What would I need to know if I was thinking about getting a cat?

[Flatteryontheside]

I’ve always been brought up around dogs. We always had 2 or 3 as a child and I suppose although I am an animal lover I would have said I am a dog person.
I am desperate for a pet as am really missing one. I don’t feel as though a dog is an option due to work. I know my dc would benefit from a pet though.
I have zero experience of cats. I suppose I would really want a cat that would be happy to sit and cuddle as I think it would help my anxious shy son. Presumably if you got an adult rescue cat they’d help you with that?
What puts me off is them bringing mice, birds etc in. Is that guaranteed?
What am I not thinking about? How much time do cats need? And how expensive are they to look after? I would never consider getting any pet if we couldn’t give it everything it needed.

Sorry, ours is nearly 11 years old

Mina I was slightly teary reading your first paragraph. Then the second less keen! Maybe the person up thread who just lets the cat in and out has the right idea!

If I can come to terms with the potential rodent issue though it all sounds positive. And I think less money than a dog would be and certainly less time.
I may post in the dog section for advice but I think a car would suit us better now. Thanks all!

Following this thread with interest as husband and I are considering a cat. The one thing that is currently being batted about is holidays....we would look at cattery stays for our summer holiday but we do also tend to have 2-3 weekends away a year....just trying to get our heads around how we could sort cat care for those.

With a litter tray or cat flap and an automatic cat feeder most cats will be perfectly happy if you are away for a night or two. Or you can see if you have a cat loving neighbour to come in and do feeds and cuddles.

As an adult I've had 4 cats.

3 if them have been perfectly reasonable, haven't brought too many presents, have t scratched the sofa to shreds, have respected that they're not allowed in tables or kitchen surfaces.

One, however, ignores all this. He makes me cross, but doesn't care one bit. He's tiny but brings home live wood-pigeons and dead rabbits. My sofas have been shredded

Good job he's gorgeous.

Just to add a little something extra, but hopefully not to put you off!! Our darling cat, a neutered 1/2 Bengal, is a hunting nightmare. He has a cat flap, so is in and out of the house day and night. At night we always close the kitchen door, as he brings in countless mice. We have had whole dead bodies, part bodies, and often just a smear. It is actually very healthy for their teeth to crunch up the bones. We also had to invest in mouse traps for the ones that get away and hide behind the cabinets. I do sometimes also save some by catching their tails and taking them back outside. Apart from all that, I do still love him dearly :-) he is just doing what comes naturally, and he is very sleek and fit.

Oh you see that last comment makes me shudder. Maybe females are less prone to this? I will certainly discuss with the rescue centre. Obviously house cats would solve this issue but it just doesn’t seem right for cats to be inside all the time?

You get to learn a lot about rodents I can now tell the difference between a water vole and a rat, a shrew, mouse, harvest mouse, a field vole and a bank vole (our cat likes voles) and even an escaped wild-living pet gerbil. But our cat wasn't much of a killer. More an enthusiast. He'd bring them to us as presents, alive and kicking. Now he's an old boy and just does a lot of cuddles and purring. He hasn't tried to catch anything for ages.

There are some cats who need to be kept indoors for various reasons e.g. FIV, special needs cats of various kinds etc., and there are breeds which seem to take to the indoor live better than others. Note that the part-Bengal above is part non-domestic cat so is likely to have a higher hunting drive, higher energy levels etc compared to a purely domestic breed. Bengals are a created breed, made by crossing domestic cats with the Asian Leopard cat.

My cat hunts a lot. He used to bring them in but we took them off him every time and he soon stopped. I still occasionally see the remains outside but never inside for years. I love my cat but if he were a person he'd be such a jerk!

The most important thing you need to know is your place in the hierarchy - always several positions lower than the cat.
Once you have adjusted to your demotion, they make wonderful owners!
An adult is a good idea as personality is established as PP have said. Also insurance is a must.
They are relatively low maintenance animals, they are self sufficient to an extent, but this doesn't mean they don't need affection and play time.
If you get a long haired one, they need regular brushing.
They don't all hunt. Previous cats have brought in the odd thing ( one dragged in a Dover Sole, which I assume was stolen from an unsuspecting neighbour), current cat is a serial killer. Taking his victims off him has taught him to gulp the poor thing down as fast as he can, as soon as he spots you making rescuing movements...
Other than that, he's turned into a sociable, cuddly, affectionate animal who trots around after me purring happily.
He's also by far the brightest cat I have had and has been trained to walk on a lead, so he can come on holiday, come when called, sit on command, roll over and have his teeth brushed. It isn't typical of a cat to be that amenable, though!
This is a rescue cat that was overlooked due to being nervous and black, he's now a confident boy who rules the roost

LOL at the Dover Sole!!!!

Sorry dear, it's beans for dinner. The fish just...disappeared!

I didn't realise that was the case about insurance. I rehomed a wonderful 12 year old cat and I'm sure we got insurance for her. She was a delight. Truly. Cuddly, loving and wonderful. She lived until about 19.

Current cat stole the red flock balls from next door's Christmas wreath, one by one.
I couldn't work out where they were coming from

That’s brilliant! I will get some dog advise too.
Do any of you have cats and dogs? I’d be interested to know which you’d choose for a family if you could only have one?