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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

kitten or adult rescue cat?

8 replies

Bananamash · 11/04/2011 09:16

HI,

I was wondering if anyone had any advice?

We are looking into having a cat join our family, which currently consists of two adults, 2 Dc (7 and 19m) and a 3 year old labrador.

We have seen some local kittens, moggies, and spoken to the breeder. They tick the boxes in terms of having been wormed, frontlined, used to dogs, raised on good quality food etc and the breeder seemed lovely and happy to answer questions.

We have also thought about adopting an older cat who has lived with dogs and children before.

The pros and cons, that we can think of at least, are that a kitten would just get used to the hustle and bustle of our house, having not known any different? Vs more kitten like behaviour- pouncing, play biting, rough play etc? (I know when we got the dog i was convinced we had got a crocodile in disguise!- but dc were older then, so maybe a kitten is a bad idea due to ds being 19m?)

Pros of an older cat, you know what you're getting? I think? So we would know if the cat was a more affectionate sort rather than aloof?

We went to the local RSPCA shelter yesterday and there were 2 cats that might have been suitable. One who seemed lovely randomly bit the 7 year old who was very upset, altho i think it was more the shock, and has said maybe she didn't mean it. The otehr one was a lurvely little boy who was just gorgeous, but came as a pair and the second boy was rather shy and didn't want to say hello.

There was also a rag doll who apparently was suitable with young children and dogs, but the volunteer dismissed her for us, saying, ragdolls need at least an hour of grooming every day and "obviously you can't manage that with two small ones"... I feel a bit gutted i didn't say we'd like to meet her as i've heard such lovely thingd about rag dolls. I know having done a bit of googling that they do require a lot of grooming, but over an hour a day? I'd have the evening to do it as DH works late, so all on my own when kids are in bed. I'm thinking of giving the centre a ccall and checking it out.

Does anyone have any advice or experience?

Thanks

OP posts:

PaperView · 11/04/2011 09:32

I don't have a dog but our cat was 6 months old when we got her from a rescue place. She had been spayed etc and had gone thru the tiny kitten stage so I didn't have to litter train or come home and find my curtains shredded!

PaperView · 11/04/2011 09:32

Fluffycloudland77 · 11/04/2011 12:21

It's not just the time with grooming it's how much they object to it, and IMHO breed isn't any predictor of temprament. For example my Bengal is fine with grooming, our chinchillas (placid breed) hated it and took two people to groom them and we used to get scratched and bitten.

Tinwe · 11/04/2011 12:50

Having had an older adopted cat and an adopted kitten, I would always, always opt for an adult cat. She was so placid, easy to look after and fully trained. I told the refuge my needs - ie my first pet so easy to care for and happy to be left alone while I'm at work and they could easily advise on the right cat as she was fully grown and they'd seen her behaviour over the past few weeks while caring for her. The kitten was such a handful and tortured the adult cat so badly we had to give her away in the end :( I think kittens are fine if you can dedice yourself to keeping them entertained and training them, not when you have other priorities.

TheVisitor · 11/04/2011 12:56

With a 19 month old, I'd definitely go for an older cat. A small child can easily kill a kitten. I've got 2 rescue cats, one who was incredibly nervy when we got him but now can't shift him off my lap, and the other who was less than a year old who was just overjoyed to have a home and purred as soon as he was through the door and on a lap.

Rescue cats come spayed/castrated, deflead and microchipped. Definitely an option.

Oh, we also have a cat that we've had from a kitten. His nickname was the Dark Destroyer....1 modem, 2 laptop cables, 1 christmas tree, 1 pair of curtains......

ellangirl · 11/04/2011 13:36

I'd go for an adult rescue that has lived with dogs/children. I've adopted both an adult cat and a kitten, and the adult cat was a lot less destructive!! They are a lot less vunerable with kids and a dog around too.
Rescue centres will get new ones in all the time, so worth waiting a week or two if needs be to get the right cat for your family.

Original poster

Bananamash · 11/04/2011 13:40

Thanks for your help.

Spoke to centre and they said they'd like that particular cat needs to go to a home with other cats as she has never lived as a singleton before. So that one's out too!

They said to come and visit again on friday, as the cats come and go all the time, and when we visited, a sunday afternoon, was the worst time as many have the cats have been reserved over the weekend.

So that's the plan!

Thanks again

OP posts:

CarGirl · 16/04/2011 21:55

Coming late to this thread. We've rehomed 4 adult cats. First was a moggie via a friend of a friend, then a somali, and now a pair of somalis. You can often you through the breed cat clubs and rehome through them.

You could contact them and say you need a cat that is used to dogs and children and they may or may not have a suitable cat!

Ours weren't used to children but they are generally a bomb proof breed and stupidly affectionate - the children are viewed as another potential source of affection even if it's being stroked the wrong way or being picked up etc

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