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Thread: Pets

  1. #1
    God/dess Bella21's Avatar
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    Default Pets

    I'm looking for general opinions or suggestions here...

    I want a cat. I've never had a cat since my mom is allergic and I knew that she'd take it as an insult if I got one since she wouldn't be able to come to my place. This is why I got a ferret instead of a cat. I've had the ferret for... maybe three years now. So, now that I live 40 minutes away and my brothers and sister have moved out, she's slightly less clingy and never wants to come over. This means that I can get a cat, woo hoo!

    Okay, so here are my issues... I already have a ferret. Pets are a huge commitment and I don't want her to feel bad staring at me watching TV with my cat through her cage bars (because cats will hang out with you, unlike ferrets who need to be watched constantly). Also, while I adore kittens, I'm not sure that I'm up to another hyper animal running around and scratching things (I like my sofa) and getting into who even knows what. So, I had been considering an old cat. Like, adopting an old mellow cat that only has a few years to live so it's this chill furry thing, yanno? However, even if I have it for a couple of years, I'm afraid of the heartbreak that will come in the soonish future when it would die... and would it get along with my ferret? My ferret is very friendly to every animal and person she's ever met, but I'm worried about a cat who is set in it's ways coming across some strange animal that it would have to live with. I live by myself in a one bedroom apartment so I could put the cat in the bedroom and close the door while the ferret gets it's daily exersize/ run around and play time in the living room. Or... if it they dynamic was ok, the cat could just sit on the kitchen counter while the ferret ran around. But, when I'm out or the cage is locked up, how would they feel?

    I've never had a cat. How much trouble am I looking at, here?
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  2. #2
    Banned cherry_sin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    Cats are generally pretty mellow. Look around on craigslist for cats that have been with other animals. Ask if you can bring your ferret. Someone who truly wants their animal to go to a good home will not mind if you want to ensure that your animal gets along with theirs.

    Some cats are mellow even as kittens. They all have personalities all their own. Even younger cats, if you get one with a docile disposition, will mellow and do the chill thing.

    Not to mention, cats are trainable. I do not care what anyone says - I have six, all rescues. They play fetch, sit on command, open doors, roll over and play dead. It just takes a lot of time, effort and patience. So getting an older cat shouldnt be a big deal. You might not be able to train her to like the ferret, but you can train her to be calm and non-aggressive around the ferret.

  3. #3
    Veteran Member Toki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    cats aren't too much work. mine mostly wanders around the house all day doing his own thing or sleeps.. he can be cuddly but he's not particularly. i agree with cherry_sin - definitely find a cat that's good around other animals. the best place for that is probably your local animal shelter.

  4. #4
    ajbaer
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    Default Re: Pets

    Check out your local shelter. Many of those animals are up to date on vaccines, well socialized with other animals, and some are already declawed. You'll get a good gauge for their attitude also if you spend some quality time there

  5. #5
    Banned cherry_sin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    I would like to add, though, that a one home cat that you know the history of is a better way to learn about cats than one from the shelter. Regardless of the story you may hear or read on their kennel card, you don't know what that cat has been through.

    PLEASE if you get a cat from a shelter, commit to it, and have vet resources and cat experts (particularly a shelter worker or someone from the humane society) on hand.

    I've worked in shelters and in the field as a field rescue tech. The situations I have picked up cats in were appalling. I've fostered and rehabilitated more cats than I care to count and I assure you odds are good in a shelter that you will get a cat that needs rehabilitation.

    I encourage everyone to adopt from a shelter, but please know your animal and have the resources on hand if you do. A good first cat is NOT one that may have been abused. You need to know normal behavior, establish a good relationship with a vet, and learn about how you yourself react to training, caring for, and socializing a cat before you take on one that may have physical or emotional problems.

  6. #6
    Featured Member iambonbon05's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    I have both and IMO a cat is much easier to care for. Also they get along pretty well. The ferret chases the cat, after a while cat gets pissed, cat leaves. Always supervise of course.

