What are the downsides of owning a cat?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

If I was thinking very vaguely of getting a cat some time in the next year, what are all the downsides? The upsides are pretty obvious, but as a long-time "doggy person" and someone who has never owned a cat in her life, I would like to know if the downsides might just put me off ever getting one. I would never get a cat on a whim and would want to do some serious research so I could be properly prepared for the things that I have not heard about before.

eg. I've been looking at some of the other threads on here and see that someone has had problems with poo from the cat litter being trod all over the house, and I just thought ! Not sure I'm ready to deal with mess like that - I thought cats were supposed to be clean?!

ps. My kids are 7 and nearly 5 and are showing an interest in owning a pet, but the only thing that comes near to what we might be able to manage in terms of responsibility vs. what you actually get back from the pet is a cat, I think.

[ThatVikRinA22]

i love my two moggies but they have wreaked more havoc on the house than my dogs ever did. scratched wallpaper, scratched furniture and carpets, fussy over food and which cat litter, they have even bitten my very expensive wooden blinds! so much as i love them they do cause some damage...make sure you can live with that before you get them! mine dont go out much so i think that may be why my house has suffered more! but i wouldnt swap them and i do love them, as do the kids. my DD treats on of them like her baby and the cat loves it...they make up for the damage in cuteness! good job!

[DaphneHeartsFred]

Not all cats use litter trays, my mum's cats both 'go' outside.

The only downsides are similar to doggy-downsides.

• Fur everywhere
  
• Vets bills
  
• Fur everywhere
  
• Getting them to a decent cattery
  
• Fur everywhere
  

You may also be required to master the art of sliding a sleeping cat off your lap, without disturbing it, so you can go to the loo.

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Arranging for someone to feed them when you go away for the weekend or on holiday.

My lovely moggy went through a bit of a phase of being sick (was once sick on the Christmas presents under the tree).

But mine is soooooooo sociable and friendly. I cannot sit down on the sofa of an evening without him instantly appearing at my side, pawing me and trying to get me to stroke him.
(Bit like dh, come to think of it).

[SecretNutellaFix]

If you get a housecat- they may try to dig to Australia in the litter tray, so put that somewhere easily cleaned. The litter is usually clean

Fur around the house, they will try scratching furniture, will try it on with food. I got stern and let them go hungry for a day(mine are house cats, so easier to do) and since then no problems.

If they will be outdoor cats, then prepare for little ritual sacrifices left on the doorstep/ windowsill.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Apart from that I wouldn't be without them.

The climbing onto your lap when you are engrossed at the laptop.
The chasing their own tails around and looking miffed when you laugh.
The company when you feel down in the duumps- stroking them makes me smile, especially when tehy relax so much they fall off the side of teh sofa.

[TitsalinaBumSquash]

Moultling
Stinky litter tray
Vet bills
food costs
active at night time
bringing in livestock

[gaelicsheep]

Where do I start?

I have two cats. They puke everywhere, they stink (litter tray), they're getting bad tempered, they're on the wrong side of every god damned door, etc. I love them, but sometimes I wish I didn't have them.

[thatsnotmymonster]

I have a 7 yr old cat and a 11mth old puppy. The cat is a piece of cake, I would never get a dog again.

The cat has never used a litter tray- always used a cat flap but if we take him somwhere where there is no cat flap (on holiday) he will just as easily use a window or wait till he is let in/out. As we have a catflap we can leave him home alone for a weekend with a big pile of dry food (iams). He drinks outsided and can catch his own food too. If we go away for longer it is not much hassle for a neighbour to pop in every day or so and top up his food. We can take him on most uk/family trips.

He used to bring mice or rabbits in to the house which I didn't like but it rarely happens now. He has never scratched our furniture much. He sleeps on a bed/chair most of the time!

The dog on the other hand...don't get me started!

[onimolap]

Waking to find small bloody rodent corpse on the pillow inches from your nose, plus smug feline peering at you as if to say "go on, eat it whilst it's still warm".

Dead voles in your boots.

Discovering how foul cat vomit smells and that it's next to impossible to get off the carpet.

Kittens (if you're unlucky).

[crystalglasses]

1. Moulting - get a very short haired cat
   

1. litter tray - but try not to use one as sifting through the sand for poo is disgusting, even with one of those special spades- get it to 'go' outside in the garden
   

BUT THEN

1. poo in the flower beds - always wear gloves when you're weeding as you're bound to come across a nasty lump or two.
   

1. vets bills - can be horrendous - always worm your cat beforehand - if a vet asks you if your cat's been wormed recently always say yes otherwise he/she will pop a pill into the cat's mouth and charge you A LOT for it.
   

1. dirty paintwork and soft furnishings - cats love rubbing themselves against kitchen cabinets, doors, furniture and so on - leaving dirty marks everywhere - don't believe people who say cats are clean - they're not.
   

1. Food - you can't leave ANYTHING out because the cat will get it -eat it, lick it or sniff at it.
   

My cat has recently died - i loved it but am now luxuriating in a clean, hairless house with no poo in the garden and the ability to leave the kitchen without immediately putting all the food away

[1Catherine1]

In order of inconvenience...

1. Vet bills
   
2. Cattery fees and organising holidays (book a cattery early) - 2 weeks away can cost in excess of £150 in boarding fees.
   
