- 1,049
- Grand Rapids,MI
- HaydenFan69
*double post*
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Post a pic of your pet(s)!!
- Thread starter BlackZ28
- 2,802 comments
- 252,077 views
- 14,436
- Los Angeles, CA
- Lma_robot
- lImaRobotl
Always one, at least two
In all seriousness, its a big thing to take on so just make sure you're prepared to be able to take care of another life as it will be a long commitment. Don't get it just on a whim, as I feel people who do that tend to be the ones to abandon them much faster. Be ready to be loving to it, for the entirety of it's life. The first year of the cat's life will really test you, as thats when they can be the most mischievous and destructive, but as long as you find ways to discipline without physical abuse you will be fine.
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- 14,436
- Los Angeles, CA
- Lma_robot
- lImaRobotl
Basically this. Little ones can be hard to deal with, especially if it's your first. You'd have to make yourself available at all times, and always be aware of what they're doing. Don't let it scare you away, but you should make doubly sure you know what you're getting yourself into.
My oldest grew up with multiple cats all his life - When he was born he lived with his 5 siblings for a good 4-6 months, and when they were all given away he still had my little brothers cat. Then I moved in with my GF(Now an Ex) and she had two of her own. All his life he's been extremely social with humans and cats alike, so when things fell through with my EX and I got my own place he was extremely lonely, you can just see it on him. Since I got Hobbes back in May I was able to notice a personality change for the better. Now he takes on the Father/Big Brother roll, and just like any siblings, its love/hate. They're always cuddling, but they're both boys too, so they can get rough sometimes.
- 5,076
- Panama City, FL
Kittens are cute, but they are extremely active, and extremely curious. They are also sometimes not satisfied with scratch posts and scratch pads.
My own feeling is that cats should be indoor pets. Their wanderings outdoors can expose them to all kinds of hazards involving traffic, other animals, diseased cats, getting snatched by raptors (I've seen it happen,) or whatever else is out there. Don't get a kitten if you don't have someone at home all the time to be with them. They need attention! Shelters are FULL of gorgeous, healthy cats needing a home.
My own feeling is that cats should be indoor pets. Their wanderings outdoors can expose them to all kinds of hazards involving traffic, other animals, diseased cats, getting snatched by raptors (I've seen it happen,) or whatever else is out there. Don't get a kitten if you don't have someone at home all the time to be with them. They need attention! Shelters are FULL of gorgeous, healthy cats needing a home.
- 14,436
- Los Angeles, CA
- Lma_robot
- lImaRobotl
The main risk over here is traffic, so that's a absolute definite no for me. I've had both indoor and outdoor cats, and while the indoor cats are obviously restricted, they have always lived lives that have looked much more healthy and enjoyable. My outside cats always end up haggard, either because of constantly getting into bad fights with neighboring cats and opossums, or just due to the elements.
Unless your cat is the Alpha on the block, its very likely that it'll be the one constantly pushed around. I even tried letting one of my more recent cats out to try to have some freedom when she was younger, and she got beat to hell and back and never wanted to go outside again - I found her outside hiding in a muddy hole in the middle of the night, crying bloody murder for someone to find her.
Then there's the assholes that will just steal the cat regardless if it has a collar or not, and keep them as their inside cat. So I've learned that that's a hard pass for me.
- 30,002
- Thailand
I’m familiar with all of the cats in my neighbourhood and there are a few bullies out there but they’re so thinly spread that they all manage to avoid each other most of the time. They do all converge at mine for feeding time though and my smallest one, Dolly, hates most of them and stays in the house. Tan is the largest in the neighbourhood so she doesn’t take any crap and spends lots of time in the gardens.
Both of them come and go as they please and traffic is minimal, although I do have 1 speedy neighbour who feels the need to do 50kph down our 50m dead end street. However, they’re all aware of the cats and the cats themselves are aware of the traffic.
Both of them come and go as they please and traffic is minimal, although I do have 1 speedy neighbour who feels the need to do 50kph down our 50m dead end street. However, they’re all aware of the cats and the cats themselves are aware of the traffic.
