Daughter wants a cat? Anything I should know

[Halftermisnearlyover]

Daughter wants a cat for her birthday this week. DH doesn’t want one but he hates pets anyway so I’m going behind his back 😩 we already have a hamster and a dog.

Is there anything I should know before I decide? Is it ok to purchase one on gumtree.

Is it better to get a boy or girl cat or does it not matter.

Do not buy animals for children as presents. They have no idea of what a 20 year commitment even is, let alone the mental physical and financial impact it will have on all of your lives..

Is there anything I should know before I decide? Is it ok to purchase one on gumtree.
It's not OK to buy one off gumtree. If you get a kitten get two.
When you get a cat or kitten, it takes days or weeks before they trust you.
if you don't like the cat, it will try to win you over by being a complete PITA.

Is it better to get a boy or girl cat or does it not matter.
Don't get one.

Cats piss stinks!
it’s the worst smell ever to get rid of!!

No responsible breeder would sell a kitten for a birthday present anyway. So what you'll end up with is a kitten from an irresponsible backyard breeder and perhaps a cat with health problems. Gumtree?! Seriously?!

I hope this isn't real.

Oh a chihuahua… how are they with cats - won’t the cat be bigger than the dog? I’ve had cats with a big, softy retriever though.

This 💯
And also be mindful that a cat costs about £120pcm so is quite an expensive birthday present and once the novelty has worn off it will be your cat.
Having said that, you seem to want one for all the wrong reasons and you certainly shouldn't get a cat or any other pet from GumTree.

100%

May I add ‘and you don’t buy a cat in a rush a few days before a birthday this week’.

They cost £120pcm a month? How come.
Our dog costs around £60 a month

Cats, we have two from kittens, from same litter. They have personalities that you can not predict. One of our cats hates being picked up or stroked, the other loves cuddles.
Litter trays are pretty gross to deal with. But you have a dog so used to picking up poop.
They can get run over.
They scratch your furniture, some of our expensive dining chairs and other furniture are completely ruined from them climbing up them. Rhey don't use the multiple scratchers we have for them, they scratch the chairs, cupboards etc.
Food, much fussier than dogs. Mine will not eat the cheaper food. Annoyingly.
Do not recommend a kitten if you have expensive stuff you don't want scratched.

Not Gumtree. Either go to a rescue centre or a reputable breeder.

It’s the Dreamies. My friend called them “crack for cats” 😂

😂😂😂😂😂😂

Cats are brilliant and really good fun and can be lovely. You’re doing it the right way round in terms of bringing a kitten into a household with a dog. And kittens are delightful, If you’re used to putting your dog in a kennel, cats don’t do that so well. Also, if cats are stressed, they play up, much like dogs too, it’s just that they’re harder to contain in an area. On the other hand in general, they don’t need walking and are much easier to keep than dogs.

If your daughter wants the cat to be “her cat” you realise she hasn’t got a hope? Cats pick their person and it will probably be your husband (or someone down the road).

Does your daughter even want a cat or does she just want a cute fluffy kitten? I imagine she will get bored fairly quickly when it grows up.

If despite everything, you get one anyway, please go to a local rescue or Cats Protection. Don’t EVER buy an animal from Gumtree.

I agree with all of this.
But if you still decide to go ahead contact you vets 1st to find the cost of neutering ( tho most rescued ones will be done for you ) vaccinations , worm and flee treatment
Then look at insurance cost
Cat sitter/ kennels
Good quality food
Litter and trays .
Depending how old she is get you'd dd to start doing chores around the house or get a job so she can pay towards all the cost .
Tell her that she has to put x amount away EVERY week to pay for cat bills .
See how keen she is then.

Some cats do not get along well with dogs , dogs often chase cats and cats scratch dogs in defence.
What kind of dog do you have ?

Although I agree with quite a lot in here, some of the comments I don't.

The cat will be yours btw, they generally love Mums, even if they are nominally for the children.

I only get cats from friends, rescues are a nightmare, they are around here anyway. No-one I know has ever successfully got a cat from a rescue. But do not buy on-line, ever.

You don't need two.

They are not expensive, they are not destructive, they are really easy going, and can be left all day, and during holidays, without much issue, with friends or neighbours or catteries. Much easier than dogs.

Do you know the song ' There was an old lady who swallowed a fly...'?

So, the cat will eat the hamster, and the dog will eat the cat (well, it will try and fail).

Insurance £17.50
Vet sub £17.50 (fleas, worms, vacs)
Cat sitter £25 (covers when we are away)
Food £50 (good quality)
Misc £20 (dentals, insurance excess, etc)

I feel sorry for the hamster. Hardly ever comes out of its cage so why did you get it? They can be very engaging if you handle them frequently. My brother and I used to have quite a few and some of them were characters.

Any cat will make short work of it given the chance, or terrify it.

Having had cats all my life heres my two penneth.

They can be incredibly easy - toilet train easily, dont scratch everything in sight, dont get fleas. However, we have had some horrors that shit and piss everywhere despite our best efforts, simply cannot get on top of fleas at all despite hundreds of pounds and hours of cleaning, who scratch and destroy your furniture, and scratch you every chance they get.

My point is they can be incredibly easy and smoochy and lovely, but also an absolute drain on your finances and hugely destructive and stinky. And you simply don't know what type you will get (breed doesn't matter). You have to make sure you are prepared for a difficult one just in case. Id never get a long haired again - the expense of grooming was just a nightmare.

I dont see an issue with doing it without hubbys say so. Its not like a dog he has to like - a cat will just ignore him if he doesn't like him. A kitten not so much, so hubby may have to accept him jumping all over him at first.

This! My DD wanted a dragon for her birthday. She got over it fairly fast.

Your cat will be sleeping next to that hamster cage day in, day out 😎

I would try and rehome a cat from a local rehoming centre first. When our elderly cat dies my plan is to get an adult cat who we absolutely know is sociable and enjoys company, as you can buy a kitten who grows up to be very independent and solitary that you rarely see. That kind of cat is not what your daughter is thinking of when she says she wants a cat as a pet.

They really really do. The one I have gets constant fleas and has cost me way way more in endless treatments, on the cat and around the house, and constant cleaning. Its doing my head in to be fair.