Thinking of adopting a kitten/cat. Teach me!

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Then I guess I'm a giant fat piece of shit. All three of mine have the fronts declawed and their balls chopped off. Guess what? My furniture is pristine now and they fucking LOVE life. I've never seen any other cats acts like such dogs, as my three do. Hell, I play fetch with my smallest, just like a puppy.

If its an indoor cat, declawing is fine IMO. Its when they are indoor/outdoor cats is when you basically fuck them for protecting themselves outdoors.

 

[DEEZUZ]

Then I guess I'm a giant fat piece of shit.

Join the club I guess. ...

 

[Spivitz]

Love my cat, no more skunk in the back yard or holes from the chipmunks.
Added bonus, have not seen one mouse dropping since we got her

 

[Spivitz]

 

[pajamasam]

That is awesome, that is the type we are looking for. Short haired with stripes or spots.

 

[syP]

Someone post the link to the crazy cat dads thread.

 

[Stink Star]

If its an indoor cat, declawing is fine IMO. Its when they are indoor/outdoor cats is when you basically fuck them for protecting themselves outdoors.

No it's actually not. The declawing isn't just removing the claws. It's removing the last digit of their toes and since cats walk on their toes you change the geometry of how they walk, not to mention the possibility of terrible nerve pain.


Source: thepawproject.com


People wonder why the cat shits outside the litter box, think about cutting the tips of your fingers off and crawling through gravel

 

[pajamasam]

All the adoption places keep telling us that we need to get two kittens/cats. Why?

We were only thinking one,

 

[Mook]

Cats are definitely better off in pairs. I regret not getting one of Hobbes' brothers all the time.

 

[Euro]

They definitely are. I was against it at first, but our first cat Wrigley is a lot happier(and healthier physically) after he has had a playmate.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

All the adoption places keep telling us that we need to get two kittens/cats. Why?

We were only thinking one,

Probably helps prevent boredom too

 

[skeezer]

Adopt a male kitten that's already fixed.

Helping Paws Animal Shelter Home

 

[Flyn]

If cats don't have something to do, they will find something to do. Putting another cat in the house gives them something other than destruction to focus on.

 

[skeezer]

Get other things for your cat to scratch other than your furniture.

After a few years the cat is going to be sleeping most of the time anyways if you're not around.

 

[wombat]

Good info in here so far. I will never declaw a cat again after owning one with claws that uses his less than the one that IS front declawed. My front declawed cat has clawed up our furniture more than the one with all 4 claws. The reason why? She loves to put her toy under the couch and get it out, that's all great and dandy. Until she pushes it too far in and can't use her CLAWS to grab it, she's learned to reach further in using her back claws to give her that extra push to reach behind it and bring it toward her. If she had her front claws, she wouldn't have to reach the extra distance.

 

[Mook]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000634MH8/?tag=tcg21-20

Get that. My cat loves it and its great for deterring scratching elsewhere.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

We had a kitten for about 2 years before finding another and decided to keep it. It calmed our other cat waaaay down and they'll play/chase/fight each other and tire themselves out. 2 cats aren't really any harder than 1. Just 1 more litter box, food bowl and water bowl.

 

[Flyn]

Also, make sure the cats get along BEFORE you take them. Having two cats that hate each other is not fun. My parents had three cats when I was a kid and two of them could not stand each other. It was not pretty when they would fight.

 

[DEEZUZ]

That's not always a viable option either. ..it can take awhile before they start to act out especially if food aggressive or territorial.

I never said i agreed with declawing, I simply stated that if it was a choice between death or no claws, I'd choose declawing. Also stated their are plenty of cats out there that already have it done. Chances are they are going to be alot older and if OP is looking for a young one to raise, then I guess that is his choice.

Half of our cats are declawed, prior to our ownership of course, and never ever do they go outside the box unless we are gone for 3 days or more and someone doesn't stop by to clean the boxes...

Also for cat boxes, look into the omega. Find it on amazon. Roll it, hit it, and empty the bin..

 

[PJx5x]

I went through this earlier this year. I ended up adoption two kittens (4 months old maybe), and am very happy they talked me into that. They play with each other and are pretty calm, dont destroy shit, etc. Only bad thing they do is eat any food on the counter.

I would recommend these:


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005E2S77C/?tag=tcg21-20

So easy to clean, and doesnt smell.


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000L3XYZ4/?tag=tcg21-20

Keeps water fresh and I only have to add water every week or two. They love aerated and moving water. I put it on a cheap outlet timer I had from xmas lights so it doesnt run all the time.


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018N38P2/?tag=tcg21-20

Mine really like these compressed cardboard scratching boards. They destroyed that triangle base for it so I threw it away. But the stacked corrogated things is perfect, dump a little catnip on it once in a while and my furniture is doing great.

 

[zenriddles]

They definitely are. I was against it at first, but our first cat Wrigley is a lot happier(and healthier physically) after he has had a playmate.

Did you name it Comiskey?

Might have as well, as adding any other cat in my 'wife's' house has worked out. Our (HER) cat will not tolerate another in the building. Period.
But it WILL play with pet dogs, rats, birds, ferrets, and just about any other thing we have dragged home over the last 1/5th century.

Any cat/kitten added to the clan has been treated poorly by her cat from day one and has to go.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

That's not always a viable option either. ..it can take awhile before they start to act out especially if food aggressive or territorial.

I never said i agreed with declawing, I simply stated that if it was a choice between death or no claws, I'd choose declawing. Also stated their are plenty of cats out there that already have it done. Chances are they are going to be alot older and if OP is looking for a young one to raise, then I guess that is his choice.

Half of our cats are declawed, prior to our ownership of course, and never ever do they go outside the box unless we are gone for 3 days or more and someone doesn't stop by to clean the boxes...

Also for cat boxes, look into the omega. Find it on amazon. Roll it, hit it, and empty the bin..

You for sure did initially

Declaw the fronts, not the rears. Household cats don't need front claws for anything. Rear claws are needed for scratching themselves

 

[Euro]

Did you name it Comiskey?

Nah, I wouldn't want anything south side baseball in my house. The girl is Gracie

 

[pajamasam]

Female vs male. Make any difference?

Reading only sounds like a male might be better

 

[Mook]

I dont think it makes a difference unless youre getting two. Ive always heard two females could be trouble. Just like real women, amirite?