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brigden

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2002
8,702
2
81
Remember: Any pet you get will be as social as you want it to be. If you ignore it, it will ignore you. If you play with it constantly, it will be a joy.
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
17
81
Originally posted by: ifoundthetao
i'd say get a rat. rats are really cool.. i've had a few of them. they can chill with you, riding around on your shoulder, or in your hood. and they're really smart too. you can teach them to do lots of tricks. and honestly, i thought chicks would hate them.. but most chicks thought they were really cool. ya know. and the few that didnt like them at first, loved them when they got to know them. rats arent really a cuddly animal, but they're definitely an awesome pet.. though they have life spans of like 2-3 years.. they die from cancer and tumors mostly... but they're easy to take care of... dont mind being alone, and they're really cute too. so i'd say go for a cat, a rat, or get a digipet.

A Rat might be a good option too..can they be umm...cage trained?
 

MetalMat

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2004
9,687
36
91
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: MetalMat
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: MetalMat
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: MetalMat
Anything but a cat. Cats are useless.

Yes, cats have never helped humans in any way. No mice catching. Nope.

Meanwhile, guinea pigs and turtles have been secretly propping up western civilization.


A mousetrap does a got job of that with my experiences, and mousetraps dont crap in the house and claw people.

Because dogs never bite or piss on the rug either.


Who said anything about me picking a dog? I would not have a pet, but if it were up to me I would pick a nice medium/big dog, like a lab or retriever. A dog I could wrestle with, play sports with, chill out with, and would be a good alarm for any thieves. Besides cats catching mice, I really dont see why people would want them? The same goes for those purse dogs that chicks have, I find them totally worthless.

Clearly, you never had a cat. They are excellent pets. And who said anything about you picking a dog? It was pretty obvious where you were going with this from the start, and you just confirmed it? :confused: why are you protesting?


I owned cats when I was younger (back in 89-90), and did not like them much. In the three previous places I have lived my roomates have owned cats. I never did like them very much, found that they really did not do anything but sit around and just act stupid, smell up the house with the kitty litter, etc.... We might as well quit arguing though, cause obviously you like cats and I dont and nothing is really gonna change, so lets just keep it at that :beer:
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
17
81
Originally posted by: MetalMat
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: MetalMat
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: MetalMat
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: MetalMat
Anything but a cat. Cats are useless.

Yes, cats have never helped humans in any way. No mice catching. Nope.

Meanwhile, guinea pigs and turtles have been secretly propping up western civilization.


A mousetrap does a got job of that with my experiences, and mousetraps dont crap in the house and claw people.

Because dogs never bite or piss on the rug either.


Who said anything about me picking a dog? I would not have a pet, but if it were up to me I would pick a nice medium/big dog, like a lab or retriever. A dog I could wrestle with, play sports with, chill out with, and would be a good alarm for any thieves. Besides cats catching mice, I really dont see why people would want them? The same goes for those purse dogs that chicks have, I find them totally worthless.

Clearly, you never had a cat. They are excellent pets. And who said anything about you picking a dog? It was pretty obvious where you were going with this from the start, and you just confirmed it? :confused: why are you protesting?


I owned cats when I was younger (back in 89-90), and did not like them much. In the three previous places I have lived my roomates have owned cats. I never did like them very much, found that they really did not do anything but sit around and just act stupid, smell up the house with the kitty litter, etc.... We might as well quit arguing though, cause obviously you like cats and I dont and nothing is really gonna change, so lets just keep it at that :beer:

Fair enough. Sounds like you encountered dumb cats (which are as plentiful as dumb dogs, birds rodents and humans. IMO, all animals seem to follow the same bell curve of intelligence. :p)

In any case, I'm willing to agree to disagree. :beer:
 

Sunbird

Golden Member
Jul 20, 2001
1,024
2
81
Zebra Finches!! Look them up. They life about ten years.

And when you figure out how to put friggin' LASERS on their beaks you can rule the world and have all the Hjezzles you want!
 

jonjonsanfru

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2001
1,933
2
81
I voted Cat because you want low maintence... feed/water once a day, they take care of the rest. Potty Training is as easy as showing them the litter box. They don't need regular walks or exercise, they'll lounge when you're gone and love on you when you're there.

