I'm thinking about getting a cat...

[Capt Caveman]

Are you willing to make a 15-20 year commitment? If you move, please be responsible enough to ensure that you can bring your cat with you. I see too many people giving away their cats/dogs on craigslist b/c they're moving and/or their new place doesn't allow pets.

 

[tyler811]

Cats are cool

 

[lokiju]

I have two that are siblings.

We got them from the Humane Society and would highly suggest you doing the same as there are more cats in need of homes than there are people wiling to adopt.


A couple of factors to consider are how animals will hinder your ability to travel out of town for long periods of time.

But, cats are much better in this area than even dogs as you can leave them with plenty of water, food and a automatic litter box and they're good to go on their own for up to 5 days or so.

Also (most) cats shed, so you'll have hair everywhere if you don't keep up with vacuuming the place and a handful of your friends/family with probably be allergic to them and will cause them to not be able to visit for any extended period of time.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Cats are great pets. I've had a number of cats over the years, they are very low maintenance compared to dogs. You never need to walk them and they aren't needy like dogs are. You can go away for a couple days and not have to pay someone to watch them. Just leave enough food and water and they'll be fine.

Treat them well and they'll be your loyal loving pet for life.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Don't. Cats suck. Cat lovers say they're clean, but they're not. Cats are filthy and disgusting creatures.

It boggles to mind to consider how someone can have a weak enough grasp of biology to make that statement with a straight face. Cats are fairly clean even just compared to other domestic pets, much less the entire animal kingdom. Why you have this irrational phobia of them is difficult to comprehend. I can't think of any animal which I dislike enough to lie to myself about.

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Cats walk through their own crap and pee then jump on your kitchen counter... and you. They are not clean pets.

You'd prefer dogs, who eat their own crap and vomit then lick your face?

Don't be ridiculous.

:laugh:MAO!!! PWNED!!!

BTW-The reason I keep my cat's litter box in one of our bathtubs is because the dog would go in there and eat the cat's shit if she could get to it.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Another options is to contact a local rescue group and foster a cat/kitten to see if it's something you might want to make a long-term commitment too.

 

[mattocs]

cats are great. low maintenance, they are ok to be left alone for long periods of time, they are clean, etc.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Don't. Cats suck. Cat lovers say they're clean, but they're not. Cats are filthy and disgusting creatures.

It boggles to mind to consider how someone can have a weak enough grasp of biology to make that statement with a straight face. Cats are fairly clean even just compared to other domestic pets, much less the entire animal kingdom. Why you have this irrational phobia of them is difficult to comprehend. I can't think of any animal which I dislike enough to lie to myself about.

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Cats walk through their own crap and pee then jump on your kitchen counter... and you. They are not clean pets.

You'd prefer dogs, who eat their own crap and vomit then lick your face?

Don't be ridiculous.

:laugh:MAO!!! PWNED!!!

BTW-The reason I keep my cat's litter box in one of our bathtubs is because the dog would go in there and eat the cat's shit if she could get to it.

My dogs breath smells like cat poop

 

[Synomenon]

Can't you train your cat to use a toilet by getting it one of those litter boxes that hang above the toilet?

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi
Can't you train your cat to use a toilet by getting it one of those litter boxes that hang above the toilet?

that's kinda what I was thinking, and perhaps a reason to get a kitten over a cat.

start out with the litter box in the bathroom for a couple weeks, later move it up onto an elevated level, and then eventually replacing it with one of those boxes that hangs above the toilet before trying to phase it out entirely.

 

[Quasmo]

I have a russian blue and a korat. I like both of them equally, and both are awesome cats. The Korat is more of a loyal cat that is very loving, and she talks to me. The Russian blue, is very active and likes to chase my feet in bed.

Divx (Russian Blue)
Shadow (Korat)
Both

 

[alien42]

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi
Can't you train your cat to use a toilet by getting it one of those litter boxes that hang above the toilet?

yup

 

[Synomenon]

Here's a "toilet training kit": http://www.citikitty.com/

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: loki8481
anyone have any suggestions for things I should know while I'm still in the "thinking about it" phase?

I grew up with dogs, but have never really had a pet of my own before.

getting a cat or a kitten?

the latter is more work than the former. You'll need to litter train it (not that hard), deal with clawing things (assign a scratching post), lots of attention, deal with hairballs, excessive curiosity and lots of playing.

I was thinking about a russian blue kitty, but maybe I should get a fish first 😉

get a catfish best of both worlds!

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Oiprocs
Dogs are like friends who you've known for a long time; you may fight every now and then, but you remain loyal to each other.

Cats are like your ex-wife/hubby, except they stick around, doing whatever they please, whenever they want, and only come to you when they need something.

Depends entirely on the cat. Different cats have different personalities. I had a cat that was downright bitchy. Wouldn't let you touch her. My uncle took her to his house where she was the only cat, and she became as friendly as you could want. My cats beg for attention, follow me around the house, just like a dog. They're very loyal. One of them loves strangers, one is scared when anyone else comes to the house.

Cats are different. Your generalization is entirely wrong.

Thank you.
I like to say that the cats stay because they want to.

