to even THINK about getting a dog or cat?

[LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary]

Hello,

I live alone in a fairly spacious 2 bed flat in a quiet cul-de-sac with a shared garden.

I work long hours - typically out of the house 11+ hrs 5 days a week. I stay in most of the time evenings and weekends and don't travel much. I am not in the market for a DP or DCs!

Am I bonkers for thinking I could have a cat or small dog? I just want something to love and the goldfish aren't cutting it! (Neither did my hamster or guinea pigs quite fill the gap as they're not very responsive - they don't "love you back").

I don't want to be unfair to an animal but OTOH surely there must be some rescue cat which would be a good fit for me? I have a craving for a small dog but work won't let me bring it in so I think that might be out of the question....

My DM says I'm bonkers but MN jury - your collective wisdom please...?

Thank you.

*kitten

Not a dog, definitely not. But a cat absolutely (so long as you are happy for it to be an outdoor cat). We got cats for the same reason - out of the house every day for work and a dog would be miserable left alone.

Adult cat, absolutely. Or a pair. They're harder to adopt out and I suspect most would absolutely love lazing about your house and garden all day, and having cuddles at night.

Definitely not a dog, but a huge yes to a cat

I adopted Suki after her owner passed away, she was completely deaf. almost blind, and about 15, but she was lovely, used to sleep on my bed. Due to her deafness she was an indoor cat, but it was what she'd known all her life.

I own a 14 year old female cat....i've had her since she was a few weeks ago.....she spends hours in the garden under a shrub...but will come in for fuss and food when she feels like it...i think an older cat will be perfect for you x

I better tell DM that she's about to become a granny and to get knitting tiny bootees!

OP get yourself out to lothian cat rescue I'm Bonnyrigg, they're fantastic and always have lots of cats needing homes. I'd seriously consider a pair - with each other for company they'll be fine with being home alone.

Aw, Grapefruit

Yes, a pair of rescue cats would be ideal. Cats are independent and don't care if you're out all day as long as they get lots of loving when you're home.

Can't believe a PP has suggested a kitten

Ooh - an ad banner for Cats Protection League appeared at the top of the page as I was posting. It's a sign, OP!

Aaaaah it's a sign!!! I love a sign!
Thanks guys - and Statistically - I think that's where DParents got my childhood cat.

Oh yes get a lovely older rescue cat - there are so many who get overlooked - I've had some lovely older cats

I currently have one old lady, one middle aged boy and 2 year old maniacs!

I love cats

I'm out the house a lot and have 2 cats but I'm starting to regret it . Neither are very happy to go out but between them they are both ruining my home. One keeps scratching my living room carpet and I come home to piles of carpet thread. She's also completely ruined our sofas. One she had a good go at within 2 minutes. The carpets will all need replacing and they were all brand new when we moved in.

P.s I won't re home they are part of the family but my heart sinks when I come home and see that.

Oh dear, catsarecrazy! I don't have carpets - all hardfloors but I do have a nice sofa!

I guess I could close the door to the living room during the day if it became an issue. He/She/They would still have 2 bedrooms to loll about in!

I've emailed Lothian Cat Rescue with my circumstances so maybe they will either have the right one or keep my details on file for when my soul mate arrives!

Trio of nice ratties would be good. Rat proof one room to let them run free and you will have hours of entertainment. They are sweet, affectionate & hilarious and not as huge a commitment as a cat because they only live a few yrs.

Aaaargh!! I can't even walk past the rats cage at Pets at Home!!!!

I'll have nightmares now!!

Everyone says they're great pets but they are still RATS!!!

Unless I get a special Siberian hamster called Basil...

Another big yes to an older cat.

We got out 2 as kittens, total nightmare for about 6-9 months (we both worked full time)and now at 14 years old they still have their moments.

Saying that I now work from home a few days a week and the look of disgust I get when they realise that they aren't going to have the house to themselves is hysterical.

Their day consists of who sleeps on what sofa first, nap, swap of sofas, food, nap, wander outside when weather nice, nap, back in for nap on the bed, food, nap where ever it is I need them not to be. Shout at OH as he arrives home that they haven't been fed in yearssssssssss, treats 'cause he's a softy, nap on sofa, wander outside, shout on stairs for us to go to bed. Sleep on bed.

Just think you can give an old cat that hard life.

I've given the cat home my phone number and now I keep checking my phone!

It's a bit like that scene in Friends where Monica & Chandler sign up to adopt a kid and jump when the phone rings 2 seconds later!

If your cats go out they may bring back rat (body parts) anyway.
If indoors only, you may have to work hard to stop them getting obese.

I'm enjoying this thread. I love hearing the stories about your rescue cats. DM has the most beautiful black cat that she rescued after her friend saw someone chuck it out of an upper storey flat window . The friend took it to the vet and nursed him back to health but couldn't keep him. DM took him temporarily, but he's so gorgeous that she couldn't part with him. He's got the nicest temperament of any cat I've known, not like my own spoilt little girl .

grapefruit your cat was gorgeous. Dogs are really hard work and do need company. Cats sound perfect for you. Hope you find a lovely one.

The only way you could realistically have a dog was if you had a responsible, trustworthy local dog walker to go in a few times a day, otherwise the dog would go mad. I went back to work last year after 4 years off with DCs and the dog went utterly batshit during the days til we found a lovely walker to come in and spend time with her.

Cats, on the other hand, would be fine left for that time so long as there's food and water out. We have 4 and ours are very outdoorsy; they have a microchip cat flap so only they can get in and out (lost count of the number of times I'd come downstairs in the morning to find the neighbours enormous panther-size cat sat on our dog's ned, terrorising her, the naught swine can't get in any more). We only had one of ours from a kitten, the two females arrived at 6 and 12 months (mummy and daughter who'd been abandoned) and the other boy turned up in our garden injured and just never left. Older cats are perfect for you by the sounds of it.

Yes the right kind of cat should suit you perfectly. My two boys go out at 7am and rarely come back inside all unless the weather is truly foul - they might pop in for a top up of biscuits, and if I'm there they'll come for a brief stroke just to say "hi, acknowledge that you still worship me, human slave" then they're off out again. Some Sundays I stay in all day but still don't see a whisker of either of them till dinner time at 6 or 7pm, and they have curfew at 10pm so the catflap is set to one-way after that. They come for strokes again then and get all purry, and one likes to sleep with me either on or next to my bed, but during the day they're basically no-maintenance!

Why don't you go down to your local rehoming centre. I don't think someone at the end of a phone can tell if a cat is for you. When ever we have got a cat or dog it has been a case of looking around and seeing The One

You'd need to check the lease on your flat. If you live in a purpose built block of flats it is usually a no pet zone.