Kitten for Christmas?
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Anonymous
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Our kids are 6 and 10 and have been begging for a pet for a while and my daughter specifically wants a kitten. We have had no pets and are finally starting to cave and consider a kitten. We have a large house so plenty of space but just want to make sure we’ve fully thought this through. Anyone recently get a kitten or cat people could tell me what it’s like to have a cat as a pet? Might seem like a dumb question but just not totally sure what to except.
Are they a lot of work? Anything in particular to look for when choosing a kitten? Breeds to stay away from / long-hair or short hair? |
Anonymous
| Go to a shelter! Cats aren’t really like dogs where dog breeds grow to specific sizes and have varied temperaments. You also can meet lots of cats and find the best fit. We have two cats and the biggest issues are that kittens love to play and my cats wake us up in the middle of the night (which is why they’re not allowed to sleep with us). But our cats are the best - they’re huge cuddlers, they kiss us, and are so sweet. They’re also super easy generally - no need to come home early to take them out, and you can go on vacations easily with a pet sitter. Enjoy!! |
Anonymous
| Get a short hair cat. Fewer hairballs. |
Anonymous
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Op, they are a commitment.
They are not a doll that kids can play with for a week or a month (which is what will happen) and then can be tossed in a corner. The cat needs vet (at least initially and then every 1-3 years), food and water, and clean up their sandbox. They may or may not damage your rugs / furniture, but will definitely need to be trained and until they do, there may be damage. You’ll have to figure arrangements when you travel for someone to come over and feed / take care of the cat. So, please don’t do it unless you are really ready for a commitment. |
Anonymous
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Cats are the best. Most healthy shorthair cats are not a lot of work. Litter box needs to be scooped daily. Fed once or twice a day. That’s it, besides playing with them, which is endlessly entertaining, especially kittens. Long haired cats should be brushed. Most will want to scratch furniture so you have to be on top of that by putting out other stuff for them to scratch and spraying them with water when they’re scratching the furniture. Absolutely don’t declaw, it’s cruel. They need wet food to stay hydrated because they don’t drink enough water along with just dry food. Of course they need vet visits initially and every year or so. You can leave them by themselves with plenty of food and water for a long weekend.
That’s about all I can think of. Can’t really do better than cats for the work to reward ratio. |
Anonymous
| Christmas is no time to bring a kitten home. Give them a kitten certificate redeemable in 30 days. Adopt two litter mates. Boys are nicer than girls. Cats are awesome, but as PP’s have noted they’re not toys. |
Anonymous
I very much disagree. Christmas is the best time to bring a kitten home, doubly so now because everyone’s at home, no work (or less work) or school and so the whole family gets to bond and play with the new baby! Sure there’s lots of stuff for it to get into like the tree but everyone is happy to keep a cute kitten occupied and out of trouble (less so with the grown cat who is actually big enough to do some damage!), plus have you seen a kitten play with ornaments? Adorable. It’s been a hard year for kids and getting a kitten will make this the best Christmas ever. Boys are not nicer, that’s a weird myth that makes no sense. Besides innate personality, it’s mostly how early they’re socialized with people that makes for a friendly cuddly cat. |
Anonymous
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we got our blue Russian rescue at 6 months old so she knew how to use a litter but was still active at night. we had to confine her to a bathroom with a comfy bed/water /toys until she learned our night time then she was fine. before this she bit our toes in the night and jumped on us in the bed
now she is 6 she comes into our room in the morning to get us up. cats think the humans are the pets, the pets who feed. |
Anonymous
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A cat is fffffffffffffffaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrr less work than a dog, especially compared to puppies.
Kittens can be house broken quite rapidly. The hardest training to break them on is scratching furniture. You can put tape on furniture to prevent them from scratching. It takes a few weeks, but then they learn to stop. We did that for about 7 weeks, and then our cats never scratched our couch again. Other than that, there's the litter box, but it's not that bad. We never had issues with our cats peeing in the house. A well socialized cat that's been held a lot starting from being a kitten can make them super human friendly. Our cats never hissed or scratched anyone once. They were simply used to being held. |
Anonymous
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My DS desperately wanted a cat years ago, but I was highly allergic. Finally broke down when he was 5 and got a Siberian cat - hypo allergenic to boot. 10 years later and never had a problem with her allergy-wise or any other issue. Loves to be brushed (even knows the word) and loves scratching posts. Her breeder had trained their cats well to use scratching posts, etc. so we never had an issue with her scratching furniture. We have two or three scratching posts scattered around the house. The only thing she's ever annoyed us about is the Christmas tree - every, single, year!! When she was little she would climb it, but now she just bites the lower branches or steps on them and crushes them. Of course, at this age, she only does it when she wants something or is annoyed about something. She knows exactly how to push our buttons!!
My only regret was not getting two from the same litter so she would have a playmate, but honestly, my DS became her playmate and his best friend. He's 16 now and still looks for her every morning. When he's down or frustrated, he looks for her to hang with and it picks him up. She's the one thing that will always put a smile on his face. I dread the day that I will have to call him - probably when he's in college - and tell him she's passed away. It will definitely break his heart. |
Anonymous
+1 And if you do it, then adopt a pair of kittens or cats from the shelter. Much easier for everyone because they will entertain and keep each other company when you are not around. |
Anonymous
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OP I would work out the cost of neutering and vet care before you commit to 2 cats as others suggest |
Anonymous
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Cats are wonderful, wonderful pets. If you are in DC - PetMac on Wisconsin does rescue adoptions.
Definitely get 2 - much better then 1 and they will have each other to play with. Bonded litter mates are the best. I think boys are slightly more affectionate then girls but it depends on how you treat them. Make sure your kids give them attention but not too much of the wrong kind. Cats know what they like! Christmas is a great time to get them - they love Christmas trees - to sleep under, to bat the low ornaments - make sure those are not breakable - and occasionally to climb. Do it!!! |
Anonymous
| To the folks suggesting bonded boys--I am fostering a pair of 2 year old brother cats and they are great! tinyurl.com/sngHT is their application. They are definitely playful--they will chase each other around and they love cardboard scratchers and wand toys--but they will also nap for long stretches. They like to be petted and run to the door when we come in, but it did take them a while to acclimate and even now don't enjoy being picked up and don't sit on our laps. I think they'd do fine with elementary-aged kids. They eat dry food and share a water bowl and litter box so they're pretty low maintenance. They are also short haired so they need less brushing. |
Anonymous
| DO IT! What a wonderful addition to your family! Just be prepared to have to make arrangements for kitty care when your family wants to travel. Cats are great, and what magic to have that be a Christmas present! Let us know what you decide and if you get one, how you present the kitten to your kids. |