Cats

[weary]

okay cat people, i need your input please. experiences, information, pros, cons, etc....please share!

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult?
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other?

2. how long did it take to housebreak?
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc?
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why?
4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors?

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?


embrasezzla? winter?

[pisces2473]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult?
**One was about a year old, the other at 6 mos, the last one at 3 mos.

1a. from a shelter or breeder or other?
**First two came from a shelter, the third was a stray.

2. how long did it take to housebreak?
**Ha, the first thing I did after they got in the house was show them the box. No problems!
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc?
**Um, our stuff doesn't smell.
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?
**I scoop it every day. Sometimes twice.

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?
**Uhhh, I have no clue. Not a lot, my cats are (thank God) healthy.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why?
**Indoor! I had too many outdoor cats growing up and they would "disappear" (something would take them). Plus, the shelter where I got my first 2 asked me to keep them inside. It's just better for them. If I lived on a farm or something, maybe they'd be outside cats, but in my high-traffic area, I don't want them killed.

4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors?

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?
**Pros: so freaking cute and fun. They are like little people, to me. Also, you don't have to walk them, like dog people do.
**Cons: hairballs, litter box.
embrasezzla? winter?[/QUOTE]

[weary]

thanks pisces! :)

the awful smell i was referring to was cat urine, for those who may have had a harder time house-breaking the cats than what you posted.

[pisces2473]

thanks pisces! :)

the awful smell i was referring to was cat urine, for those who may have had a harder time house-breaking the cats than what you posted.
Oh okay...I mean, if they all take a crap around the same time, it can get a little smelly in the house....but you just clean it out ASAP.

[wordsmith]

Mine comes from past experience, I don't currently have any cats.

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult? I've had both.
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other? Usually, they're cats that get dumped, which makes them the equivalent of shelter cats.

2. how long did it take to housebreak? n/a. I had one indoor cat, couldn't deal with it, he went back to the farm after about a month.
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc? n/a, I had the house cat short enough that the ammonia cat piss smell dissipated pretty quickly.
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box? I had to constantly, during my short tenure with a house cat. I lived in a tiny studio, and any shit smell was pervasive and hung around if not removed.

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff? No clue, but I've probably only taken a cat for emergency vet care once in my life, when a kitten got attacked by a tomcat, and was badly injured.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why? outdoor...I don't like cleaning up after indoor pets, and was raised on a farm with barn cats who do the mousing in outbuildings.
4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors? n/a, they are outdoors from birth in my personal experience.

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner? No cons if they're outdoors (unless you count the heightened mortality rate...I've never been extremely attached to cats as pets, because farm cats don't as a rule have amazing longevity). Indoors, litter boxes and pee smell are a major deterrent for me. Pros in either case are that cats are fairly pleasant, low maint. pets.

[cheshrcarol]

Weary, I don't have a cat, but my friend has 2 (plus a dog) and she has one of those automatic scooping litter boxes, which she says are great. Plus she keeps the cat stuff in the bathroom, which minimizes the smell throughout the rest of the house.

[coll214]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult? she was 6 weeks old
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other? From a shelter, though growing up I also had some strays.

2. how long did it take to housebreak? One trip to show them the litter box is all it took
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc? uhh, what smell? As long as you vacuum regularly and clean there should be no smell.
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box? Generally its about every other day

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff? not too much, I buy the big bag of food and it last for a couple months at a time, and the kitty gets her shots every other year for $60 a pop.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why? She's an indoor b/c in the past i've had outdoor and it gets old worrying where they are, them bringing dead things in the house with them, fighting w/ bigger animals...

4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors? Generally if it's a stray, they're always going to want to go out for a little while from kittenhood on up and if you try too late, they'll be scared little furballs.

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?
Pros- Independent animals dont have to feel guilty leaving during the day, still having an animal to cuddle with...

