TakingCharge999

I called the woman that provides some alternative remedies to me. She mentioned a small, beautiful kitty arrived to her home from the street and remembered I said I always dreamed of having a cat.

I would love to have a pet!! but I am worried it will scratch the furniture as it is not mine, I rent the place. It is a female and she said they are more tranquil... what do cat owners have to say? I have no idea how to take care of one.... this woman owns 3 so I will ask her tomorrow...

Boogs

I have 2 of them. I think if the furniture isn't yours you will need to get permission from your landlord first. All cats are different and very stubborn and strong willed in my experience. Having said that I wouldn't be without my buggers. There are ways to stop them scratching furniture, spraying water at them etc. Nothing works with mine but I own my furnture so am not that bothered.

Still Waters

They sell scratch thingys now, that my cats LOVE. My female was the easiest to train on it also. If they scratch elsewhere, you can lightly squirt them with a mist of water out of a spray bottle, cats learn very very quickly that way.

Go for it!

Impurrfect

I have had cats for years and years. The ones I've had since they were kittens, I trained with the water bottle - a little mist of water when they tried to scratch the furniture, and they stopped doing it.

If you are renting where you live, I would make sure you have your landlord's permission. No way I would risk getting the kitty, falling in love, then finding out I couldn't keep her.

Cats are pretty easy to keep...food, water, and litter box, which all you have to do is show them where it is. My 3 have totally different personalities, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

Bernadette

4 cats over the years...currently 2 - 1 male & 1 female-
they have destroyed this one chair - just this one arm of this one chair!!! I used the water mist when I saw them do it but we are busy and in and out all day/night long so I guess there was no consistency! I kinda gave up that chair to them. Small price actually! They also love their scratching posts - I have 2 and I put some catnip on them from time to time which they love.

Also if I keep their front claws trimmed - like once a week they rarely scratch - but again - I'm not consistent and then they need to scratch!

Cats are goofy, warm, entertaining and independent - I love 'em....hope it works out for you!
b

coyote21

We have one 20 pounder, black, male...no claws, no balls. I call him the most mutilated cat on the block. I kid with the kid that we should get a white cat, so that no matter what we wear, the cat hair will show.

Got him from the shelter, we thought he was grown. He was a "normal" cat size. Turns out he was about 6 mts old! He picked us, I love him and he sleeps between my legs every night. Maybe he misses his...oh never mind.

He never cared for axw, shows what good taste in humans he has. I know, I was bad.

I highly recommend pets, they get us out of ourselves, and love us unconditionally. Well except for cats. Just kidding!

Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

CNMC2C

I rescued my guy from the pound. He is 15 pounds of lean, mean cat machine He steals my ponytail holders and hides them from me. The count of missing ponytail holders is now up to 33. I hit the jackpot one day and found one of his hiding places, which had 20 black ponytail holders all piled up. He makes me smile on a daily basis. He is the King of the Castle and lets me know it every morning when he wakes me up with his daily 7AM meowing serenade. LUV MY FUR BABY!

TakingCharge999

I just asked my landlord via SMS..

I dont think he will allow me, and I understand why, but well does not hurt to ask.

Better know now and don't get my hopes up! will have to wait until I get my own home (year 2080 approx)

I told him I would trim the claws and put it gloves....... not sure he will be convinced I told him if he says No, I understand and no hard feelings...

I read cats help people with depression... and all your comments made me want one even more

Boogs

Lol. One of cats is a ho who throws herself over everyone but my boy really didn't like my ex. He is so much more relaxed now he has gone. My boy is obviously a good judge of character.

coyote21

Bummer.

We are in a tiny 1br apt and LMC wants a dog so bad she can taste it. My motto, "never pick up warm dog poo with a plastic bag".

Back when I was still a beginner at this "daddying" thing, I sort of, kind of, promised her she could have a dog as soon as we got another house. Told her we would probably be outta of here by the time she was 8yo. Well guess who's turning 8 next week and whose dad hasn't gotten us a house yet.

I learned a very valuable lesson here, parents shouldn't EVER promise anything unless they are 100% sure and it's etched in stone. Then they still probably shouldn't promise. 8 year olds don't really care about circumstances, old cars, the economy, etc. Dad, YOU PROMISED! Damn.

