Future pet....cat?

[Silentbarking]

For years, my future life was to include having a dog. For walks, for comfort, for cuddles and just because I adore them. However, things changed and I’m not in a position to do daily walks so I understand it would be unfair.

Cats were an absolute no! I didn’t like them, could see no point in them and felt they were the antithesis of all a dog could offer/was. Thing is, I’ve been watching YouTube videos of ‘funny dogs and cats’, and I mean loads of the damn things over the last few months and cats are thawing my cold heart.

I didn’t realise how much of a personality they had.

Question is, how do I go about buying one/choosing one/knowing how much one would suit/type of personality?

Any advice welcome.

Go to a rescue and explain the type of personality you are after and the set-up you can offer, a good rescue will match you well and often these days they have the cats in foster homes so they know what they're like in a home environment as opposed to cattery which can be terrifying for a lot of cats and cause them to go very shy and withdrawn.

This. I foster for a local rescue & part of the job is feeding back about each cat’s personality. Potential adopters then come & meet the cat in my home. I’d really recommend doing it that way.

5 rescues here. All with different amazing personalities. 3 black and white, 1 long haired tabby ( my oldest at 19 ) and a very cheeky Tortie. They've all ' chosen ' me and I adore them beyond words ❤️

Your cat looks like my cat.

I had a rescue cat growing up. He was nervous when he arrived and spent most of his time outdoors. We only saw him when he wanted food. Then he was hit by a car and we had to nurse him back to health over months following multiple surgeries. From then on he adored us. He still went outdoors to run about but he would hear us come home from school and dash to meet us. Every evening he spent curled up on someone's lap and he just loved to sleep on our beds at night. We had him for 14 years and adored him. Cats are the best.

Even if you do, you'll worship it anyway.

I've had many cats, mostly rescues of varying ages and several kittens. Even the one who was A Massive Knob and walloped me with a paw if I dared stroke him at the wrong time, I adored (total cuddle monster when he chose to be).

I've had ones which are totally placid, cuddled on demand, went for walks, sat on my shoulders while i did the housework, ones who never grew out of the mischievous kitten age, ones who were such princesses they wanted carrying to their dinner bowls, ones who played fetch, ones who bit and chewed me just for fun, ones who licked my tears away...Ones who liked nothing more than routine and peace and quiet and others who wanted to be in the centre of everything.

I've cleaned up the remains of, or chased out or rescued, most forms of British wildlife courtesy of the hunters and had cats who only hunted leaves.

Bony, straggly, bumpy old ones and fat chunky middle aged ones and abandoned kittens.

Each personality has been luck of the draw but each one has been bloomin' marvellous and I've loved each of them. Soft and dopey or slightly murderous, they've all had big and loving personalities. You'll adore any cat you get , trust me 😁

I have a black rescue cat. He's like a tiny noisy dog, follows me round everywhere! Never bites, claws, scratches, catches anything or knocks stuff over
If he does knock something over he will cry until I come and fix it and then does a little happy dance shuffle
He's more like a stuffed toy and will cuddle and accept kisses all day long

Cats are awesome but so different from dogs. With a dog you are the master and the dog obeys and adores you. With a cat the cat is a god and you are there to worship and try to please it. Make sure you are ready for that. My friend is a dog person and he doesn’t enjoy his cat because he barks orders at it and tries to train it and doesn’t lavish affection on it. So the cat decided my friend is a jerk and mostly ignores my friend.

Cats will stare deep into your soul and judge you. If you are worthy they are the best companion ever. But you don’t have to be a great person to be deemed worthy - you just have to be nice to the cat. They’re pretty selfish like that.

As to how to find one with a good personality - just think of them as a human soul trapped in tiny furry pyjamas. They don’t come with set personalities, it’s an interaction and over time you shape each other. If you are affectionate, kind and gentle, you’ll end up with a happy calm cat. If you are noisy and inconsiderate, you may wonder why your cat is so rude. A rescue centre can help you find a good match for your set up.

That said, colour does matter. Black cats are the most forgiving and loving, ginger are a bit more like dogs, and tabbies are not the brightest. Get a mixed breed not a pedigree, the moggies are loads healthier.

• Give your cat nice food
• never touch your cat when it’s eating or washing
• Don’t buy a cat bed they do not use them
• do buy a scratching post
• Deflea them every month (Advocate drops on back of neck). Do NOT miss a month.
• If you make eye contact with the cat, blink slowly, then glance away before looking back. This is very polite to a cat. Do not stare into its eyes for a long time that is aggressive.

Have a wonderful journey, it’s amazing.

Agree with all of the above but one golden rule to remember is that dogs have owners, cat have staff. We have had 6 cats - all different personalities, some requiring more attention that others, the current two both have a thing about doors! Whatever side of the door they're on- it's the wrong side. One sits and waits for the servant to open it, the other will come to the cat flap and knock to come it. One is like the lamb in 'Mary's Got A Little lamb' she follows H around all day in the summer. Not so much in the winter when she's dreaming of celestial mice.

If you can finance it get 2 especially kittens as then each will have a playmate and will be sooooo entertaining. Good luck

Forgot the photo.

'Get off. This is my cushion'
'Too bad! I was here first!'
'Well, I'll just have to squeeze in behind you and gradually push you off.'

We have a Maine Coone, he's more dog than cat TBH, but without the annoying walks and being unable to be left on occasion. He plays fetch, is very cuddly, a daft brush when he's got the zoomies & just a fantastic addition to the family.

Like you OP I can no longer house a dog because I can't walk it any longer.
We have only homed rescue cats. Zelda is my latest, age 8, and indoor only having come from a family where the toddler annoyed her. She settled after a few weeks and loves coming up for a cuddle on her terms of course, and is quiet but great company and only yowls at me to remind me it's feeding time.