Besides, isn't it more like "EX" behavior to shit or pee in the middle of the floor, and then eat your slippers? 😀isgust; 😀

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: trmiv
Your experience with a cat is of course completely dependent on the cat. Every cat has a different personality, and if you observe the kittens before you get one you can judge them somewhat. My wife and I were not cat people, but we wanted another pet and didn't want another dog in an apartment (although we're in a house now), so we got a cat. I don't know if we got lucky or just picked well, but this cat is the greatest cat in the world. He's actually more dog-like than cat-like. He's a big boy, 25 pounds and 26 inches long from head to the start of his tail (almost over 3 feet with the tail), he's never once jumped on the counter, although he's capable of it, never torn anything in the house up, although he's fully clawed, and although he's very large and strong has never acted aggressive in any way. In the almost two years we've had him I've never heard him hiss or seen him act aggressive at all. He's actually very loving and loves getting attention (on his terms though), and will often come up next to you and demand to be pet. He gets along with our dog great and they love to play together. Since we got him when he was 8 weeks he's never seen another cat, so maybe some of his behaviors are influenced by being raised around a dog.

The unfortunate thing is, he has a heart disease called HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) which is not curable. The vet says he will likely only live to be 3 or 4, if we're lucky he may make it to 5. He's almost 2 right now. 🙁 The good thing is this disease doesn't have symptoms, he will be "healthy" until the day his heart fails. The bad thing is that could really happen at any time, and the lifespan the vet said he'd have is no guarantee. Right now he's a happy cat though, so we're just trying to enjoy this unique cat in the short time we have with him.

agggggh.
Sorry to hear about that. We had a kitten who passed from that. It is indeed quick, although our little guy exhibited a clot in an artery in his hips that rendered him immobile below his "hips". Had him put down while I cried my eyes out. Still chokes me up 25 years later.

 

[40sTheme]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Don't. Cats suck. Cat lovers say they're clean, but they're not. Cats are filthy and disgusting creatures.

You be wrong. Cats are self-cleaning...like me.

Cats walk through their own crap and pee then jump on your kitchen counter... and you. They are not clean pets.

Man. Every cat I've seen is incredibly clean because as soon as they're done in the litterbox they clean themselves like it is their instinct to do.
EDIT: Also, my friend didn't have to clean out his cat's litterbox (until it started going outside) because his dumb dogs always ate the crap out of it.

 

[Q]

Dog ftw, srry cats are annoying and boring, you can't do anything with them

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Insomniator
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_Coon

Cats are def my favorite animal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...0AUz-o&feature=related

 

[JulesMaximus]

This is what happens when you try to put a leash on a cat. :laugh:

 

[crisscross]

Cats are pretty damn awesome they each have different personalities I have actually found the male ones more loyal than female. My cat would NOT jump on the kitchen counter or dining table. He was extremely well behaved, would not even enter the kitchen no matter how hungry he was he would stand at the entrance and meow. I miss him 🙁

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: 40sTheme

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Don't. Cats suck. Cat lovers say they're clean, but they're not. Cats are filthy and disgusting creatures.

You be wrong. Cats are self-cleaning...like me.

Cats walk through their own crap and pee then jump on your kitchen counter... and you. They are not clean pets.

Man. Every cat I've seen is incredibly clean because as soon as they're done in the litterbox they clean themselves like it is their instinct to do.

it is indeed.

if I remember right from those two months in 6th grade when I wanted to be a vet, cats are instinctively clean because they're solo hunters; they don't want their prey to smell them, because they rely on the element of surprise... dogs, on the other hand, are pack hunters, which use their smell to their advantage, with a handful of dogs upwind from their prey driving the prey into a larger pack downwind.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Don't. Cats suck. Cat lovers say they're clean, but they're not. Cats are filthy and disgusting creatures.

Uhm...no they are not. They are very clean unless you do not provide a proper environment. They don't like using a dirty litter box any more than you would use a toilet that was filled with shit after someone didn't flush.

 

[KeithTalent]

Get this one: Cute Kitty

KT

 

[marvdmartian]

Originally posted by: Quintox
Dog ftw, srry cats are annoying and boring, you can't do anything with them

Wow......you have obviously never met my cat! I swear, he thinks he's part dog, probably because he was raised (for the first 6 months, by the original owner) with a dog. Throw a jingle bell ball down the hallway, and he'll run after it, bat it around a little bit, then bring it back to you to throw again.......just like a dog playing fetch!!

The whole argument of cats being dirty because they poop & pee in a litter box is not very valid. Believe it or not, nowadays they have these mats you put outside the litter box, that knocks all the litter off their paws when they step out of the litter box. You never have to bathe a cat (though I've heard of some that actually enjoy it), and I've never seen a cat slurp up a fresh steaming pile of poop......and I can't claim that for dogs! :roll:

Cats are unique individuals, and yes, they can remind you of women, irregardless of their actual sex. One good quote goes something like this:

Women and cats will do anything they want to do, and the sooner that men and dogs realize this, the better off they'll be.

Definitely, looking into fostering a cat is a great idea, if you're not sure whether you'd like it or not. And don't make a negative decision on just one bad experience, as, just like with people, the chances are you just experienced the one asshole cat in your lifetime. True, you won't usually get the exhuberant experience you get with a dog by owning a cat, but you will find that you have an individual that will give you plenty of affection and love.

I'll leave you with the best quote I've ever heard, concerning cats:

dogs have owners.....
cats have staff :laugh: