Getting a Cat

[shaz-rla]

I have 3 young children but really want a cat.  Husband has finally said yes!  What preparations do I need to make before we finally get one.  I don't want a really young kitten even though I trust my children to be very careful, any advice would be appreciated.

[peanut]

Not much to do really, have a litter box ready and put him in it when you get home with him, try to hide electric cords, have some toys for him to play with and make him feel comfortable. let him get acclimated to his new home and give him lots of space to roam around and adjust to your home. dont crowd him or let the kids all try to play with him before hes ready.

[lindapinda]

Hi shaz-rla,apart from the preparations in your house,I would make sure you get your cat from a shelter that will know all about their cats and what each cat is used to.They will also know which of them will be happiest with children etc.Hope you get your new "baby" soon!

[delilahcat]

Please consider a cat shelter - eg, Cats Protection League or Blue Cross as they always have cats that need rehoming. Also, consider if you could take 2 - there are sometimes cats from the same litter which would feel happier being homed together and 2 are honestly no more trouble than 1, in fact they can be less trouble as they can play together rather than get into too much mischief! And they are so much fun!

Also, if you get slightly older cats from a rescue centre, they'll probably have had their innoculations and have been neutered.

Keep him indoors for a week or so to let him get used to his new home. You can't really go too wrong if you give him good food, lots of love and cuddles and keep up to date with innoculations, worming, flea treatments etc. Your vet will be happy to give any advice you need.

I hope you have many happy years with your cat(s) - my partner and I couldn't imagine life without cats.

Love from Samson, Delilah and Claudius.

[Peri]

Hi shaz,  I definitely agree with delilahcat about getting two - its well worth it.  Its great fun watching them play. 

[shaz-rla]

Its now Sunday, I have a beautiful girl (11months)  she has already been spayed (had a litter of 6 babies) and has had some jabs, got from rescue centre as requested! She is lovely and looking forward to having fun and games.

[delilahcat]

shaz-rla, what are you calling her? And what colour is she? I'm so glad you got her from a rescue centre,she'll repay you a thousand times over for your kindness.

Love to you and your baby.

[honkytonkman]

shaz-rla, thanks for following delilahcat's advice and getting a cat from a rescue shelter. There are so many cats waiting for a home.. and they're so much easier to live with. Most are house-trained and very often older cats just want somewhere warm and safe to sleep, cuddles and nice food :) My friend's family has a policy of choosing.. " the elderly, one-eyed, no-eared. 3-legged cats" (HER words), as they are frequently overlooked in favour of cute kittens at animal shelters. And without exception each one has been no trouble at all and just likes a quiet life. :)

[Hippy]

Don't forget to tell the kids to be kind to pussy, no backward stroking pulling tail and legs etc, and to be prepared for the odd nip if puss get fed up at kids not reading the "I'm annoyed go away" signs.

Puss is not a toy!

[ursula62]

Hear hear, Hippy.

The trouble with very young children is they don't see the difference between a real live cat and a furry toy. And when the animal gets angry and strikes out, the animal is punished not the child.

Some cats are amenable to young children - mine used to let me tuck it up in a dolls pram and push her round the garden in it - she would jump out when she had enough. Our next cat scratched when I tried to pick her up so she never went in the pram!

[shaz-rla]

delilahcat she is torty with a white bib and white paws - she is already very friendly and when the kids play with each other she comes and lies down in the middle of them and purrs until she gets attention!  Hippy, they are being very good and know not to pick her up and are stroking her under very close supervision!  The cat follows them about and they are all very good with her and her with them!  She is called Shandy, we quite like it so we are not going to confuse her and change it!  We didn't want a kitten as I felt the kids are too young and it would get scared and definately rescue centre was the way to go, I could have brought at least another couple home!!!!