Cons- cat barf and furballs

[pisces2473]

Oh, to echo what Carol said, we keep our litter box in the utility closet so the smells are very self-contained ;)

[coll214]

As for litter box placement, mine's in the basement so I don't ever smell it unless i'm passing it as she's doing her business... (it's an enclosed igloo looking litter box).

[Winter Storm]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult?
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other?
1. My current cats I got as kittens but I've had cats as adults before.
1a. Got one from the SPCA and the other from an animal rescue house. Previously, my family got cats from people just giving them away.

2. how long did it take to housebreak?
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc?
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?
2. They came housebroken. I hear its realy easy to train them.
2a. There is no awful smell.
2b. Litterbox should be changed daily but I can go up to 3 days before it stanks!

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?
3. Food? Maybe $100-125, Vet? Depends how often cats get sick. My cat growing up never got sick and would go years without regular vet exams. Currently I get the annual for around $100 per cat and whatever RXs they may need.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why?
4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors?
4. Indoor. They are never allowed outdoor. That's to prevent them from fighting or catching viruses/diseases from other cats and becoming flattened furry piles of roadkill.

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?

Pro:
* they greet me when I get home everyday
* wake me with licks and kisses and cuddle with me in bed
* they are playful and funny as hell to watch, they are great companions
* they vie for my love and attention
* they wanna be wherever you are
* they aren't real kids
* they are very independent and can be left alone for long periods of time
* they are fuzzy, wuzzy lil balls of love!
* they're better than dogs :evil:

Con:
* they need to be taken care of ie. daily food and water, occasionaly vet bills/prescriptions
* they pee and crap
* they get cat hair on everything
* sometimes they puke
* sometimes they scratch and jump on things you don't want them to
* sometimes they bang on doors and cry at the crack of dawn cause they are on the outside of the room you're in
* sometimes they will eat your food and knock your things over trying make toys
* they will jump in and try to have a threesome when you're having sex (female cats will try and steal your man!)

[Winter Storm]

Also, as for the litterbox smell, mine is also covered and sits near my desk, so I'll normally scoop it soon as they use it (when its fresh and hot, it stinks the worse) and dispose of it right away.

[weary]

Weary, I don't have a cat, but my friend has 2 (plus a dog) and she has one of those automatic scooping litter boxes, which she says are great. Plus she keeps the cat stuff in the bathroom, which minimizes the smell throughout the rest of the house.
i've never heard of this, but it sounds very cool!

[sparky88]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult? Kitten.
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other? Neighbor/other.

2. how long did it take to housebreak? N/A.
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc? N/A.
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box? once per month.

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff? $250-ish.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why? Outdoor, allergic to cats.
4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors? We were told to keep the cat in our garage for the first 4 weeks so that it would feel like home, and come back to it. We would take the cat outside to play everyday, then put it in the garage again. Eventually it was fine going off on its own and coming back at night.

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner? In our case, our cat is much easier to handle than other pets (dogs). The cat is very loving and cuddly which is a pro, i guess the only downside is the cost. But it's worth it.

[arrow]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult?
About 5 month old kitten
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other?
We found him in the basement of our apartment and he was cute and friendly.

2. how long did it take to housebreak?
A few minutes to show him the litterbox, and to figure out that he wanted the top of the litterbox ON.
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?
Since he's a single cat, about every other day.

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?
I just adopted him at the begininng of the year, so it's early to say. His food is about $10-15/month, his toys are $1-10/each, and kitty litter is about $7-10 every few months. If you can buy in bulk it's cheaper (I can't, because I have to carry everything around). I spent $80 on initial supplies to get him set up and started. I get discounted pet care b/c of a friend who works at the vet office, so vet care is hard to tell. You can get a cat post-shots, post-neuter from a shelter that would save you lots of money, but it will be older than 6 months. I think full-price neuter is about $100-250 and spay may be more. Shots, I have no idea, since again I don't pay full price. But you can get free or discounted shots from places like PetCo as well.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why?
Indoor. They stay healthier and are much safer that way. They can't contract diseases from other cats. I had an outdoor cat once and it was great that he never needed a litterbox, but he died at only 3 years old!

