How much of a tie is a cat?

[aperolspritzbasicbitch]

Ok, so probably a really silly question, especially as a dog owner 😬

Are cats easy pets?

I really want a cat, never owned one as an adult. I'm taken with the rag doll breed (however, this is on minimal research so far, so is based purely on looks. Would obviously research properly if decided to go ahead)
The biggest question mark over whether or not to give it more serious thought is what we would do with a cat when we went away?
My dog either goes to family, or we go on dog friendly trips.
Also, if you are out for the whole day, can cats just be left to it? Or would the time they can left alone for be the same as a dog?
Especially as rag dolls are recommended to be indoor cats.

Cats are very little trouble, especially if you have a cat flap. They entertain themselves and visit you for company and food. When we go on holiday, a local dog walker pops in twice a day to feed ours. So no trouble there either. Ragdolls are beautiful, but so are gingers from the local rescue.

Ragdolls are SO needy. They require daily grooming, are prone to behavioural issues and as pedigree cats, there are likely to be more health issues than you would find in your average moggy.

I’m typing this with a rescue Ragdoll screaming at me because I’m on the toilet and not giving him my undivided attention! He was surrendered to a shelter due to his behavioural problems which are still a problem 5 years down the line, despite input from two behaviourists and three vets who agree there is nothing physically wrong with him, he’s just a dramatic lunatic (the exact words of the most recent vet he saw!)

In short, most moggies are fine to do their own thing. Ragdolls require a fair bit of commitment!

We have a ragdoll cross but she's a short hair. Obviously all cats are different but she in particular is super low maintenance in my opinion. She's about 14 months and now goes outside freely in the daytime. She doesn't go near the road, rather likes to observe people and birds in their garden from a bush. She's not skittish or jumpy, lovely company, not too needy for food but she does like company and routine. Going away however is problematic. This is probably the main issue. We left her for 24 hours recently and she was absolutely fine but I wouldn't want to do that regularly. We've boarded her twice but she peed in her bedding probably due to stress, but at least we knew she was safe and our house was secure. Ragdolls take a little longer to grow to full size, they can remain kitten-like for longer than other breeds.

Ah, ok - that's very helpful!

This is why no pet should be chosen based on looks 🤣🤣

Don’t get me wrong, he is GORGEOUS! And he is a very lovely, loving boy but he is seriously hard work.

I have indoor cats and ragdolls. They are easy pets, in so muchas they are always at home. Going out for a day is no trouble.

However for holidays- cats simply don't thrive outside of their own home. So it's having family stay with them or having a visiting cat sitter for me. A cattery or staying in a family member's home would be too should be too stressful for them imo. My lot do well with the cat sitter feeding them twice a day and one 15 minute play when I'm on holiday. They don't care to cuddle the sitter (but are constant cuddle pusses with me)

Secondly the "burden" of keeping cats indoors is that you have to keep them mentally stimulated. That means playing with them. Daily. At least once. They need to hunt and to play and to problem solve. Imo an indoor cat is more like a dog, you don't walk them but you should spend 10-40 minutes per day stimulating them with rotating toys and wands and games and puzzles. This is the balance you strike with the "keeping cats indoors is cruel" debate. It's not natural for them to be in, but you can compensate for that. It IS cruel to keep them in and not provide stimulation for their instincts.

Get a rescue cat! Many rescue centres are inundated with kittens at the mo. Cats are so low maintenance. I could leave mine a couple of days with no issues. I have an automatic feeding bowl. Any longer, I ask someone to pop in and feed them. They literally couldn't give a shit if I'm not there, as long as they are fed!

We have an indoor cat and have timers for food, mostly used during the night because he's a menace! He tends to sleep a lot during the day, only rolling over for belly rubs. He comes on holiday with us, we holiday anywhere we can drive to. If flying abroad, he'd need some sort or luxury cat hotel to meet his lordships needs!

Overall, he's part of the family, so we don't find him a tie. We're also not that bothered about sun holidays, a cat might feel like a tie of that's your bag unless you have options in terms of friends/family/house sitter etc.

Our cats go to a family member's house at holidays. They have done since very young age. We trained "visiting auntie". It works well.

I used to have a ragdoll. He was a lovely pet, great company, but definitely more like a dog than a normal cat. He really needed human company. We'd occasionally leave him overnight with plenty of food and water, but wouldn't have felt comfortable leaving him for more extended periods.

Ragdolls are also often not recommended to go outside, so they're not as independent as other cats.

If you want to be able to go away, a regular tabby/ moggy might be a better bet.

I have had British shorthairs so cannot comment on rag dolls. Mine went into a cattery once, for a weekend. They hated it. So after that we had relatives look after them when we went away or my next door neighbour. They were much better staying at home. Since we moved, one holiday my sister moved in. One holiday we had a cat sitter visit in the evening and my parents at lunchtime, and this year my mil moved in. they also want lots of attention in the evening. The cat i am left with has never been in a cattery so cat sitter is really our only option at her advanced age. But for day trips and work days she is fine on her own. She used to spend all day in the garden and we had a cat flap. In our new home there is nowhere for a catflap to go but she wont go out anyway. She is 16 now and only goes out in the garden if im out and the weather is above 22 degrees. Absolute bare minimum.

the dog is easier to get looked after when we go away but the cat is easier day-to-day as she doesnt need a walker.

Side note- I specify indoors as my ragdolls are thick as mince. There is no way they could be let out. They'd do themselves an injury (if they didn't get stolen! I've had people knock my door and offer money for them- they are straight up beautiful . I've no doubt if they went out and didn't manage to walk under a car/ into the mouth of a wild animal, then they'd get stolen.)

