Anyone regretted having a cat?

[MozzchopsThirty]

I've never had one, would like one for me & dcs
Seen one we like and suitable for our home at local cats protection centre

I'm so nervous about it going wrong, worried that she'll scratch furniture, carpets etc
Worried about allergy
Worried I won't cope

Oh, and they also walk all over the kitchen surfaces as my house is open plan downstairs. Anti bac/disinfectant spray is your friend.

Female cat should be fine. Just make sure you give her flea drops (advocate are best) every month. Male cats are much more trouble (fighting, wandering off, weeing). Other than that, it's mainly you get what you give - if she gets lots of love she will be a good pet, if she doesn't, then she may not think much of you (cats will judge you!)

Male cats are fine if you get them neutered young enough. I personally find them a lot more relaxed and sociable than female cats.

I have a problem with my lovely cat that I'd like some advice on.

Within the last 3 weeks or so, kitty has started vomiting his undigested food up. This has happened several times on some days and I am really quite worried about him. He has gotten even more fussy with what he eats now and I am finding it very difficult to get him to eat food that he previously enjoyed. I only buy food which contains 70% + meat, no supermarket junk for him, so this is really starting to hit my pocket too. I don't want to make it about the money, but it is infuriating having spent a lot on his food only to find whole tins are wasted because now he won't eat them.

I have more recently suggested we take feline to the vet. OH does not agree with this. He says the trip to the vet is extremely traumatic for cat and since he does not seem out of sorts in any other way, perhaps this is just hairballs or something. I agree that kitty seems fine in every other way but I am really concerned that literally moments after he's eaten in some cases, he brings it all up again! I am not seeing hair in the vomit, just undigested good and saliva.

Pussy is also eating a lot of grass and on occasion I have seen grass in the vomit but certainly not every time.

Has anyone come across this at all? Would appreciate some advice or things to try before whisking him off to vet.

Sorry this should have been a new thread, annoying how one cannot delete erroneous messages!

I love having my fur baby boy and my daughter loves him too. We had an old girl when she was born but lost her before lo was one. After a few months of grieving we got a kitten. My mum said I would regret it and not to do it but he is a brilliant addition to the family. Some days he drives me up the wall, then he curls up next to me and gives me kisses and all is forgotten. It has been really good for my lo too having him around, it has taught her to be more gentle and she is very loving with other animals.

We have two who are brothers. One is a lovely cat, the other is (I hate to say it) smelly and a pain. He's also really, really thick.

I fell in love with a kitten in Corfu last year, as was never a 'cat person' before this and to cut a long story short, finally picked her up in November. Then went through a couple of weeks of shock- my friends said it was like I had a new born, all poop trays, feeding and toys scattered, but it soon calmed down.

I think you just have to really assess the cat you want to bring home, spend as much time with them as possible before making the decision.

Then on bringing your 'baby' home accept that they will change your life, turn it upside down for a while, but you woudn't be without them in the long term.

It's easier to leave them for a day than a dog, but OTOH, you can't take them away on a holiday like you can a dog - so up's and down's.... I'm a dog person so miss being able to take my pet with me.

I have two lovely cats who I got from someone who was rehoming them, they were 6 then. They are sisters from the same litter but really don't like each other they have the odd scuffle but tolerate each other. One scratches the carpet sometimes and we have had weeing on the landing if one is stressed but generally they are adorable (but I'm biased). One does get on the work tops but she knows she's not supposed to and as soon as my boyfriend walks in she jumps off, not for me though haha! I love having cats, yes everything is covered in fluff and sometimes one brings in a mouse or something but it's few and far between. I'm having a baby in October so will see how they take to him, as you can see, she likes cuddling up to the bump!

I did when my kids were babies. I felt I had too many things needing me and I didn't like it. But that's just me, I'm a grumpy wagon. Now that the kids are bigger I'm back to adoring the cats and would never go catless again.

Never! Although I am bit of a crazy cat lady.

Love cats. Miss my family cat loads - such a character! Although in his old age he is a bit like a baby. Has my parents up at 5am, meowing for food and cuddles.

Looking to adopt a cat but have yet to ask our landlord. It would be lovely to have a cat around the house again.

Yes. When he tries to steal my breakfast.

Only when she furballs on my new carpets, little mare , other than that no, she's lovely.

Here she is...

I was persuaded to get one by my dds and a year later we have two - we all love them to bits. We have ragdolls - lovely, lovely cats.

Here are ours all cuddled up :)

No and I used to hate cats! Seriously wasn't fussed at all. DH and DD persuaded me into it and I was surprised at how little bother they are once you get used to them.

We had 2 kittens (male) who are very playful but fine with litter trays and scratch posts. We've got a new carpet and they're fine (just don't let them in the front room at night).

Now I adore them (but much like kids, I like mine but no one else's).

I hope you do rescue her and have a lovely time together!

dolly1 are you giving him dry or wet food? A couple of times our boy wolfed down his dry food without chewing it properly and it came back up. Usually I give him wet food and the dry I now buy has smaller biscuits.

I think it really depends how you feel about cats in general. I have 3. The first one, my dcs were desperate for 'a proper pet' and I caved. The others were rescued from a cruel neighbour. I try my best to love them, and I am crazy about animals in general. I take good care of them. But the best I can manage is tolerance amd fringed affection.

They dig up carpets, ignore the scratch post, wrecked our 3-piece suite, one refuses to use a litter tray, one has poo so offensive that we all run out of the house gagging and the smell lingers for hours, they shed everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE. One is in and out of the vets constantly, they steal food, trip me up all the freaking time, they kill wildlife, attack my rabbits, piss on coats or bags left on the floor, whine for food constantly despite having food out... at the heart of my annoyance is the fact that I simply cannot relate to them on any level.

If you are a cat lover then it's all worth it. If you're not, that animal could end up being the bane of your life and you'll feel constantly guilty but unable to rehome them because of the kids. Don't rush into anything.

• and feigned affection

I've fostered just under 30 cats and they have all been different, so don't let anyone else's stories put you off! As long as you're not allergic, everything else will sort itself out. Though if you do take her, I'd like you to come back in a year and let us know if she is still confined to three rooms - cats have a funny way of training you more effectively than you'll ever train them!

Get as much info from the rescue centre as you can. And yes, recreate the things you know she likes and uses. Most cats will use a scratch post, I can also recommend a rug like this one in her living area www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00086490/ I have one and it's been enthusiastically and regularly scratched by over a dozen cats. It's indestructable!

I had one for 8 months from kitten and regretted so had to rehome. I had read all about cats and chose wisely (an indoor ragdoll) and was hoping it will do good for my ASD DS. The cat was really good (no pooing accidents, no excessive meowing or scratching etc) however I hated the hair everywhere and have not bonded and the extra expense for him was a burden especially when we go away.
I "let" DS to decide that the cat costs too much and and so got a permission from him to rehome. If DS had bonded I think he would have begged to keep the cat.
He was never a lap cat and would run away after several strikes.

My biggest negative is at times I find the responsibility stressful. By which I mean the total power I have over his welfare, plus conversely, the lack of it (because he roams). The latter is probably stronger stress.

Ideally I'd like to cat proof my back garden but it which would take away the roaming stress - but as I've no porch I can't see how that'd work!!

i dreamed about cat a long time ago and I love him (Loki)