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?
Pros: I'm loving it right now. My cat always wants to play and is a lot of fun, and he can be very sweet (though less often than many cats). Animal companions are always a good thing.
Cons: allergies. Scratched up furniture if they aren't properly trained on the scratching post. Although you can clip their nails, de-clawing is cruel.

[wordsmith]

The chick that lived in my old apt. before me had one (motorized litterbox that scooped and turned the litter over), and she kept it in the tiny bathroom (the only real place it could have gone), and sometimes when it turned the litter over, it flung poo. She didn't do a good job of cleaning the wall it faced when she moved out, either. :(

[wordsmith]

I had an outdoor cat once and it was great that he never needed a litterbox, but he died at only 3 years old!

Yep, a three-year old barn cat is kind of an old-timer, to be honest. Hence my lack of real attachment to cats as pets. Plus, on farms, they're more utilitarian.

[embrassezla]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult?
3 of mine were kittens when I adopted; 1 was an adult.

1a. from a shelter or breeder or other?
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS from a shelter! There are enough cats on this planet, don't support making more.

2. how long did it take to housebreak?
Most kittens are almost immediately housebroken.

2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc?
You don't. The smell will always be there, and the cat will be likely to pee there AGAIN.

2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?
Depends on how many cats you have. I have 4 cats, 1 litter box, and it needs changing every 2 days.

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?
Varies. Depends on what type of food you buy, what kind of vet care is needed. Routine vet care is between $100-200 per visit.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why?
Indoor only unless you live in a rural area far from any major roads.

4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors?
Safe how? If there are roads/wild animals nearby then it's never safe.

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?
Oh good Lord. I am a cat owner simply because I love cats, I enjoy interacting with them, learning about them, their physiology, nutritional requirements, natural instincts. By far the largest con to owning a cat is the expense - commercial cat food does not a healthy cat make; if you feed commercial cat food, your cat will have health issues and require veterinary care, almost certainly. If you learn enough about feline nutrition to feed a homemade diet, it is more expensive, takes a LOT of research and a LOT of time, but you'll likely end up with very healthy cats. Cats are not meant to live indoors, so you need to be careful of air quality (no commercial cleaners, candles, perfume, etc), they have a natural instinct to stratch and you have no choice but to let them (declawed cats develop behavioral problems). They can be trained to scratch designated spots but nothing is 100%.

If you don't absolutely love cats or you aren't willing to designate what could be large financial resources and/or your time/effort, You shouldn't be a cat owner.

There's lots more to type but I don't want to take over this thread! PM me with questions. Suffice it to say, I spend about 3hrs/day doing food/related stuff for my cats...preparing food, researching food, ordering food, reading list servs, etc.

[arrow]

* they will jump in and try to have a threesome when you're having sex (female cats will try and steal your man!)


LMFAO!

My cat jumps on the bed in the middle of sex just to see what all the activity is about :eek: .

Also, even though he's fixed he still tries to hump the fuzzy blanket.

[wordsmith]

If you don't absolutely love cats or you aren't willing to designate what could be large financial resources and/or your time/effort, You shouldn't be a cat owner.

Totally agree, as with any pets. I like cats just fine, think kittens are cute, blah blah, but I'd never say I'm a major cat lover or that I'm totally dedicated to them, as I am with some other animals. I feel like you need to be more than just, "Yeah, these animals are okay..." to take on pet ownership responsibilities.

[wordsmith]

LMFAO!

My cat jumps on the bed in the middle of sex just to see what all the activity is about :eek: .

Also, even though he's fixed he still tries to hump the fuzzy blanket.

