Thinking of getting a kitten / cat but need some advice please.

[navyeyelasH]

I work from home as a childminder so I am at home more than most. I have 6 chidren under 5 each day and I have no other pets (unless DP counts?).

Anyway, if we were to get a cat/kitten would 6 children be too much do you think? Obviously the children will never be aone with the cat/kit and we will show the children how to be gentle etc.

If a cat/kit could cope with this what do we get a cat (who can pop outside when it gets all too much) or a kitten (who can't go out for 6 months I think)?

Then do we get one or 2? Having looked at insurance and vet bills for jabs and neutering etc we could afford 2. We have a nice big garden and live in a quiet street.

Next door have a cat if that has any significance. Oh and obviously I know this has a impact on my business.

Thanks for any advice.

If you get just a normal cat (not pedigree or whatever it is called) They only tend to shed badly if they have gone to sleep on a item of clothing IME. Before you get one I will warn you that a cat will go where he/she pleases and this means having to wipe down sides everytime you prepare food.

I think if you hoover daily you probably won't notice any fur you may want to use a hair removing brush on the carpets every now and then but that is about it.

We have no carpets other than stairs so that's a bonus. We also have stairgates that should block access to nursery and playroom.

Stairgates (hahahaha rolls on the floor laughing) Sorry have recomposed myself now I bet within 6 months the cat will just leap over them or squeeze through or under our cat did.

In all serious though it is very unlikely the cat will want to go in a room full of children he will most likely be upstairs hiding away until the children go home.

If you don't have carpets then I don't think you will have much problem with molting but be prepared cats are very hard to stop them going somewhere one of my cats could actually open doors by hanging on the handle till his weight pulled it down and then putting a paw around the side and flicking it open mind you he also used to sit on our toilet and have a pee and open his food cupboard and stick a claw in the tin of food to pull meat out so perhaps he was a special case .

My two are short haired mogs, no real probs with hair except on our beds (where they nap in the day, given half a chance).