    My suggestion would be to start with fostering a cat (granted there's usually more kittens that need fostering I think). That way if one doesn't quite work out, you've still done a good thing and can keep looking for another. It's kitty season and animal shelters will be full and would really appreciate it.
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    God/dess Bella21's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    The craigslist advice was great! I sent out a couple of emails. Some people were just looking for someone to "foster" their cat/ aka, give it a home since they were forced to part with it, but aren't ready for the commitment. I'm able to ask them about how they get along with other animals... like ferrets. I'm proceeding with caution, though. Ferrets are illegal in CA.

    Look what I found, though! He's perfect!
    http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/pet/645342307.html
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    Featured Member la429's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    I've never had a ferret but I would be afraid that your potential cat might try to attack your ferret. Cats are hunters. Maybe a kitten would be a good choice since it can get used to the ferret. Not sure though. Doesn't sound like a good mix though.

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    Featured Member PuertoRicanPinup's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    Quote Originally Posted by Bella21 View Post

    Look what I found, though! He's perfect!
    http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/pet/645342307.html
    He's super cute!
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  10. #10
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    Default Re: Pets

    cherry_sin is right.

    be prepared to put some time in with the cat initially when you get it.

    otherwise, i heart you heaps for going with an older cat.... it's why i'm keen on adopting the mother cat i am fostering now.. she's 2 years old.. a good age IMO... even tho' i was ready/willing to take on a "senior" cat... as we already have a "senior" cat in this household.


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  11. #11
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    Default Re: Pets

    I adopted an older cat, and she's my love!! I wanted a cuddly, snuggly cat, and she's just what I got.

  12. #12
    OdysseusNJ
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    Default Re: Pets

    Cats are about as low maintenance as pets get aside from goldfish - especially older cats (kittens do take a bit of work). The most time consuming part of a cat's life in terms of care is the first year, with vaccinations and neutering and such. Cherry_sin is right in that a lot of shelter cats have special needs, but I want to add that a lot - probably the majority IMO - are really just nice normal cats who had some bad luck and were abandoned. By adopting an older cat from a shelter you are helping an animal that is unlikely to find a great home (there is a huge glut of homeless adult cats) and also relieving a bit of strain on an organization that is probably stretched to the limit (most shelters are overburdened and underfunded). Some shelters have a give back policy - they will refund the fee and take the animal back within 2 or 4 weeks if they are not working out. No one should feel bad about taking advantage of this - it's to encourage folks like you, who have unpredictable variables like whether the cat and ferret will get along, to at least feel comfortable giving a cat a chance. If it doesn't work out, well at least they had a chance and are no worse off. If you have a friend who is really good with cats, bring him/her along, some folks can gauge cat personalites very well even in strained environments like shelters.

    Also, many good shelters have another give back requirement - if for any reason you have to give up the pet (after the 2 week period) you need to give it back to them rather than abandon it (for instance like that CL poster whose new BF/GF had allergies). This is to help reduce cats abandoned on the streets. A good shelter should also have some advice about which of their cats are likely to get along with other animals.


    Good luck with that link, he's a cutie. Keep shelters in mind if it doesn't work out.

    On a side note, does anyone else think that it's weird they are charging a fee since it's obviously just some person giving away their pet. If they've had him for years, they should be more concerned with finding a great home than recouping a pittance compared to what they've spent on him over that time.

  13. #13
    God/dess GoldCoastGirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pets

    Quote Originally Posted by OdysseusNJ View Post
    Cats are about as low maintenance as pets get aside from goldfish - especially older cats (kittens do take a bit of work).
    I disagree. I wanted a low maintenance pet at one point before I realised how I just like cats and was advised about purchasing a python. Rats are slightly less low maintenance.

    Hermit crabs are actually require more maintenance than I thought they would require ...

    Cats are a 'moderate' maintenance pet as they still require daily feeding, kitty litter duties, and so on and so forth.



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  14. #14
    OdysseusNJ
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    Default Re: Pets

    Quote Originally Posted by GoldCoastGirl View Post
    I disagree. I wanted a low maintenance pet at one point before I realised how I just like cats and was advised about purchasing a python. Rats are slightly less low maintenance.

    Hermit crabs are actually require more maintenance than I thought they would require ...

    Cats are a 'moderate' maintenance pet as they still require daily feeding, kitty litter duties, and so on and so forth.

    Fair enough. Much lower than dogs or parrots though, and personally I prefer cleaning litterboxes to cleaning cages or fishtanks.

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