- 14,436
- Los Angeles, CA
- Lma_robot
- lImaRobotl
Back at my moms, it's like a damn gang war. One side of the block vs the other side of the block - sometimes they do quick drive-by fights and run off even, its crazy. I've always lived in pretty dense traffic area's though, so that's why I view it in such a way. I've lost many cats over the years, and the outside ones are always the ones that have gone first. You're not wrong in the way you do things, I just don't prefer it, especially because the connection I have with my two boys have been stronger than any I've had in the past. I do give them all the freedom they want in the house though, and soon I'm going to build some walkways for them along the ceilings so they can judge from up high.
- 17,223
- United Kingdom
Only one of our two goes out...
... amusingly here, we haven't spotted the catflap was locked, so Baggy just sat there watching it like Cat-TV. Baggy gets a lot of hassle from Lola (the one looking at the camera), he is in fact cornered here, with his normal escape route blocked. Lola won't go out, she can't negotiate the cat flap, she also can't jump, so Baggy knows he can stay safe by going outside or jumping on things...
In fact, he seems to always be playing 'the floor is lava'... Since Lola is a bit of a bully and vacuums food up like nothing I've seen before, we have to feed baggy on the worktop, which probably doesn't help.
We suspect Baggy does get bullied a bit by other cats in the neighbourhood, but it doesn't stop him from wanting to go out. The way our close is laid out, most of the cats on the road funnel literally past our back door when they're coming or going, there's a fat tabby that's come into our kitchen before, I think he's the local big boss.
The main worry, is that Baggy has no meow, he tries, but the noise he makes sounds more like a hiss, it's biological - it's not just a really pathetic meow... consequently, he can't really make any audible noise of distress, or warning, which is a worry.
... amusingly here, we haven't spotted the catflap was locked, so Baggy just sat there watching it like Cat-TV. Baggy gets a lot of hassle from Lola (the one looking at the camera), he is in fact cornered here, with his normal escape route blocked. Lola won't go out, she can't negotiate the cat flap, she also can't jump, so Baggy knows he can stay safe by going outside or jumping on things...
In fact, he seems to always be playing 'the floor is lava'... Since Lola is a bit of a bully and vacuums food up like nothing I've seen before, we have to feed baggy on the worktop, which probably doesn't help.
We suspect Baggy does get bullied a bit by other cats in the neighbourhood, but it doesn't stop him from wanting to go out. The way our close is laid out, most of the cats on the road funnel literally past our back door when they're coming or going, there's a fat tabby that's come into our kitchen before, I think he's the local big boss.
The main worry, is that Baggy has no meow, he tries, but the noise he makes sounds more like a hiss, it's biological - it's not just a really pathetic meow... consequently, he can't really make any audible noise of distress, or warning, which is a worry.
- 30,002
- Thailand
Tan has a similar issue. She grew up in a tiger enclosure and never picked up a cat meow. Instead she opens her mouth and kind of squeaks. I think she’s attempting to roar but never developed the vocals.
There are certain areas of the house they aren’t permitted, like our bedroom and the guest bedroom (because wifey freaks out over the fur everywhere) so naturally those rooms are their favourite places to infiltrate.
We don’t have a cat flap but I leave my balcony door open for them. They can easily access the balcony from the garden wall. Often they just open unlocked downstairs windows and come in that way. The downside of that is that occasionally William and John get in.
William is a good boy who I had neutered but Dolly hates him after he took a chunk out of her a few years ago. John is timid and seems to be unaggressive but still has his nuts and pisses everywhere. John and William aren’t really allowed in but it’s hard to stop them.
Sometimes I put them outside for the night if I need a good sleep because Dolly (2am) and Tan (4-5am) knock on my bedroom door for me to feed them.
- 5,076
- Panama City, FL
It's weird at my house. Mocha, a short-haired diluted tortie, sheds like nothing you've ever seen, there's a cloud of fur in the air as she walks around the place! When I brush her, I have to clean the brush after just 3 or 4 strokes. There will be a mat of fur in her bed in just a day or so after cleaning it out. Chipsie, on the other hand, who is the white-and-black fluffball, sheds very little.
