Need to know if cats are right for me :)

[Kammi_sparky123]

I have never owned a cat, but know people who have them so I just have a few questions as to if they would be right for me!

I have two dogs but would get a kitten but as long as I'm careful I'm sure this would be okay?

How many toys/beds/scratching posts do they need? Do they smell at all? Are they destructive?

How much are they for food and vets bills/insurance?

Usual stuff!

Plus pics would be nice!

ETA: oh also what's the opinion on having indoor cats?

[fecto's mum]

We have 6 cats and 4 dogs. The dogs are lurchers and a terrier. We have always been very careful when introducing a new cat or kitten into the house and have never left them unsupervised until we are sure that the cats are safe. Our youngest kitten, Huggins, is 5 months old and plays with our youngest lurcher, Tess, who is 8 months old. I have 4 litter trays inside and one outside. They all have different diets. Our cats are destructive, our furniture is old and scratched even though we have 3 scratching posts and 2 scratch boxes. Big Foozy's food is expensive because he has to have a grain free diet and cheap cat food upsets his tummy. The others have a mix of wet and dry food with a cooked chicken every week. Yes they do smell when using the tray for a poo but all ours are neutered toms so they don't smell like tom cats. We have been very lucky with vets bills and they are not insured. It's good you are thinking of every eventuality, hope you find the right kitten. I would recommend a rescue centre. All ours are rescues.

[Velvet]

We have eight cats all indoors. They have an outside cat run attached to the house which they gain access to through a cat flap. We have always had Boxers, now just one Boxer having sadly lost our girl in Dec

Very careful introductions as little kittens very vunerable & easily hurt.

Cats are very clean animals & dont smell like some dogs get a 'doggy odour'

Neuter/spay. Unneutered male pee is very strong. Keep kittens indoors until 6 months then spay/neuter & microchip. Some vets will spay/neuter earlier.

[Velvet]

Our little Boxer now at Rainbow bridge with our Calico

Our Kitten hugging Harvey

Our little white cat comforting Katie when she wasn't feeling well

Katie with her fluffy white cat Jac. He has been so upset from she passed. They were so close

[timber-]

I think if you are thinking of getting a kitten, I would highly recommend getting 2 kittens. I found that they keep out of much trouble because they are too busy playing with each other until they are so tired and crash. I guess it could also depend on their personalities. I am lucky that for the most part, they don't cause too much trouble. If you were to go rescue way, it would be great since the kittens are in foster homes and they will have a better picture on temperament and such.

My dogs have never been around cats at all, but did very well with accepting them into the family. That being said, I was always around and never left them unsupervised. My dogs also don't have a prey drive so made integrating that much easier. It is very possible to introduce a kitten, just take your time and don't rush.

My boys have a cat tree and a scratching post in the living room right beside the couch. They scratch that instead of the people couch. Cheddar has never scratched the furniture but Devon has to the dog couches. He doesn't do it very often though.

The more litter boxes the better. I have 2, one in the pet room (formerly the dining room) and one in the laundry room. Never had any accidents, even when they were 8 weeks old and younger.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your search.

[Kammi_sparky123]

Thanks for the replies!

In having a hit of a read up I think it would be best if I got two kittens instead of one!

I do already have two dogs so would be hugely careful to start with.

I mentioned before about indoor cats, but in thinking about it I'm not on a busy street and there are fields near by! How do you know they will come back though?

Also if I get two kittens would it then be double the cost of everything? Beds, litter trays, food and water bowls etc?

Where about do you have their litter trays and food bowls where the dogs don't get to it?

[timber-]

I personally keep mine as indoor only. I also live on a relatively quiet rural road but that doesn't mean they can't get hurt. My dog was recently killed by a passing car, so don't have a false sense of security. There are still risks no matter where you are. Plus indoor cats don't have the risks of getting into fights, getting sick from other outdoor cats, or even getting pregnant or impregnating another cat, there are already too many cats out there to add to it. This is only my opinion so take it with a grain of salt.

Yes having 2 kittens is double the costs, there are boosters and rabies and spay/neuter, food, etc. But they are much cheaper than dogs in that respect.

Since I have dogs, the kittens eat on daily a schedule. As for the litter box, boy did I have an issue with one of them raiding it. I had to slowly turn the litter box an inch at a time until the entrance was eventually facing the wall. I know the dogs can easily turn it back around but they haven't done that as of yet and it's been months. The 2nd litter box is in the laundry room tucked beside the fridge and it's a little harder for the dogs to get into it. The litter boxes I use are the covered ones with the flap door. I also have a half door leading from the kitchen to the laundry room and cut out a cat sized hole where they can go in and out of.

[fecto's mum]

I have the litter trays upstairs where the dogs don't go. The cats sleep anywhere they want really. When we shop at Sainsbury's I put the stuff in a box instead of using bags, (they have a pile of these at the checkouts). I get blankets or beds from Home Bargains, (£4.99) and put them in the boxes. I can stack the boxes up too like bunk beds. Scratching posts from the same place are £4.99 instead of £15 at Pets at Home. All our cats are neutered but I don't vaccinate, they don't mix with other cats, 3 were already vacced when I got them. Animals don't have to be mega expensive to keep. If I shopped at Pets at Home and places like it I couldn't afford to feed mine. I shop on the internet and buy food on offer. We buy chickens when they are reduced in price and freeze them. They get a cooked chicken every week as a supplement. My dried food works out at £2.60 a kg and it suits Big Fooze. It's up to you how much you spend. All our animals are well fed and very healthy and fit but we shop around.