I see far too many people acquiring a cat without having realized what responsibility comes with it.
Animal shelters are full of cats that have been let down and abandoned by their owners.
It makes me angry. If you no longer want your cat, you have to stand by your responsibility and make sure it gets a new home.
If you can not find a new home for your cat, you can pay a small amount to get a shelter to take care of it; just leaving it to its fate is a cowardly act. (end of rant)
Acquiring a new family member should always be well thought out.
All the family members must decide to acquire a cat or two. It is important that everyone agrees with the new family member and takes co-responsibility for the cat’s care and feeding.
If the cat is acquired for the sake of the children in the family, keep in mind that caring for the cat is always the responsibility of the adults. It is the adults in the family who must have time to take care of the cat.
Choosing a cat is not quite the same decision-making process as choosing a dog.
All cats have approximately the same final size, as opposed to dogs. Furthermore, for decades, dogs have been bred with specific goals in mind, such as guarding sheep and retrieving hunters’ prey, etc.
It places greater demands on the choice of a particular breed that suits the family.
All the cats in the world have evolved into one thing, namely catching mice.
Furthermore, the cat lends itself to being the ideal pet and family animal.
When you have a cat, you always have company and someone to talk to and cuddle. The cat has a natural calm that infects even the most restless souls.
It can be incredibly soothing and de-stressing to have a cat in the house.
Sitting with a spinning cat on your lap or lying in your bed and sharing a pillow with a silky soft and warm coat – while humming gently right into your ear quickly displaces everyday stress.
The cat has other virtues such as beauty, charm, humor, playfulness, and a loving mind.
The advantage of the cat is that it is an independent creature that manages to be alone at home, and then it does not have to be exercised like dogs. Choosing a cat is basically about personal taste and preferences.
Should it be a Long-Haired or Short-Haired Cat?
It is essential to clarify how much time you want to spend and have available per day for your cat.
A long-haired cat requires far more care than a short-haired cat.
You should brush a long-haired cat every day so that the coat does not filter. It is rarely necessary to brush short-haired cats, but they think it is nice.
All cats shed, but short-haired cats shed a little more than the long-haired. Be prepared to find cat hair in both clothing and furniture. You can remove the hair with a damp cloth.
Should it be a Purebred Cat or a Domestic Cat?
Before choosing a cat, it is a good idea to consider whether you “just” want a pet cat or whether you want an exhibition cat. If you’re going to exhibitions with your cat, you must choose a purebred cat with a pedigree.
There are many different purebred cats, and they all have their very own appearance and character.
The advantage of choosing a purebred cat is that you have a good guideline for temperament, size, and appearance; you do not have that when you select a domestic cat.
Some cat breeds are very active, and others are just the opposite. Some breeds are large others are small. And some breeds require more care than others.
However, there is no rule without exception, but one can say that the long-haired cats often have a calm and mild temperament, whereas the short-haired cats are more lively.
Here it is crucial to think about whether the cat has the opportunity to get outside and have all his “hunting-prey” instincts stimulated or whether the cat should live indoors in an apartment. If the latter is the case, it places greater demands on you regarding activation and stimulation.
A pet cat can be any cat. An ordinary domestic cat is significantly cheaper than a purebred cat and is generally more robust.
You can get an idea of a domestic cat’s temperament by comparing its appearance with purebred cats.
If the domestic cat has the same slightly heavy body shape as a Persian, it will be calm, but if it is slimmer and streamlined, it will probably be an active cat that needs a lot of stimulation.
Should it be a Male or Female Cat?
The male cat generally has a broader head and is more powerful than the female cat, which is slimmer.
If you have an intact male cat, the sexually mature male cat will urinate inside, and it smells horrible.
A non-sterilized female cat will make noise and attract the male cats when she is at maturity approximately every three weeks.
It is a great advantage to have the cat neutralized before sexual maturity, and then it will be no matter whether it is a male or female cat you choose.
Where to Buy the Cat?
You can buy breed cats from registered breeders.
You can find domestic cats through advertisements in the daily press or at animal shelters.
Breed cats often have a hefty price tag, while domestic cats are either given away or sold cheaply.
If you visit a place where you do not think the cats are being treated well or have proper conditions, do not buy a cat there. Go somewhere else.
For kittens, it is true that the better imprinted and socialized they are on other cats, humans, and children in their first 12 weeks of life, the better the attachment to humans. It gives you what you want, namely the perfect pet.
At animal shelters, you can also buy adult cats.
The adult cat does not make as many accidents as a little kitten filled with lots of games.
You have the opportunity to see the adult cat’s temperament and assess whether it fits into the family. The cats are health checked by a veterinarian at the animal shelters, which provides extra security with the purchase.
Should We Choose More Cats?
Happiness is one cat in the house, and two cats are just double happiness.
In particular, cats will benefit greatly from each other if acquired at the same time. And you do not need to have a bad conscience if you are away all day because their social needs are met by each other.
Have you first seen and experienced how the cats play together and how they can lie curled up in the same chair while everything breathes peace – then you are in no doubt whether you should always have several cats together.
You can contact your veterinarian if you doubt choosing the right breed or about disease aspects within the selected breed. Once you have purchased the cat, it is vital to have it checked and vaccinated at 12 and 16 weeks of age.
