questions on cat care

[Linnet]

DD1 would dearly love to have a cat and we will probably get one next year and at the moment I'm looking into it all, what's involved etc as we've never had a cat before.

I've got some questions though,

How much does it cost to get a cat neutered and how old does the cat have to be?

If we got a cat from a rescue centre I notice on their website it says they will do a homecheck, what does that involve?

This last one I'm really curious about, I saw on another thread that someone had smeared their new cat's paws with cream cheese before letting it outside, why would/should you do this?

Thanks in advance

1. A rescue centre will normally neuter a cat before you have it. I can't remember how much the vets charge. Ours were done at about 6months.

1. A home visit is to check that your home is a suitable environment for a cat (eg no good having an outdoorsy type cat if you live in an apartment block, they will match you to an indoorsy type).

1. The idea is that by the time the cat has sat down and cleaned it's paws properly it will be comfortable with it's surroundings. Absolute bollocks I'm afraid!

HTH

I thought that it was butter on the paws so that the cats knows which side its bread is buttered IYSWIM?

i think its also so they will smell the butter around where you put him/her down.

Never heard the butter/cream cheese thing before but sounds like balls to me! lol
Would second getting cat from rescue centre, will come already neutered and chipped if it's over 6 months old, if you get one younger they will give you a voucher to have it neutered when it's old enough (6mths) Worth investing in insurance aswell, I have pedigree cat which is bit more expensive I think, but I still only pay £7 per month, I think moggy would be cheaper.
All rescue centres will do homechecks now, nothing to worry about, they just come out to meet the family, make sure you're right for a cat and have quick look around house to make sure it's suitable i.e not 10th floor one bed flat etc Is really nothing to worry about.

HTH

Thanks everyone.