My ex BF's cat took a big, fang-y chomp in my toe once, quite inopportunely. I had no idea what had just pierced my foot, and flung it across the room and into the closet, shaking it off me. I thought I killed it, before I realized what the hell even happened. No cats in bedrooms, thanks.

[weary]

thanks for the answers so far everyone. i thought of a few more questions...

is is true that kittens are rather clumsy and tend to fall alot, at first?

where do your cats sleep? can they be trained to sleep on a kitty bed, like dogs who sleep on dog beds? (or just to stay off the human ones?)

when you say hairballs, do you mean as in the kind they get in their throats and cause them to vommit, or ones that develop around the house b/c they shed all over the place?

[weary]

My ex BF's cat took a big, fang-y chomp in my toe once, quite inopportunely. I had no idea what had just pierced my foot, and flung it across the room and into the closet, shaking it off me. I thought I killed it, before I realized what the hell even happened. No cats in bedrooms, thanks.
see, this would send me over the edge. i once woke up to a cat kneading my back while staying @ a friend's house and was equally scared/pissed.

[wordsmith]

I thought there was a needle being driven into my toe, trust me. Totally unexpected, I didn't even know there was a cat in there.

[Winter Storm]

is is true that kittens are rather clumsy and tend to fall alot?

where do your cats sleep? can they be trained to sleep on a kitty bed, like dogs who sleep on dog beds? (or just to stay off the human ones?)

when you say hairballs, do you mean as in the kind they get in their throats and cause them to vommit, or ones that develop around the house b/c they shed all over the place?

Never seen my cats fall or stumble.

My place is very cat-friendly so they sleep wherever they want. Muffin goes back and forth between the living room recliner and my bed, while Cammie pretty much stays in bed with me. The colder it is, they closer they cuddle with me until I wake up with paws and whiskers in my mouth.

I've never had a cat trained to sleep in any certain place. They usually pick a spot and that's their spot...for life. I bought a cat bed but took it back when they never set foot on it.

My cats don't bring up hairballs though they do gag on them.

[pisces2473]

thanks for the answers so far everyone. i thought of a few more questions...

is is true that kittens are rather clumsy and tend to fall alot, at first?

where do your cats sleep? can they be trained to sleep on a kitty bed, like dogs who sleep on dog beds? (or just to stay off the human ones?)

when you say hairballs, do you mean as in the kind they get in their throats and cause them to vommit, or ones that develop around the house b/c they shed all over the place?
Not my kittens! LOL

They sleep wherever...the floor, the closet, the bed, chairs, couch, etc. They move a lot during the night.

I meant both types of hairballs.

[embrassezla]

is it true that kittens are rather clumsy and tend to fall alot, at first?
Yes, the like to jump & play so probability dictates that they fall a lot. Rarely do they hurt themselves, though. I have a one-eyed kitten (HELLO, depth perception) that knocks into everything and everytime I think she's going to knock herself unconscious, she just shakes it off and keeps running.

where do your cats sleep? can they be trained to sleep on a kitty bed, like dogs who sleep on dog beds? (or just to stay off the human ones?)
They sleep wherever they want and cannot be trained to sleep in one spot.

when you say hairballs, do you mean as in the kind they get in their throats and cause them to vommit, or ones that develop around the house b/c they shed all over the place?
Both. Cats shed a lot and will require more home maintenance. My house will barely have any carpet once I'm done with it. They do occasionally bring up hairballs, and that should be controlled by supplementing the diet with appropriate remedies.

If you are thinking of adopting a cat, I strongly, strongly, STRONGLY suggest that you do NOT adopt a kitten. Kittens are cute and we all love them, but they are VERY prone to illness, they scratch everything, are very loud, difficult to control, etc. You can adopt a nice, quiet adult cat, already litter-trained, that won't cause you a year of constant tearing your hair out.

