fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3614 ]

[ SECRET POST #3614 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3613 ⌋

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[Project Runway + various reality shows]

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[sex scene from The Wolf of Wall Street]

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[Ace Attorney]

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I know a bunch of you here are cat owners, and I'm looking for some advice. Me and my boyfriend are looking to adopt a cat. I've had some cats growing up, and he's never had any, so we've both never adopted on our own. We're thinking of getting kittens, and I want to get two so they can keep each other company, but my boyfriend is worried it might be a lot of work/more expensive. We're also considering getting one older cat as another option. We're both willing to put time and money(reasonable amount, of course) into the cats.
Any advice on those two options? And any other advice for new cat owners/potential cat-adopters?
Thanks!!

A few years back I adopted a cat who was 4 at the time, so not old but already an adult. My cousin adopted 2 kittens (brothers) not too long ago. Both really have their advantages.

With an older cat you know what you're getting for the most part, especially if you talk to the volunteers at the shelter a bit. That said, a shelter isn't a home so the cat might be a bit different, and over time as it gets used to it can still change/learn new things. Kittens are always going to be a surprise, but since you're raising them you might have more of a say there. 'Might', obviously.

Two cats can keep each other busy, which is nice if you work long hours for example. When I got my cat, the shelter (not in the US) narrowed my options on which ones I could get because I told them it would be an indoor cat. They insisted cats were social creatures, so either it had to go outdoors, I'd have to get two, or I'd have to get a cat who genuinely liked being on her own. I chose the latter and we get along great, but it's something to keep in mind.

As for the expenses, the day-to-day costs honestly depend on how much you're willing to spend. There are cat food brands for all budgets, same for kitty litter. You can spend enormous amounts on cat furniture and toys, but cardboard boxes and strings work fine too. The only costs that really count are vet bills. And yes, two cats means two bills and you'll need to get them neutered if the shelter hasn't yet. But an elderly cat is more likely to get sick, horrible as it is to say.

In terms of work kittens take a bit more at the start, but that should quiet down after a few weeks/months. They do grow up after all. Then it depends on the cat. I hate changing the litter box, but how often you need to do that depends on the number of cats and if they're indoor or outdoor. Also: fur everywhere. I'm used to having it around and don't mind, because I know it'll only be back anyway. But if I have people coming over it can be an issue.

My main advice would be to talk to the people at the shelter when you got to pick your cat(s). Describe your situation and they can probably help you get started. Hope this helped and good luck!

It depends on what you want - kittens are much higher energy, and will continue to be so for many years, where an adult cat often get calmer, and it is easier to pick out a certain personality in an adult cat but kittens are usually more trainable. So, it just depends on what you're looking for! Both have their advantages and challenges.

Two cats will of course be more work and expensive (double the food and what have you) but it can still be rewarding. I would say if you decide you want two, maybe see if any local shelters have any closely bonded sibling pairs - because usually shelters try but have a hard time keeping them together, and also then a lot of the pressure of introducing them and helping them get along is taken off you.

Definitely get two. It's not *that* much more expensive, and a cat who is alone all day will get bored and might start tearing stuff up. So two, either older, kittens, or a mix. Definitely go to your local cat rescue/shelter and ask about pre-bonded pairs or cats that have been together already for a while.

Also - it's not really kitten season, so you probably won't be able to adopt *kitten* kittens (a couple months old) until spring.

Good luck!

Adult cats are a mixed bag. You might get one that has excellent habits and is used to humans and other pets, or you might get one who is distrustful and will never let you pet them, or anything in between. The easiest cat to own, in my opinion, is an adult one from a good family who has already taught them good behavior and socialized them. If you can find a family who is saddened to have to part with their cat, you've got a winner. Otherwise, you might still want to visit shelters in your area. Occasionaly the people who work there will know the pets' history and can they generally like matching pets to new owners.

If you choose to go for kittens instead, I think getting two at once is the way to go. Younger cats require a bit more surveillance as they are more likely to claw at things and you will need to teach them not to. Your boyfriend might be worried about house training them, which is an issue with dogs but not with kitties. Cats are very clean by nature and will already know how to use the litter box once you get them. Even lions and panthers in zoos use litter boxes with little to no training. Just make sure they are not too young to be separated from their mother: three months is usually a good age for kittens to be adopted. The expense will be greater initially as you will have to get them vaccined and neutered. Otherwise I can't really say how much of a financial issue it is, but hopefully once you get your kitties you won't be thinking of them in terms of money anyway.