Sorry about your kitty.

Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

coyote21

Animals are so much more tuned into stuff than we are. At one point during the "trudging through hell" years, I decided to use the cat as an emotional barometer of the "feel" of the room. When he would get up and walk out, so would I. I am dead serious.

Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

Still Waters

Mine steals hairties too. LOL.

MeHandle

Coyote and TC,

You know, there are dogs that don't have to be trained to potty outside but can be trained inside. This of course would be the really little dogs. Just like a cat you make sure the door is left open in the space set aside for use of the facilities. Minature Pomarinies, minitue poodles, yorkies,...etc. One of the nice advantages of the really small dog is they always seem like a puppy.

I am sure an internet search would bring up the "smallest dog breeds." Now the mixes are popular to so that you can have a non shedding dog. Hmmm..."smallest dog breeds or mixes that do not shed" = Google.

I love research. Coyote I could help find a puppy like this. TC your out, your in another country and I don't know which one it is....:-) hen there is always a bird, which is better then gold fish.:-)

MissFixit

I had the most wonderful cat in the world for 17 1/2 years. I loved her. She was very self-sufficient. The only thing I had to worry about was feeding her and letting her in and out.

My mom and sister have indoor only cats that get fed twice per day and litter box changed daily. They do have scratch posts and toys though. My sister's cats don't scrathc furniture, but my mother's have shredded most of her upholstered stuff. Guess it depends on the cat.

suki44883

My three cats are all mad at me today. I gave them each a flea treatment and new flea collars earlier and they are now punishing me by not coming in my room.

That emote is how my cats reacted today.

MeHandle

After owning a small cleaning business and cleaning homes that had cats I told my business partner she was free to smack some sense into me if i ever talked like i was going to go get a cute little kitty. I told her to smuck me upside the head if i went through with it.

i will stick with dogs and dog hair, thank you very much. But i love to visit cats at other peoples houses. That is as long as I am not stopping to pic them up to go out and wearing black,..... i mean clothes.:-)

We have an adorable chocolate pomeranian named Candy.2 of my boys smoothered the poor thing to death with affection when we first got her.At 15 and 17 I still have to save the dog when they are smoother her to death with love. Before we got Candy we had a beautiful and very big collie named Champagne.( Haaaa, that is a tic me off story about alcoholic husband and co-dependent mother, who lives with me, when i ended up having to put the dog to sleep by my self and my kids called me a murderer for at least 3 months. To this day if Champagne comes up in a family conversation my kids think it is cute to tease me and say, " You mean our dog who mom killed.")

and why did I get back on this computer tonight.. cause it is raining cats and dogs out here and it changed the walking plan.

TakingCharge999

Well well!! Good news!! I asked the landlord and he said OK as long as it does not damage the furniture!!

Now I of course ran to a veterinary and she said, if the cat is mostly staying indoors, I can get its claws removed... she asked me if I want it to have kittens and I said no, so she said, well, you will save yourself much trouble if you sterilize it at 6 months... according to her the cat can be perfectly happy, and being a female she won't be wandering on the street much or disappearing...

I am really excited!! Tomorrow at 11 AM I will most probably own my first kittie !!!!!!

suki44883

If you do have the cat's front claws removed, PLEASE, PLEASE do not let her outside. She will have no way to defend herself or climb up a tree if a dog gets after her.

alwaysthinking2

Wonderful news that your landlord is on board!!! I have a cat, and she is a real blessing.

I would read up on declawing before you do that -- although spaying your cat *is* probably a good idea. Declawing is very painful for the cat - you are essentially removing a knuckle off of each "finger" of their paws.

One scratch very rarely ruins a piece of furniture -- it is repeated scratching that "shreds" it over time. The water misting definitely works. Also, draping blankets or towels over the corners of furniture will also protect them (cats don't scratch at "loose" surfaces, like a hanging blanket). It might not look great, but it is a short term solution for when you aren't home and have not yet trained her to not scratch.

Then again, not all cats scratch furniture. My cat occasionally tries to scratch the edge of my mattress, but has no interest in the couches or chairs.

Best,
at2

alwaysthinking2

Oh! And I agree with Suki - if she is going to be outdoors even a fraction of the time, declawing is a definite no!