Please talk me out of (or into?) getting a cat

[Anonymous]

DD is 4.5; she and DH want a cat. We have a sweet dog who would be fine with a cat. Our dog is easy. If we get a cat, I know, despite what DH says, I will be the one primarily taking care of the litter box, which we hope to put in the basement bathroom. I am ok with that, but what else am I not thinking of? I don't want to deal with another living thing and more hair, occasional puke, accidents. But, I do like cats. So, how hard are cats? What else should I be thinking about? I assume DD will be able to put dry food and water in its bowls, but that is probably about it. Thanks for any insights. I'm not against cats, just against making my life more complicated.

[Anonymous]

I am a long time cat lover and owner. Earlier this year i had two and one died after 17 years as my constant companion. I have a second one who is 12. She has a thyroid issue which requires pills in the am and pm. She is a mouser which is good and a talker which sometimes is not. When she dies, I will immediately redo my living room furniture as she has scratched it all up and it looks just shabby...

She might live another 5 plus years! I am over my shabby furniture. I told my son that when she dies we were NOT getting a dog and I"m going to kill whoever put that idea into his head.

[Anonymous]

Will your DD be crushed if the cat is not affectionate? Because you could end up with a cat who hides under the bed 20 hours a day.

[Anonymous]

Some cats have litter box issues. Or scratch up your furniture. Also they live FOREVER. something to think about. From owner of two cats.

[Anonymous]

PP Here.
My old cat (the dead one) one time ran outside (he was an indoor only cat) got in a fight. I went to pick him up, he bit me, and I got blood poisoning and had to take 4 drugs and see two doctors for a full week because the infection was so bad.

So imagine that happening to a child.

Ok, I think I"m done. but I might not be.

[Anonymous]

Cats are great. I love cats. I want to always have cats. But you are right that the litter box is a nuisance, and cats shed and throw up and sometimes don't do their business in the litter box and aren't good for the furniture, and the cat would be another living thing to take care of.

[Anonymous]

The only annoying thing about a cat is the litter box, as you pointed out. Our cat has vomited once in the three years we've had him, never coughs up hairballs, is perfect about using the litter box, etc. He's very clean, but I realize we are lucky as far as that goes. Some cats vomit a lot. Feeding high quality grain free wet/dry food helps a ton with these issues, IMO.

[Anonymous]

I love my cats (I have 2) but I really wish I would have never gotten them. Cat hair everywhere! I don't have a door to the kitchen to keep them out and everyday I see fur and paw prints on the stove. UGH!! I didn't get them declawed (I think it's cruel), but they have scratched up the sofa, the walls, the bannister. I thought the feeding a litter box would be the issue, but it's really the fur and scratching. And yes, I have had to clean up puke (hairballs) and more than one occassion. But when I am away for a few days I miss those little fur balls and I really do love them...sigh. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

The only annoying thing about a cat is the litter box, as you pointed out. Our cat has vomited once in the three years we've had him, never coughs up hairballs, is perfect about using the litter box, etc. He's very clean, but I realize we are lucky as far as that goes. Some cats vomit a lot. Feeding high quality grain free wet/dry food helps a ton with these issues, IMO.

[Anonymous]

DO NOT GET A CAT! They shed way more than dogs and their hair gets everywhere since they can jump up on counters and such. Since you have a dog it will be jumping on every counter top and the table. Their litter boxes are gross and they get litter everywhere. You can't do much with them and cats are much more likely to bite or scratch small children than dogs are. They live a lot longer than dogs and especially towards the end are not enjoyable to be around. Dogs are always happy to see you and you can do so much more with them.

We used to have a cat but had to re home it because it started going bald from the stress our dog put on it. Luckily we were able to find a wonderful home for him and are still in contact with the people, but many time it is VERY difficult to re home a cat. The one thing that drove me crazy was the hair. I don't mind hair on the carpet and furniture as it is easy to vacuum up, but I can not stand it on the table and counters.

[Anonymous]

They aren't hard, but they are a pain when you go out of town. Think $50/night for a pet sitter.

[Anonymous]

Cats are great and can be sweet, somewhat lower maintenance companions. And kittens are so fricking adorable. BUT once a cat pees on your carpet or your furniture, it's ruined. And they never pee on it just once. We had much-beloved cats that hung on forever, and when they were finally gone we had to reseal our basement floor in addition to replacing the carpet, all because of a short period of time when our cat had a UTI and peed outside her litter box. Depending on your own/rent situation this is something to consider.

[Anonymous]

reasons not to get a cat:
one more animal to board/sit while on vacation
more vet bills
cat hair everywhere
limits guest who may have allergies
they are not all friendly
the litter box thing is nasty

I am clearly not a pet person.

[Anonymous]

Cats are no more gross than children! Especially not a newborn.

Cats can have very different personalities. I have two, both like to hang out with my daughter and I when we are sitting quietly. They like to cuddle and sleep at my feet at night.

They're old now, they don't play much. But they enjoy running around after bugs in the house or each other. They are generally not a nuisance, except that one cries for his wet food in the morning if I don't get up on time. Get them an appropriate scratcher and they will not mess up your furniture. See, no big deal....

The cat haters must not know any cats

[Anonymous]

Don't do it. Cat hair, territorial issues (i.e. peeing on your furniture or rugs or in your shoes/purses), clawing/scratching, litter boxes. No matter how clean you are, you are always going to have cat hair floating around or stuck to your pants and coat, plus you'll always be crunching on little bits of litter underfoot. Don't get me wrong, I love cats and grew up with them, but if you're not interesting in making your life more complicated, then don't add another pet to the mix (unless it's a goldfish!).