Cat ownership - honestly how difficult is it?

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Hi, I'm thinking of getting an adult rescue cat. Really it's for my 11yo son, who's got anxiety and possible autism and is desperate for one. I don't mind cats but to be honest, have had a tough few years and don't really want the extra responsibility. However if it makes a difference for DS I'm willing to consider it.

Everyone I talk to seems to say it's barely any work looking after a cat - just make sure it's fed basically. Surely there's more to it than that? I don't want to go into this underestimating the commitment. Grateful for any thoughts!

Yup low maintenance but they definitely appreciate a lot of play. Someone said above about where you live and that’s huge, one of our cats was knocked down last year :( The other thing is one of our cats is a scrabber, and seems to think playing with my son is fine so watch for that especially if your son has sn. Also for a while we were left dead mice, where they just looked like they were asleep and it was awful!!

But they do like to just randomly lie at your feet or next to you when you’re sitting which is so cute!!!

I have a cat, a dog, kids and a husband. The cat is by far the easiest.

This is SO useful thanks. I’m reading every post.

it sounds like I might need to think harder about indoor cats, to avoid the stress of worrying about going missing or getting run over. Can indoor cats really be happy though? What happens if they accidentally escape?

Indoor cats - depends on the personality of the cat.

I had 2 sisters from kittens. One absolutely desperate to explore from day 1, the other had to be dragged outside with support from both cat parents to persuade her it wasn't scary.

4 years on, explorer has been killed on the road, Silkycat still spends a good 99% of her time indoors, has a territory the size of our patio and only really enjoys going outside if we are outside.

Replacement for the explorer has been ... another explorer! We'd all go mad if he had to be indoors, he gets so bored.

So if you adopt an older cat who has already been an indoor cat, you should be fine.

I'm in the middle of the countryside, cat paradise, and Silkycat would rather sunbathe inside thanks.

My cats are Persians, so are indoors. They go out into my enclosed garden. But aren't that fussed about it. They have escaped out the front a few times. But didn't really like it, and they no longer try to get out that way.

My cat wouldn't let me get out of bed this morning! Cats can be very bossy, demanding and like to be in charge.

Mine is an indoor rescue cat. She loves looking outside but runs away if I open the door to the garden. Fair enough.

If Silkycat goes out, she asks to be let back in!

Sometimes we kick her out if she is especially annoying. She's always on the back step when we go back for her.

Other cat comes home when he feels like it, if he's not in the mood we just have to wait and bribe him in with Snackies

Our cat is around two years old now, and she will sleep for probably 20 hours a day. She is golden, independent, has never pooped outside of her litter box, and doesn't cause any nuisance.

Also, she is a house cat, so there's no worrying about locking her out, if/when she'll come home for dinner, if she's safe etc.

Our cat can't go on a cattery so he stays at home and a neighbour or a friend pops in twice a day to feed him.

We have a high maintenance cat, not going to lie he's hard work but he was pretty much feral when he came to us. Our next cat will be a kitten who we will get used to going to a cattery very early on and we will only feed it twice a day.😂

Are all cats suitable to use catteries

Mine was distraught in the cattery, she also wouldn't cope well with just having someone pop in a couple of times a day. I only work half days & DH WFH but she races to see me as soon as she hears my car on the drive.

She also meows to be let out ridiculously early in the summer. It was 4am this morning! Don't be fooled into thinking all cats are low maintenance!

What happens if they accidentally escape?

we got ours as an indoor cat (several months old, never been out, never neutered) we had her neutered & vaccinated ‘just in case’. She seemed happy enough sitting on the window sill watching the world go by until DH left a high window ajar. How she got up there I’ve no clue but once she got out there was no keeping her in. She yowled and wailed to be let out again so that was that. I’d purposely looked for an indoor cat after losing one by being run over but I’ve had to accept she is going to come and go as she pleases. Is a catio an option for you?

I've always had a cat that functions as an alarm clock.

Some of their ideas of what is breakfast time have been wildly optimistic though!

Silkycat currently comes along at 5am to have a cuddle under the duvet, I lift it up and then we both fall asleep again together curled up. In contrast Explorer cat won't let you touch his body.

"This is SO useful thanks. I’m reading every post.

it sounds like I might need to think harder about indoor cats, to avoid the stress of worrying about going missing or getting run over. Can indoor cats really be happy though? What happens if they accidentally escape?"

