I'm thinking of getting a cat

[Fambo Number Mive]

I would like an indoor cat. I struggle with MH (and Aspergers) but I am able to do things. I can afford vet bills, rehoming fees, cat toys etc.

How easy is a cat to look after and what advice do you have re getting a cat? Has having a cat helped your mood?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Don't get a cat. Cats are cunts.

[Brian Freeze]

Don't worry about spending money on cat toys. String and tinfoil. Not necessarily at the same time either.

The fact you've even thought about vets bills before getting an animal shows you've got plenty of nous. Have you had pets before or grown up around animals?

[Buelligan]

I think cats are fantastic, in fairness, I'm pretty keen on all animals.  They are living entities though, so I'm sure you're already well aware but they deserve to be treated with care, consideration, real love.  They are not things to commence living with on a whim, I had a cat in my life, Bange, (she came to me when she was already quite old), who lived to the age of 24, so it's a commitment, not to be entered into lightly.

Cats can be the dearest, most loving creatures on the Earth.  Don't believe all that bullshit about them being aloof, that comes from people who haven't known enough cats, have met a garbo cat and think they know cats. 

I had a cat, Púca, who was more dear, far more dear, to me than most humans.  When he was little I saw him playing with a feather on a windy day, the feather was flying about, for him it was magical, full of joy to have that toy and I shared that.  I made him a little toy bird with a feather tail and he loved that thing.  One day a storm came, he had left the bird in the courtyard, he ran past me, out into the rain and shot back in with it in his mouth.  If he ever got wet, he would come to me and shout and I would fetch his towel and dry him.

And once, when I'd had a terrible terribly bad horrible day, I was sitting in the courtyard feeling dreadful.  He came and looked at me and then ran up to a roof, dug about and ran back with a very dead old lizard which he placed, with tenderness, at my feet.  I still have the bird toy in my Púca box (not the lizard though).

And I've had others, Eddie, who was striped orange with eyes like the bluest sea.  Brave, quiet, Eddie, who'd do anything for a croissant and who'd sit and purr into my face when it was time to wake.  And Fats, the bossiest small tabby that ever ruled a roost, there's too much to say about her (and not all of it flattering).  They were all strays.

Now, I just take care of all the stray cats of the village.  I spend a big slice of my wages feeding them.  Not ready yet to take any in but I know I will when enough water has run by.

So yes, cats are wonderful and will change your life but they are not just there to help you, you must step up and be their shelter and their god.  Get a stray.  :)

[MiddleRabbit]

At the behest of our daughter we got a cat a couple of years ago.  I'd never previously owned one, having lived with dogs.  It's surprisingly pleasant even though he's a dickhead.  Possibly because he's a dickhead. 

I've realised that cats are pets for people who can't be arsed to look after a pet, which might suit you.

The most enjoyable part - for me - is that Mrs Middlerabbit is desperate for the cat to love her and show her affection and the more she tries to get him to love her, the less attention he pays her and the more attention he pays me.  I make no effort at all to ingratiate myself to the cat and yet he sits on me, sleeps on me, rubs his head against my legs, does that blinking thing.

My advice is, yes, get a cat.  But be prepared for it to be a fucking idiot who thinks he's great. 

He's entertaining to look at, I'll give him that.  The fucking idiot.

[Cuellar]

Love cats. Would love a cat. As long as it was a good one. My brother has a cat and it's awful. Worst cat I've ever known. A preening cock. Neurotic arsehole. A bastard.

[bgmnts]

My cat did an intense liquid shit right outside my bedroom last night, despite having a perfectly good litter tray to go in.

Cats are cunts.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

" brave, quiet Eddie, who'd do anything for a croissant " ( I 'm fucked if I'm going to isolate that line from Buelligan's predictably soppy post on the fucking quote function thing )
I BET HE WOULD, THE DIRTY OLD BOLLOCKS, I BET HE FUCKING WOULD.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Don't worry about spending money on cat toys. String and tinfoil. Not necessarily at the same time either.

The fact you've even thought about vets bills before getting an animal shows you've got plenty of nous. Have you had pets before or grown up around animals?

My family have had guinea pigs and gerbils but I think they would be too difficult for me to look after. I've lived in the same house as a cat before.