[EmberMae]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult? kitten
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other? shelter/humane society. always go through them, there are so many cats that need homes

2. how long did it take to housebreak? 10 minutes, max. It's their natural instinct to use it.
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc? if you clean it often enough, they shouldn't be going outside the box. make sure you get males neutered
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?everyday. if you only have 1 cat you might be able to get away with every other day.

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?vet check up is maybe $100, food/litter is about $20 a month

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why? indoor, I don't want my cat to get run over by a car or attacked by a dog
4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors? it's not ever really safe to let a cat outdoors unless you live in a rural area

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?Pro: loving, affectionate, independent, keep your lap warm when you're sitting down
Con: cleaning the litter box always sucks, they scratch up your furniture and break the blinds

is is true that kittens are rather clumsy and tend to fall alot, at first? I haven't adopted a kitten under 8 weeks--they are pretty good at walking at that point but they sometimes chase their own tail, run into walls, or jump on something and "miss"

where do your cats sleep? can they be trained to sleep on a kitty bed, like dogs who sleep on dog beds? (or just to stay off the human ones?)Wherever they feel like it basically. Ive only had one cat who actually slept in the cat bed. They will sleep on the couch, my bed, windowsill, carpet, on a pile of blankets, my computer chair. I don't know that you could really train them to sleep a certain place. If you're asleep they're going to go wherever.

when you say hairballs, do you mean as in the kind they get in their throats and cause them to vommit, or ones that develop around the house b/c they shed all over the place? I think they're referring to the vomit ones, although I've had many long haired cats with no problem, although we did have a shorthaired cat with a bad stomach who vomited all the time. it was gross.

[Winter Storm]

2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc? [B]if you clean it often enough, they shouldn't be going outside the box.

I've never had any one of my cats go outside the litterbox. Even when it's absolutely disgusting, they still use it.

[embrassezla]

Re: Kittens are very prone to illness

Just to give you a for instance. My kitten all of a sudden started vomiting up her food, the old wet food she got at the shelter, and everything else I tried. She was also listless and refused to eat. I finally found something she could keep down - meat baby food - which has almost no nutritional value to a cat. Not to mention, she would only eat about a teaspoon at a time. I spent all of yesterday feeding her in 2hr intervals with supplemented baby food:

500mg taurine (divided dose)
1/2 tsp probiotic/enzyme
1/2 tsp slippery elm powder (divided dose), after boiling in water and cooling
1/2 tsp diatomacious earth (divided dose)
1/8 tsp powdered eggshell
1/2 tsp L-lysine (divided dose)
butter

This was all based on my own personal research - no vet will tell you to do that stuff. Anyway, she's okay today, and I'm slowly reintroducing her regular food in small quantities. I read about 7 different cat health-related list servs....per day.

[EmberMae]

I've never had any one of my cats go outside the litterbox. Even when it's absolutely disgusting, they still use it.
My parents cats have done it several times, when we went a few days without cleaning the box.

[Winter Storm]

I lost a kitten (my baby boy Boogie Shoes) last year to FIP and it was an ordeal watching him deteriorate into death but it did not discourage me from getting another one and if you have the patience, love and attention, I still highly recommend it.

It's just something about knowing you've been there from almost day one and that everything they've learned and experienced, came from you and that they are growing up with you. I think it makes them more loyal and more catered to you and your habits.

Plus kittens are the most adorable things in the world. I cannot go a day without picking up mine and kissing her sweet little face! :)

[embrassezla]

Cats pee outside the litterbox for two reasons:

(1) the cat is ill
(2) the cat is mad

The cat could be mad that the litterbox is dirty, that you don't pay it enough attention, or that you brought it a kitty-sibling. Some cats just act out that way.

[pisces2473]

Cats pee outside the litterbox for two reasons:

(1) the cat is ill
(2) the cat is mad

The cat could be mad that the litterbox is dirty, that you don't pay it enough attention, or that you brought it a kitty-sibling. Some cats just act out that way.
Yeah, mine only peed out of the box when they were pissssssed off big time.

