Would we be suitable cat owners?

[HelloJackieYouLookNice]

We are a family of 4, two dds aged 6 and 10. We live in a suburb, on a road that gets busy during rush hour but with a speed limit of 30. The house is about 2 car lengths from the road, and we have a large garden to the rear of the house. No other pets apart from a lazy hamster enjoying his later years.

We have approached the RSPCA and Cat’s Protection and both said we are only suitable for an indoors cat and neither have any suitable. There is an independent rescue nearby who I can also look into. I had cats growing up, we lived on a small farm on a country road and lost several cats over the years to the road and would hate to have that happen but I worry about the practicalities of having a cat permanently shut in.

Wise cat owners, in my situation would you get a cat or stick to hamsters? And if we did get one would you let it out during the day when someone is at home (I work part time and only once a week for the full day), let it come and go as it pleases or keep it in completely?

I would prefer a young cat to a kitten but happy to follow advice if a kitten would be easier to keep as an inside cat from the start.

Thank you for reading

She looks stunning. I expect she's just nervous.

She is just getting used to her surroundings. It takes a while. Make sure her water bowl is not next to her food bowl. She'll likely eat and poop once you've all gone to bed and its nice and quiet.

She’s had a bit of wet food, no dry yet and she turned her nose up at dreamies

She’s a sweetie, she loves attention and just told me off for leaving her alone whilst I put dd2 to bed

How could anyone abandon such a sweet cat?

Our lad barely ate the first week we had him then all of a sudden his true greedy nature became apparent.

Well she’s made herself at home

She now has the run of the house and likes nothing better than sitting at the top of the stairs watching who’s coming up and down. She loves a fuss and she is happy to tell us if we are not paying her enough attention

She’s using her tray and she’s booked in for her first injections, I’ve also sorted insurance. She’s not eating a great deal - she’s only had a few mouthfuls of dry food and she just seems to be licking the jelly off the Felix pouches and leaving the meat. I’ve just popped some Iams into her bowl to see if she prefers that and she’s licked the gravy off but still left the meat

She’s a pretty girl. Maybe she likes pate food?

I read on an old thread to mash it up so I tried that and she’s had a few mouthfuls so small progress. Fussy cat!

Mine lick the jelly or gravy off the meat. They usually eat most of the meat eventually.

Have you tried something plain like chicken? I cook a chicken and give some to the cats. They really like it.

She ate a whole bowl of food...then we had our first sick cleanup

Since then she has had some dry food so she must be feeling better

She has decided that only Applaws tins will meet her specific requirements. Iams, James Wellbeloved and Natures Menu did not meet her standards. It’s a good job she’s cute because she is costing me a fortune! The RSPCA are going to do well out of us when I drop a huge bag of rejected food off later

She likes hiding in cupboards - she is able to open the doors and then she sits there peering out at us. She runs up and down the stairs like a hellcat is chasing her but she looks at balls with disdain if we try to play with them with her. A laser sends her bonkers!

I have found a cat sitter for a weekend away in a few weeks, feeling guilty about it already!

The chip address can’t be changed as the shelter would have to give their permission

I think you can change it without their permission. I did with my new cat as she was still chipped to the original owner. My parents also did their boy.
You can find out which complaint she's registered with by entering the chip number on their website. (Only two companies) and it was easy.

Applaws tins aren’t complete though so are only a treat not a meal (and tbh a bit of tuna is much cheaper!)

Hungry she has dry food as well and she’s not so fussy about it luckily!

Toddler I know which company but they said they need a signature