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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

I'm considering getting a cat - what are all the downsides?

75 replies

Bursarymum · 09/05/2015 16:55

My daughters have been nagging me for a cat for about 18 months. I always had cats growing io and I would like one myself but I need to know all the disadvantages so please tell me them before I decide one way or the other.

Also, is it better to get a pedigree or a moggy? I can see that movies now seem to cost Â£100 at least! Which is very different from when I was a child and they were free to a good home.

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Original poster

Bursarymum · 15/05/2015 12:57

Sure, I will

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Corygal · 16/05/2015 18:27

Come now, don't be bashful...

cece · 16/05/2015 18:34

Downsides;

costs of cat, on going costs of food, vet bills, bed etc
scratching your furniture and making holes in it
peeing in house/litter tray stinking
having to cut a hole for a cat flap
tripping over the dam thing in the kitchen, when it thinks it is going to be fed
other cats getting into your house through the cat flap
fleas
did I mention vets bills?

can you tell I am a dog person?

footflapper · 16/05/2015 18:56

You might find that Frontline flea treament isn't very effective. It doesn't seem to work with my girl cat. So i've been using Stronghold for the past two months, so far so good.. It is very strong (made her sick last night) & kills the worms in her tummy (you can see the dead ones at the base of her tail, eeeew!)

Jackieharris · 16/05/2015 19:15

We got our first cat in February.

Compared to most on this thread she seems quite easy!

Just waking us up at 5.30am is her only flaw!

UptownFlunk · 16/05/2015 21:03

I have three cats and they are not the slightest bit of bother - honest! You can train them - contrary to what a lot of people say - I've never had any problem stopping them going on work surfaces or having them wake me up at night etc. The only accidents they've had have been when they've been ill, which is understandable. I have a Ragdoll and she is the sweetest, gentlest and most entertaining little thing you could ever wish for - my DH is besotted and he is your typical no-nonsense Northern fella. I love all cats and have had moggies and pedigrees but after having a Ragdoll I will never be without one now, they are fantastic cats.

MrsHathaway · 19/05/2015 19:47

Following with great interest as we are intending to rehome probably two preferably b&w kittens in the autumn and any information is useful.

A question for anyone who's still about: is it not done to rename rescues? I want cats named after GoT characters

QueenFuri · 19/05/2015 20:49

I've got a lovely 10/11month old girl.. She is black and white and we got her off a friend of a friend I went to their house and there cat had kittens I begged for a kitten they were going to keep the 2 but I fell in love.. She is not very sociable, hates me, enjoys biting, scratching and pouncing on me Wouldn't be without her she is just so beautiful I love her and has me wrapped around her tiny little paw! I spoil her like a child despite the constant bullying!! This is her looking like butter wouldn't melt.

I'm considering getting a cat - what are all the downsides?

Fluffycloudland77 · 19/05/2015 20:52

You can rename them if the cats let you.

QueenFuri · 19/05/2015 21:03

My cats renamed herself!! I named her Belle does she answer to that does she hell! Shout Cheeky cat and she sprints in to see what you want Belle shall remain her Sunday and Vet name

FatherReboolaConundrum · 20/05/2015 15:01

We renamed our two rescues with no problems. MrsH so good to see that you're getting b&w rescues - they tend to get overlooked by wankers people who want more colouful cats, as if cats are some kind of mobile soft furnishing. We have two b&w cats and they are lovely.

Word of warning: if you get cats then don't get touch-sensitive bedside lights. One of ours now turns on the light on DP's side of the bed at 6 every morning to force him to hand over breakfast

MrsHathaway · 20/05/2015 15:36

Good news thanks all.

I've always thought b&w by far the most elegant and friendly of all cats. I was baffled to see them as a group in particular need of rescue. No accounting for taste.

Butterflywings168 · 20/05/2015 21:13

test

Rollypoly100 · 25/05/2015 07:34

Totally pointless pic of my 15 year old rescue boy. Got him at 13. No downsides with an oldie.

silveracorn · 25/05/2015 07:52

Our rescue cat is a neutered tom.

