I know nothing about cats, but am thinking about getting a pair for the kids. Guidance, please?

[Anonymous]

I grew up with dogs and know enough that I'm not willing to invest in getting the kids a puppy. But, I do feel that pets can help make a home. I've had so many close friends with wonderfully warm memories of having cats. I'd like to provide that for my little ones, if possible.

I'm nervous about actually going further with this because of all of the nightmare stories out there [See: http://mycatisadick.com/].

There is no rush in making this decision. I think the kids need to be a little older. Maybe kindergarten-age and up? So, there are a couple years yet. I've heard that getting two is kinder than having a single cat because they keep each other company. I'm not at all clear on how I'm supposed to make sure that they are compatible though. And, how can you really know that a cat is child-friendly before bringing it home? And, the scratching business (both furniture and people), any way to screen for that?

I can read a dominant dog and am familiar enough with breeds that I have a sense of what I'm getting into with a poodle vs a terrier. With cats, though, I'm really at a loss.

Any tips out there for those of us who are less cat literate? I'd prefer a rescue animal, if that makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

Do not get kittens would be my advice. They are wild! I got two kittens when I graduated from college. They would attack anything that moves and stay up all night racing around the house.
I finally called the vet about it, and he told me that they are nocturnal animals. I loved them, but I never had a good nights sleep.
My two were litter mates, but one was more dominant and would attack the other. I don't think they were particularly good friends.
If you do it, get adopt a female (they don't mark their territory with urine) that is 2-3 years old. She would most likely be much calmer by that age.

[Anonymous]

Cats do not mind being alone. There is really no need to adopt two. Your family is company for them. If you do adopt two, get cats that already know each other. Adopt a pair that have been together all their lives. DO NOT bring two stranger cats together and expect them to get along. These are not pack animals like dogs. That would be a recipe for disaster.

A grown up cat can be great with kids, very loving. Just teach the kids that the cat has limits, and will scratch if it doesn't want to be handled. Don't make the kitty sit on your lap; don't pet the kitty too hard.

[Anonymous]

I'd go the expensive route and buy two kittens from a breeder. With a rescue, you never know what you'll get.

It's best to get kittens, as they'll immediately adjust to your family b/c you're all they know!

It's true that two is best. We have one - a rather large Siberian male who's only two. He's likely to be a 20 lb cat by the time he's 5. He's a handful b/c he has quite a bit of energy. But at this point, I'm not into finding a companion for him.

They will ruin furniture, even with scratching posts placed around the home. Avoid leather; we learned the hard way. Keep plenty of toys around. If our cat can't find his toys, he will usually grab a stuffed animal from my son's room.

You can declaw them, but not all vets will agree to that, as they have no way to defend themselves if they escape.

Personally, I think indoor-outdoor is the way to go, but ours is totally an indoor cat. I didn't feel like dealing with ticks/fleas and rabies. But growing up, our indoor/outdoor cats (mother/daughter) lived to be 19 and 21 years old.

My son, who's 4, can be rough with the cat at times. But oddly enough, they do play chase, and the cat is always around both kids. I have a daughter who's 8. The cat adores her.

You'll have to deal with a litter box, which is gross. So keeping it clean is a must.

Allergies can develop later on, too. I have cat allergies, but the Siberian doesn't affect me for some reason.

And then there's the hair. I vacuum daily. Keep a lint brush handy! I often use it right before leaving for work!

Some cats are picky with food, too. You can alternate btw. wet and dry. With ours, too much wet food gave him the runs. And he's a long-haired cat - yuck.

And then there's long-haired versus short-haired. So if you hate hair floating around, look for a short-haired cat.

[Anonymous]

Crazy cat lady here!

Absolutely get a pair of kittens, but be patient and get them from a family with small children whose cat had a litter in their home, so the kittens have always been around children and have been handled since they were born. The more socialization the kittens have had, and the more the family can tell you about their temperaments, the better. A family with children will be happy to tell you which kittens are best suited to small children; visits to pick out the cutest ones are too short for the adopting family to figure out the little personalities.

I love our huge family with cats everywhere you look and an enormous dog to keep the cats in line

[Anonymous]

I have an ex-husband who was really into cats. We had 4! We adopted two as young-ish kittens (maybe around a year old). They were from a real crazy cat lady (hoarder!). They were fine. Probably happy to leave the squalor. Third cat was one I was pet sitting and the owner called and left him with me. He was an awesome cat. The fourth was brought home by my ex after he found her wandering in an alley. All were great.

My only advice: get them spayed or neutered immediately (male cats spray and it is horrible). Do not declaw your cat. It is mean and selfish.

I would rather get dog. I am just not a cat person. (Glad I divorced ex!)

[Anonymous]

I have to defend male cats because I've had four of them and not a single one has ever sprayed. Sure, some of them do but in my experience it's never been a problem with a neutered male. I actually find male cats to be much more loving than females so since having my first male cat as a teenager I've only had males since.

