Should I get another cat?

[YouAreMySunshine19]

I had a cat previously for 5 years and he was always aggressive since a kitten. My ex got him and never treated him right and when I left I took him with me. Could never get the aggression under control and when my daughter was 1, he was 5 it just became unmanageable to keep him due to the biting and attacking. Reluctantly I had to give him up and I've never got over it.

My daughter is now 3 and I'm thinking seriously about getting another cat. Maybe a kitten, or even a younger cat around 5 or younger.

Do you think it's a good idea? I don't want to end up with another aggressive cat, I've never known another cat like him. Everyone commented about how aggressive he was, visitors to my home etc. I posted on here at the time and the consensus was that it be best to rehome him.

Advice please?

[Eileithyiaa]

If you want a cat then get one.

Maybe call the local shelter and see if they have any that need a home, and explain your previous catastrophe and the aggressiveness etc, and ask for a cat with the right temperament for a toddler.

[YouAreMySunshine19]

Thank you.

I've already been looking at the RSPCA and various other shelters around. Looks like cats get snapped up very quickly! Some aren't doing rehoming at the moment.

Im just worried as family have already told me they think it's mad. I don't get on with them at the best of times and I'm the type of person if they told me outright not to get one then I wouldn't incase I upset them or they think even more badly of me.

I suffer hugely with anxiety and I felt my previous cat helped a lot with that.

If I ended up getting a kitten then is there anything I can do try and prevent behavioural issues? Previous cat also destroyed furniture despite many attempts at different scratching posts, toys, everything!

I have been reading up and it seems it should be as simple as putting the scratching post near the furniture or moving them to the post if they start to scratch something they shouldn't until they learn not to.

[crimsonlake]

I think you may have trouble getting one from a rehoming centre since you have a very small child, their rules are very strict.
Possibly wait until your child is a little older. My cat is now 16 months old and still quite a terror, for months both my arms and legs were covered in scratches. I would not say she is aggressive,the cutest thing, just extreemely high energy and goes after anything even when it is not moving. Could you cope with a small child and all that?

[Fluffycloudland77]

I don’t think a rescue will let you have a kitten with a 3yo because of the incidence of young kids accidentally killing them.

They will have bomb proof adults though.

[YouAreMySunshine19]

Thank you. I wouldn't mind having a cat older than a kitten. I will keep thinking about it and start speaking to some rescues when they reopen for homing