We've always just got a cat sitter in to feed her every day while we're away and that's been fine.

Over here they say to keep cats indoors anyway (safety) but Ragdolls MUST be kept indoors. The personality traits that make them good companions don't suit them in the wild. They're sweeties but definitely for people who are home a lot. Honestly a great deal of cat breed is looks, less personality as with dogs. With cats the best thing to do is meet them and see about their personality. If they're a rescue, then the rescue should have some personality information.

A cat, once it's settled in, will be fine alone all day. I have 3 cats (all indoors). if we're only going for a couple of days, we have a neighbour come round to feed them. If we're going for longer, we send them to board. Most cats don't enjoy travelling. (You get the odd one that does. My cousin had a cat who would just sit on the car seat on trips! I don't recommend because a cat is light and could go flying, though.)

How clingy they are depends on personality. One of mine is a people cat and always wants to be with us; he snuggles in my lap. One likes to know we're nearby but isn't an on top of you sort, and the third wanders off for hours, but when he wants attention he wants it NOW.

We don’t have a cat flap but I wfh so am on hand to serve his lordship every day. If we deign to go on holiday he goes to a luxury cattery, or if it’s just overnight a neighbour lets him in and out. Friends with more streetwise cats (and cat flaps) can leave theirs all weekend with timer food bowls and a neighbour keeping half an eye on them.

They are infinitely less tying than dogs!

Not a tie as long as you aren't too precious about it.
Day to day my cat goes in and out of his car flap as he pleases. Same at night, he's shut in the kitchen and can come and go.
We used to put him in a cattery when we went away but now use a cat sitter. She comes in once a day to do his breakfast and sets up the auto feeder for his tea.
If I'm only away the odd night my neighbour comes and I do the same for her.

You won't want a ragdoll cat to go outdoors, cat thieves are in every neighbourhood and will think the fact your cat once gazed at them means they must be a stray and "It's the cat distribution system at work". That is true for any old moggie but particularly so for a highly sought breed. You'll want a catio s your cat can go in and out.

Personally I recommend black cats, they are often left at shelters as they aren't instagrammable as the darkness doesn't show the features well in photos / people think they are bad luck but apart from the fact they nearly kill you when you trip over them in the dark they make great pets

I would definitely get a rescue, all my cats have been rescues and the shelters are overwhelmed at the moment.
We rescued my big black fluffy boy off the streets (his owners had moved away and left him ) and he is nearly 20 now roughly.
When we first had him we couldn't even smooth him without him flinching and 10 years later he's the loveliest boy who loves cuddling up to my leg.
I am a cat sitter and I do home visits when people go away on holidays and the cats are always asleep when I get there lol, they love their sleep!

Picture because why not

They are about as low maintenance pets as you can get, I think!

For lowest maintenance of all, get an adult cat from a rescue centre who is known not to be particularly needy.

Ha! It definitely depends on the cat 😺. Elton as high maintenance as a toddler. He's shouty, needy and very dramatic. He has a sitter to stay with him if we go away, as he'd probably do himself a mischief if left alone for too long. He's also on so many drugs he rattles 🙄. Sweet boy though

IMO a cat Seconding all the posters who said a moggy is much less high maintenance than most pure breeds.

I’ve had Burmese and moggies and the Burmese were a bit like a toddler - very vocal, follow you round everywhere and guilt you into giving them constant attention, climb on your lap all the time especially if you are busy, also prone to getting into scrapes (especially if allowed out). Rag dolls are quieter and very docile but not terribly bright IME and you’d definitely need to keep them in.

Rescue mog on the other hand comes and goes as she pleases, eats dry food from a timed automatic feeder, is happy to be left alone but also likes to keep us company when we’re about (will sit on laps sometimes, not as much as a burmese but enough for me). Very quiet. We can go away with only a cat sitter popping in. Perfect!

Definitely recommend a rescue moggy - if you get a young adult (6 months - 2 yrs say) you can see their personality already and they will be neutered and vaccinated ready to go. Or if you want a docile lap cat then a middle aged cat who’s been someone’s loved pet could work well.

My long haired mog is not easy to leave, tried cattery, was very stressed, now have friend visit twice a day for an hour. He craves company and cuddles. Probably like this because I am retired, so usually only out socialising for a few hours, more full days out in summer, but he is out more then too so ok with cat flap

They are pretty low maintenance.

We have a pair of BSH (sisters). They play with each other so don't require much stimulation from us. They are indoor cats so they have plenty of toys - we rotate them, getting a few out at a time. We feed them twice a day (wet and dry food) and change the litter a couple of times a week.

The only real tie is holidays. We have limited ourselves to no more than a week away since we have had them. I'd feel too guilty to go for longer. They went to my parents house once when they were kittens and caused chaos so since then we have someone in to feed and play with them once a day. It is fine but they definitely miss us - you should see the looks on their faces when the suitcases come out.

Cats are an absolute doddle. Low maintenance and if you get two they keep themselves amused. Ours go outside which I feel is better for their mental health and general wellbeing, although the local rodent population probably don't agree.
Moggies are best, they generally have fewer health issues than pedigrees, and are 'proper' cats.

We've left ours overnight with food and she's fine.
Longer than that and she goes to cattery. Some cats get stressed at cattery though so many owners leave their cat at home and get someone to call in and feed them when they're away.
They're very clean animals and pretty much look after themselves, obviously you will have a litter tray if you're going to have an indoor cat, but that's the only work really.
Make sure you consider all costs, you'll need insurance and to pay for vaccinations and neutering.
Also instead of a rag doll please consider a rescue kitten instead! Cat rescues a bursting at the seams with kittens and cats needing a home