Also, the cats on www.mycatisadick.com are not nightmares. If you think that's nightmare behavior then you shouldn't have a cat.

Cats are not dogs so they won't come when you call them (although I have one that does), they aren't going to obey your every command and they probably won't rush to the door to greet you when you come home. Cats provide affection and love on their own schedule and sometimes that's at 3am.

I strongly disagree with the PP who suggested using a breeder. There are so many rescue cats and kittens needing homes that I think it's irresponsible to use a breeder. You can choose a rescue in a foster home to get a better sense of personality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to defend male cats because I've had four of them and not a single one has ever sprayed. Sure, some of them do but in my experience it's never been a problem with a neutered male. I actually find male cats to be much more loving than females so since having my first male cat as a teenager I've only had males since.

Also, the cats on www.mycatisadick.com are not nightmares. If you think that's nightmare behavior then you shouldn't have a cat.

Cats are not dogs so they won't come when you call them (although I have one that does), they aren't going to obey your every command and they probably won't rush to the door to greet you when you come home. Cats provide affection and love on their own schedule and sometimes that's at 3am.

I strongly disagree with the PP who suggested using a breeder. There are so many rescue cats and kittens needing homes that I think it's irresponsible to use a breeder. You can choose a rescue in a foster home to get a better sense of personality.

I agree - I would adopt two adult rescue cats who have lived together and get along. (Even two who have not lived together may get along; the rescue can help you determine that.)

I disagree with the PP who said one cat is fine - two is much better than one, for company and overall feline mental-health/well-being.

[Anonymous]

Yup, definitely two cats at once so they can keep each other company. Ideally you'd find two kittens or who adult cats who would like to be homed together. It's not tough to find them if you look at local rescues.

The difference in litter box cleaning, food, etc between one and two is minimal but they'll get a huge benefit from having a companion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to defend male cats because I've had four of them and not a single one has ever sprayed. Sure, some of them do but in my experience it's never been a problem with a neutered male. I actually find male cats to be much more loving than females so since having my first male cat as a teenager I've only had males since.

Also, the cats on www.mycatisadick.com are not nightmares. If you think that's nightmare behavior then you shouldn't have a cat.

Cats are not dogs so they won't come when you call them (although I have one that does), they aren't going to obey your every command and they probably won't rush to the door to greet you when you come home. Cats provide affection and love on their own schedule and sometimes that's at 3am.

I strongly disagree with the PP who suggested using a breeder. There are so many rescue cats and kittens needing homes that I think it's irresponsible to use a breeder. You can choose a rescue in a foster home to get a better sense of personality.

I am far from irresponsible.

I have severe cat allergies, which can develop at any time. So find the right cat, which involved researching certain breeds, was essential. It's better than adopting a rescue and THEN finding out your asthma is kicking in.

I have not reacted to my Siberian.

So don't judge me, PP - or others who choose to know what they're getting themselves into before taking in an animal. Not all rescues are dream pets.

[Anonymous]

My advice is that before you get your own cats, offer to cat sit for friend going out of town. It will get you all a little bit of experience so you know more of what you are getting into before you get your own cats.

[Anonymous]

If you like dogs, look into getting a Maine coon cat. We have one and she is the most dog like cat I've ever seen. My understanding is the breed tends to be like that, very friendly and outgoing.

[Anonymous]

Cat person here. If you want to have an idea of the cat's personality, try a slightly older rescue cat. I would also recommend just getting two kittens. PetSmart has only rescue cats for adoption at its stores and often has a variety on Saturdays. You might go chat with the volunteers before you make a decision whether or not to get a cat.

There are a variety of cat personalities. We have two cats that were abandoned in our neighborhood, and they both started out friendly but somewhat skittish and warmed up to us over the course of several months. They are now two of the most outgoing cats I know.

The ASPCA has some discussion of cat "types" so you can see the range of behaviors. Some cats are very much "lap cats," others not.

http://www.aspca.org/adoption/meet-your-match/meet-the-feline-alities.aspx

[Anonymous]

Another vote for a slightly older cat. There is a shelter on GA avenue that is absolutely amazing. They take really good care of animals, and let you spend as much time as you need with each cat to let you decide which one is the best fit for your family. We adopted a 9 year old cat from there and she is the sweetest cat ever. There were two kittens availbale for adoption and everyone kept going for those (so I felt pretty sure that they would get adopted) but people were hesitant about an older cat. i can't tell you how glad I was that we got an older cat. She is mellow and sweet and already past the destructive stage.

[Anonymous]

I would also vote for a slightly older cat so that you can see what its personality would be. We have a 13 year old cat and a 3 year old son. DS is a great with the cat - likes to likes to pet the cat gently, does not pull ears or tail, puts out his hand to let her sniff, is not rough. Cat wants nothing to do with him, gets up, and walks to the other side of the room every time DS is anywhere near her. She just doesn't like kids.