I want a cat.

[midnghtraver]

But i don't know if i can handle it? All of you ffrers out there with cats. Is it really hard and pricey like my mom says?

[EnigmaticSingularity]

i want a kitten :3

[A2P]

Buying a cat= ~MaJoR LyFe DeZisIonN~

No, but for real taking care of a cat is the easiest thing ever. Go for it bro.

[I like it]

Just get one, they are easy.

[psychoangel691]

Cats are pretty easy. Just put some food in their bowl, scoop their litter, bush/clip nails and give attention. The litter can start to get pricey depending on what you get, same goes for food.

[nois-or-e]

Adopt a cat from a local newspaper ad if you see one. Cheap-shop for a scratching post and don't be one of these people that leaves the litter 4+ days between cleanings.

No-one likes a house that smells like cat-piss.

[DotKritic]

A cat is pretty easy. Really the only pricey bit is its shots and medicine.

[Cherubi]

Get a kitten. You can raise it from the beginning instead of getting an older cat that its previous owner maybe beat sometimes. I had that problem before ._.

[Emithith]

Originally Posted by DotKritic

A cat is pretty easy. Really the only pricey bit is its shots and medicine.

^ this
I seriously think you should just get one regardless of the price. They are furry critters and will make any bad day instantly happy. Atleast, that's how I feel about my cat. He's freaking adorable.

Just know that if you get a female:
a) if you don't get it spayed it will try to run out, but it will be super cuddly
b) you don't have to worry about it down the line if it gets pregnant if you spay it

For males:
a) if you don't neuter it, it can spray your carpets and etc. with a mixture that I think is like Sperm and Urine? idk
b) they get cuddly if they are neutered early on.

anyway, just my 2 cents

[Crashfan3]

You and me both, OP. Sucks that I live in a no-pets housing complex.
Anyway, I'd just adopt one from a local shelter. It varies from shelter to shelter, but they're usually already fixed and have at least some of their shots.
Good luck.

[qqwref]

Fortunately cats are pretty easy to take care of; as psychoangel said it's mostly food an litter, plus the occasional vet visit if something goes wrong. Neutering/spaying is definitely a good idea (if you get one that hasn't had that done yet). There's certainly some financial cost involved, but if you enjoy having the cat around you it will be more than worth it.

[~Zeta~]

Kittens are little more challenging to deal with as they're learning the world. You may have problems with them using the bathroom anywhere for a bit. They are more funto watch/play with than a cat.

Cats are usually more chillaxed and more comforting. Less of a hassle but sometimes impossible to get them to stop doing stuff (like spraying, moving the litter box, different food, etc.).

If you look in advertisements in your neighborhood or newspaper, you will most likely find an ad for free kittens/cats. They reproduced in large numbers (3-8). Pet Stores tend to morph the kittens/cats personality to a more captive lifestyle. Only get pets if they actually have freedom like from a house owner or a farm. I've Seen many of the pet store cats/dogs, they're sometimes uncontrollable since they hardly get any human interaction, timid of different animals, isolation, etc.

NOTE: Not all pet store pets are like that, it's just what I've generally noticed when I went pet shopping with a couple of my family members a couple times.

One cat is considerably cheap. A $20 bag 17 lbs. bag (rough mean) can last one cat a month. Either get a large feeder for filling every once in a while or manually fill a bowl each day. The cat will definitely tell you when it's low.

$10 thing of litter (they're like 13 lbs. or something, don't remember) usually last 2 weeks. That's if you clean it every morning (which you should, the smell can become overbearing).

If you have an energetic cat, some toys are a must. Scratch post, a little ball that makes noise, feather, laser pointer (you know you want to), and a firm (usually metal bristles) brush. Most cats love to be groomed. You see them almost constantly licking themselves to be cleaned and get that ultra smooth coat.

So, overall, you're paying about $50 a month not including vet trips for shots, spay/neutering, and grooming if you must. Vet trips are usually a minimum of $75 for check up and shots. Spay and neutering can range from $100 to $200 as I've seen. Just depends on where you go.


few tidbits from a ~13 cat owner.



6 at home, 7 where I currently live. Not 13 at one time lol

[Thatskier]

Aspen + Cat = . . . .

[Sullyman2007]

Originally Posted by Thatskier

Aspen + Cat = . . . .

quality post.

@op just get a cat. adopt one, don't get it from a pet store. and don't let your litter box go 4-5 days without change or your entire house will smell like cat piss.

[IAAW]

Cats, as everyone else has pointed out, are pretty easy to take care of and they are also great little companions around the house. Adopting one from your local shelter would be the best thing to do, and rescuing one isn't bad either. (All three of my cats are rescued.)

Other than what everyone else pointed out, cats are.... interesting. They're cute and cuddly, and they, of course, can easily turn a frown upside down. Just remember that all cats actually have their own personality, though overall cats are mostly lazy and will prefer to sleep. And eat. And sleep. Some cats like to be held, some don't, and the ones that don't like to be held will squirm in your hands as much as possible, which is a good sign that they either don't want to be held or simply don't like it.

Overall, cats are great to have around and taking care of them isn't that difficult. Like everyone else said, keep your cats fed and provide them with water as well (don't forget litter pans; everything poops), and take then to the vet occasionally if there are any issues. Getting shots out of the way will be good as well. Also, control the cat population, spade and neuter your cats. (Only if you want to, but your cats will want to reproduce.)

[Emithith]

I think I might be a bit fortunate. I have a healthy energetic cat that cleans himself all the time and has an almost human-like attitude. As IAAW pointed out, there is no guarantee that you will get one like that. I do know that my little sister's cat is a noisy cat during heat sessions, and is skittish, and will always squirm away from a cuddle.

But all that aside, I don't think you should worry about costs! It's all worth it in the long run, and they don't cost that much-- I can afford THREE, and I don't exactly have a rich family at all.

[Tarrik]

It's worth getting one. They're adorable.

[Andrew Mitchell]

buy a dog instead, ive never met a cat i liked

[euphoriakisses]

Cats are awesome. If you treat them well and take good care of them, I don't see how raising a kitty would be a problem. You can definitely handle it. It'll get pricey at times though, mind you.

Although I like dogs more, I still enjoyed having my pet cats growing up and I never had a problem with any of them. So good luck if you do end up getting a cat, not that you would need it though.

[Patricoo]

Cats are just living furniture.