Cat/Kitten experts please help

[Namechangeemergency]

Hello.
I want to get a cat after the Christmas period is safely over.
I would really like a kitten rather than an older cat.

The reason for this is that I have three small dogs and three kids still at home.
This means we are a busy, fairly noisy household albeit one that is experienced with animals.

I of course want a rescue kitten.

The first rescue I approached were very nice but are clearly not dog people and referred to my dogs as 'a pack' and expressed concern that an inexperienced kitten wouldn't cope.

My dogs are not a pack at all. They do not work in a group and are not best mates.
I am listening to the rescue. I don't want to put a kitten in danger but I have always had kittens and dogs and have never encountered an issue before.

They suggested an older cat (an adolescent) who had lived with dogs.

My biggest concern is that an older cat, once sizing up the household might just vote with their paws and bugger off before they have settled in.
A kitten is much easier to contain and introduce very slowly to different parts of the house and different residents. I would also be keeping a kitten in for a longer period. Something an older cat might find distressing.

I think my dogs would be more threatened by a large cat than they would be by a kitten. They are very small dogs, about the size of a med-large cat.

What do you lot think?

I have never had a dog injure a cat before. I find cats are much more able to size situations up and get out the way but the rescue was clearly concerned and I don't want to dismiss that

RubbishMantra

By GF I see you mean anyone who doesn't share your opinion?

Just curious thought... Sorry if you feel this is goady, but how on earth do you know that:
(a) she "cba looking for" her cat, and
(b) "especially as their cat was abiding in the same street"

Both "facts" stated nowhere in the OP's posts, so totally random assumptions, created purely because they help you to fit the OP into your preconception of her as being on a par with Cruella de Vil because she has the audacity to believe that it might be possible to bring a kitten into a household with dogs...

I don't recognise any of the GFs that seem to be wafting about.

Not sure if you mean me - I'm new to MN so not surprised I'm unrecognised - but I certainly didn't mean to be 'goady' - I've just been posting as someone with experience of introducing dogs to cats and vice versa.

I've said from the outset that there's no 'right' answer to this - it depends on the individual, the animals and the household - but if someone posts for advice on the topic, this would indicate to me that they weren't going into it recklessly, and deserved courteous advice. My experience has been positive, and I've tried to share the things which made it so - I'm very sorry if I've unintentionally offended anyone.

TrustySnail I doubt it was directed at you.

Gorgeous trio of critters you have there, by the way

One of my friends has 4 (large) dogs and 5 cats. Each cat was rescued as a kitten, 3 were hand reared. No issues whatsoever, even from the 2 lurcher boys. In fact the only problem seems to be that 2 of the cats think they are dogs, accompanying them on walks and playing fetch!

When my mutt went to stay with my friend for a week the first thing the largest cat did was rub himself all over the mutt (to the mutts utter horror). She then spent the week curled up with her and it was hard to separate them when I went to collect her.

I wish you all the very best OP, the kitten looks lovely and the time and effort you've spent getting it 'right' will no doubt pay dividends later down the line.

I did discuss the cat that ended up living up the road with two elderly ladies.
It was in the context of protecting this one from the 'Feeders' who are very common round here. I don't know why you thought I didn't look for him. Of course I did but if someone is determined to keep a cat they have stolen I am not sure what you think I should have done.

I have NO idea why you are thinking I got this kitten as a cute present. That is entirely in your head.

All of my animals are chipped, vaxxed, neutered and insured.
At no point have I demonstrated that I think animals are disposable or toys wtf is that about?

rubbish you seem a bit obessesed with proving you are right and I am wrong or some sort of troll. Which is probably why you were deleted. That post was the one were you dramatically stated 'REPORTED'.
Very odd as I hand't made any PAs or anything like.

You on the other hand are coming across as someone who is a bit of a bully and livid that I am not admitting to something you know about me. I haven't worked out what your furious objection to me owning a cat is yet.

NL I am really surprised at you. Thanks a lot.

Namechange, I know that you were the one who mentioned that your cat had ended up moving in with the two elderly sisters, but I didn't see anywhere where you stated that they were on the same street? (I can't be bothered checking back, but I thought I'd read the full thread and that was why I referred to that as an assumption.)

It was up the road. It wouldn't make any difference because they don't answer their door and are not on social media. They were also clearly determined to keep him because he looked like their dead cat.

Also it was at a time when my DD was terminally ill so even though I was looking for him I didn't have the energy to start pulling elderly ladies out of their house and demanding they give my cat back.

By the time we found out where he was it seemed pretty mean to insist he came back to live with us. Rubbish thinks that makes me selfish but I thought the opposite.

You know what though?
I am going to ask MN if they will delete this thread.

I know that the animal boards have a very bad reputation but I didn't think people would be this nasty about me rehoming a rescue kitten.

I have been on MN for years. I had to NC because of a serious incident in RL. I think it would have been better if I had just left.

Its fine that we don't agree on everything. What isn't find is posters using more and more unpleasant and spurious reasons why I am a terrible person and shouldn't be owning a cat. All based on 1.having children 2. having dogs and 3. not agreeing with everything they say about me.

I have kept all my animals for decades. My cats and dogs live into their late teens and sometimes their twenties. They are all, bar one, rescue animals.

