I want to get a cat

[billyjex]

I need a little buddy to kick it with while I sloth away in my one bedroom apartment playing a card game and watching TV. My place isn't that big, but I think it's got enough room for a house cat. How much can I expect to spend getting one? Any reccomendations, warnings? Should I spend the money for a pet store cat or pick up a free one that is offered in a classified?

[Los Feliz Slim]

You can very easily get a cat for free or for a small donation from an animal rescue or shelter. You will need to spend some money at the vet for spaying/neutering, shots, etc. IIRC it's in the $200-$400 neighborhood for everything, and that was from a very fancy vet.

Get a girl cat, boys piss on everything to mark their territory. If you think you can handle two cats I recommend it, and you could get siblings.

[cdxx]

get a 1-year old from a shelter if you can. they usually have all their shots and are spayed/neutered, but noone wants them since they are too old.

also get used to the smell of cat piss.

[jakethebake]

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

[gorie]

have you looked at petfinder.com ?

[billyjex]

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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#$#@

[hyde]

cats are excellent. and easy. low maintenence. unlike dogs they will not tear up valuable stuff when you decide to stop for a beer after work.
dry food only. the wet stuff stinks. and you need to feed them more often as it gets disgusting after being out for a while.
you can go away for days if you leave them a mound of dry food.
and with a good litter box there isn't any smell at all.

and if things get tough, they taste like chicken....

[cdxx]

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cats are excellent. and easy. low maintenence.

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for the most part. my gf just got one a couple of months ago. he still stinks. we have a closed litter box with filters, but it doesn't get rid of everything.

also, kittens get diarhea from everything. any sort of stress (car trips, shots, another cat, a change in their diet, skin conditions) causes it. then they sh*t the wet stuff onto their tails and run around like it's nothing. it's f'ing disgusting.

[itsmesteve]

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.

[Blarg]

Get a short-haired cat. Me and my family growing up had plenty of Persians, and they have fantastic temperaments and are perfect apartment cats, as well as incredibly beautiful, but their coats require a huge amount of maintenance, and the down hairs they have(something most cats don't) make for nasty tangles that can easily wind up ripping their own skin off them when they move. You need some serious love of daily maintenance to keep those cats in good condition.

So get a shorthair. If you buy off a breeder, always ask to see the whole litter and the mother. ANY type of hiding means a bad breeder and probably sick cats; she should be proud to show the mom and family. Get a written receipt! And get an agreement where you can exchange the cat if it is not found healthy by a vet within the first week. Then of course IMMEDIATELY take it to a vet, that day or the next. Kittens die very quickly, and you don't want to give that a chance to happen.

Try to get a cat no younger than 6 to 8 weeks. They need that time to build up on mother's milk and get some strength and survivability built in. They'll still be tiny, but they won't be as likely to just suddenly up and die on you. 8 weeks is pretty optimal.

You actually don't want to get ones that are very old, because socialization is very critical in cats. If early socialization periods are not utilized, they close up and are gone forever, and the animal will always have a harder time from then on relating to people.

You want them to get plenty of human attention and early on, and that just doesn't happen with pet shops, shelters, or breeders, despite their best intentions. They just have too many cats, and frankly many breeders and shop owners don't even like their animals that much and just isolate them or keep them in cages. Get them old enough to be able to wean(get eating solid food and off mother's milk) but young enough to start their human socialization early.

If you can stand it, getting a sibling is an excellent idea. Cats can enjoy each other's company immensely, and it gives them a lot more mental stimulation to have another cat to bounce off of, so to speak. Siblings usually get along very well, so that's a good way to do it -- all at once. It will also ease their transition to their new home to have someone familiar with them. They'll still bond to you just fine, though. Kittens love warmth and comfort and play, and will be all over you within at most a couple of days after you get them. You'll be the new mom and they'll be underfoot all the time -- half the problem is they love you so much you're always in danger of stepping on them, seriously. You've got to really keep an eye out big time!

If you are interested in this or that breed, I would check out some of the big cat organizations, as different breeds have VERY different personalities. Picking one just for looks can be very bad news, as the look you like may be a poor match for your lifestyle and personality. Some breeds are incredibly active, for instance, and would drive many people up the wall. One of my favorite breeds, abysinnians, are like that, as I recall. Super cute and they will destroy your house! Not as good an idea as it may seem. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

You can also find lots of books on cats in the remainder sections of bookstores like B.Dalton. Many will have great advice, and help you narrow in on what breed you may want.

Of course, if you get a shelter stray or the kind that's given away outside the supermarket, it's just a roll of the dice. But that still often works out, and those cats will probably die if someone doesn't lend a hand. Up to you.