Cats

[Stunningfire]

Lol...I doubt that will work...and then there's my DAD. According to him, I'm not responsible enough for a kitteh.

[Nectaris]

I love cats! I took care of the kittens my brother's cat had(he adopted a stray that turned out to be pregnant when he took her in to be fixed). They were so sweet, one in particular loved to be held, he would drape himself across my shoulders and purr.

[Stunningfire]

I feel so sad when I'm taking a walk and then I see this stray cat looking as if it's been abused and it's SO skinny...D:

[Kanaye]

This is my Aladdin-kitty! He's 5 now.

 

[Stunningfire]

Aw!!!

[7Deadly$ins]

I can't get a cat either. My brother doesn't want one and I don't think we have the money right now.

 

It's why I'll be getting my own when I move out.

[Stunningfire]

Cats can be really moody sometimes. -.-

[deanna_nightshade]

I've only had one cat that hasn't had some sort of attitude.

[Stunningfire]

Lol, how many cats have you had?

[MissK.]

I adore cats. But maybe that's because there's so many of them around here, I'd be miserable if I didn't! ^^; There's a whole bunch roaming around in the garden, giving birth to moar kitties, because naturally (my bad luck is to blame) most of them are females. They multiply really fast, those buggers, but the kitties are sooooo adwable. <3

 

We do have a couple of cats living indoors, too, though. There's far too many sick ones outside so we only let them out in the balconies...but they never seem to want to go anywhere else anyway.

Pictures time!

My cat on the microwave, on the balcony railing freaking me out and chillin' on teh floorz.

She's a female, even though she's kind of huge...

 

And here's the man of the house. Impressive, isn't he? >>

Well, he is a little larger now...but he still looks like a dwarf. Don't let the puppy eyes (no pun intended) fool you, though; he's a real devil.

We had to bottle-feed him when he was little, because his mother abandoned the whole litter for absolutely no reason. He was the sole survivor, simply because he ate like a maniac. Still does, in fact...we have to shut him out of the room to eat in peace.

 

[/4 am rant]

[deanna_nightshade]

Lol, how many cats have you had?

So far, four. So, not that many, really. But 75% of them have had attitudes.

[Stunningfire]

Kittehs are adorable. No doubt about it.

[TikindiDragon]

They wash themselves, and groom themselves, so you don't have to bathe them as often...they don't make as much noise as dogs do...and you don't have to take them on walks.

 

But yes, they do claw up the furniture and everything

I know I'm coming in a little late to this, but.... if you're going to keep that cat indoors you also need to make sure it's being properly stimulated. That's a commitment to play with the cat, and make sure it's running around excercising, for as often as you'd be walking a small dog. A cat is *not* just an 'buy it and forget it' pet. And it's people that do simply ignore their needs for excercise that turn keeping a cat indoors into cruelty.

[azaria]

^Agreed.

Here in N.Z, quite a lot of people have cats and we also have a lot of small, native animals. Sadly, a bad mix. The trouble with outdoor cats (and badly monitored dogs) near the bush is that some run off into the bush, turn feral and end up killing off our native, msotly defenceless (think kiwi) animals. They put traps up in a reserve near Napier the other day. In two weeks they caught over 2000 cats. I'm not saying outdoor cats are bad, just here it's good if they at least have a bell or some sort of warning.

 

If I wasn't allergic to cats, I'd like a bengal, an ocicat or just a normal pretty cat

[Stunningfire]

If I do get a cat...someone give me advice on how to gain their trust, etc.? According to my friend, cats tend to destroy stuff and go crazy when they're scared...

[demonicvampiregirl]

I love when cats get that crazy look on them. The flattened ears make me laugh half the time. I have one cat who hates his tail being touched and will bite/scratch you each time you do it. He's also got a temper to him at times but it's fun with him it's how he plays.

[Stunningfire]

I love lazy kittehs. They're so cute when they're stretched out

[demonicvampiregirl]

Yep I can't see how anyone can't find kittens cute. I love when they first just start walking cuz thats when the fun begins.

