Wanting to get a cat

[Hulababy]

DD and I would love to get a young cat to come and join our family. We are half way to persuading DH. DD is nearly 4yo.

I had a cat when growing up. She came to join us when I was 9yo and my little sister was born a year later. She then lived to be over 21yo. And I remember how lovely it was, but also know that I didn;t do half, or even a quarter, oof her care.

So please tell me...if we get a cat, what should we expect?

I found getting a cat was a lot less hassle than I'd expected, to be honest. We now have two.

On the other hand many people including Blu will refuse to come round to your lovely home

don't get a long-haired variety and you won't have to groom it much - I do mine about twice a year in the moulting season ( at great risk to life and limb)

IMO cats are very low maintenance:

apart from the bi-annual grooming, there's constant feeding ( I leave dried food down all the time),

intermittent clearing up of live/dead birds/mice,

jabs once a year

couple of additional trips to vet for cat bites p.a.

that's it

oh and holiday arrangements - cattery or kindly neighbour

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Have to say that my cat as a child never scratched anything. think we were lcuky maybe!

We are looking at getting one from the Cat's Shelter locally, and all come all with relevant vaccs, etc. And are microchipped. Would look to get one that is already trained I think, as can't really take too much time off work to help with this.

Just having to think of logistics. We have an alarm in the house. It is triggered by sensors on the front and back door, and yes in the garden room and garage. So during the day and at night time, when the alarm is on, when we are not in the cat would need to be either outside or inside only, unless we can have a cat flap in the back door - would this affect our alarm?

At night we could isolate the garden room and the cat could stay in there, rather than having to house to roam. But would have to use a litter tray for the night. But that means the alarm wouldn't be on, and as we don't put out first floor alarm on at night - it means in effect a would be burglar could get in the garden room and through the house with no alarm. Otherwise we need to set the hall alarm, and run downstairs to turn it off quick!

Or at night the cat could have the roam of the house, bar the garden room - need to check door doesn't close!

I guess during the day when we are out, if we can get a cat flap on the door he/she ould go in and out there, and then have the use of the utility room for shelter/warmth.

When we are home - I only work 3 days and 2 of those days I am home for about 4ish - the cat would be free to come and go int he house.

Then weekends away. For holidays we could use a cattery so that is fine. But weekends would be tougher. We don't know many people round here really. We do have one set of friends we know round the corner. They have a cat and if they are around they may be willing to drop in and feed her. Or could we use an automatic feeder for 2 nights (we normally go away Friday nightto Sunday afternoon). Or is this too cruel?

I also think that our weekends away are slowing down more and more now, and when DD is at school they will become even less.

I think our location would be lovely for a cat - so many open fields around us.

So much to consider!

This is the Cat's Shelter which from their local website suggests no home visit. You can just turn up with your ID, etc and a pet carrier to take you cat home in.

LOL at 2 cats. Think DH would go very pale at that suggestion!!!

we use a cat feeder for up to 2 nights - it has 2 compartments and they open at differently timed intervals.

can't comment on the alarm as depends on the system - we have door sensors that alarm when the door is opened, but are not affected by a cat flap - we have to shut cat out of living room and dining room if te alarm is set as they have room movement sensors.

I think it would be very beneficial for DD, especially as she is an only child.

No chimneys here - new house.

Another thought - I could have a cat flap in the utility room and then leave the utility door open, but close all over doors. So she would have 3 floors of stairs to run up and down, but hopefully not access to other rooms when we weren't there. Suppose it would depend onthe cat's nature. I don't really want to come back and find the living room furniture scratched to death, or the cat all over my kitchwn units!

BTW, thanks for beaing with me whilst I go through all this rambling. Want to be really sure, and also want to be abe to talk it all through with DH first so he is fully convinced.

iota - we have similar alarm system, so think door sensors would be fine. We can shut the doors of rooms with the eye sensors.

Hula - its a good idea to close the doors when out anyway, as it limits the space for clearing up or catching the livestock that your lovely pet will bring in when you're out

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I love cats. Very low maintenance and lots of company. Our cat is brill with the kids (poor thing has had to endure 3 babies in her time). I love her to bits. You do have to think about cat care when you go away but I think this is a small price to pay for everything they give you in return. Luckily she only scratches our bookcase and not our leather sofa

Hulababy, you might still be able to use your burglar alarm sensors. Check with the alarm company. We have just had an alarm fitted, and the sensors are not triggered by our 2 cats as it's only the body warmth of a person (adult or child) which would set it off, the cats are too small and slip beneath the radar.

Cats are great pets, not much work (average 5 minutes a day!) and ours are good with children.

I will check that out tuttifrutti.

