Considering becoming cat slaves

[Flangeosaurus]

Tell me what I need to know!

We’ve always had dogs but it’s not really feasible to get another dog at the moment due to working hours so we’re thinking of getting a cat instead. Would anyone mind answering a few questions please?

Do they all bring dead/half alive things in? We back onto fields so I’d imagine there’s ample opportunity to find all sorts.

Any tips on finding one that’s good with kids? We have a 5yo and a 10 week old. Weird question but my mum is obsessed that cats like to sit on babies, is this true?

Can you stop them going on kitchen surfaces and is cat hair a nightmare?

We’re probably thinking a rescue rather than a kitten but open to options. Any tips gratefully received!

We were apprehensive but it’s the best thing.

Bear in mind

• they bring stuff in. We keep ours in overnight (from dusk to dawn, the key hunting times) so it’s minimal. Maybe 8-12 a year.
• they go on your countertops. I read on here that the most you can do train them not to go on your countertops when you aren’t looking. This is true. It means we wipe all surfaces every morning befor breakfast - a pain.
• we can never leave any yummy food unattended

But it is so so so worth it.

We got a young adult rescue and it turned out v well. They knew the cat was affectionate and loving, and suited to a family home.

Cat hair is an issue on our blankets but nowhere else. Our cat is downstairs overnight to minimise hair and allergens in the bedrooms. We don’t have many carpets though.

With a young baby, I would not get a kitten.

Thank you! I was thinking a young adult rescue would probably suit us better. I can make my peace with the kitchen surfaces, we’re well trained not to leave food out as one of our old dogs was a terrible thief

Reputable rescues won't rehome kittens to homes with young children usually, both for the sake of the kitten and the children. An added advantage of adults is that you can have a fair idea of their personality whereas with kittens it can be a lottery what they turn out like.

Regarding things like hunting and hair shedding, every cat is different! Some may be prolific hunters, others cry their song of victory over a leaf they've managed to "kill".

Don't make the mistake of thinking short haired = less hair round the house either. Mine have short, silky double coats, so whereas there's little of their longer black hair around the place there's an abundance of silvery "fluff" everywhere.

Same with scratching. Mine (indoor only cats) have plenty of proper scratching stations, which Girlcat uses all the time. Boycat uses one, but his favorite scratch point of all time is the wall paper. When I attached a scratching board to his favorite wall, Girlcat adopted it and Boycat carefully scratches all round it.

If you've always had dogs, I think it's important to go into it remembering that cats are not dogs! While it seems really obvious, dog behaviour was always my frame of reference and it was a learning curve finding out about their body language, how they show affection in different ways and how they're generally stubborn buggers that won't be told what to do - they're not bothered in the slightest about pleasing you. Having said that, they are fab creatures to share your home with - and it's always an honour to be a chosen lap (even if you know it's because they're a bit chilly 😂).

Do they all bring dead/half alive things in?
Yes ime, unless you keep doors/windows/flaps closed

Any tips on finding one that’s good with kids? Rescue will suggest kittens but not at all with a little baby ime. You'll struggle to get a rescue I predict.

my mum is obsessed that cats like to sit on babies, is this true? Myth -- at least not any more than other warm places in the home

Can you stop them going on kitchen surfaces - sort of, they can learn they aren't supposed to be there because they don't like getting shouted at & hissed at

is cat hair a nightmare? varies; my previous 3 cats not at all; my current cats -- everything is covered with their fur, even the keyboard I'm typing on!!

Destroying (scratching) your carpets & sofas is something else to accept or massively adjust to prevent.

Our sofas are fairly well fucked anyway so I won’t mind so much if they get a bit more destroyed. Thank you everyone I’m excited!

Every cat is different but I’d say an older cat maybe from a surrender where they know the cat is friendly and used to living in a home environment, maybe 2-3 as then more likely to be less active and more chilled. Or if younger, get two.

My cat rarely brings things in and can go out all night (we lost that battle when he broke the lock on the cat flap) but does happen occasionally.

If worried about fur you need a short haired cat. I swear some cats, like humans, have tighter packed fur which sheds less easily but very hard to tell in a shelter as stressed cats always lose more fur. Also obviously this has designer baby vibes about it!

My cat doesn’t eat any human food. This is what I mean about them all being so different... we let him on the kitchen worktops but if I hadn’t wanted him there he could have been trained not to.