- 11,462
- U.K
- Paganisterr
- Ak Paganister
He does shed quite a bit, but luckily it kinda 'clumps' together, so it's not lots of single hairs EVERYWHERE which is more of a nightmare imo.
It's hard to brush his belly as it's so long as you need to push into his fur a bit, and he doesn't tolerate it for very long. This summer I decided to get him groomed with a lion cut (in the 3rd pic) as he started to get a few large matting clumps around there. Now it's all grown back and is all good so far...
Not lots comes off him with a brush tbh. But it's necessary to stop the matting. But I still have the belly brushing issue.
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- 14,436
- Los Angeles, CA
- Lma_robot
- lImaRobotl
Same situation with my ex's Maine Coon, his belly looked exactly the same as the photos but luckily he would calmly let us trimmers if it ever got too bad. He would literally just lay on his back with his legs out and let us go to town
.My older boy is similar to the clumpy shedding too, it kind of just bunches up and I can literally just pick it up with my hand. Luckily during the winter it's not even remotely as bad as the summer. Boy is it bad in the summer though. The younger one hasn't shed one bit yet, but hes not even a year old either. I'm sure I'll start seeing something this coming summer.
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- 11,462
- U.K
- Paganisterr
- Ak Paganister
I just read back about about cat behavior and whether to have more than one or not.
I did worry for a long while whether I should have 2 cats, but I believe as he was a kitten when we brought him home and I would allow him outside to meet other cats and not get as bored, he would be fine. He seems totally fine.
If anything, he seems to be quite attached to me, and quite terrirotal when he goes out the cat flap. He won't let any cat anywhere near the flap. Sometimes he will be staring outside my bedroom window, and then suddenly dash downstairs out the car flap to stand off with them. I don't think he's a bully, but makes me thing introducing another cat in the house now would be harder due to this.
I did worry for a long while whether I should have 2 cats, but I believe as he was a kitten when we brought him home and I would allow him outside to meet other cats and not get as bored, he would be fine. He seems totally fine.
If anything, he seems to be quite attached to me, and quite terrirotal when he goes out the cat flap. He won't let any cat anywhere near the flap. Sometimes he will be staring outside my bedroom window, and then suddenly dash downstairs out the car flap to stand off with them.
I don't think he's a bully, but makes me thing introducing another cat in the house now would be harder due to this.
- 3,764
- Hoboken, New Jersey
My dog, Piglet, a 52 month old Pitbull/Chocolate lab mix.
- 617
- United States
- Boston77Bruins
Carl doesn’t like to play ball, frisbee or stick.
He doesn’t chase things and has a large dislike for water.
Who knew all I needed was for us to get 8 inches of snow. Super rare to see that much in the Portland, OR area.
Carl loves the freakin’ snow!!! Forced him inside last night and this morning.
He was super weirded out by peeing and pooing the first time. Hilarious to watch.
He doesn’t chase things and has a large dislike for water.
Who knew all I needed was for us to get 8 inches of snow. Super rare to see that much in the Portland, OR area.
Carl loves the freakin’ snow!!! Forced him inside last night and this morning.
He was super weirded out by peeing and pooing the first time. Hilarious to watch.
- 8,847
- Ottawa
- Automotive_Buff
I've been obsessing over Rag Dolls for a little over three months now. Seeing all these cats makes me want to go out and get two of them immediately
Need to finish building the house though. Currently there are too many nooks and crannies to safely house cats. We'll see.
Need to finish building the house though. Currently there are too many nooks and crannies to safely house cats. We'll see.
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- 20,681
- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
Sam heading for home, our new gaff is just at the base of the far trees, thanks to moving out of the increasingly-noisy town my mental elf seems like it's never felt better.
And there are puddles. Every puddle gets zoomed (at the very least).
And there are puddles. Every puddle gets zoomed (at the very least).
- 8,847
- Ottawa
- Automotive_Buff
@TenEightyOne So what you're saying is, this is Sam's version of Pokemon. "Puddles! Gotta stomp 'em all!"
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