[Stunningfire]

Aw, I wanna see a kitty learn how to walk!

[Catspwndogs29]

Hmmmm, let's see...

If you don't plan on breeding the cat, you need to get it spayed or neutered. Spaying in females reduces the risk of a cancer (*forgot the name of the cancer but oh well*) and neutering a male tends to soften theiur attitude and they spray less. An un-neutered male will still spray occasionaly. If I'm correct, it costs 100$? $200?

Your cat should also get vaccines. Which costs money.

It's a good idea to get your cat microchipped (a small chip is implanted in the cat's skin so if it gets lost, it's scanned for the chip, which says your phone number, name, and address) or get a collar for it.

You also need to get it something to prevent fleas. We usually use a flea collar so you won't need to spend even more money on flea treatments.

If you have an outdoor cat, check for fleas and ticks regularly. Both can transmit diseases, and they just suuuuuck.

You also need to buy food. A lot of food. It's best to try out a few different brands to see which one your cat likes the most. Decide on what type you want to get: Dry food can be left out for several days, but wet food is usually more nutrient-rich and closer to your cat's natural diet.

Also, you need to have a steady supply of water. Cats prefer moving water. It won't hurt to buy a 25$ cat fountain~

A cat's food and water dishes should be cleaned regularly. Would you eat off of mold-covered plates?

OH, and very important: LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS ON THE BACK OF YOUR CAT FOOD GODDAMMIT. If it has more plants than meats on it on the back, it's probably not good: cats are carnivores. They don't digest the plant material as well as meat.

You should brush your cat regularly to prevent hairballs and ultra-shedding. They can also take baths.

You should reeeeally clip your cat's claws every once in a while. Or else they will be all "MY CLAWS WILL MESS YO ASS UP, BEYOTCH".

Cats will kick up a boatload of litter if their box isn't the perfect size. You'll probably need to go through several.

There's a ton of different types of litters you can buy. I prefer clay litter, but if wood-based litter or paper litter is yer style, go for it.

If you're keeping the cat indoors, rescue your furniture by buying a good scratching post.

Buy plenty of toys if your cat will be indoors most of the day. Ping pong balls, paper bags, cardboard boxes, and strings work well. Always supervise your cat with a string, though - they can choke on it.

 

 

TL;DR: Cats take a carpload of money and responsibility.

[Stunningfire]

But they're worth it

 

Wow, a cat fountain? Never heard of that before...

[TikindiDragon]

It's also worth bearing in mind that a cat is one of the few creatures that *will* starve itself to death. Seriously - if it doesn't want to eat what you're offering then you need to change the kind of food you are using, because the cat will make itself very, very ill before it'll deign to eat it.

[Stunningfire]

Ohmai. Cats are sure picky.

[ImpyGirl]

Currently, there is a small, pretty cat curled up at the end of my bed, asleep. His name is Impy and I love him to bits! :3

 

Until I was 7 or 8, I was afraid of cats and dogs, when I went on holiday to a Greek island called Kos. Cats were wandering around everywhere, and while I was still afraid, I found them cute, especially one, belonging to the hotel where I was staying, called Sunny. A few months old, he had been found in a cardboard box in the middle of a road, abandoned.He always hung around at the edge of the pool, while I swum. When I worked up the courage to stroke him, I couldn't get enough, and at night, down in the lobby, he would climb onto my lap. One neight he wasn't there, as there was a labrador puppy in the lobby. I went looking, and he was in the cellar, curled up on a bag of laundry. I cuddled him. When I had to leave him and go to bed, he put up a fight, and clung on with his claws. When he finally let go, he followed me up to my room. About an hour later, I opened the door and he wasn't there. But then he ran up to the door, looking hopeful. I have loved cats to this day.

[*~Soren~*]

I'm volunteering at the local animal shelter to convince my parents I can take care of animals. The only thing is that it's more or less in vain, because I'm going to enter High School next year, so I couldn't get a cat if I wanted to. I keep getting told I just have to wait another 8 years before I can adopt one, but that seems like forever to me. D|