[Puce Moment]

If you're serious about getting a cat, please go to the many excellent no-kill animal shelter rather than a breeder. I don't know where you live but if you need a hand with this let me know.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

If you're serious about getting a cat, please go to the many excellent no-kill animal shelter rather than a breeder.

Heterosexualist.  Go and hassle Graham Linehan.

[Neville Chamberlain]

Dogs = bright, brainy and fun-loving
Cats = all aloof, graceful and slinky-smooth, but really not much going on upstairs

I have never had a dog or a cat.

[Brian Freeze]

Only you know if you are properly ready to commit to it but if you think you are then have a pop into your local vets and have a chat and get to know them.
Ideally you'll be in there at least once a year anyway with the cat you end up with and all the ones I've known have had cats needing rehoming from time to time. They'll be happy to help. Or at least they should be. Fuck em off and find a different one if they don't seem to care about helping.

[Jumblegraws]

I would like an indoor cat. I struggle with MH (and Aspergers) but I am able to do things. I can afford vet bills, rehoming fees, cat toys etc.

How easy is a cat to look after and what advice do you have re getting a cat? Has having a cat helped your mood?

Everything that Buelligan said, pretty much. If you are going the rehoming root, you will probably struggle to find a cat that can be kept indoors-only.

I have a long-standing, stated disapproval of buying pedigree pets and in the biggest act of hypocrisy of my life I got a Devon Rex tom, Mookie, followed by a second, Arthur, a year later. They bonded very quickly and are incredibly loving. They like going on walks (not with leads, either, they pad along next to me) but also they are the only cats I've met who will decline to go outside after hours or even days indoors. Mostly their priority seems to be hanging out with me, which is a nice attitude to come home to. So if you want an indoor cat, and you can afford pedigree prices, you might consider a Devon Rex or a similar breed.
Edit to add: very important you set aside at least an hour a day to play with your cat, don't believe people who say you can limit attention to just petting your cat when it feels like it if you want a happy kitty.
 

[jobotic]

Many years ago i worked for the Cats Protection League at a shelter.

You probably could find one there that has lived their life indoors and prefers it, which i think is probably the only fair way. It'd probably be an old timer though.

We had a blind cat called Mr John Osbourne who used to wander round the grounds all day then come back to his pen at teatime. 

[Flouncer]

Last year my girlfriend and I were walking to the supermarket, going down this shitty footpath that runs down the side of the steel stockholders, and something really special happened. A beautiful tabby cat came up to us inquisitively and said hello. We stroked her and she was really glad of the attention. We kept seeing her around our bit of the village, and before long we invited her into the house. She has stayed here ever since; for the first six months or so she wouldn't even go out into the garden - I think she was scared that we wouldn't let her back in if she dared to go out. My girlfriend chose her name: she's called Frida.

She's one of the most gentle, loving creatures I've ever met. I've got mental health and autism stuff going on, and she's a brilliant emotional support animal. Sometimes she jumps on my lap for a cuddle and starts purring, and it's as though I've taken a valium or something. She's so sweet and lovely. I'm really glad she came into our lives. She's a bit of a sickly creature. She was snotty when she came to us; she's a cat flu carrier and has to go to the vet for an injection every now and again. She also had a stroke last year, which was pretty terrifying, but she's made a good recovery and has been alright since. I've come to terms with the fact that we might not have all that much time together but I'm happy to just enjoy however much time we have left and I'm really glad I've given her a safe place to live in her twilight years.

I was never that bothered about cats until I met Frida; she showed me how sweet and loving they can be. She's fucking lovely and she makes me happy.

[Bently Sheds]

Cats are great pets. You must be prepared, however, to accept that the cat you get might be a self-obsessed twat who prefers licking his arse to being your best mate - he might not be, who knows how cats think,  it'ss a lottery, they're inscrutable buggers.

Dogs, right? You go up to your average dog, scratch it behind the ears, pat it, a bit of light roughhousing and your dog LOVES it, wants more. You're best mates!! It's walkies time!!

