Are You Ready To Own A Cat?
Owning a cat can be a wonderful thing because they make such great companions for all types of people. If you’re living alone they can be the company you need and they can also make the perfect pet for a family as they love cuddles and attention. But are you ready to own a cat? It might seem simple enough, but there are many things that you should take into consideration and in this article, is going to be a few things to think about before heading out and buying a cat.
Space
Cats love to roam around, regardless of whether they are going to be an indoor or an outdoor cat. If you’re choosing not to let your cat outside, then make sure that your home has plenty of space for them to explore, including little nooks and crannies for them to investigate. Cats are natural predators and their claws are likely to become a problem for your furniture if you don’t provide them with either a scratching post or let them venture outside where the concrete will wear them down.
If you are going to let them explore outside of your home, remember that you will have to introduce them gradually so that they can pick the scent of your home up and find their way around your area. Make sure that they can gain access to your home whenever it’s needed via a catflap or a small open window on the ground floor of your property. This is in case they ever become spooked or it’s simply too cold and wet outside for them to handle.
Another thing to consider is whether you’re going to be training them to do their business outdoors or whether you will have a litter box inside your home. Either way, it needs to be in a private spot and should be cleaned regularly because cats won’t go if there’s too much mess. To train a cat to go outside, it’s wise to put some of their cat litter in a secret place and lead them to it to show them that’s where they should be going.
Healthcare
Like humans, cats need vaccinations and at times can fall ill. This is something you need to consider before getting a cat because these costs can become expensive. It’s always a good idea to get your cat some health insurance which will cover all vaccinations that they need and also help towards the cost of any treatment for illness and injury. Doing this will ensure that if your kitty does fall ill or hurt themselves then you will be able to afford the treatment for them. If you don’t think this is something that you can budget into your life, it might not be the right time to get a cat.
Don’t forget about flea treatment for your cat too. Especially if they are allowed to venture outdoors. They can easily contract fleas from other animals that they encounter. Advecta offer monthly flea treatments that you can buy for your cat which will prevent them ever having to suffer from fleas.
Another thing to consider if you’re getting a female cat is to get them spayed so that they don’t come back home pregnant. There is a massive overpopulation of cats in the world due to careless owners not getting their cat spayed if they don’t want to care for kittens too. Be sure to take this into consideration as the operation can be costly too.
Attention
Like all pets, cats need attention. However, they can be volatile animals if you’re teaching them when they are kittens that scratching is okay. It’s normal for your cat to scratch things, but not you. You need to make sure that when they are a kitten that they are taught not to scratch humans so that when they are older there’s no worry about them scratching humans, especially children.
One good thing about owning a cat is that most of the time they will occupy themselves, especially if they are allowed to venture outside. Unlike dogs, you don’t need to be around every second of the day as long as they have access to food, water, and facilities to go to the bathroom.
Lifespan
You should be taking into consideration that cats can live for up to 20 years so you will need to be sure that you can dedicate that amount of time, love, money and patience into owning a cat. You need to treat having a cat (and any pet for that matter) as having a child in your home. They need all of the love and care that humans need.
Everything you will need
While cats are generally easily pleased, there are many things that you will need to buy for your cat.
To name a few:
- Litter tray and litter for those indoor cats and also colder nights when your cat might not want to go outside, even if only to use the toilet.
- A bed for them to sleep in and go to when they’re feeling spooked or uncomfortable. Make sure that their bed is in a private place so they are able to relax properly. A wound up cat is likely to lash out.
- Toys for them to play with so that they don’t end up destroying your furniture and other belongings. Things that will keep their claws at bay are usually a wise idea and also toys that they can chase are normally a winner all round.
- Food. Make sure that as soon as you get your feline that you establish feeding times, and also that you hide their food away from sight. As it’s so easy for them to get to high places a cupboard is usually the best option.
- Microchip so that you can find your cat if they ever go missing.
- Nail clippers. While they are able to do this naturally, it’s always a good idea to clip their claws every now and then to keep them healthy and not too sharp.
If you’re able to provide all of the above then you’re ready to have a cat in your life. If not, now might not be the time so consider waiting until you’re able to provide them with everything they need.
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