You sound like me. Always wanted a dog when I moved out but just don't have the time. I've never liked cats. They scare me. We got a kitten before we got him I changed my mind so many times, in fact I had 2 people on hold to take him if I didn't like him. We've had him 2 years now and we absolutely adore him. The best thing we've ever done. My kids love him. He loves my kids. He doesn't like getting to many cuddles but on his terms he will sit and cuddle. He's really good and can be left for the day. He's not bothered. Although it's very rare we leave him home alone. I know if we had an emergency over night he'd be ok to be left and I'd not need to worry.

Don’t buy a cat bed they do not use them

Do buy a cat bed because you're not a real cat owner slave unless you've had your thoughtful offerings rejected without so much as a backward glance.

...and one more thing OP, when your cat shows a really strong liking and a preference for a particular brand of cat food, do then go and buy it in bulk to save money. It will be the last time the cat ever eats it, irrespective of how many gold embroidered cushions you serve it on.

Buy a cat bed, sit in it yourself and tell the cat they’re not allowed anywhere near it.

All my life I've been a dog person and completely indifferent to cats, but couldn't get a dog for various reasons.

My DH and DCs persuaded me to finally get a cat in September 2021 and I literally fell in love overnight. A year later I read a comment on here saying that they are happier in pairs, so I ended up persuading my family to buy a second kitten!

We all adore them both now and they bring so much to our quality of life. The way the older one has accepted the newer one and actually defers to him has been heart-melting. They are both such sweet, kind and loving creatures. I don't think you'll have any regrets.

FWIW the older one is a tabby and it was a planned pregnancy, but the younger one was from a random Tom who stalked the mum for three weeks, and I have to say he is leagues ahead of the older one in intellect.

We just Googled cats for sale and trusted our instinct. Most kittens look adorable until you zoom in, so we just visited the ones who looked intelligent and nice in close-up.

Beware - cat ownership make you spend your life procrastinating, because 'I can't get up, it would disturb the cat'
I sat down 30 minutes ago, a cat has been on my lap for 29.5 minutes.
A few simple rules that work for us.

• Get two kittens together (rescues are good)
• Moggies are best
• boys are generally friendlier than girls
• Don't bother with cat beds
• Forget any thoughts of being houseproud
• learn to look pleased with your cat's presents
• be prepared to spend every waking moment pandering to their ridiculous demands.
• Remember every cat is different and has its own personality.

Cats have zero emotional attachment to you. The want you for what you can give them. In return you get a cute cuddly independent little furball that adeptly cons you into thinking how much it loves you. I've always had cats and can't imagine life without them.

Sorry, I really don't think it's true that they have zero emotional attachment to their owners. All my cats have loved me! Follow me everywhere, follow me down the street calling me if I go out, greet me with such huge enthusiasm and excitement if I've been out for a couple of hours. If I come back from a holiday they really don't leave my side for several days!

If you want a cat that really wants to spend time with you and plays fetch like a dog then get a Siamese .

OP why don't you see if any of the rescues near you need foster homes? That way you could try on cat ownership before committing.

Not a lot extra to add as you've had loads of advice, other than I was always a 'dog' person as it was all I was allowed growing up. As soon as I could I rescued a cat; best thing I ever did in my life. Have had 4 since then and one was a pregnant rescue. She had 5 kittens and I kept two. Mum was semi feral so a bit of a split personality - loving, then she'd attack your hand - nothing you couldn't laugh at. I kept the ugliest kitten in the litter thinking nobody would want her. I helped her out of the sac when she was born. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and the jobs I had with her was unreal. She used to 'hold my hand (finger) with her tiny little paws, and squeeze it. We could 'talk/understand' each other. She was a one off. Love my dogs but that bond was in another league. Enjoy your future friend. 🐱 x

jobs = bond

I've had a few cats in my life and I know what you mean about personality. I've found I much prefer confident funny cats than the ones who are overly needy.

I inherited two cats from my mam when she moved abroad and I adored one of them who verged on arrogant (black and white long haired male) the other female tortoiseshell rescue I looked after but she was so jumpy and hard work following me everywhere. I would never have chosen to be her owner sadly.

After they died I said we wouldn't be getting any more but now a local cat has chosen us, literally, she climbs through our windows and runs in the door when someone opens it. She's got a massive personality, lively, affectionate. She literally plays with the kids like a dog would, chasing after balls. She is absolutely the perfect cat and I wish she was ours (her owner knows she loves us, I think her owner has a dog who she dislikes).

How do you get a cat like that though? So hard. Our little black and white long haired boy we had from a kitten and went to view him with his brothers and sisters. He was the one who was stealing fishfingers from the children and running up the curtains. We wanted him straight away after seeing that. Obviously perhaps an elderly person would be put off by that and maybe would have suited the needy Tortie better.

Cats are honestly amazing. Good luck!

My cats have only ever been aloof to people they don't know. They're really affectionate and love to sleep on me and get a fuss, and at home when it's just our family, they totally come out of their shell.

A PP hit the mail on the head - you get what you put in. If show them love and attention and play with them, they will do that back to you once they trust you.

And cats are so easy to 'own'. Give them some food, leave them a bowl of water, take them to the vets for their jabs and they'll do the rest themselves. You don't have to crate them, or walk them, or pick up their poo (happy cats bury their own). You don't have to take them to the groomers (maybe some breeds you do). You can go out for the day and leave them home alone, you can go on holiday and leave them home if someone comes and gives them some food.

I particularly love the thought that my cats are free to go at any time. They can find a new home if they want. But they chose to live with me. Actually, one of my current ones sometimes finds a second home if they give him extra meals.