Now, yer average cat will have your face off in a flash if you try anything like that. Basically ignore your cat, treat it with the disdain it treats you and it will LOVE it. Cats are fickle and awkward and aloof, which means any affection you get from them is a massive reward.

I have a son on the spectrum and he loves our cats and they love him. He finds dogs overwhelming, whereas the calm nature of a placid housecat suits his temperament.

Cats, then: cunts AND a great bunch of lads.

Get one!

[Norton Canes]

Cats are shit get a rabbit

[Cuellar]

Cats are shit get a rabbit

100% do not do this. I had a rabbit once and it was awful. Violent escapologist.

[Norton Canes]

Yeah soz should've said get two rabbits, they hate being on their own.

[Cuellar]

We had two rabbits. Both awful.

[ToneLa]

Cats, then: cunts AND a great bunch of lads.

AKA the impossible dream! Let's face it, that's a tricky combination to pull off yourself.

Adorable, yet toys with dying small animals out of sheer malice? Getting compliments off passing strangers while freely shitting wherever you want... gardens, beds, mouths? You'd have a job, I'm telling you.

When was the last time you wanted to cuddle a straight-up, no-foolin sociopath?

Can get on board with cats.

[Puce Moment]

Many years ago i worked for the Cats Protection League at a shelter.

You probably could find one there that has lived their life indoors and prefers it, which i think is probably the only fair way. It'd probably be an old timer though.

This, basically. Whilst good no-kill shelters will do home-checks to make sure a car can access the outdoors, there are a decent handful of old cats, cats that have been indoors their whole life, cats that are infirmed, blind or have serious anxiety issues that need to be kept inside.

My cat does not have any eyes and spends 99% of her time indoors, save for supervised outside excursions.

[Buelligan]

Last year my girlfriend and I were walking to the supermarket, going down this shitty footpath that runs down the side of the steel stockholders, and something really special happened. A beautiful tabby cat came up to us inquisitively and said hello. We stroked her and she was really glad of the attention. We kept seeing her around our bit of the village, and before long we invited her into the house. She has stayed here ever since; for the first six months or so she wouldn't even go out into the garden - I think she was scared that we wouldn't let her back in if she dared to go out. My girlfriend chose her name: she's called Frida.

She's one of the most gentle, loving creatures I've ever met. I've got mental health and autism stuff going on, and she's a brilliant emotional support animal. Sometimes she jumps on my lap for a cuddle and starts purring, and it's as though I've taken a valium or something. She's so sweet and lovely. I'm really glad she came into our lives. She's a bit of a sickly creature. She was snotty when she came to us; she's a cat flu carrier and has to go to the vet for an injection every now and again. She also had a stroke last year, which was pretty terrifying, but she's made a good recovery and has been alright since. I've come to terms with the fact that we might not have all that much time together but I'm happy to just enjoy however much time we have left and I'm really glad I've given her a safe place to live in her twilight years.

I was never that bothered about cats until I met Frida; she showed me how sweet and loving they can be. She's fucking lovely and she makes me happy.

Aww, your Frida pic (and the background on how she chose you), reminds me a lot of my dear old Fats.  She was a bit knackered when she arrived but she stayed, giving love and bossing me terribly for years and years.  She followed her ancestors last year after patiently giving me almost ten years of lessons.  PBUH.

[jobotic]

Ah Frida is lovely and so is your post.

Wish I could have a cat. Grew up with them*



* I wasn't raised by them, I don't mean that. Anyway I need to lick my bum clean now, bye.

[flotemysost]

Cats are great, when people say they're unfriendly/aloof it reminds me of when people immediately write off other humans who are a bit quieter/don't easily open up straight away.

Yeah, they're not always straight away slobbering over you and showering you with love (although some cats do this) in the way dogs are associated with, but that doesn't mean you can't have the sweetest, most loving and faithful bond with a cat. And I've had friends with Aspergers who were greatly helped by having a feline companion - not to generalise, but I think often cats are more suited to companionship that's on the quieter/gentler side.

As others have said, it is a big commitment as they can easily live 20+ years, and they do need love and mental stimulation (especially an indoor cat - they're intelligent animals and can easily get bored and destructive), but if you can commit, then adopting a rescued cat would be a wonderful thing to do. I'm very jealous.

