Know nothing about Cats. Pls come to tell me what I need to know here...

[ACatCanLookAtAKing]

Never owned a cat so would be grateful for all thoughts and advice

Parent has dementia. I am their carer and live with them. They always loved cats and had them when young and early married life. Didn't later due to work so I have never owned a cat or lived in a house with one.

I would like to get a cat for parent as think it would give them a lot of joy.

I think (please tell me if this is wrong) I would like to get an older cat that is happy to be indoors and be on laps. Parent always had/liked british blues so I think in their dementia if possible this would be a good idea.

Can anyone give me help with any of these questions:

1.is it possible to rehome/adopt a specific breed? where do you go to do this?
2.do I need to know anything about older british blues? would they be suitable for this- and happy to be stroked on a lap? if not, what breeds would you suggest?
3.what do I need to buy for the cat? I'm thinking litter tray, basket, transportation basket for trip to vet, scratch post, collar - anything else major I've missed?
4.how often do you need to take the cat to the vet?
5.what do you do about teeth brushing, claws, washing and grooming? how often?

This is very early stages for me and I fully intend to do more research so was looking for a basic steer to sound out whether this is viable or not.

PS: we already have a Joy For All interactive cat before anyone suggests that!

I don’t think you can guarantee that a cat will be happy sitting on a lap just by the breed, as they all have their different personalities! A cat rescue should be able to give you an idea of how affectionate/tolerant their individual cats are around people.

I think it's a lovely thing you are trying to do and it's great you are being thoughtful about getting a cat rather than rushing into it. I would recommend strawberry pedigree rescue in Worcestershire if you would like an older British rescue cat.

You don't need a collar but please make sure cat is microchipped even if you don't let the em outside, and once a year vaccinations.

1 - Just get a regular rescue cat, no point fussing on breeds when there’s 1000s of older cats in shelters needing homes!

2 - Cats are unlike dogs in that they very much live to please themselves, not their owners so really it’s hard to guarantee a cuddly or biddable personality. We have 2 identical boys from the same litter and they couldn’t be more different. One very cuddly + calm whilst the other is the complete opposite. They march to their own beat and aren’t particularly trainable animals - you get what you get!

3 - You have the basics pretty much spot on. Collars aren’t recommended though as they can be dangerous

4 - Typically only when they’re having a problem which for us is once a year on average, obviously very individual to each cat though so hard to advise.

5 - If you try to brush a cat’s teeth you have a fairly high chance of needing a trip to A&E for stitches! Same with bathing - they wash themselves and are incredibly clean animals. Nails typically get worn down on their own from wear and tear on surfaces, there’s no need for you to trim them. I give ours a quick brush once a week to get rid of any loose fur and that’s it

1. Yes you can get specific breeds through rescue, there are some rescues that only take that breed, other rescues also end up with them at times, but are less likely to have one.

2. never had a British blue so can't comment. Older cats generally tend to be less work day to day then younger ones as generally they've learnt to entertain themselves or have slowed down a bit. But they may not be lapcats. That's not breed specific but more cat specific. Bit like saying all brunettes like chocolate.

3. litter tray and litter
   cat bed (which probably be ignored but you can but try)
   cat carrier (I leave mine out all the time so it doesn't stress the cats as much to go in them)
   Food bowls and pet food forks etc if you don't like the idea of using your own utensils
   Cat food. Wet and dry as each cats different
   Collar is personal choice. I have indoor cats and do use collars as it helps me locate them. Plus I have peace of mind if they ever escaped
   Toys
   Scratching post or cardboard scratches etc

4. with an older cat you may end up at vets more often then younger ones. Generally it's once a year for vaccinations but mine average 1 or 2 visits a year for other things (they're getting on a bit so have needed dentals etc)

5. claws you can trim yourself if the cat will let you. One of mine let's me. The other summons the strength of 1000 men, the flexibility of a contortionist, the teeth of a great white and the claws of a grizzlybear if I try, so he has to be wrapped in a towel whilst I do it. Undignified for him but safe for me
   Teeth I don't brush. They won't let me. If I had a kitten I'd try and train it but these were old when I got them and they won't do it. However they get dentabites and some plaque off stuff in Thier water.
   Bathing cats isnt really done. Mine actually like water so I do bathe mine but they are definitely not normal in that respect.
   Grooming most don't mind as long as you don't hurt them. I use a nit brush on mine, and if I run my finger over it they come running as they love being groomed.