Also looking at getting a female cat. We're in a similar position to you... quiet road but busy A road at the end of our street. Rescue advised a female cat as they have much smaller territories. Our cat only goes to the boundary of our shared driveway (shared between 5 houses) and in the back gardens of 2 houses either side of us. In 7 years, she's never ventured onto the road.

I would look for a rescue cat who has never been outdoors - many can't go out due to health issues or just because they've always lived in and it's what they're used to.

I have three indoor cats - one escaped once after DH left the back door open and she went missing for three days - found her in a neighbours garden not looking remotely bothered by her adventures 🙈

They all seem happy and none appear stressed or anything - but I think it helps that they have each other for company!

@mommandme you can always go down the catio route or install cat proof fencing either round your whole garden or just in a section.

I might get flamed for this but I think having an indoor cat is cruel. Cats are meant to hunt/roam. We have a sensible older cat who happily potters around the garden but doesn't venture further. I understand that all cats aren't like this, but I wouldn't get a cat if I wasn't prepared to risk it being outside.

I always thought having an indoor cat was cruel but my rescue actively avoids going outside and it's been like this for 4 years.

It seems she had enough of living outside when she was a stray cat & now likes the indoor life.
But then she's an unusually anxious cat, and jumps at every noise bless her.

My cat is very needy and loves company. Has never been in a cattery and would hate it also at13 a bit too old to start.Luckily family come to stay. Had a massive bill this year when very ill but was too expensive to insure as got him quite old.
worst part for me is dealing with the killing, dead bird today.This seems to decline with age. All in all he is definitely worth it all as a lap cat and sociable, if a bit of a biter! Cannot bear to think of losing him.Home is not home without a cat to me

Well in my case the Jehovah's Witnesses who'd knocked on the door chased and caught the cat who had only escaped because I'd answered the door to them.

They then had to appologise because I am on their 'no call' list.

Yes house cats can be happy, again if you go to Cats' Protection they have cats that have to be kept as indoor cats, often they have FEV so can't be let out to stop them spreading the virus. CP will cover the vet's fees for life if you rehome an FIV cat.

We had a lovely Tabby who was around 3 when we adopted him. He was so friendly. He had a heart murmur which turned out to be quite expensive but meant that he wasn't one for hunting or fighting with other cats and would only really go outside in the summer. When we went away we used to get a cat sitter in once a day to top up his food and sort out his litter tray etc ... we sadly lost him a couple of years ago. I think after the initial settling in he was very easy to look after. It only became difficult when he took a turn for the worse with his heart murmur.

indoor cats are more work than cats that are allowed out, but all in all, i thnk theyre fairly low maintenance. Litterboxes can smell with indoor cats and they can be needy for attention if they get bored, but my cats all have access to outdoors and they are very easy great pets

My cats are extremely low maintenance and absolutely delightful. No litter tray, they use the cat flap and go outside. We do have a road at the front but they stick to the back garden and surrounding areas. I feed them once a day with wet food and they always have dry food and water available. We go away fairly often, I've never used a cattery - cats are very territorial and prefer to stay in their own space. We've always had trusted friends and/or paid pet sitters to feed them. I would say two is actually easier than one because you don't have to worry about them getting bored or lonely. I have on sitting on me right now purring, the love and companionship you get for an extremely low cost in time and money makes them brilliant pets, I think!

We adopted a cat a couple of months ago. I have a son with ASD/ADHD and he absolutely adores her. She has been so good for him. She’s not quite 1 year old yet so still quite kittenish (loves play hunting and chasing cat toys) and has the nicest temperament. We had to keep her in for the first six weeks but she goes out now. Poor DS was almost sick with stress the first time she went out though - he was worried she wouldn’t come back.

I have a friend who has a Ragdoll cat which is absolutely gorgeous and incredibly affectionate. They are known to be one of the best breeds for emotional support. She has to be kept indoors though as she’s all fluff and no sense (which is apparently a characteristic of Ragdolls) - she wouldn’t last two minutes outside! But she’s quite happy lazing around indoors and getting cuddled.

Also we have family who will mind our cat when we’re away but my friend uses a pet sitting service - might be a good alternative to using a cattery.