And the little one, she peed after I brought her home from her spaying, and I was busy cleaning out the box. She kept trying to jump in while I was scooping...she was trying to tell me it was urgent! LOL

[weary]

Re: Kittens are very prone to illness

Just to give you a for instance. My kitten all of a sudden started vomiting up her food, the old wet food she got at the shelter, and everything else I tried. She was also listless and refused to eat. I finally found something she could keep down - meat baby food - which has almost no nutritional value to a cat. Not to mention, she would only eat about a teaspoon at a time. I spent all of yesterday feeding her in 2hr intervals with supplemented baby food:

500mg taurine (divided dose)
1/2 tsp probiotic/enzyme
1/2 tsp slippery elm powder (divided dose), after boiling in water and cooling
1/2 tsp diatomacious earth (divided dose)
1/8 tsp powdered eggshell
1/2 tsp L-lysine (divided dose)
butter

This was all based on my own personal research - no vet will tell you to do that stuff. Anyway, she's okay today, and I'm slowly reintroducing her regular food in small quantities. I read about 7 different cat health-related list servs....per day.
this is more than enough to convince me to NOT get a kitten...my KID was never this much trouble, not even with cloth diapers and making all his baby food from scratch!

[Winter Storm]

this is more than enough to convince me to NOT get a kitten...my KID was never this much trouble, not even with cloth diapers and making all his baby food from scratch!
Not all kittens are like this though. It's just like having a child, you don't know what you're going to get. And with an older cat, there are always health risks.

Pets' health in general are a gamble. Some get sick very young, some very old, some never. It's a box of chocolates. :D

[wordsmith]

this is more than enough to convince me to NOT get a kitten...my KID was never this much trouble, not even with cloth diapers and making all his baby food from scratch!

Hah, I wasn't gonna say it, so I'm glad you did.

My brother and I were talking this weekend about how pets can actually be MORE care and responsibility than infants (within the context of him staying home alone for the weekend while his wife went off to a St. Paddy's day weekend bash, because they couldn't get anybody to dogsit if they both took off for the weekend). I can see the argument in many cases. The guy I dated last year who could never stay the night, because he had to get home and let the dog out also comes to mind.

I actually get just as panicky when I think about having a pet (other than a betta or hermit crab...ooh, cuddly) as I do about having a kid, from that perspective. I know some people/couples will get a pet together as a primer for having kids (each of my brothers did, really), but to me, it's just as much, if not more, tying you down.

[embrassezla]

And the little one, she peed after I brought her home from her spaying, and I was busy cleaning out the box. She kept trying to jump in while I was scooping...she was trying to tell me it was urgent! LOL
Hah! Yeah, my boy kitty always pees in it right after I clean it - he has to christen it!

this is more than enough to convince me to NOT get a kitten...my KID was never this much trouble, not even with cloth diapers and making all his baby food from scratch!
I have often thought that a baby wouldn't be as much work to keep healthy as cats, seriously! It's a lot of work, kittens ESPECIALLY. I'm not saying they aren't cute or cuddly, but seriously, A LOT of work. You have been warned :)

[old_school_soul]

There's lots more to type but I don't want to take over this thread! PM me with questions. Suffice it to say, I spend about 3hrs/day doing food/related stuff for my cats...preparing food, researching food, ordering food, reading list servs, etc.

That seems a bit on the obsessive side. 3 hours? I grew up with 2 siamese cats. We fed the Meow Mix. Nothing fancy. The one who liked to go outside was runover. The other, lived for 18 years. We often left them home for 2 weeks at a time while on vacation, just gave them extra food, water, and litter.

[pisces2473]

That seems a bit on the obsessive side. 3 hours? I grew up with 2 siamese cats. We fed the Meow Mix. Nothing fancy. The one who liked to go outside was runover. The other, lived for 18 years. We often left them home for 2 weeks at a time while on vacation, just gave them extra food, water, and litter.
OSS, you know how some parents are into Huggies and Enfamil, and letting the kids watch TV? While others are into cloth diapers, breast milk and sign language? Embra's the second type of mom, when it comes to her cats. Doesn't mean one is better than the other...just whatever works best for you and your cats.