Scared by the wildlife! Not sure I remember my cat from childhood doing that!!! Eeek.

Have noticed now that we ave 4 doors that don't catch when shut. Doing our snagging list for the builders and they will be going on the list for immediate attention.

My cat doesn't do the wildlife, but many do. Dad and I used to put up the 'retired' (ie too old to be useful) farm cats, so am v v experienced with moggies! Love them to bits, especially the semi-ferals, I can tame almost anything me (DH wishes this wasn't the case as he gets a bit embarrased of my 'cat charming' sound but hey it works).

You shouldn't get a problem with scratches on furniture, because a vet can teach you how to clip their claws. Don't do it without getting a lesson though, as if you cut the wrong bit there's a blood supply there.

Cats are lovely, if you're looking for a family friend go for a moggy ime. But there are also some great family breeds out there- the two i'd consider are Bristish Blue and RagDoll, although I doubt i'd ever pay for a cat whilst there are ones who NEED a home. You canleave them for 48 hours no problem, as long as they have access to water, shelter and food. If you don't have a catflap, consider putting one in a shed or outbuilding- I know some people don't want flaps in double glazed dorrs as there can be quite a risk. Ask about flea control, as the supermarket ones aren't really reliabe enough, snap for worms. And keep the jabs up to date.

My cat whn I got him was evil, I almost gave up on him and that never happened yet. he's been owned for three months by a family who were planning to leave him (at about 6 months old) somewhere to die or fend for himself as best he could. Words fail me. They named him Frankenstein and he was clearly starving, and rather visious (no kids then). Now he's about 8 and the softest most loving lap cat you could imagine. More like a cushion than a cat, tbh.

DH is definitely coming round, thank you all

Need to go and have a look and a chat at the Shelter really. We are away next weekend so will go weekend after. If we do decide to go ahead we will then return 2 weeks later (as in London for weekend before that). Then we have no more weekends away planned until our holiday in June.

Hula if ours doesn't get on with the new baby in a few weeks I might have to consider getting rid of him (he's lovely, big soft, white furball) but he's also a tad stupid and am getting really worried, hopefully un-necessarily about him trying to sleep on new baby a lot etc, will let you know!

He sounds a cutie - all that soft white furr. Ahh.

we got ours from a rescue place and she was 4 years when we got her. personally i din't want the hassle of a kitten. she came litter trained and not had any problems with scratching or bringing in animals. however the main problme is if you wnat to go away which we do fairly frequently (for weekends) We have bought a timer feeder that gives two feeds at times you set, so perfect for a weekend!

c ats are great - very low maintenance in the feedingdepartment and they sort themselves out for walks and toileting as long as you have a cat flap. But my cat brings in mice and birds and frogs alot. We have also had the occasional snail - really congratualted him on that, they move quick do snails!

He hated dd when she arrived - but up until that point had been my baby really as we got him when we couldn't afford a baby IYSWIM but almost 6 months down the kine he loves her, goes to her for "strokes" (actually she just grabs but he is very patient) and when she was ill the other week he set up camp outside her door for several days.

The only word of advice I would give is pet insurance - it costs about £5-6 for young cats a month and may save you lots of money on vets bills. Back in sept Oscar our cat cost us almost £1000 in bills between having his eye hooked in a fight and me breaking his toe (he got in the way when I was carrying dd down the stairs). I think the money we have spent in vets bills over the last 4 years easuily outstrips the cost of insurance. He now has insurance and just sits on the sofa all day doing nothing!

Oh, he did get in dd's cot once, it was empty at the time and we put her in next to him - he ran a mile and has never done it again, but does like to play on her activity mat when she is not!

DD is nearly 4, so no baby worries. We are also liking the idea of the Shelter place, as they have a visiting room where you can play with the cats beforehand. So we can make sure that the cat we choose is happy to be around and playing with DD. No point otherwise.

Will def get pet insurance. BIL/SIL have a cat and have insurance and it has been fab. Cat has asthma and it has saved them a fortune.

Hi, we acquired a five month kitten two weeks ago, her owner was old and ill and couldn't care for her.
She's sat on my lap now.
I was worried because I didn't want scratches wee etc, but she really is good as gold, and trained to use a litter tray. I have no scratches.
She cries when I lock her downstairs at night, so last night I let her up, and didn't know she was there at all! I bought her a scratch post and a lovely bed, but she uses neither.
When she came she hid for two days - she was so timid, but she is getting braver now, and half heartedly lets the children pick her up. She follows me about, and is really nice company. She has a mad half hour every day which the kids love. When she is more settled I will get her injections sorted.
I took her outside on a lead to day and she was petrified- will try again in a nother week or so!
I'm really pleased I had her