DH has finally agreed to let us have a kitten and now I am wavering - pros and cons greatly appreciated!

[MrsPuddleduck]

Main problem is that the said kitten is now 2 1/2 weeks old. Is 8 weeks too young to take from its mother?

Also we are going on holiday for two weeks in the middle of July and although next door love cats and say they will look after it - won't it be a bit too young and would a cattery be better?

I am a complete cat novice (save for some internet research). We can afford to look after it properly and pay insurance etc.

Is there anything unobvious which I haven't thought of?

Don't know if anyone has mentioned mice yet. If you are letting yours outside you will have to get used to what s/he brings in. Birds too. And frogs. And ours just brings them in alive and lets them go!!

I have only had boy cats since I left home, and I love them dearly. My parents still have a female cat (19 years old this year!) that we got when I was 11, she has always been crazy, totally insane, but also hilariously full of character.

Boy cats on the whole seem a bit 'wetter' and soppy and girl cats more feisty and independant but of course there's all types in between

mine only catches birds and mice if he loses the bell on his collar

I have always had cats, got them in pairs form cat rescue so all mad as hatters, I also got 2 strays who obviously knew a good thing when they saw it.
If you are out a lot then get 2 cats/kittens. They will play iwht each other and not run up your legs quite a much or be as needy.

Message withdrawn

the collars i get are easy release ones, if they get caught on something

i think i am hte only one bothered by the bell, especially if he sneaks into my room at night and proceeds to lie next to my head cleaning his nether regions

Thanks for all of the replies. I have changed my mind and think I will try and get a boy.

Mamatulip - that's a great tip regarding the scratching post. I will definitely try that and I'm sure my boys will too. That's a great result for siamese. My Mum hates cats as my dad's sister had a siamese when they were 'courting' which used to run up my Grandma's curtains and then rip their way down! She has never recovered!

Have just been reading some past cat posts.

Will it be OK to let it sleep in the kitchen and lock it in at night?

Also, are other cats going to come in if I get a catflap?

No problem locking cat in kitchen during the night, but expect it to climb onto the worktops (? hot hobs etc)....may have to intice them in (I used to feed my kitten last thing at night)....he soon cottoned on though that I wanted him in and done everything to avoid it...including going hungry

Depends on how terratorial your cat is as to whether other cats come in through the cat flap.....mine lets anyone in.... but the dog goes mental . You can buy magnetic cat flaps but the magnets the cat wears are quite big....I just frighten the neighbours cats so they don't want to come in...

My cat wears a loose, easy release collar with a bell on (lost plenty over the years)and I recognise his sound a mile off....doesn't stop him catchingmice, but think it stops him getting birds....also have him chipped then he can be identified by a vet - only £20 but worth every penny

So where do most people let cats sleep then?

Sorry, I have only ever owned a dog who slept in the kitchen.

Do cats like to pad around the house at night? DH would go nuts if it woke him up!

I used to keep my cat in the bathroom but now he wanders around. He has a basket (in our bedroom) but 9/10 times sleeps on the settee downstairs or bathroom floor (we have underfloor heating), then goes out 4ish and then gets on our bed when we're fast asleep...the minute I'm awake, he's hassling for food ...he then spends the rest of the day on our bed (I cover it with an old duvet cover)....hard life eh? Then hassles for more food when we get home....

Find a little place for him, food, water, litter tray and bed and he will get used to it. He will find his own favourite places eventually

pros - nice little animals, more independent than a dog but can be playful when they like. clean. don't need walking or taking outside like a dog if your not much of an outdoorsy person lol.

I'd also recommend getting a 2nd cat so they can be company for each other, generally animals prefer to have one of their own kind around for company and to play with. really a 2nd cat isn't much of an extra cost either, especially if you get one that's already been neutered from a cat rescue.

I have just found out that the very cute black and white one is male. My friend couldn't sex them last week they were too young.

My Mum has just come around and made me feel really bad by saying "you have enough work with the two boys and your poor Dad is allergic". I would like to point out that I haven't even mentioned having one of the said kittens she just knows that I will want one.

I don't know how she will react now if we do have one. We see my parents quite alot they are here at least once a week and my Dad had a triple bypass 18 months ago and I don't want to make him ill. Is it just my Mum who knows how to push the emotional buttons

Get a scratching post and spray it with catnip spray, that worked a treat for our old cat!

My mum is allergic...just hoover before they come round and keep the cat out of the way. You can cover seats and remove covers before they come round etc, but tbh they don't lose much when they're so young. Don't take any notice....its like babies....when they see this lovely cute little thing, their hearts melt and they coo...