Adopting a adult cat, would love some advice please.

[SpongeboobSweatpants]

We are adopting a cat from our local rescue next week, we have a choice of either a year old boy or a three year old girl.
Both are very friendly, the male is apparently a lot needier and needs human company more than the female, he is just as friendly but not as confident and seeing as I have four kids (one a baby) we will most likely go for the easier female (maybe? I have no idea really, we'll be meeting them both in a few days at their foster home so will decide then)
Is there much difference between male and female cats?

Anyway, I wanted to ask for any advice, we have never owned a cat before.
I'm guessing I need a litter tray and litter and a bed and scratching post, also toys and a collar with a bell etc.
Pet insurance too is on my to do list along with a good quality cat food (do they need dry and wet food or just a complete dry?)

Do I need to keep an adult cat confined to one room as it is advised for kittens?

Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried to google but most of the advice was for kittens which doesn't apply to us.

How long do we keep the cat confined to the house before allowing him/her outside, I was going to have a house cat but they both like to be outside according to the foster family.

I don't understand the letting them out thing, how will they know where they are if they go exploring? Will they come back? I only have experience with dogs and we would never have let a dog out by itself.

What about night time? Do you keep the cat in one room so they won't disturb the kids or our sleep?

I'm very much a cat virgin and need all the advice I can get.

Thanks :)

It's great that you're getting a rescue cat.

There is very little difference between male and female cats as a whole, when they are neutered. But all cats have very different personalities. So which one would be better for you will depend entirely on the individual cat - not its sex.

Here is a useful thread about adopting an adult cat: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_litter_tray/1681116-Were-probably-getting-a-rescue-cat-soon-What-do-we-need-to-buy-and-how-much-will-upkeep-cost

I would not advise using a collar. Discussion here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_litter_tray/a1969133-Collars-pros-and-cons#44455604

They should be kept inside for at least three weeks before you let them out. That way they will have come to regard your home as their home and so will want to come back. You must be very careful with opening doors during this time, and you must certainly not leave any windows open.

What you do about nighttimes is really up to you. My cats have free rein. Other posters don't allow them in bedrooms etc etc.

Insurance is very important.

Wet food is generally better than dry. If you have a male cat then wet food is very much better than dry as dry can cause urinary crystals and blocked bladders in males. If you do give dry then make sure it's a good one. A good, and cheap, wet food is Butchers Classic (in orange tins). It's vet recommended, is cereal free, and most cats seem to like it.

We adopted two one year old girl cats last year.

Yes to thinking about how you are going to stop them escaping in the first few weeks, much easier as it's winter at the moment. We had a system where they were shut into the back half of the house before the front door was opened or into the front half before the back door was opened. It was nerve-wracking the first few times they went out, but they have always come back. We keep ours shut in the house at night to lessen the risk of car accidents and them bringing in dead (or alive!) animals.

We let ours roam the house at night, apart from the DCs bedroom, but that is personal choice. We did keep ours in the spare bedroom for a few days with food, bedding, litter tray and water till they were ready to emerge.

You also need to register them with a vet straight away, if you don't already use one it's worth asking friends for recommendations.

We adopted two adults cats in July. We kept them in a spare room for a weekend, which was small but about four times bigger than the pen they had been in for the previous six weeks. We then let them roam the house when we were home and shut them in their room when we were out for the next week. Since then, they go where they please. I felt horrible shutting them in but it did give them the chance to feel secure in their new environment. They are both quite easy going cats so settled in quickly.

Thanks guys.
I had a good chat with the foster lady today and we have decided to go with the female cat (she is spayed too).

Now I'm off to read through the threads thecatneuterer posted.

Thanks again for the advice x