That said, cats are only as active as you the amount of attn you give them, they are only as cuddly as the amount of attn you give them, chicks seriously dig cats that are people trained (barring allergies). Cats live as long as the quality of food you feed them, also making it an indoor only cat goes a long way to keeping it alive. Pound cats can be skitzy as some are more feral than others... but its good karma style. Kittens are nice because you can train them on you from the beginning, but they require more initial attn. I clip my cats claws once a month, declawing is seriously painful for cats. Also if you intend on letting it go outside, it seriously decreases their survival rate. One cat is fine, Two is fine, Three is fine... they don't care as long as you get them at the same time, if they are older it takes a few weeks to acclimatize.

if you get a cat be sure to train it on a scratching post and put bitters on what you want it off of, also use the Pine pellets for litter... seriously, everythign else is a waste of money unless you love scooping poop everyday. With the pine you put an inch on the bottom of the box, after 2-3 weeks you can through it away or use it as fertilizer... and it smells WAY less than any other form. No spendy autopoop cleaners, no $15 jugs of silica, no clumps... just powders up and absorbs and its eco friendly. my 2c.
 

Spike

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,770
1
81
Originally posted by: hinduluv
do tarantulas bite?

can they actually do anything cool?

They can bite but their venom is like a bee sting. Mine likes to hang on the top of her cage and stick her fangs up through the mesh... strange but pretty cool to watch. My wife is not sure what to think of her...

-spike
 

hinduluv

Senior member
Nov 6, 2003
222
0
0
Originally posted by: jonjonsanfru
I voted Cat because you want low maintence... feed/water once a day, they take care of the rest. Potty Training is as easy as showing them the litter box. They don't need regular walks or exercise, they'll lounge when you're gone and love on you when you're there.

That said, cats are only as active as you the amount of attn you give them, they are only as cuddly as the amount of attn you give them, chicks seriously dig cats that are people trained (barring allergies). Cats live as long as the quality of food you feed them, also making it an indoor only cat goes a long way to keeping it alive. Pound cats can be skitzy as some are more feral than others... but its good karma style. Kittens are nice because you can train them on you from the beginning, but they require more initial attn. I clip my cats claws once a month, declawing is seriously painful for cats. Also if you intend on letting it go outside, it seriously decreases their survival rate. One cat is fine, Two is fine, Three is fine... they don't care as long as you get them at the same time, if they are older it takes a few weeks to acclimatize.

if you get a cat be sure to train it on a scratching post and put bitters on what you want it off of, also use the Pine pellets for litter... seriously, everythign else is a waste of money unless you love scooping poop everyday. With the pine you put an inch on the bottom of the box, after 2-3 weeks you can through it away or use it as fertilizer... and it smells WAY less than any other form. No spendy autopoop cleaners, no $15 jugs of silica, no clumps... just powders up and absorbs and its eco friendly. my 2c.

hey thanks for the info man. i just printed it out so i wont forget.

any suggestions what to look for if i do for the pound? maybe in terms of ways to tell how it may behave in a house?
 

jonjonsanfru

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2001
1,933
2
81
Hard to say, pound cats come from all walks... play with as many as they'll let you. avoid cats with any stuff guck in their ears or on their eyes, can't save them all :( if you can touch its tummy without it going super grab and bite thats a good sign. If its a meanie it'll attack then try to get away, if its just playing it'll hang on and kick a bit - which may still hurt, thats where clipped nails come in (just clip the top 1mm-2mm, just enough to get rid of the sharp tip). Tail up always a good sign, so is purring and rubbing. If its super floppy you have a winner, ie it doesn't continually try to right itself if you hold it any way but right side up.

Again attn is key, even if its a bit skitish it will calm down the longer it recieves attn from you. Turbo-Scratcher (cardboard insert center with ball, circular) is good for scratching, so is the standard post. Just put a lil catnip on it. they sell bitter spray and sonic devices for keeping them off cables and furniture, sprays where enough for my cat. Or just use a reg spray bottle with water for corrective behavior modification, get them only when they are being bad and right then... they won't understand otherwise, or if you just squirt for fun they'll think you're just being mean and it'll cease to be a training tool. some cats may quit caring they get wet ymmv. The pine stuff is like $7-$8 at Petsmart (don't get the newspaper pellets, $1 cheaper but not nearly as effective), one bag can last 2-3 months depending on how lazy you want to be. Put a scrap of carpet in front of the box to catch most of the dust. I use science diet for food, stuff like Kibbles'n Bits/Iams/Purina are mainly just corn filler... they'll eat it and live, but not as long or as active... up to you how much you want to spend, to me the few extra bucks is worth it. There are tons of opinions on food, all i know is i fed my 1st dog science diet since day one and it was 14 and still very active before she died, hit by a car RIP, ymmv.

Also don't believe the stuff you read about cats and babies... its BS from germaphobes who don't understand developing immune systems, look at the asthma/allergy rate in farm boys and city folk... exposure to animals is good for your respitory and immune system as a child. just tacked this on because some people say don't get cats because when you have a kid you have to give them away (cats are curious and will scope out a baby, there is always a small amt of fecal matter on their feet from the litter box, new studies are showing its actually good for the immune system... the antibac/never let your kids play in the dirt population says otherwise).

anything else? i'm such a dork for pets.
 

keeleysam

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2005
8,131
0
0
Originally posted by: hinduluv

now some more questions:

1. Should i get a kitten, even if i dont have time to play with it will it be cool in the house by itself?
2. Should i get a pound cat, like a stray one?
3. Should i get it declawed?
4. Should i get two cats or is one gonna be fine by itself?

aight thanks guys, this helps a lot.

i really want a dog but i dont want to just abandon it so i think a cat will be cool for now.

1. NO! get a pair from a humane society that are good together. kittens have a chance to grow up nasty, but itf they are older you will already know.
2. Humane Society.
3. If they already are, don't pick based upon it. Don't get them declawed if they are older.
4. Get 2 siblings. At the Humane Society, they usually keep the siblings in the same cage. This way, you know they are good for eachother. DO NOT GET TWO FEMALES!!!

EDIT:

I got my 2 cats at the Humane Society in Hinsdale, IL. Once you choose cats, they will tell you their history and stuff. Mine had come from a nice family where the daughter developed an allergy to them, so they werent on the street or anything.
 

Horus

Platinum Member
Dec 27, 2003
2,838
1
0
Originally posted by: ifoundthetao
yeah, i would advise against getting a dog if you're going to be gone most of the day. its not really fair to the animal.. seriously. cats definitely survive better in that environment. plus lots of chicks dig cats.. make sure you dont just get any cat though.. if you're going to get one, make sure its cool and not an anus. nothing sucks more than stupid snobby cats.. you know the ones i'm talking about.. the ones that stare at you for five minutes when you open the door for them to go outside. the ones who just look at you when you call them over.. and they start walk towards you.. then lose interest mid stride.. stupid cats.. but yeah.. get a short haired cat, that way you wont have as many hairballs or fur to clean up and get off your pants when the chiksas come over.

MALE SIAMESE CAT. Quite possibly the COOLEST cats you can get. Ultra affectionate, ULTRA intelligent (they trick you with cuteness!) but very, VERY loud and can be clingy.

/thread.
 

jonjonsanfru

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2001
1,933
2
81
Originally posted by: hinduluv
how much is a siamese, i doubt ill find them at the pound right?

They may not be purebred, but you can find ones that are pretty close... cat genes are funky, look for a 'S' curve in the tail when it is up. Also pointed tufts on the tops of the ears. Both usually good indicators of Siamese genes, even if the colors are all wrong. $100-$200 unpapered, standard kitty price at the pet store... prolly $600+ for papered, look for dealers in the paper, don't go through a pet store (*cough*ripyouoff*cough*). Pound kitties come spayed/neutered/shotted with an option for chipping, i remember in CO they would run adoption drives... flat $60 got the whole shabang, regular like $120 with everything... compared to Pet Stores, which is JUST the cat for $100-$200+.
 

sixone

Lifer
May 3, 2004
25,030
5
61
If you get a kitten, get two. They can keep each other company - and out of trouble.

I got two kittens, and when one would try to climb the drapes, the other would bat her down. Ahhhh..the cuteness... :)
 

jonjonsanfru

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2001
1,933
2
81
Originally posted by: Bushwicktrini
Betta

Get Two... put the bowls right next to each other... get a larger tank, get some friends, take some bets... drop both in big tank, skim the top for your troubles... be sure to remove one before it gets killed... wait 2 weeks to heal, rinse repeat :D Thailand is fun.
 

KarenMarie

Elite Member
Sep 20, 2003
14,372
6
81
Dogs are more loving and loyal... but cats are the best!!

low maintenience.. give them food, water and a clean litter and they care for themselves. They dont over eat, or shred shoes. They dont need to be walked and you dont have to carry a plastic bag and pooper scooper around with you at 3AM on a cold winter night.

they can be very loving and affectionate... depends on how you treat them.

they ae pretty self sufficient as far as exercise and are not needy like dogs.

:)
 

Bushwicktrini

Senior member
Jan 8, 2002
756
2
81
Originally posted by: jonjonsanfru
Originally posted by: Bushwicktrini
Betta

Get Two... put the bowls right next to each other... get a larger tank, get some friends, take some bets... drop both in big tank, skim the top for your troubles... be sure to remove one before it gets killed... wait 2 weeks to heal, rinse repeat :D Thailand is fun.

BOOOOO!!!:disgust:
 

compudog

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2001
5,782
0
71
I voted dog, but don't get one if you don't have time. Cats are OK. We have had a few over the years. Remember to care for your animal, and get it from a shelter or pound.