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Must read before you have a cat
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A cat can live for 10-20 years – can you take responsibility for it if you move or your family situation changes?
Do the people you live with want a cat too?
If you are renting an apartment or house, are there rules on whether you can have a cat?
Do you have enough space for a cat to move around properly?
Are you prepared to adjust your home so that it is suitable for a cat?
Apart from the purchase of the cat, can you afford to pay for the insurance, food, bowls, toys, tree/scratch post, castration of the cat and veterinary care if needed (insurance does not cover everything)?
If you work full-time, can you take time off work to visit the vet if your cat gets sick?
Do you have enough time to spend with your cat, or do you have lots of other hobbies demanding your time when you are not working?
What is your opinion on tufts of cat hair all over the floor, are they cute or disgusting?
Will you clean up after your cat when it has vomited or pooped accidentally on the floor, in your bed or on the fine carpet?
Are you prepared to wipe your cats behind when it has diarrhea and its fur is full of poop?
Are you or is anyone in your family allergic to cats? It takes more than a short visit to the breeder to see if you are allergic to cats.
If you have young children, will you teach them to be careful with the cat? A living animal is not a child’s toy! Children can, out of foolishness, without meaning any harm, be very cruel to it. Young children do not understand that they have to be nice and careful with a mischievous cat. It is always the grown-up’s responsibility to teach children how to handle a cat.
If you are going on vacation, who will look after your cat?
Do you have other pets and if so can you see to it that they all live secure and safely
Can you accept that a cat often does what it likes? You can not train it to obey like a dog.
Buying a cat means that you take responsibility for a living creature that will be depending on you for a long time. A domestic cat cannot live without your protection. Feral cats, or domestic cats gone feral, have a hard and short life. You will have to be prepared for your cat to live with you for 10-20 years.
Whether you buy a pedigree cat or a domestic cat, the cost of keeping it is still the same. Cat litter and food are recurrent expenses.
The cat’s need for nourishment is different than that of humans; they cannot survive on a diet where the main source of food is left overs from our own tables. Sure, they can have a taste now and then, but for it to stay healthy and feel well the cat needs an all-round food specially made for its needs. There are many good quality foods to choose from, and the cat will often choose which one it prefers.
A cat should be vaccinated regularly for FCV, FHV and FPV, and in some countries rabies. Follow the recommendations given by your veterinarian so that you know your cat has a satisfactory protection. Also have the vet do a health check on your cat while you are there.
The cat is usually a very healthy animal, but in spite of that accidents can happen. In these instances, it is good to have insurance to cover veterinary care. Consulting a vet in case of sickness or accidents costs a lot of money, and it is terrible to have to deny your cat proper treatment due to the costs.
Thus, there is a lot to think about before buying a cat, but all the extra energy and care you put into thinking about it increases the chances of a good start and a good life for you and your new little cat.