Today we reserved two rescue cats and I'm so excited

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

I've wanted a cat for ages. We've just catsat four cats for a week and they clearly worked their magic on DH as he started looking at cat home websites while we were still there and today we visited a local centre and reserved two lovely boys :D

They're 3 and 10 and have always lived together.

Any suggestions re best place to get insurance, especially for the 10 yo? Slightly nervous as didn't realise 10 was considered so old.

Any suggestions for places to buy equipment? Online good though actual place might be nice as could involve the DC a bit more.

Stupid question: will we need one or two cat carriers to get them home? Is being squashed more or less stressful than being separated?

[VivaLeBeaver]

Congrats. I would get two carriers. I've never fitted two cats in one crate.

I've also never insured my cats. I think especially at that age it wouldn't be worth it finance wise. You'd be better off putting money aside each month for a vet fund.

In 15 years of cat ownership I've only had one bill, it was £300 mind! Oh and once I was worried one cat was limping and it cost me £20 for a consultation where the cat refused to limp and was pronounced fine. I've always had two cats, so that's kind of 30 years of cat ownership really. Guess I'm winning on not paying insurance but it depends if you can find the money for an unexpected bill. If it was a bill of over £500 realistically speaking I'd have the cat pts.

[cozietoesie]

Unless you're dealing with eg insurers or pet food manufacturers, 10 isn't really 'so old' these days - more a sort of mature middle age. My own boy is coming up to 20 - and there are plenty of posters who have cats well into their middle or late teens.

Well done for rescuing them and I hope you have many happy years together. Looking forward to the pictures.

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

Thanks :D

Glad to hear I wasn't wrong thinking 10 wasn't old!

Interesting re insurance. I have a friend whose cat is endlessly dragging itself home with broken legs etc and racking up £000s in vet fees, so that's worried me a bit. Maybe we'd be ok with savings though?

[chockbic]

You might find insurers will exclude certain illness for an older mog.

We never bothered with insurance. Biggest bill was £1000 which insurance wouldn't have covered anyway.

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

This is probably a "it depends" question so I'll check with the centre, but with two cats do we need two litter trays, beds, dishes etc?

[misog2000]

I would always insure but that's only my personal opinion based on my experience. I have two cats who don't even really go out much (so not much chance of car accidents etc) but one of them developed diabetes about 2.5 years ago. Her treatment costs around £150 a month and the insurance pays all of it except the first £85 a year. They have been paying for it for two renewals now and the premium has only gone up 50p a month over those two years - it's now £24 ish so I am still £125 a month better off than if she wasn't insured, I guess if you are happy to pts rather than pay out then don't insure but that's not something I could live with especially as the vet says her illness shouldn't affect her lifespan at all if we manage it well.

I wouldn't worry about beds to begin with, my cats sleep wherever they fancy (clean washing being their favourite!) but would say yes to more than one litter tray and food bowl. Good luck with your new kitties, hope they settle in well

[Fluffycloudland77]

3 trays, two of everything else.

Will they be chipped?

[cozietoesie]

As above - but I wouldn't bother with buying special bowls unless you've been all through your cupboards and come up empty-handed. I've always used small cereal/fruit bowls which have proved completely popular and the chances are that you (or friends and family) have some dishes in your cupboard which are just right.

(Supermarkets and pet shops really over-charge £££ for those special things with paw prints or C.A.T printed on and they're really not worth it, however tempting to the DC.)

[Fluffycloudland77]

I use cheap side plates. That way they fit in the dishwasher easily.

[cozietoesie]

Perfect. And if you haven't got enough, you can usually pick them up cheaply in charity shops or markets for - say - 10 or 20 pence. I think they prefer china to metal or plastic as well.

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

Thanks

They will be chipped, yes. It's going to be worth getting a pricey microchip operated cat flap, isn't it? There are loads of cats around here.

[cozietoesie]

Unless you want to be Party Central for every cat in the neighbourhood? Oh Yes, it's worth it.

[tobiasfunke]

Ooh new cats- how exciting. Microchip catflaps are great. We have a sureflap- it was well worth it.

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

Oh, probably another it depends/ask the centre question, but how high will the 10 yo be able to jump? Was thinking that on top of our kitchen units might be a good place for them to hang out downstairs, but obviously not if they can't get up there. Lowest is tall fridge plus unit on top, fridge is about 150cm high (and is slightly wider than the unit, though not by much), unit probably another 50 cm.

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

DC would love to be party central, I however would not

[Fluffycloudland77]

Oh he'll choose his own hidey places & you'll have to lump it! Mine opens the wardrobe door and settles down on my suitcase.

[cozietoesie]

Definitely compare the prices of catflaps before buying. I think most posters here use Sureflap and there can be a difference of at least a tenner on that between various sites. It all adds up.

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

So one cat is stretched out the full length of my lap, the other is lying next to me with his chin on my thigh, both purring like outboard motors :)

[cozietoesie]

And are there pictures coming?

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

There will be photos - proper camera is downstairs but here is a crappy ipad one.

So they arrived this afternoon and we're supposed to keep them confined to the spare room for a week. They are already DESPERATE to get out - one has already escaped a few times but luckily is very food orientated, so comes running back at a shake of the Dreamies bag. Do you think it's going to be ok to let them out a bit earlier? Really can't see them lasting a week!

[cozietoesie]

What handsome boys!

They'll be desperate to find out about their new home. I think that I'd probably let them out of the spare room itself if they're going stir crazy and if the rest of the house is safe for them (leaving its door open/ajar so they can retreat there if needs be) but not outside the house yet.

[ThereMustAndShallBeTea]

They are gorgeous!

Cool, will let them out of the room tomorrow night for a little while. Younger one has been mewing at and scrabbling at the door :( The room is obviously bigger than their run, but there's not much in it except the bed and a chest of drawers and they seem unimpressed by my cardboard boxes and cat toy selection!

[Lovethesea]

We were told to keep our rescue cat in one room to help him settle, but he was bold as brass so he had the run of the house within a few hours. Really important to keep him in the house for about 3 weeks to make sure he knows this is the new place to get food, but no reason they can't enjoy loads of space if they aren't the nervous types!

[Fluffycloudland77]

I'd let the have the run of the house, you will need to be extra vigilant that they don't get out of the house for a month.

[AwkwardSquad]

We weren't told to keep our rescue mog to one room. We just let her out, let her find her own hiding place, then left her alone. She went under our bed for a few hours, then came out to explore. It was fine.