I've had over 30 cats as I foster for rescues. Before you make the leap why not look around, especially if you have any foster based rescues round you as they will know what the cat is like in a home environment. Obviously whilst your getting this cat for your parents enjoyment, this is gonna be your cat and your responsibility so finding one you click with is definitely the main objective as you could have it for many years depending on the cat. You need a relatively confident older lap cat who is used to being indoors in order for that to work. Not impossible but hard when only looking at one breed. If looking at any breed you'll find one easily. It'll likely be cheaper too

Also you need to be really careful around logistics of an indoor cat if your parent has dementia - are they able to mobilise, could they accidentally open a door or window and the cat get out, or is there a chance in the future you may have carers coming in and out, is there a porch etc so no worries if they left the door open whilst fetching stuff from their car.
One of my cats has actively ran past a wide open front door and gone upstairs but the other one I think if he was scared would just run out of it (hes run into a glass door before when he was scared- he's beautiful but lacks braincells)

I’d also recommend speaking to a local rescue, as they may well have an older cat that’s used to an older owner and will have more the kind of personality that you’re looking for.

For teeth, I put a little bit of cat toothpaste onto a front paw and that gets licked off - not as good as proper teeth cleaning but I value keeping my fingers intact and I still reckon it’s better than nothing.

I do clip my cat’s claws, as she isn’t good at retracting them and gets hooked up, but I’ve always done it so whilst she isn’t thrilled she’s OK with it.

We generally just do the annual vet trip for boosters and to pick up worming and flea treatments (fingers crossed it stays this way). Teeth can be troublesome but your vet will advise - dental work is expensive though and often isn’t covered on insurance. You may find it hard to get cover for an older cat / will be very expensive - might be sensible to put a bit away each month into a fund to cover unexpected bills.

Yes to not needing a collar but make sure the cat is microchipped and registered to you.

gee thanks everyone for your kind answers. was a bit worried I'd be told I was too naive and stupid to get a cat!

so it sounds like cats are personality individual rather than breed type?

thanks for microchipping advice - hadn't thought of that.

- Just get a regular rescue cat, no point fussing on breeds when there’s 1000s of older cats in shelters needing homes!

the breed was because they always had British blues and loved them so I thought it would be a stimulating strong memory association for them with their past. but I don't know how difficult it would be to find one to adopt especially now I know I need to find one with the right personality.

Also you need to be really careful around logistics of an indoor cat if your parent has dementia -

Thanks - this is not problem here because doesn't wander, low mobility and is attended all day during waking hours. the point about future changes though is v. helpful and will bear this in mind.

Obviously whilst your getting this cat for your parents enjoyment, this is gonna be your cat and your responsibility so finding one you click with is definitely the main objective as you could have it for many years depending on the cat.

Hadn't thought about me 'clicking' with the cat at all. great point thanks.

one more question - what about fleas? are cats very flea prone?

where do they get the fleas from - is it other cats? or dogs?

how often do they get fleas? what do you have to do to treat them?

They typically get them outdoors from mixing with other cats and hunting vermin. As long as you give them a flea treatment (small syringe you squirt into the fur on the back of their neck) such as Frontline or Broadline every 3 months as recommended you’ll have nothing to worry about

Cats can pick up fleas by going where other animals have been if they go outside, or you could be unlucky and someone brings them into the house on clothing.

I’ve been fortunate with mine and they’ve never really picked them up, treatment is usually a spot on liquid that you put on the back of the neck (where they can’t wash it off). They’ve had the occasional tick from being outside but they’re straightforward to remove with a tick tool.

'Hadnt thought about me clicking with it' - makes becoming a cat slave a lot easier if you like them 😉

They can get fleas from people have been outside, or if they have pets etc too. They can be in the environment and come in on shoes etc. Generally though house cats don't tend to get them. Spot on treatment (advantage etc not Bob Martin) will do the trick. You can get tablet deflea but they're more expensive and not as easy to use. You should probably worm them too, although the risks again are very low on indoor cats.

Not sure if you have any near you but you could look to see if there's any Pets as Therapy (PAT) cats near you. There may not be as they tend to be PAT dogs but worth a look. If there is you could use that to gage your parents reaction.

A lot of rescues do a golden oldies scheme for cats 13+ to encourage adoption of older animals. This would work well for you as older cats more likely to be lap cats and vetinary bills covered (not for routine but for illness)