Disadvantages:
He loves giving us presents of live river voles and field mice which he dumps in the living room, and then saunters out so we get the joy of catching and releasing them.
Sometimes he brings in half dead birds. :(
Once he caught fleas and we had to spray the whole house, wash every piece of soft furnishing etc. It was vile. We had to throw out a (very old) sofa.
he sometimes throws up. Usually when you are dressed up for a job interview or big client meeting, and twice down the back of the radiator.
He tries to steal food. All the time.
he has wrecked the carpet on the bottom stair. Shredded it bare. His scratching post, next to the stairs, is in immaculate condition.

That makes it sound vile. But in nine years, they have been the only problems. The pluses are:
He is incredibly affectionate. He cuddles everyone.
He knows when you are ill or down and devotes himself to whoever in the family needs him most.
He tucks the DC in at night, every night, by jumping on their bed, circling their pillow, purring, giving them a quick nose kiss and a sneaky under the cover cuddle.
He used to walk them half way to school and come and collect them from the main road when they were at primary school.
He's protective. If I call on a neighbour we don't know well, he waits for me on their doorstep. If I take DC out after dark on foot, he screams and goes as far as the main road to check they are safe.
He is DS's best friend. (DS2 has AS and finds it hard to interact socially but he and the cat play and cuddle and the cat cheers him up or calms him down after his frequent upsets and disappointments.)
He's a great hot water bottle for feet when watching TV or in bed at night.
he makes us laugh every day.
He jumps up and sits on a bar stool at the breakfast bar and expects a saucer of milk to be served when DC have their breakfast. He sits up nicely to table for it.
He is incredibly cute and handsome, which doesn't sound like much but it makes us all happy just looking at him.
He gives big wrap around hugs with his chunky paws.
He tries to speak English. If you say 'hello' he tries to imitate the tone with his mew.
Unlike dogs, cats are clean and don't smell. They clear up their own poo and bury it, they don't make the house smell bad (unless you get an unneutered tom) and they don't bark all day long. They are little furry mounds of tranquillity.

silveracorn · 25/05/2015 07:55

Rolly he's gorgeous. Love the tiger stripes. So handsome.

Hillijx · 25/05/2015 08:19

Rag dolls are beautiful, we have a Birman which is what rag dolls descended from.....he is adorable. I know pedigrees are a contentious issue but they come from very responsible loving homes. Ours is such a soppy lap cat and is so lovable, he hates being dirty so washes himself as he comes in, no muddy paw prints from him! Enjoy x

flanjabelle · 25/05/2015 08:29

I think You are either a cat person or you aren't. I have a cat, (disclaimer - she is well looked after etc etc), but I really dont think I'm actually a cat person. it pisses me off that she wakes me up in the night, she scratches things, she spreads her litter everywhere, she always wants to be on me, she tries to steal food from my dd, she climbs on true counters, she licks her arse in front of you all the time, she always has a shit when I'm eating and the smell wafts into the room, she scrounges for food constantly despite having a constant supply, never leaves me alone, she runs around like a mad thing and trips you up. Now here is the point where I am supposed to say these things make her even more loveable, blah blah but they don't. They annoy the crap out of me.

she was here before dd though and I will continue to give her a nice life as I have committed to it. Do I enjoy owning a cat though? No.

flanjabelle · 25/05/2015 08:31

I much prefer the dog.

Original poster

Bursarymum · 25/05/2015 08:45

Oh dear flanjabelle you sound quite peed off! I think my mum felt like that about our cats when I was growing up. She used to say she never wanted them! My dad has been saying he wants a cat and she said 'he wouldn't dare ask'

I love Birman cats too - I didn't realise rag dolls were descended from them.

Wrt scratching, I've read that when you get a kitten you have to teach it to scratch on a scratcher and move them every time they do it somewhere inappropriate. They apparently scratch on the place where their scent is. So if you have an older cat with existing scratching habits, it's impossible to reteach these things really.

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Rollypoly100 · 25/05/2015 08:46

Thanks Silver, he does have beautiful markings and sometimes lets me brush him!

Original poster

Bursarymum · 25/05/2015 09:05

I'm on iPad so I can't look at people's pictures :(

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Original poster

Bursarymum · 26/05/2015 10:36

Ok, I've managed to have a look at all your photos now - thanks for posting them! Here is the only picture I have of the cat we're getting. She is really sweet and we will hopefully be picking her up at the weekend.

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Rollypoly100 · 26/05/2015 18:42

Oh she's beautiful. How exciting.

Original poster

Bursarymum · 26/05/2015 19:38

Thank you Rolly - your cat is lovely too. We are getting excited now.

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