The main reason for the nastiness (and it is nastiness, not robust discussion) on this thread is that I haven't said 'yes, you are right, I am selfish and silly'.

I have thought carefully about getting a cat
Approached a reputable, well established rescue.
Been home checked and approved.
Taken advice from home checker and put things in place e.g. blocked off an entire room, bought the equipment suggested, discussed an integration plan.

Yet apparently still I am a selfish person who wants a fluffy present

All objections to me owning have been fairly vague and around the 'you are not listening to ME' type. Because every time someone has voiced a concern I have addressed it.

If I haven't, perhaps someone can point it out?

Bloody hell what is wrong with people
Decent,rational discussion is clearly not to be had anymore.
FWIW my friend loat her cat years ago amd tried everything to get him back but the "feeder" across the road insisted he was a stray( despite collar etc)
Short of locking her cat in 24/7 not sure what else ahe should have done.
OP hide the thread you cat is going to be grand.

Namechange he's a beauty! The unfortunate negative side of MN (there are many positives) is that people say things from behind a keyboard that they'd never dare say in RL. Rudeness and snottiness abounds on some threads.
Enjoy your beautiful boy, and your busy, happy home, just ignore the know it alls and naysayers. They're just jealous that your cat is prettier than theirs

MNHQ have refused to delete. I thought they probably would. I have never asked (I don't think) for an individual thread of mine to be deleted before so I wasn't sure.

There are lots of people who have been nice, disagreed but kept it normal, and have had interesting things to say. I know it would be a shame to delete that stuff.

Maybe its better to let it stand as a warning to those who think they can have a civil discussion about rehoming a rescue.

I hope it doesn't put anyone off and tip them over into bypassing rescues to avoid this sort of row.

For those who are interested in the kitten.

He was fine last night, ate his dinner and used his litter tray.

He doesn't want to come out this morning. I found him and checked him over earlier and he started purring when I fussed him.

I am not going to do any introductions today. I know which dog is going to be first but that won't be for a while yet.

The DCs are going out to watch a film so that will be a good time for me to see if he wants to come out for a bit.

Thank you very much to those who have been helpful and non crap.

I appreciate all the comments with experience and advice. That is what I started the thread for

Despite being on MN for years I am still at a few posters on here.

The comments about seeing the cat as a Christmas present was particularly weird considering I had already stated my reasons for not taking a cat pre-Christmas. Also the odd 'disposable' animals stuff. Absolutely not a shred of evidence for that, in fact everything I have posted points to the opposite.
Taking time to find a rescue cat, having animals that have lived with me for many years, never having been unlucky enough to have had to give an animal up etc.

All the while being called a GF

Why can't people just accept that not everyone is going to agree with them and do as they say?
No need for the foot stamping and insults

The reality is that cats are fickle creatures who will accept food more or less from anyone who offers it to them. And if something disrupts their equalibrium it's not hard to see why they might wander.

Years ago we had a cat who left home after her sibling was hit by a car and we took on another kitten. Coincidentally at around about the same time one of the neighbours' cats was also killed and her other cat seemed lonely, plus neighbour had a cat flap so my cat used to go in there. We still used to feed her but she pretty much voted with her paws when the new kitten came to stay.

Rescues are IMO partly responsible for the fact that so many people still buy kittens from gumtree and the like. Having blanket criteria on who should and shouldn't adopt kittens based on whether they have children or dogs takes no account of personal circumstances or experience.

I adopted two kittens eighteen years ago and once they had settled in they very definitely loved the dog more than they loved me. and we had a regular procession of dogs through the house partly because mine was a guide dog who inevitably retired and then. Had a new one, and partly because I have a number of friends and acquaintances who have guide dogs also. Cats just used to take themselves out of the way if dogs came visiting.

I have had animals all my life, and there is no way I would be unsuitable as a cat owner. So if a rescue refused to allow me to adopt based on some blanket criteria I might well go looking on pets4homes etc if I wanted a cat badly enough.

Oohhh! Am I a GF? Soz, been at work.

He is going to be a big boy name!

and you don't have to justify yourself to some people who don't seem to understand that ppl can catnip a kitty and then lie to someone about not having their cat or not open their doors when you knock. Maybe they would like us all to break down the doors of a couple of old biddies and grab a cat that you don't even know was there at the time.

Some ppl I think are just looking for a bloody fight sometimes and don't even bother to read posts properly.

ZS has been testing me by finding new places to hide in the front room all day.
He loves the sofa bed because it has lots of handy hidey holes.

When I get him out he is so lovely. He adores the kids and will happily sit on them purring away.

I am waiting for his toys to come and in the meantime he has some newspaper balls to chase around.
He went back to his litter tray and has eaten his tea. He likes to be watched while he eats.
I had another cat like that. It was endearing but a bit of a pita
I am hoping ZS just wants me there to watch him whilst he is feeling new and unsure.

He is SO soft and quite the most handsome cat I have ever seen.

bad thanks

The people who pinched him only admitted it when they took him to the vets for something and they were informed he was micro chipped.

I have no idea why that poster claimed my animals are not chipped. I have been clear that they are rescues and all rescues are chipped before re homing. I am surprised she doesn't know that. Bit weird.

Anyway. Its a micro chip not a GPS tracker

Congratulations on your new addition!

This thread is bonkers!