How much work is a new kitten?

[James Bond]

I'm thinking about getting my girlfriend a new kitten for Valentines day.

How much would a new kitten cost? Shots, supplies, etc.

 

[Chryso]

People may pay you to take kittens away.
Probably $75-100 for shots and stuff.

 

[Geocentricity]

If your gf isn't the type to have the time to care for a cat, maybe you should consider a Chia-cat.

 

[leftyman]

rocks and lake are free. you can get a plastic bag at your local grocery store for a penny or two.

 

[Lord Evermore]

Giving animals as gifts is rarely a good idea. Unless you mean to say "here's a gift card for a kitten, let's go pick one out together". It's also a good idea to get two, so they aren't left alone all the time and have someone to play with besides you.

It's not all that hard to take care of them as kittens, compared to adult cats. A few days for them to get used to the new place, learn where the litter box and food are, get used to the humans. The main problem is teaching them what they can and can't do, furniture scratching, biting, jumping on particular furniture, etc. There's plenty of websites with help on how to handle it.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: leftyman
rocks and lake are free. you can get a plastic bag at your local grocery store for a penny or two.

:thumbsdown:

Shots, spaying/neutering/declawing will run you several hundred dollars.

Cats aren't terribly expensive, but there are expenses involved.

 

[Linflas]

Too much work for you I think.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: Linflas
Too much work for you I think.

It's not for me, its for my girlfriend, genius.

 

[FoBoT]

those things p00p, be careful

 

[lobbyone]

Didn't you just get a dog recently?

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
those things p00p, be careful

at least they poop in a box.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

TTIWWP.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
Giving animals as gifts is rarely a good idea. Unless you mean to say "here's a gift card for a kitten, let's go pick one out together". It's also a good idea to get two, so they aren't left alone all the time and have someone to play with besides you.

It's not all that hard to take care of them as kittens, compared to adult cats. A few days for them to get used to the new place, learn where the litter box and food are, get used to the humans. The main problem is teaching them what they can and can't do, furniture scratching, biting, jumping on particular furniture, etc. There's plenty of websites with help on how to handle it.

I'm pretty sure I know exactly what she wants, so I'm not worried about "picking the wrong one" really. Maybe it would be nice if it had a friend though, of the same species.

Luckily, they have almost no furniture. She has 3 girl roommates, but they all just moved in and haven't even gotten any furniture yet, so hopefully training it won't be too hard.

Thanks for the input

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: lobbyone
Didn't you just get a dog recently?

? no

 

[Lord Evermore]

Originally posted by: mugs
Shots, spaying/neutering/declawing will run you several hundred dollars.

Cats aren't terribly expensive, but there are expenses involved.

Get it from the ASPCA, it might not be too expensive. I think my old housemates' cats were like 75 each, including first shots and neutering.

Declawing is cruel. It's not actually removing claws, it's removing the first knuckle bone which is where the claws are mounted. And if they get outside, they're defenseless. Trimming their claws isn't hard, and if you train them right they'll take care of it themselves by scratching the right things.

There are definitely ongoing expenses though. Continued shots, checkups, surgery when the damn thing gets cancer or breaks a hip and you just can't let go.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore

Originally posted by: mugs
Shots, spaying/neutering/declawing will run you several hundred dollars.

Cats aren't terribly expensive, but there are expenses involved.

Get it from the ASPCA, it might not be too expensive. I think my old housemates' cats were like 75 each, including first shots and neutering.

Declawing is cruel. It's not actually removing claws, it's removing the first knuckle bone which is where the claws are mounted. And if they get outside, they're defenseless. Trimming their claws isn't hard, and if you train them right they'll take care of it themselves by scratching the right things.

There are definitely ongoing expenses though. Continued shots, checkups, surgery when the damn thing gets cancer or breaks a hip and you just can't let go.

There is a nearby animal shelter, which is closing down in a week. All pets that aren't taken at that time will be euthenized. I wonder if they have kittens?

 

[Queasy]

I suggest getting at least two kittens so that they have someone to play with while you are not around. Otherwise, you are looking at destruction inside your gf's dwelling.

 

[Lord Evermore]

Originally posted by: Tizyler
There is a nearby animal shelter, which is closing down in a week. All pets that aren't taken at that time will be euthenized. I wonder if they have kittens?

Personally I think they should be euthanized if they aren't adopted after 2 weeks, no ifs ands or buts. Yeah sure, we as humans need to take care of the animals that we have taken into our culture and all that, and we're responsible for the fact that they're loose on the street and breeding, or we don't neuter/spay them. But not everybody does that, and euthanizing is not cruel, and they are just animals. Too damn much money gets spent on keeping useless animals alive, who do nothing but sit in cages all day. I love cats, but face it, there are plenty more available.

 

[joecool]

Originally posted by: leftyman
rocks and lake are free. you can get a plastic bag at your local grocery store for a penny or two.

my thoughts exactly ...