I want to get a cat

[Blarg]

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I would definitely go the shelter route, although the whole, my cat had kittens and they're free thing is appealing too. Depending on the shelter you can get a cat for an adoption fee of around $50. Depending on the shelter, the kitty may need to go to the vet for a checkup and some shots. Prolly another $100 or so.

As far as boys pissing on everything, that's not necessarily true. Many hold that male cats are more friendly than the females, and in my experience its true. If you do go the kitten/ young cat route and you're out a lot, getting 2 maybe something to look into if they're used to each other or from the same litter. Kittens need someone to play/interact with.

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A lot of people say male cats are friendlier. I've had mostly female cats, as has my family, but we've had a few males too, and I've found all the males very friendly. There may really be some truth to that.

If you do get males, though, you'll have to cut their nuts off, which I find difficult. Otherwise they will spray their surroundings, and the whatever it is that they put into their piss smells WAY way worse than just piss -- it's like something from another planet. You have to do the nut-clipping early, though, or the behavior is there even when the nuts are not.

Strangely, not all males do this. For instance, neither of the two male persians my family raised did that, but the one male persian I got when he was a little older from another owner did do that. You're flipping a coin whether your pad will be hellaciously stinky if you don't get their nuts chopped.

[mason55]

Just don't let it get outside [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Paluka]

Buying a cat from a breeder is borderline disgusting. There are a million kittens just sitting in shelters hoping to be adopted. We adopted 2 cats last year and it is one of the best thing I have ever done. They are really amazing. I really suggest finding 2 kittens that have been living together in a shelter and get along and adopting them together. Having two is a bit more of a pain, but they keep each other entertained and this keeps them from scratching/breaking/shitting on your stuff. And for the love of god, do not have them declawed. If you want declawed cats, shelters will almost always have cats up for adoption that someone else declawed already.

[Cancer Merchant]

$50 for a fixed kitten with shots, from my local SPCA.

Yeah, get used to odd and bad smells, not only the usual but also the nasty stuff from the anal glands (like a skunk, but less so). Cats are nocturnal, get used to waking up at 4am when it wants to play, or have a room you can put it in at night.

Single indoor cats get bored. Either get two, or get used to shredded window shades, books, and papers.

[Pirc Defense]

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nuts chopped.

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I'll thank you to never say this phrase again.

[Dominic]

go to your local animal shelter and adopt one. you'll love your little kitty....i've got 3 cats and just adopted a dog...

pets are great. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Blarg]

I agree on not getting them declawed. A lot of people try to portray it as just digging out the nail buds, but that's not how it's done.

They chop off the first digit of each toe.

Of course, this makes it very painful for the cat to walk for quite a while and can easily lead to infections, and means if they get outside they are helpless, since they not only can't claw to keep other animals away, they can't climb up a tree to escape or even run as well as they should.

Declawing is extremely barbaric and cruel.

That said, get your cat a scratching post and make sure it knows where it is. Running its claws along it may make it take to it right away.

[billyjex]

throughout my life until i left for college we always had a couple cats around, so i'm used to any strange odors for the most part. of course, that was in a big house, but i think i can live with it.

getting two cats is an interesting idea, i'll have to think about it. i was considering declawing but it sounds like a definete no no.

[lu_hawk]

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I didn't know you were a girl? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

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I do like dogs more, however, there's no way my apartment could support one.

But they're so cute#$#

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95% of dogs will sleep all day and run around when you take them out. so if you want a dog just get one.

2 kittens is way too messy.

You want 1 male. Males are smarter and more affectionate. They are pretty cheap too.