[Bently Sheds]

We had a cat called Jet who chose to sleep nights on our bedroom windowsill. One night we had just settled into bed & Jet was in the window, there was the familiar sound of licking as he was grooming himself. The licking got louder and more urgent until there was an explosion of movement.

Jet shot out from behind the curtains, jumped across to Mrs Sheds' pillow, leapt over her head, landed on my face, jumped off that and rattled down the stairs, almost destroying the flap as he exited the house via the kitchen door catflap.

Then the smell hit us. Like a cocktail of rancid milk, musky cheese and shit. I noticed something damp on my cheek. We put the bedroom light on. There was a bright pink streak of steaming, stinking liquid across our pillows, along the bedroom carpet, on the walls of the landing, stairs and on my fucking face.

Mrs Sheds - a one time vetinary nurse - remarked that Jet had probably been licking his arse on the windowsill and over stimulated his blocked anal glands to the point of no return. All this was imparted as I  scrubbed his stinking arse gravy off the carpets and walls.

It's without doubt the worst smell I have ever smelled (and I've smelled a tramp really close up).

Jet was around before Mrs Sheds & I got together. He despised me at first when I moved in, going to barely controlled hostility when he realised I wasn't leaving. Eventually we coexisted in a state of acknowledging each other's existence without interacting. When he first curled into my lap and let me stroke him after so many years of hostility, it was an amazing moment.

When he got old and blind I felt really bad for laughing at him when he would fall off the arm of the sofa he'd managed to climb onto.

I still miss the cantankerous old fucker.

Cats!

[Harley_Quim]

An indoor cat will be a lot of work to look after. If you raise it from a kitten then you'll have to make sure it NEVER gets out when its older because it'll simply have no idea how to survive outside the house, but the confidence to go much further afield than it would as a younger cat just learning its limits - not a good combination. Tom cats (males) are simply not an option for indoor cats - you'll end up with foul smelling pee coating every surface in your house if he hasn't been snipped, and an angry little monster who'll try and get out at every opportunity even if he has been snipped - males are also far more susceptible to painful urine blockages that can be life threatening when they're under any kind of stress.

So if you want to go for it, definitely go for a lady moggy. Preferably raised from a kitten so she's used to staying in the house and won't get stressed at not being allowed to roam - make sure she's neutered or she WILL try and get out whenever she's in heat and if she returns you'll have an entire litter to deal with. Play with her daily and give her constant love and affection when she demands it (and she's a cat, so she WILL demand it) but also learn to give her space if she's being short tempered with you. Have plenty of high spaces like shelves and cupboards she can lounge on and some empty boxes to play in (cats will always take the box the expensive toy comes in over the toy itself - so don't bother with overly complicated, overpriced toys - the cheap stuff will suffice), make sure she has a cat scratching post that is replaced every couple of years so your furniture doesn't come under attack (I've witnessed first hand what a bored cat can do to a leather sofa - it ain't pretty) and give her a clear route of escape from any room you're doing the hoovering in, and have at least two litter trays for her to use in different parts of the house, changed twice daily or whenever is required. If you ever go out for the day make sure she has plenty of food and water in advance and leave the news on (my cat loves lying on the sofa all day and watching telly).

Make sure plenty of the house is open to her to explore, but also set strict rules of where and when she's allowed to go - it's probably best to set a bedtime for her when you're going to bed and put her in another room for the night, because a cat will never let you sleep properly if you give them dominion of your bedroom - and don't coddle her when she's been naughty and goes in a huff after you tell her off - she'll get over it in time, but if you break first she'll manipulate you until the end of your days.

[imitationleather]

Fuck cats and dogs.

Get a baby instead.

[Fambo Number Mive]

My desire for an indoor cat is because my fences aren't very high in places so the cat could get over walls, and because I am concerned about he/she getting out and into the road when I am not there. I am happy for he/she to go in the back garden when I am there watching he/she.

I was thinking of making my spare room the cat room. He/she can go anywhere they want to in the house aside from the bathroom - the lino is manky as is the bath.

I do have a cat flap on my front door but it requires a special collar to open. No cat flap on the back door.

Good to know a female cat is a better option for an indoor cat.