As an aside, male cats tend to be friendlier than females, who sometimes noticeably prefer the attention of male owners (lol), but that is by no means a strict rule. It is also not worthing getting a pure breed. They are unnecessarily expensive, can be more susceptible to certain health issues and there is no garantee that they will be better suited pets.

Source: have owned cats my whole life, so has my mom whom I just asked :)

Honestly, it depends on how much time and energy you're willing to put into cats.

If you want a cat that's got established routines that you're wanting to give a good home--get an older one. (I've got a four-year-old Maine Coon mix I adopted from a shelter and while he's wary of dogs, he's a lovable dork.)

If you have the time and energy to devote into care, and want little companions who will also be an energetic source of entertainment while being your best buddies? That's when you get two kittens--my uncle and I have done that as well. Two Siamese mixes, both toms. While it means double the vet bills, it also means double the fun. If you're going to get two kittens, however, make sure they're either from the same litter or familiar with one another in some way. It makes getting them used to sharing their territory with another cat that much easier.

I've not adopted a cat myself but I've had friends who did and the results were a mixed bag. Some of them had cats that were absolute sweethearts and loved cuddles and were otherwise well-behaved, others had ones that would barely tolerate being petted and has some temperament issues(tearing up furniture, attacking the dog in one case). Ultimately it's all about the previous environment of the cat and how they were raised. Not saying you shouldn't get a shelter cat, just keep it in mind if you go for it.

Also in the pro-older cats list they would be a lot calmer and less excitable than kittens. Kittens are very cute but are filled with so much energy, just as much as puppies tbh and it takes a few years before they start to settle into the lazy cat stereotype.

Kittens are completely adorable and if you think you can handle how energetic they'd be then you'll be fine, and I would definitely recommend getting two. It is a little more expensive but having that added companion for the both of them is a good thing since they'll play with each other a lot and exhaust themselves and the prices of say cat-food are more about what you are personally willing to spend.

You will have to watch out for them clawing things they shouldn't however as they are young so everything is new and exciting to them and must be explored. (scratching posts can be an idea to help prevent that but I have had cats who have ignored them completely, so it's not an 100% guarantee).

Cats in general are also very easy to house-train and they're very good at figuring out how to use a litterbox. They are however very easy to instill bad habits in so if there is anything you don't want them to do(get up on the kitchen counter, try to steal food from dinner plates) you will have to teach them not to do it from a very young age and reinforce it at every opportunity.

Some advice:

If you do get kittens don't get them from anyone trying to sell them younger than 11-12 weeks, they need to be with their mothers for at least that long.

Make sure you get them spayed/neutered and given all the appropriate shots when they're old enough, even if you won't be letting them out, it will help prevent health issues they could develop and if it's an opposite-sex pair you'll avoid kittens.

Just in general make sure you can afford any potential vet bills, even unexpected ones, before getting a cat.

Don't ever buy cat-food with vegetables in, cats are obligate carnivores and need meat in order to remain healthy.

Unless the cat in question is known for liking cat-beds they're pretty much pointless to buy for cats as they'll spend more time in cardboard boxes on bits of paper or on your pillows than the actual cat-bed.

And unless a cat has something really nasty in their fur(motor oil, honey, etc) you don't need to wash them(and if they're not washing themselves something is wrong). Longer haired cats will require brushing sometimes in order to help detangle their fur however.

Whatever your choice I wish you guys the best!

I'd say for your first cat together, go with a cat in the 2-4 year range.

Kittens are cute, but they're so high energy and so dumb and if you're unlucky you will end up with a bastard like ours who was (and is) the sweetest little thing and was utterly determined not to survive kittenhood. If it could fit in his mouth, he tried to swallow it. He jumped onto a hot stove once and caused the 'no cats in the kitchen' rule. (He was fine, only singed his toe fur a little) He tried to dart under feet and out doors.

With a grown cat they're (usually) slightly more smart about survival.

I agree that kittens are incredibly dumb. I swear my 8 month old kitten has used up at least five of his nine lives so far. He doesn't have an ounce of survival instinct in his pretty little head, and it terrifies me.

My seven year old cat has done so much dumb stuff I'm starting to think he has access to some black market for extra lives.

My only thought is if you want and adult and kitten, see if any of the shelters have a mother with kittens. You could adopt the mother and one of her kittens. They know each other already and the mother will continue teaching the kitten how to behave.

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