Thinking of buying my DCs two kittens for Xmas - would that be wrong?

[nikki1978]

DD has been wanting a pet for a long time but we have been putting it off as we couldn't agree what. I didn't really want a fish or caged animal as I want something to be more part of the family. A dog seems too much responsibility to me as I work 2 days a week plus DD is terrified of dogs so it probably sin't the best idea anyway

She keeps saying she wants a cat and thus far DH has resisted as he says he hates cats. However he seemed to relent a bit when he saw some kittens last week!

So some questions:-

• Would it be wrong to get a pet that DH was merely tolerating?
  
• Is it wrong to buy pets for xmas?
  
• How messy are cats? The thing that has always put me off pets is the hair they leave everywhere and the destruction of sofas, shoes etc. I know this is true of dogs but is it the same for cats?
  
• I am thinking of getting two as I wouldn't want them to be alone when we are all at work/school. Is this a good idea?
  

Or am I being stupid and should I just forget the whole thing?

[nikki1978]

Bump

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

I think you should speak more to your DH before you do anything.

Xmas is often a noisy time with small children, so not the best time to introduce kittens; perhaps wait until a few days after?

Yes, they will strop their claws on your wallpaper, wooden furniture and sofas, and yes, they will leave fur everywhere. Especially ginger ones, ime. They will also tread cat litter everywhere. And yes, you should get two (again, imvho, I just have a "thing" about solo cats though I know they're usually perfectly happy alone) if only because two kittens play-fighting is so hysterically funny that you'll forgive them all of the above.

[Evenstar]

It is never a good idea to get a pet at Christmas time, as the routines of the house are disrupted and they need peace and quiet to settle in. Cats do leave hair on carpets, furnishings and clothes and they do sometimes damage things by scratching,you will also need to have somewhere for a litter tray which will need cleaning daily. Is DD old enough to help with the care of the cats?

If DH is not 100% in favour of a pet then if the pet destroys things or is sick he may not want to keep it. You need to be sure that you intend to keep a pet for as long it lives, barring very extreme problems. You also need to be able to pay vets bills and food and basic costs such as worming and flea treatments which are expensive. Who would have the cat if you went on holiday?Or will you need to budget for a cattery? My cat costs me £7.50 a night for holidays.

If after considering all this and talking to DH you are sure that you want a cat or cats then you probably would be wise to get two if they are being left alone for long. I would suggest kittens from the same litter, as older cats don't always take to each other in my experience.

Hope that helps.

[julesrose]

We did that for our DD - they were a Christmas present though we didn't get them til April as not many non-pedigree ones around at Christmas. Absolutley fab - and I've never had a cat before. DH was ambivalent but now totally adores them.
Quite pricey though - all the vet stuff - jabs, spayed, microchip etc.
But so much less needy than a dog

[merlino123]

Best idea is to contact your local Cats Protection branch, just google your town name and cats protection 'branch' have a chat with them and see if they have suitable match for your family, they might suggest a pair of young adult cats that have already lived with kids, which can be best all round as you will know the personality of the cats you will be getting so they fit well with your needs, whereas you never know with kittens, but they will also have kittens available too, and they can give you lots of advice on what's best for you and your family.

[Notyetamummy]

We took our first kitten (Poppy) as a friend's cat had an unwanted litter.

The plan was to get this kitten for MIL who's cat-mad, but as we don't live too near MIL we had to keep her for 2 weeks first.

I, like your DH, was definitely not a cat person. I was a dog person. As a child I spent a lot of time chasing cats out of our garden as they shat on the plants.

In these 2 weeks I absolutely fell in love with her. She is gorgeous! I couldn't give her to MIL so we got her brother (Arthur) from the same litter for MIL.

All of my family 'can't stand cats' but all love her! I am now cat-mad.

Since then, two more cats have moved in.

I'm not sure about getting cats for Christmas as it is a busy time, but if there are cats that need homes near Christmas I suppose that someone needs to care for them.

They do wreck you house though! Cat hairs get on everything. They scratch everything. They always jump in the bath with muddy paws when I've just cleaned it.
Poppy is quite good at only scratching her scratching post but the other two are terrible for it.

I hated the litter tray & eventually taught all of mine to use an area at the end of my garden, behind a tree. My friend has taught her two to use the human toilet.

So now, they're quite low-maintenance. Much more-so than my rats or my fish.

They are also expensive - food, insurance, vaccinations, microchips, catflaps (I recommend a Sureflap), toys, collars, cat boxes, neutering etc.

When we go away the cats stay with MIL - where would yours stay?

What would you do if one of the family is allergic?

My cats are amazing & I'm so pleased that I have them and I'm sure that if you do get cats they will be a great addition to the family.

Please make sure that no-matter what you look after them for the rest of their lives. Two of mine had been abandoned

[PurpleRayne]

Christmas can be frantic - not a good idea to get kittens then.

Do lots of homework on the subject first - like you are doing here (well done!). You are taking on responsibility for an animals life and well-being for maybe up to 20yrs.

Expect cats to trash your home. You can minimise this risk by having scratching post and lots of stimulation. Yes, they will leave hair - this is removable with a hoover though!

Two kittens from the same litter is a good idea - they will be company when the house is empty.

Is your area suitable for cats to roam free - you may have to consider this. Death by road accident is not uncommon.