3. destroying furniture
   
4. Litter trays
   
5. meowing at all hours of the night
   
6. cat hair everywhere
   
7. food costs
   
8. If you don't own your own home some landlords won't accept them
   
9. Waking you up because its 12:30pm and they haven't been fed yet
   
10. They always find the warmest spot in any room regardless of where that might be (be it your laptop or the only heater that is heating that room
    
    If you are lucky enough to get a cat like mine then you will also be privileged to never being able to find anything that you left out on a table. My cat thinks everything belongs on the floor, even better if everything ends up at the bottom of the stairs at the entrance to my flat. I think I'm going to be finding stray baubles off my Christmas tree up till next Christmas.
    
    Despite this I wouldn't get rid of them. I love them both too much. I have however decided that when these two have gone I am going to be pet-less. Mainly because of reasons 1 and 2 though.

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Oh dear.......I think you lot may have put me off completely!

Re: the cat hairs...I remember moving into a rented flat and finding cat hairs EVERYWHERE for months from the previous tenants. I mean, even if we took a tray of something out of the oven, there'd be cat hairs stuck to it. Was horrendous.

And the thought of finding cat puke at odd places in the house.

AND their poo. I'm not sure where I'd actually put a litter tray if we were to have one - the kitchen is tiny so no room for it there. And DH would be so pissed off he found lumps of cat poo in the flower bed - whenever the neighbours' cats come into our garden and have a shit at the bottom of the garden he goes mental and runs out to chase them away.

On reflection, I really don't think owning a cat is for us, if I'm being honest with myself.

Working hours mean a dog is out of the question, which would be my preference anyway (sorry all those who prefer cats!!)

Thanks so much for your replies, they really have been very helpful.

[Japers]

Gerbil/hamster/rat?

[annoyingdevil]

Peeing on the floor, when it's raining. Puking everywhere, lashing out when her back is touched, stealing food from the kitchen surfaces (that's the female)

Bringing in half eaten mice, killing birds, sleeping on the kitchen table (that's the male)

fleas, worms, moulting, scratching the sofa (both)

[Lizcat]

I think the biggest difference between dogs and cats is Dogs have owners cats have staff. That really says it all. You should get used to being treated like a luxury hotel on call 24 hours a day with no Thanks ever given. Plus when they do deign to sit with you if you dare twitch even the smallest muscle they give you 'The Look' and walk off.

[Ormirian]

None.

They are lovely low-maintenance animals and the most beautiful things I own.

[madrush]

I was desperate to get a cat and eventually the dds and I talked my dh around. A year later, he still raves about how great she is and how easy she is to look after.

I have 3 issues with her:

• endless nightmares that she'll be run over
  
• having to make arrangements for her when we go away (friendly neighbour popping in or for longer stays she goes to stay with family)
  
• occasional rodenty "gifts" from the garden
  

We did chose very short haired female who was older so already toilet trained (she goes outside, no tray) and not quite as crazy as a kitten. And she was a rescued stray so I feel good about giving her a lovely home too.

If you've never owned a cat, you'll be surprised how easily they worm their way into your affection!

[madrush]

Have read some of the more negative responses. Obviously don't get a cat without seeing the full picture, but to counter some of them:

Ours would never jump on kitchen surfaces, or help herself to food (unless left on floor).

She has NEVER messed in the house even in deep snow she couldn't bring herself to use the litter tray I set up for her.

We never see hairs around (except her little sheepskin bed) because she's short-haired.

She can be trained behaviourally - she went through a phase of telling us when it was time to get up and provide breakfast. I shut her into the kitchen without feeding her until I was ready to get up a couple of times and she soon learnt that I would decide on getting up time!

[DanceInTheDark]

I have had a cat for 2 weeks now having never had one and not beng a cat person (it's DHs cat really but ibviously i said yes!)

She's 7 months ish (rescue) and goes in the litter tray fine - it stinks. We leave dry food out all day which is alright but the wet food twice a day really smells. SHe follows me round like a puppy - it's not my cat! I al covered in scratches, my leather sofa is covered in holes - luckily it was old anyway! There is cat hair everywhere, she pesters like a newborn all day and all night, she pulled up the carpet in the front room one night. We haven;t been allowed to let her out yet but i might keep her as a house cat because there is no way i will be removing half dead rodents etc from the house!
The company is nice but if i am perfectly honest, i should not have agreed to it, i'm not on board 100%!

[purplepidjin]

OMG, it sounds like there are some very dysfuntional cats out there!

I have 2. Both 4 1/2 year old moggies.

Vets Bills : Same as a dog really

Litter tray : Dump the whole lot in a bin bag every 3-4 days and rinse the tray with non-bleach multi-surface cleaner. A lidded tray will smell less, and I carry the tray to the bath and use the shower to rinse it out.

Getting run over : I live in a main road, so they're mainly house cats. They are fine to come in and out through the kitchen window (faces the back; I live in a flat, this is the only reasonable access point) whenever someone is home to supervise.

Furry creatures : We had a run of these summer last year. Turned out there was a rat problem behind the shops downstairs and the council dealt with it - no more small furries

Meowing at stupid times : ignore. They soon learn.

Sleeping in the worst place on the bed : shut the door!

Other misbehaviour : mine are very responsive to the word "NO!". They also answer to their names (Mango managed this int he vet surgery the other day - PFB moment!!)

Mango, the ginger one who's pic is on my profile, is currently in the system to become a Pets as Therapy cat. The vet reckons he is part ragdoll, as he is so floppy" when he's picked up.

There are downsides to owning any animal. Only you can decide what the upsided are for you and your family

PS I got my cats because I was refused pets as a child. "When you're eighteen and have a home of your own you can do as you please" So I damn well did

[Butterbur]

Our biggest problem is the worry when one of them doesn't come home.

[mousymouse]

• allergic friends cannot visit you anymore

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

spraying
i will not be having a boy cat again, not even a neutered one - our spraying cat had been neutered.