I wouldn’t have any fear about babies and cats. I think sometimes cats who don’t get any attention when baby comes along can understandably feel a bit pushed out and jealous but that wouldn’t be the case here. So sad when people decide their cat is too much effort once a baby comes.

Oh and my cat doesn’t scratch the carpet or furniture. We provide plenty of scratchers which he is very happy with instead.

Our old girl couldn't have caught another animal to save her life, even when she was a kitten.

Her entire hunting history was as follows: She once managed to catch a fledgling that had fallen from a nest (ie it was totally stationary), she dismembered the odd house spider, and I'm pretty sure i once saw her pounce on a slug. Most impressively, just after DD was born (when QuantumCat was 14) she actually managed to catch 2 mice, within about a week of each other, which I think was some sort of cat-logic response to the new baby.

But that was it - 18 years worth! So while you might get a lot of stuff brought in, it's far from guaranteed!

It's completely true though - you'll never train them that the kitchen worksurfaces (or anywhere else for that matter) are out of bounds. The best you can hope for is to train them not to let you catch them there!

We've recently rehomed a six month old sphynx cat. To label him as a cat is doing him a disservice, he's got a good bit of dog about him and a touch of monkey!!

Research the breed, they're great family cats, good with children and other animals. Extremely snuggly and playful too which your wee ones will love. 😊

I have two indoor cats now that I’ve had since kittens and they’re perfect angels. They never scratch furniture (lots of scratching posts around) and neither of them are remotely interested in human food, I can leave an entire roast chicken out in a room with them and they don’t even register. I know from many years of cat slavery however that this isn’t normal and my cats are weirdos.

Any tips on finding one that’s good with kids? We have a 5yo and a 10 week old.

I recommend you call the RSPCA, Cat's Protection and any other rescues local to you and ask. The RSPCA website allows you to search for cats that can go to homes with primary or secondary age DC, but they don't have a filter for under-5s, so it's best to ask.

We have one primary and one secondary age DC and it took us a while to find the right cat (i.e. one that is friendly and used to living with a family). We had our home check and then we waited until the right cat came up. It was worth the wait, but she does bring us small rodents, birds and frogs from time to time and despite a scratching post she also likes to sharpen her claws on our dining chairs and sofas!

It will be the best thing you ever do!

@Mo1911 don't demean him by comparing him to a dog! That is an insult to the feline species! I love sphinx cats!

Do it!

We have a cat who is almost 2. She's never killed anything that I'm aware of & definitely never being bought anything in.

She does go outside but we keep her in overnight.

She also doesn't go on our countertops, but previous cats have.

They are all different imo and have their own quirks.

That said all of our cats have been a joy and brought so much to our family!

Perhaps try to adopt an adult rescue cat if possible, where more is known about its temperament?

We have short haired cats and they both shed fur especially at the beginning of summer. I give them a very quick brush every other day (usually while they're eating as they're distracted!) and that helps to keep on top of the shedding somewhat.

How much they hunt depends a lot on the individual cat. My girlcat is a bit useless at it, she would love to catch something but is a bit feeble Boycat on the other hand is a prolific hunter. You can help mitigate it with bells or special birdsafe "clown" collars.

We got our now 7 year old cat at 10 weeks old and had a 17 month old at the time when we picked her up. They've grown up together and it's lovely. She does bring stuff in sometimes which is gross but we've dealt with it. She doesn't go far though and never out the front. Cat hair not too bad.

When we first got our rescue girl she ran away from a house fly that flew too close and hid under the bed.

She basically chucked a can of RAID at us and told us we’re on our own.

These are brilliant thanks

I can make my peace with pretty much anything involving hair, house wrecking and being where I don’t want it to be but I reeeally hope we don’t get one which brings me constant presents of dead things. We back onto farmland and near a river so I know there’s rats and I think I would die if it brought a rat in. Suppose I’ll have to just put my big girl pants on though!

Our rescue sheds constantly, is moody and unpredictable, scratches all my nice furniture (not interested in the cheap stuff I don't mind him ruining), walks on any surface he wants, doesn't always want to be petted but can decide to lie on our feet whenever he wants (but guards his own personal space like a hawk), he's obsessed with chicken esp fried chicken which we have to hide and eat otherwise he sits and cries for it..... but he is one of the best things that's happened to our fam. First ever pet and walks around the house commanding us to open/close doors, get him his treats, find his blankie, and make room for him right up against the fire.

His day is spent lying by the fire, then grumbling when he gets too hot and moving on to the sofa, then grumbling he's not warm enough and coming back to the fire.....