[embrassezla]

OSS, you know how some parents are into Huggies and Enfamil, and letting the kids watch TV? While others are into cloth diapers, breast milk and sign language? Embra's the second type of mom, when it comes to her cats. Doesn't mean one is better than the other...just whatever works best for you and your cats.
Perfect, Jen. Thanks! :)

[pisces2473]

Perfect, Jen. Thanks! :)
You're welcome! I thought I needed to jump in and diffuse the situation before people started WWIII about cat care.

If your cats are happy, you're probably doing the right thing. I've seen too many fights between moms on other boards--putting each other down b/c one can't breast feed or whatever...hey, if the kid's alive, who cares? :p

[embrassezla]

If your cats are happy, you're probably doing the right thing.
Yep, and everyone who adopts a cat helps with the overpopulation problem, no matter what your prefered method of care for the kitty!

[old_school_soul]

OSS, you know how some parents are into Huggies and Enfamil, and letting the kids watch TV? While others are into cloth diapers, breast milk and sign language? Embra's the second type of mom, when it comes to her cats. Doesn't mean one is better than the other...just whatever works best for you and your cats.

Umm, cats aren't people. I loved my cats, but if it came down to getting my cat or a crack head out of a burning building, I'd go for the crack head.

Even though certain people do things differently, it's important to remember balance. 21 hours a week is a lot doing anything.

[embrassezla]

Umm, cats aren't people. I loved my cats, but if it came down to getting my cat or a crack head out of a burning building, I'd go for the crack head.

Even though certain people do things differently, it's important to remember balance. 21 hours a week is a lot doing anything.
My cats ARE like children to me, they don't have to be like that for everyone who owns cats.

And as I mentioned upthread, I have a true interest in feline nutrition, behavior, and temprament. I LIKE learning about it, researching it, and seeing the resultant positive effects in my cat. If you don't like those things, you shouldn't do it because yeah, it's a lot of work! My life is perfectly balanced, thankyouverymuch.

[coll214]

As for the other questions; my cats have never gone out of their litter box, even if it's nasty, they know better!

As for sleeping, wherever. Usually my kitty stays with me until she thinks i'm asleep and then either moves to the blanket folded at the bottom of the bed, my computer chair or another chair in my room. About the only way to get a cat to 'go' to certain areas is if you have it from when it's a kitten and is used to it... though that's still not to say it will change its mind 5 years later. my sister's cat has a cat tree (floor to ceiling) that she LOVES to sleep on. It's her favorite spot and also what they happen to claw which is fine, that's what it's for!

[pisces2473]

Umm, cats aren't people. I loved my cats, but if it came down to getting my cat or a crack head out of a burning building, I'd go for the crack head.

Even though certain people do things differently, it's important to remember balance. 21 hours a week is a lot doing anything.
Dude, I was just making a comparison, so back the eff off.

[Winter Storm]

Yep, and everyone who adopts a cat helps with the overpopulation problem, no matter what your prefered method of care for the kitty!
My thoughts exactly. Even if you arent madly in love with your cat, if you can give it a warm home and take care of its needs, you're still saving it from being pancaked roadkill, a starving, diseased alleycat or euthanized.

[old_school_soul]

My cats ARE like children to me, they don't have to be like that for everyone who owns cats.

And as I mentioned upthread, I have a true interest in feline nutrition, behavior, and temprament. I LIKE learning about it, researching it, and seeing the resultant positive effects in my cat. If you don't like those things, you shouldn't do it because yeah, it's a lot of work! My life is perfectly balanced, thankyouverymuch.

I understand now, it's like a hobby for you. Got it.

[old_school_soul]

Dude, I was just making a comparison, so back the eff off.

