AIBU to ask if our home is suitable for a cat?

[9hdtvey54r]

We want to get a cat but I don't know if we have the right set up. I have contacted a few rescue centres to ask but understandably they're busy and haven't responded to my queries. So cat lovers on mumsnet please can you help?

There are three of us in a two up, two down. Me and my two kids, both under ten. So first question is - is that enough room for a cat or is the house too small?

The house is on a very quiet lane at the front (4 houses and a dead end) and then there are lots of gardens surrounding the lane. But at the back we are next to a tram line. So second question is - is that too unsafe for a cat?

My eldest is AuDHD. He loves animals and is incredibly gentle with them (his dad has animals so we have first hand experience) but he stims which can be loud. So third question is - would unexpected loud noises be unfair on a cat?

Final question, roughly how much is vet insurance? I've seen people quote from the hundreds to the thousands so it's difficult to get an estimate. I think we'd prefer an older cat so presumably would have higher bills?

Thank you very much.

I’d just apply to a few rescues and see what they say, are you willing to have a house cat if they say the tramline is unsafe? Some cats are fine with noise, some aren’t, but rescues are great at matching cats with homes so they can advise based on what they have available and their experience.

For insurance I’d do a few dummy quotes online and price it up that way to give a general idea

You might want to start a thread in the 'Litter Tray' topic OP, or report your thread and get it moved.

Some very helpful posters there.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_litter_tray

Wow I didn't know there was a whole cat area of mumsnet - I'll try and report and move. Thanks so much.

Thats plenty of space but not sure on tram line out back. My cats go out and I live near a busy road and none have ever been run over. I would probably consider a young cat or kitten. Maybe even 2, as they would get use to your DS easier. My DS also stims and can be very vocal, the cats are use to it but they know no different. I have 6 cats and not all of them are friendly so it's not guaranteed their sit and snuggle.

As long as they can go outside of course a house of any size is not too small for a cat. It's not too small for several humans is it?

I live in a two up two down with my cat, also my neighbours have 2 adults, 3 kids and 3 cats so I wouldn't worry about the house, as long as you have space for a litter tray! Its worth noting a cat usually won't eat and drink in the same space so somewhere suitable for food and water (ideally in another room).

The tram might be an issue, you could always look at getting an indoor only cat? Rescues can struggle to find homes for them. I would be very wary about letting my boy out if the tram was behind my garden. An older cat also may be less happy about the noise, if it's not come from a noisy environment. Again the rescue would be able to advise on this. My neighbours kids are loud as anything and their cats seem fine and happy 😊

Well you know what cats are like.

They get everywhere 😁🐈

Do you have a garden? If so I think your set up sounds fine with some cat proofing.

It should be fine. I had three have two cats in a flat and they had space for run around and play just fine. I'm also deaf so people talking to me have to be quite loud. I have the telly on loud when I'm playing games and the big explosions and gun fire and stuff never bothers them. It's rare they even wake up from loud noises now - but they hear a packet crinkle from three rooms away and come running for treats.

I'd keep the cat indoors mostly and try and cat proof the garden so they can go out and play without wandering off. That's the set up I have with mine and they are happy healthy teenagers now.

Yes, we've got a small garden. I had looked into getting a catio so that could be an option. Or I think there are cat fences too.

two kids, both under ten and tram-line goes against you.
The cat won't care about the size of your house and probably won't care about the stimming.

I have known very happy cats in small apartments, but they seem to be specific breeds, don’t think you can just bung any old cat into one?

We have a house, crammed with adult size (and theoretically aged) people, and one of my kids has a cat. It doesn’t go out as it’s not safe, could get run over and also likely stolen, a beautiful expensive breed. It’s fine living indoors.

Where I live we legally have to keep cats in at night anyway, and there’s a big lobby from many groups to enforce that of a day also, no idea what will happen in the long term with that though, whether it will end up getting up or not. I know lots of people who have cats that never go out, although some do have enclosed verandah’s or large catico’s outdoors they can go in (go out cat flap into catico). One person I know has cat netting all around fences that keeps cat in so it has their entire yard, but most I know just keep them in.

I'm not a cat expert but our house backs directly onto a full on train line at the bottom of the garden and several neighbours have cats. They learnt pretty quickly to stay well away from it. I can imagine some rescue places maybe having an issue with it though.

I was refused a 'rescue' cat because the garden backed on to a branch line. The cats never went on the railway.

I live on a main-ish rural road, and the 2 cats I've adopted since being here (from Blue Cross and RSPCA) have both been cats with street smarts. Former strays are often fairly streetwise and often turn into proper cuddle monsters, so talk to rescues and explain what you can offer, and let them pick a cat that suits.

Sounds fine to me! If you’re rescuing an older cat then tell them your set up and your AuDHD diagnoses and they’ll fit you to a cat or cats to select from. My kids have ASD and AuDHD and they find so much comfort in cuddling our cats when they’re struggling … the cats can be a bit meh but at least one will oblige (we have 3)

That's what I thought. I wouldn't want it to be dangerous/ stressful for the cat.

When we got a new cat last year, I found the local privately run cat rescue wouldn't re-home to us as they consider our road too busy.

The RSPCA were much more pragmatic. Our current cat was advertised as no children at all because she was nervous, but I asked as DS is 12 and had been great with our previous cat when she was old and ill. I just had to send them a video of the room we would keep her in to start with (their standard requirement) before we were approved.

The cat won't care, @9hdtvey54r . As long as it gets to sleep on top of your clean laundry and gets fed whatever its favourite food is that week it will be fine.

Here's the "nervous" cat. She's a complete softy.