanigans, and all. It is unfair to adopt a cat and then surrender it back to the shelter or rehome it because the novelty wore off, taking care of the cat became boring, the cat knocked your favorite vase off the shelf,
the cat ate your bank statement (this happened to me), the cat jumped on your counter and walked in or played with your food, etc. Adopting a pet is for life.

Factor in the costs of vet care (checkups, urgent visits if needed, dental cleanings, shots, flea treatment even if indoors), pet insurance (which I highly recommend— it has saved/ reimbursed me quite a bit in unexpected emergency vet bills), food, and litter.

It is cruel, inhumane and brutal to declaw a cat. If you are the type of person to get upset about furniture getting scratched, either don’t get a cat, or accept that your furniture will be clawed.

Feel free to PM me with more questions. I am a big advocate of cat adoption, and an equally big advocate of people going into it with their eyes wide open. Many scenarios come up of people who adopted a pet without thinking through the fact that it is a real commitment, and then the cat has gotten abandoned (either literally or metaphorically). Animal abandonment is a crime and is never OK.

amother

NeonBlue

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 5:36 pm

I bought a house where 2 cats previously lived. The smell was in the walls, in the floors. Overwhelming. My contractor told me that when I would scrape the walls (before painting) & the floors, the smell would dissipate. And that's what happened.

There were urine stains in the parquet floor so the floor refinisher had to scrape the floors quite a bit more than he had previously planned. He also had to stain the floor a darker color so that the urine stains wouldn't show up as much. The stains are still visible in the spot where the cats would hang out.

I think the people who live with cats get used to the odor but it would hit us in the face as soon as we walked through the front door. We bought the house anyway because we were desperate and had to get out of our rental apartment. Thankfully my contractor was right and the odor did go away.

It's possible that there are better cat litter systems now so that the smell is not as strong. The seller kept the house immaculate so I have a feeling that she did the best she could at that time.

Just be aware of this issue. It's a big one. I'm an animal lover but would not be able to live with this.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 6:35 pm

BH Yom Yom wrote:

Keep in mind as well that cat fecal matter can be toxic to pregnant women or immunocompromised people because of toxoplasmosis risk. It is strongly recommended that pregnant women not clean a dirty litter box.

I actually get sick very often. One of the things that hold me back from getting a pet is the germs. Covid-19

Rappel ↓

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 6:40 pm

1. My cat does her business outside. I don't even keep a litter box anymore for emergencies. There is no smell.
1a. When you first get a cat, you should keep it indoors for two weeks at least, so it can get comfortable in its surroundings and know where its home is.

2. Cats have various personalities. I've had cats that spent all day hiding in closets. I've had cats whom I taught circus tricks to. Our current cat is a babysitter/manager personality whom is friendly with everyone, and LOVES children (but can't stand other cats and dogs!). Pick your cat by personality. For a cat with a perfect personality from the get-go, I recommend going to the shelter and selecting from among the older cats. Ours was the shelter's office cat before she came home with us. She's a box-shaped orange tabby, so she got passed over by anyone who wanted green eyes and a bottle brush tail. But her personality can't be beat.

And cats are so EASY to have and love! If you're not home often, I would get a sibling pair so they can keep each other company.

Enjoy!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 6:47 pm

vintagebknyc wrote:

I have two auto immune disorders, my DH has one. We're fine.

I hear. I'm sick all the time. I was sick most of the year. Now for over 2 months straight. I have no energy. I'm thinking that once I get to the bottom of things and hopefully get better one day (at least better then this), then maybe I'll be able handle germs from a cat. Covid-19

↑ vintagebknyc

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 6:51 pm

amother OP wrote:

Cats are really not germy. And I think a cat might be good company for you if you're tired and need some furry love. A young adult cat could be curled up next to you by the weekend!

↑ Rappel ↓

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 6:56 pm

vintagebknyc wrote:

Cats are really not germy. And I think a cat might be good company for you if you're tired and need some furry love. A young adult cat could be curled up next to you by the weekend!

Cats are great company, and very clean. But depending on what OP has, animal care of any kind can be difficult.

Imagine scooping litter with fibromyalgia. Or tripping over a cat if you have a brittle bone condition. Or worrying about your cat when you have to be in the hospital for days at a time.

I can see that changing the picture somewhat Sad

Feel better OP! I hope you get your comfort soon!

↑ BH Yom Yom ↓

Thu, Oct 13 2022, 5:25 am

vintagebknyc wrote:

Cats are really not germy. And I think a cat might be good company for you if you're tired and need some furry love. A young adult cat could be curled up next to you by the weekend!

It’s true the cats are very clean! They do lick their tush, though, so keep that in mind. 🤪

OP, I would recommend reaching out to a animal rescue in your area and asking if you can foster a cat. This will give you an opportunity to try having a cat on a temporary basis that could become permanent if you see that it’s working out well after a few weeks or a couple months. (If it doesn’t work out, the rescue remains responsible for the kitty’s care.) There are many rescues that do foster-to-adopt programs.

All the kitties need loving homes! To comment on another point mentioned upthread, it’s really really advised not to keep cats outdoors. There are numerous dangers to them from predators, territory fights with other cats, exposure to more diseases, getting hit by a car, etc. especially if you live in a city area. Cats really need to be indoors for safety.

Having a window so they can look out of is of course helpful, and if you live in a place where you can have a “catio” set up, that can give them the feeling of being outside while keeping them safely contained. If that’s not possible and your kitty is hyper and needs stimulation, just make sure to have a lot of cat-safe toys (avoid those awful plastic feathers—if they are swallowed they can cause serious injury and gastrointestinal upset—I don’t understand why toy companies still make them!). Crumpled up paper balls are great. And like with infants, it’s a good idea to “rotate” the toys so that they don’t get bored of them. If you have an older cat who doesn’t spend much time playing, this is admittedly easier because they don’t really need that many toys and will likely be happy just cuddling and snoozing.

Elfrida ↓

Thu, Oct 13 2022, 6:36 am

The vets say cats are safer indoors. They probably are, but I don't know if they are healthier. In a previous apartment my cats had to stay indoors, and they got sick on a regular basis. In my current apartment my cats are able to go in and out freely, and they are better tempered and healthier. The twelve year old got an abscess in her ear a few years ago, and the others have never been to the vet except for vaccinations. They get plenty of exercise and stimulation outside, and enjoy knowing they have a home to come back to.