Back off? You made a bad comparision. Is it wrong to point that out?

[pisces2473]

Back off? You made a bad comparision. Is it wrong to point that out?
I didn't make a bad comparison. You thought it was. A lot of other people got it.

The fact that you pointed it out rudely was well-taken. Consider yourself warned.

[old_school_soul]

The fact that you pointed it out rudely was well-taken. Consider yourself warned.

Can you show me the part where I was rude?

[RealDeal]

my friends cat peed outside litter box when she got a new cat -- it was marking its territory to the other cat. So yeah she was mad.

[blueyes]

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult?
1a. from a shelter or breeder or other?

1. Kitten, from my ex, who got Herbie from his professor who saved Herbie's mom from hypothermia

2. how long did it take to housebreak?
2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc?
2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?

2. He came housebroken.
2a. You don't.
2b. Every other day. Herbie lets me know if I'm slacking - he'll sit next to the litter box and look at it, look at me, look at it, look at me...

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?

I spend about $7 every three weeks or so on food, Herbie drinks the same water I do (which is filtered Brita water), he occassionally gets treats, and vet visits run anywhere from $45 on up.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why?
4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors?

4. Absolutely indoor. I've become so attached to Herbie that I can not bear the thought of losing him to a car or a neighbor's dog or some mean horrible person who would hurt him. Far far far safer. Plus, living in an apartment means that I will likely move again (by the fall) and that means that Herbie's 'home territory' will change and upset him, thus upping the chances of losing him.
4a. See above.

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?

Everyone else has done a good job of listing the pros and cons; Herbie tends to act a little bit more dog-like than a 'normal' cat. This is probably because of two things: he spent the first three months or so of his life with me at my parents' house with my family's three dogs AND that I treat him a little more like a dog than a cat. His trademark dog behavior? He flops on his back when I come home so I can scratch his belly. Do not put down the mail, do not take off your jacket, do not pass GO, do not collect $200 - Pet. Herbie's. Belly. Now. :D

[pisces2473]

Can you show me the part where I was rude?
It's in your attitude and tone on this thread.

[capella]

I know... I'm late. But I couldn't resist.

1. did you get your cat as a kitten or adult?
Both. My first cat was 2 years old. The other two were kittens.

1a. from a shelter or breeder or other?
Tiger came from a lady who was going to give him to the pound if someone didn't take him. Peaches came from the Humane Society. Felicity came from a girl with a box outside of Walmart.

2. how long did it take to housebreak?
They came housebroken. :) All of them already knew how to use the kitty box.

2a. how do you get that AWFUL smell out of carpet, furniture, etc?
There are no awful smells as I would REFUSE to keep a cat that pissed all over stuff. If you get them spayed/neutered they don't spray shit (most of the time).

2b. how often do you have to change the litter box?
Change: twice or three times a week. We have two boxes. Scoop: Everyday just about.

3. how much $ do you spend on average for annual food and vet stuff?
No clue. A HELL of a lot less than I paid for the dog. They aren't expensive though.

4. indoor or indoor/outdoor cat and why?
Indoor!! It's not safe to let them out most of the time. I'd only have outdoor cats if I lived on a farm or something. Suburbs and city? Not safe for them. I see too much road kill to think of letting my kitties out. Besides Peach is so damn cute someone would steal her!

4a. if indoor/outdoor, how do you know when it's safe to start letting the cat outdoors?
I wouldnt.

5. pros and cons of being a cat owner?
They are easy to maintain, cuddly, lovable, and smart. Dogs require far too much attention. Cats are low, low maintenance. The only con I can think of is that they can destroy furniture with the clawing and such (and they're stubborn too so it's not likely that you'll train them not to destroy the sofa).

[dacrunkest]

Cats is so 1980s anyway...I mean what the heck is a jellicle cat anyway?

Scary Cats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cats_South_Africa_World_Tour.jpg)